The Genius of Play's Social Media Fans Make a Strong Connection Between Play and Learning
October 18, 2016 | Play is most closely associated with “learning,” according to social media followers of The Genius of Play, the Toy Industry Association’s (TIA) research-backed initiative to bring more play into kids’ lives. Other words highly associated with play were creativity, imagination and fun.
The Genius of Play initiated “The ___ of Play” sweepstakes in September, asking parents to fill in the blank to answer the question: “What’s the biggest benefit of play?” The program ran on The Genius of Play website and social media, garnering more than 3,400 entries.
The answers to this year’s sweepstakes are in contrast to a research study commissioned by The Genius of Play and conducted last year in which parents were asked an open-ended question to define play. In the 2015 study, which was based on a national sample of more than 500 parents with kids 2-10 years old, most parents answered “fun” as the primary definition of play.
“Extensive research supports that there is a strong connection between play and learning,” said Anna Yudina, director of marketing communications at TIA. “The dramatically different results between the 2015 study and 2016 user-generated answers show that The Genius of Play’s message is resonating with fans on social media, helping parents and caregivers connect the dots between play and learning.”
The Genius of Play initiative focuses on six developmental skills children learn through play – cognitive skills, communication skills, creativity, as well as emotional, physical and social development. Social media has been the key to helping spread The Genius of Play message, with more than 20 million impressions and more than 1 million interactions on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter during the first nine months of 2016. The Genius of Play will continue its mission to help parents and caregivers deepen their understanding of play and its developmental benefits.
TIA members interested in becoming involved in The Genius of Play initiative may contact TIA’s Jackie Retzer (646.454.5587).