Too Many Toys Activities

If You love the book Too Many Toys by David Shannon, then you will love these Too Many Toys Activities. And if you know this book, then you know about Spencer, which is the kid with too many toys. Let’s talk about some printables, activities, and inspiration.

Too Many Toys Book

As kindergarten teachers, we constantly strive to create engaging and educational experiences for our young learners. “Too Many Toys” by David Shannon offers a wonderful opportunity to explore the themes of organization, sharing, and appreciation in a relatable and enjoyable way. In this blog post, we have curated a collection of activities inspired by this delightful book that will captivate your kindergarten students and facilitate meaningful learning experiences in the classroom.

I am a huge fan of all David Shannon Books so when Too Many Toys came out, I snagged it quickly from Amazon. It is a great book about Spencer and how many toys he has. You can check out the book here on YouTube.

Toy Story Retelling:

After reading “Too Many Toys” aloud to your students, encourage them to retell the story using props and toys. Provide a variety of toys, such as stuffed animals, cars, and building blocks, and let them share if they have a specific toy at their house.

Toy Sorting Game:

Create a sorting game using a selection of toys. Choose categories such as color, size, or type of toy, and invite students to sort the toys accordingly. This activity promotes critical thinking, categorization skills, and reinforces vocabulary development as students discuss their sorting decisions.

Toy Donation Center:

Set up a toy donation center in your classroom to teach your students the value of sharing and giving. Ask families to donate gently used toys, and create a designated area where students can place their donations. Discuss the importance of sharing with others who may not have as many toys, fostering empathy and kindness.

DIY Toy Organizers:

Guide your students in creating their own toy organizers using recycled materials. Provide cardboard boxes, wrapping paper, markers, and glue. Encourage the children to decorate the boxes and label them with pictures or words indicating the type of toys to be stored. This activity promotes fine motor skills, creativity, and organization.

Toy Show-and-Tell:

Organize a “Toy Show-and-Tell” day in your classroom, where students can bring in their favorite toy to share with the class. Encourage each child to describe their toy, explaining why it is special to them. This activity develops oral language skills, builds self-confidence, and encourages active listening and respectful communication among peers.

Toy Story Writing:

Invite your students to write their own toy stories, either individually or in small groups. Encourage creativity and imagination as they develop characters, settings, and plotlines. Provide writing materials and support them as they illustrate their stories. This activity fosters literacy skills, storytelling abilities, and self-expression.

I love to use this book in our David Shannon Author Study to discuss and use the PROBLEM in the story on the lines. Then we give three solutions to the problem in the circles. I love using this book for the problem because this is a common problem for kids and it helps them solve this problem in their own lives.

Here is a student example.

“Spencer has too many toys. His mom is getting rid of some.” {I love this because the student didn’t think Spencer has too many toys, but since his mother wants to get rid of some is the real issue.}  The solutions he comes up with include putting them away in a box, sorting them into bins, and giving some of them away. Here is another student example.

Here is a writing example of a student identifying what the problem is and possible solutions. And here is another student’s response.

Reading Comprehension Game

We also played this reading comprehension game which is always a class favorite. Students can play a reading comprehension game to work on reading comprehension skils. The teacher reads the questions and you can even keep data.

Spencer Art Project

And here is our Spencer art work creations.

Too Many Toys

“Too Many Toys” provides a wonderful platform for engaging kindergarten students in meaningful activities that promote organization, sharing, and appreciation. By incorporating these activities into your classroom, you can create a dynamic and enriching learning environment that nurtures essential skills while fostering a love for literature and positive values among your students.

Check out the author study pack here…

and the collection of art project templates here.