Seven in 10 parents say kids have 'piles' of unopened toys from Christmas

Seven in 10 parents admit their kids have ‘piles’ of toys still in their packages from birthdays and Christmases they never play with. A poll of 1,000 adults with children aged between three and 10 found their offspring have as many as eight toys they have never played with, and half of these remain in its packaging. And mums and dads estimate these unloved toys could be worth more than £90. But 80 per cent of parents are keen to have a toy declutter ahead of the festive season, as 51 per cent want to make room for a potential new influx on the 25th December. Six in 10 (63 per cent) of these will donate the unwanted toys to charity, and 50 per cent will give them to friends and family with younger children. The research was commissioned by Skipton Building Society (part of the Skipton Group) as part of its Christmas charity toy collection for various charities, including Cash for Kids - Mission Christmas, with its branches nationwide accepting unopened contributions. The building society has teamed up with Dilly Carter, the professional organiser on the TV show Sort Your Life Out, who has given parents advice on how to tackle the pre-Christmas declutter.