How many toys do children really need? Is independent play a good thing? What effect does screentime have on our children? This and many more questions came up during this week's episode on Raising Healthy Mothers when I chatted to Alexis Ralphs of 100 Toys, ex-primary school teacher, turned stay-at-home-dad, turned toy seller, turned course creator. I was curious to know how imporant play is as a means to learn and develop in preparation for school, which prompted me to invite Alexis onto the podcast. In the we covered so much more. We discussed... How screentime affects children's play – and why they get so argumentative after watching TV Whether children actually need toys at all, and what we can do to foster creativity The importance of independence play Challenging toys vs entertaining toys, and why noisy, light up toys should be thrown in the bin How play prepares our children for school One thing that shone through is Alexis's deep-seated belief in the importance of simple play, making me feel that we have over-complicated play, most likely contributing to parental burnout as they try and keep up with the latest crazes. Reining back and just using what we have around the house helps our children play for longer... and stay younger for longer too. I loved that Alexis was honest and open about his challenges in play and parenting, despite his background as a teacher and a parent of 4 pre-tweens. It reminded me that no matter how experienced or knowledgeable you are, life is never straightforward as a parent! Connect with Alexis: Website | Instagram Learn more about his courses: The Good Old Days You can use the code TASHA on checkout to get 10% off any courses, including the bundle offer of 3, and there's a special offer for all 3 courses for £49 here, which you can still get 10% off using my code. Connect with me:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tashadcruz Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tashadcruznutrition Website: https://tashadcruz.com/podcast Loved this episode? Leave a review and rating on Apple Podcast. Want more energy and motivation? To get yourself on the way to springing out of bed in the mornings, download my free guide: Ten Daily Strategies to Unlock More Energy. #raisinghealthymothers DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on tashadcruz.com is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you may have heard on the podcast or on the website. I may earn commission on shopping links to external sites, e.g. Amazon. This doesn't change the price you pay but gives me a small commission which goes back into keeping the podcast running.