The Genius of Play “North Pole” Sweepstakes Draws Record Number of Entrants

December 5, 2017 | The Genius of Play’s “North Pole” sweepstakes, which took place over a four-week period through November 30, garnered over 12,000 unique entrants – the highest number for any Genius of Play sweepstakes to date.

Parents were asked to take a short questionnaire on whether playing games – including board games and card games – is a part of their family traditions to celebrate the holidays. Participants entered a drawing for a chance to win a $250 gift card to the toy store of their choice.

The sweepstakes succeeded in getting the attention of parents and caregivers during the busy time leading up to the holidays. More than 60,000 fans visited the sweepstakes’ promotion page and more than 2,200 shared or “liked” the post on social media, in addition to the record number of entries. The winner, Sheryl E., hails from Willis, TX. 

“We were thrilled to see that the majority of families – as many as 83 percent – consider playing games an important part of their holiday traditions,” says Anna Yudina, director of marketing initiatives at The Toy Association, the group that runs The Genius of Play initiative. “Games and puzzles are not only a fun pastime, but a fantastic opportunity for children to strengthen familial bonds, learn social skills, and reinforce critical thinking abilities as they make decisions and strategize during a game.”

Sweepstakes participants were also encouraged to visit TheGeniusofPlay.org to learn all about the benefits of play and discover fun play tips for their kids. 

The Genius of Play is a national movement spearheaded by The Toy Association to raise awareness about play’s critical role in child development and encourage more play in children’s lives. The Genius of Play’s website offers expert advice from play and child experts ranging from child psychologists to play community activists, play ideas, and play-inspired resources for teachers.