Feb 9, 2016

New toy survey shows vast majority of parents think hands-on play is important

With more toys available than ever, parents face a challenge to make the right choices for their children. However, despite the many options, parents have a clear understanding of how they want their children to play and what type of toys are best for their development.

An online survey fielded in January of 500 parents with children under 18 in their household, conducted by Harris Poll on behalf of STAEDTLER, the creator of children’s modeling clay FIMO kids, found that hands-on play and technology are not mutually exclusive. In fact, the vast majority of parents (91 percent) said that they want their children to have a balance between hands-on play and playing with technology.

FIMO kids is an oven-hardened modeling clay that fosters the creativity and imagination of children by allowing them to make their own toys. The bright colors, different materials, and unlimited design options offer an engaging hands-on balance to screen time.

The data also reveals a growing concern among parents about their ability to maintain this balance, as more than half of parents (55 percent) said technology has eliminated hands-on play. 80 percent of parents said their children lack hands-on play and 30 percent of those parents are extremely/very concerned about it.

One of the reasons for this growing concern is that children may no longer be experiencing the developmental benefits associated with hands-on play. When asked about why parents think it is important for their children to have hands-on play, the data shows a significant awareness among parents of its developmental benefits, with 75 percent of parents saying it’s important for their child to have hands-on play because it is good for their child’s development. Other reasons include:

• 70 percent say hands-on play is important because it allows children to be creative.
• 66 percent say hands-on play is important because it allows them to use their imagination.
• 61 percent say hands-on play is important because it keeps them engaged in a learning

“The survey results clearly show an awareness of the numerous benefits of hands-on play. As children develop, they need creative play, physical play, and interactions with their peers and adults — all of which hands-on play offers,” states Erna Müller, Head of Corporate Communications & Design at STAEDTLER.

Regarding personal interaction, the survey found that 70 percent of parents are very or completely involved when their children engage in hands-on play. By comparison, 55 percent say the same when their children play with technology. According to Müller, “This shows why hands-on play is invaluable in enabling quality family time and confirms how important it is for balanced learning.”

Both the interpersonal benefits and creative results of hands-on play are evident when looking at the types of objects children like to create while playing: 47 percent of parents said their children like to create toys for themselves and 34 percent said they like to create toys for other people when playing. As much as children like creating toys, 42 percent of parents stated that their children also like to create decorations for the house.