The Results are in: “Play Today” Helps Millions of Families

June 30, 2020 | The Play Today campaign, which ran from April through June, helped The Genius of Play broaden its reach and engagement while providing millions of families with free at-home play and learning resources during the pandemic.

“Play Today resonated with kids and parents, helping them cope, learn, and have fun while homebound and social distancing from friends,” said Ken Seiter, executive vice president of marketing communications at The Toy Association. “Families across the nation tapped into our play ideas and expert advice, as evidenced by the campaign’s impact on The Genius of Play’s website visits (+74%) and social engagements (+109%).”

Partnerships with leading family content creators on Instagram and TikTok helped amplify Play Today’s message of keeping children playing at home. Creators shared how their families #PlayToday and produced authentic and relatable video content that featured The Genius of Play’s play ideas and activities. The efforts resulted in 21 million social impressions for The Genius of Play. These results were further amplified by engagement with The Genius of Play’s own #PlayToday content (+19% YoY) on Facebook and Instagram and its timely “Worldwide Headquarters of Play” PSA ($2 million in media value), which underscored the importance of play at any age.

As one Las Vegas, NV mom, Darlene A., commented on Facebook of the Play Today resources: “Thank you for this awesome opportunity to keep our kids entertained [during] this stay-at-home summer."

Not only serving families during the pandemic, the campaign has also supported Toy Association members. Throughout the campaign, The Genius of Play featured 30 member companies on its Facebook and Instagram pages, inviting consumers to enter the #PlayToday giveaway by answering questions related to each company’s featured product.

Said Fun in Motion President & Co-Founder Kevin Daniels, whose company participated: “Play Today has been a great way to not only get the word out about our products but to also support Toy Association initiatives like this and The Genius of Play, which benefit us all.”

The Genius of Play will continue to encourage families to utilize its Play Today resource page and 30 days of play calendar for play inspiration in the weeks and months ahead.

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. Follow The Genius of Play on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.