THE GENIUS OF PLAY LAUNCHES ‘PLAY TODAY’
Online destination will provide parents and caregivers with play ideas, inspiration, and expert advice to help families during COVID-19 crisis.
NEW YORK – April 8, 2020 – The Genius of Play, a national movement to raise awareness of play’s vital role in child development, is helping families cope with stress and make the most of their time together at home with the launch of its Play Today campaign. Spearheaded by The Toy Association, this initiative will share both traditional and virtual play activities through a new online destination developed to inspire families to stay well and play on!
Research shows a direct correlation between playfulness and stress reduction in that playful people find fewer situations stressful and more readily use the coping strategies they have than less playful people. Play Today aims to educate parents about the benefits of play and provide timely resources, including indoor activities to get kids up and moving, virtual play ideas, and a mega-list of at-home learning resources, to help families of all sizes play and learn together at home during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The Genius of Play’s mission is to help families make play an important part of their child’s day,” said Ken Seiter, executive vice president of marketing communications at The Toy Association. “As millions of families continue to lead their daily lives at home, Play Today shows parents and caregivers how play can help keep things fun and fresh, while bringing comfort and relieving anxiety during these stressful times.”
To spark play inspiration, The Genius of Play has teamed up with influencer families, asking them to share how each individual family is incorporating play into their day. The videos created by these families will be available at the Play Today online destination later this month along with tons of at-home play and learning resources. The Genius of Play will also host surprise giveaways on its social media channels with exciting toy prizes.
“Play is critical to our physical and emotional well-being at any age,” continued Seiter. “With so many families suddenly spending all this time together and so much uncertainty leading to high levels of stress, there has never been a better time to play than today!”
To learn more about The Genius of Play’s Play Today campaign, please visit thegeniusofplay.org. Share how you #PlayToday through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
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 caretakers 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 The Toy Association
Founded in 1916, The Toy Association™, Inc. is the not-for-profit trade association representing all businesses involved in creating and delivering toys and youth entertainment products for kids of all ages. The Toy Association leads the health and growth of the U.S. toy industry, which has an annual U.S. economic impact of $97.2 billion, and its 1,000+ members drive the annual $27 billion U.S. domestic toy market. The Toy Association serves as the industry’s voice on the developmental benefits of play and promotes play’s positive impact on childhood development to consumers and media. The organization has a long history of leadership in toy safety, having helped develop the first comprehensive toy safety standard more than 40 years ago, and remains committed to working with medical experts, government, consumers, and industry on ongoing programs to ensure safe and fun play.
As a global leader, The Toy Association produces the world-renowned Toy Fair New York and Toy Fair Dallas; advocates on behalf of members around the world; sustains the Canadian The Toy Association; acts as secretariat for the International Council of Toy Industries and International Toy Industry CEO Roundtable; and chairs the committee that reviews and revises America’s widely emulated ASTM F963 toy safety standard.