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75 Percent of Children Are Not Getting Enough Playtime, According to New Research

The Genius of Play™ and Fundamentally Children Found Families Need More Time and Support to Inspire Playtime and Encourage Healthy Childhoods

New York, NY – July 22, 2019 – The Genius of Play, a nonprofit initiative dedicated to raising awareness of play's vital role in child development, recently partnered with Fundamentally Children, a leading source of expert, independent advice on play and child development, in an international study to investigate whether children are receiving a healthy balance of various play activities.

In the survey of 840 parents, it was found that approximately 75 percent of children under 12 are not getting enough active free play, such as running around or riding bikes. What’s more, the issue becomes worse as children grow older. While 65 percent of one to four-year-olds experience a deficit of active free play, the number jumps to 77 percent among nine to twelve-year-olds. A lack of time was shown to be one of the biggest barriers to active free play for nearly one third of children.

“It’s crucial that children engage in different types of play that provide a variety of benefits,” said Ken Seiter, executive vice president of marketing communications at The Toy Association, the organization that spearheads The Genius of Play. “Active free play is key to healthy child development as it helps kids hone their gross motor and fine motor skills, while at the same time building social skills and fostering creativity. We work to provide parents with a multitude of play ideas that will help them carve out time for play in their children’s daily schedules.”

The research also found:

• Nearly two thirds of one to four-year-olds may be missing out on structured social play, specifically sports games (57 percent) and board and card games (60 percent). Key skills are emerging during this age range and should be supported with social, physical, and cognitive play to aid in developing these skills.
• More than 68 percent of five through eight-year-olds are not getting the recommended amount of pretend play, such as playing with dolls or action figures. This type of play supports social and emotional development, which helps children cope with their emotions and develop empathy as well as create and maintain friendships.

Earlier this year, The Genius of Play released a Public Service Announcement, “Prescription for Play”, to remind parents about the benefits of playtime. The campaign features a play-deprived child and encourages parents to balance play alongside other priorities, such as school and extracurricular activities. “Prescription for Play” videos garnered millions of views, comments, and shares on social media, reaching more than 8 million parents and caregivers with this important message.

“Our study found that children of all ages do not currently get a balanced approach to play, which is necessary for healthy holistic development,” said Dr. Amanda Gummer, child psychologist and founder of Fundamentally Children. “The need to raise greater awareness of the benefits of play has become increasingly obvious, as parents need to feel empowered to prioritize playtime activities.”

For additional information about The Genius of Play and hundreds of play ideas, visit TheGeniusofPlay.org. For more information about Fundamentally Children, visit FundamentallyChildren.com.

About The Genius of Play

The Genius of Play is a national movement to raise awareness of play’s vital role in child development, spearheaded by The Toy Association. Deeply rooted in research and facts, The Genius of Play is a leading resource on the physical, cognitive, social and emotional benefits of play that serve children throughout their lives. The Genius of Play enables today’s busy parents and caregivers to use the power of play to help raise a happier, healthier, and more productive next generation. Visit www.TheGeniusOfPlay.org for easily accessible play ideas and tips, expert advice, and other play resources. It’s More Than Play!

About Fundamentally Children

Fundamentally Children is the UK’s leading source of expert, independent advice on play and child development, offering a range of services to support children’s industries. Founded by child psychologist, Dr Amanda Gummer, Fundamentally Children is the home of the Good Toy Guide and Good App Guide.

Fundamentally Children’s family-friendly team of professionals are proud of their deep understanding of children and passionate about the importance of play in healthy childhoods. They go above and beyond to champion great children's products using a wide range of skills to make a difference. Whether that is to shout about products in the media, design user testing to help turn good ideas into great products or share knowledge and passion with their audience.