Some Parents Buy Their Children a Large Number of Toys to Play With - IELTS Writing Task 2

In the IELTS advantages and disadvantages essays, you will be asked to write about the benefits and drawbacks of the topic given. 

You have to be careful that you write the advantages and disadvantages of the topic given and not your opinion about the topic. To help you understand this type of essay better, below is a sample essay on the topic, 'Some Parents Buy Their Children a Large Number of Toys to Play With' along with a vocabulary section. 

Continue to practise other topics of IELTS advantages/disadvantages essays to help you during your IELTS Writing Task 2 preparation! 

Question

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Some parents buy their children a large number of toys to play with. What are the advantages and disadvantages for the child of having a large number of toys?

You should write at least 250 words.

Structure Breakdown

Sample Essay - Some Parents Buy Their Children a Large Number of Toys to Play With 

Every child loves toys in one way or another. Most children are blessed with parents who bring them numerous toys and games. In this essay, I will ponder the advantages and disadvantages of having the opportunity to play and interact with many toys in one’s childhood.

Playing with toys has several benefits. Firstly, they can act as a stimulant for the child’s cognitive development. For instance, children polish their lateral thinking while interacting with LEGO sets. Secondly, spatial awareness is also seen in children that ride baby dump truck toys. Thirdly, toys or games like Scrabbles can help children learn new words, thereby enriching their vocabulary. Furthermore, having many toys means having several routines to play with, showing how imaginative a child is. Hence, an expansive playtime routine ensures the child’s holistic cognitive development.

However, playing with too many toys does have detrimental consequences. It is seen that children who move on from a toy very quickly may indicate signs of hyperactivity. Such children also have a low attention span, thus negatively affecting their workability and poor performance at school. Moreover, being obsessed with playing with toys at home may lead to a recluse nature. Later, these kids may not be able to socialize with other people. Another drawback is that children may never understand the value of the toys they have, hence will never be content with what they have. Thus, it could flourish into a negative, consumption-oriented habit, which can have further unending consequences.

In conclusion, notwithstanding the advantageous nature of the luxury of too many toys, one must stress the accompanying negative connotations and take a conscious decision based on deliberation and what is best-suited for the child.

Vocabulary to Answer the 'Some Parents Buy Their Children a Large Number of Toys to Play With' Essay

Have a look at the IELTS Vocabulary for Band 9 Sample Answer for ‘Some Parents Buy their Children a Large Number of Toys to Play With’ IELTS Writing Task 2 Advantages/Disadvantages Essay.

• Stimulant

Meaning: an activity/substance that raises levels of physiological or nervous activity in the body
Example – This fruit is a stimulant for our digestive system.

• Lateral

Meaning: creative, original
Example – His ways of dealing with problems are lateral.

• Spatial

Meaning: relating to or occupying space.
Example – This graph shows the spatial distribution of population.

• Holistic

Meaning: reference to the whole.
Example – His holistic approach and strategic vision made him successful.

• Cognitive

Meaning: relating to cognition
Example – Cognitive skills involve the ability to acquire facts and are very important.

• Detrimental

Meaning: tending to cause harm.
Example – Direct sunlight is detrimental to our skin.

• Hyperactivity

Meaning: Constantly being over active.
Example – The puppy never stays at one place and is alway hyperactive.

• Content

Meaning: in a state of peaceful happiness.
Example – My grandfather is always content.

• Unending

Meaning: never ending
Example – The book included an unending array of twists and tricks.

• Notwithstanding

Meaning: nevertheless; in spite of this.
Example – Our plan was cancelled due to his foolishness. Notwithstanding, I remained calm.

5 Tricks to Ace the ‘Some Parents Buy Their Children a Large Number of Toys to Play With’ Essay

Trick 1: Identify the Question Type

• If it asks for your opinion, give your views along with examples.
• For example, “Do advantages outweigh disadvantages?”
• If not, you can just list and explain both sides.

Trick 2: Try using the 2:2 Rule

• Choose two strong points that explain the advantages and two clear points for the disadvantages.
• Importantly, avoid overloading with too many viewpoints.

Trick 3: Plan with Logic

• Think, what is good about this? (Advantages)
• What problems could it cause? (Disadvantages)

Trick 4: Balance Your Paragraphs

• Write one paragraph in support of the advantages and one paragraph on the disadvantages. But, try to keep both equal in length and depth.
• If your opinion is asked, be very clear by using phrases like, “In my opinion, I believe that the benefits outweigh the disadvantages.”

Trick 5: Avoid Repetition

• Use synonyms and try paraphrasing to keep language varied and formal.

Remember to proofread your essay for grammar, vocabulary, and spelling errors. These tips, combined with practice, will help you write well-structured and coherent IELTS Writing Task 2 Advantages/Disadvantages essays like the ‘Some Parents Buy Their Children a Large Number of Toys to Play With.’