The Genius of Play Advocates for the Importance of Play in Canada

August 5, 2020 | The Genius of Play, The Toy Association’s initiative to raise awareness of play’s vital role in child development, kicked off its expansion into the Canadian market with a TV media tour last week.

“The importance of play is a global topic, and thanks to our partnership with the Canadian Toy Association, we are now able to share The Genius of Play’s research and play resources with Canadian families,” said Anna Yudina, senior director of marketing initiatives at The Toy Association.

The media tour, which touted the six benefits of play to children’s overall well-being and development, included segments aired in Toronto, Calgary, Halifax, Saskatoon, and Hamilton. Featuring Patty Sullivan, a well-known Canadian TV personality and parenting expert, the segments shared skill-building play ideas from The Genius of Play website and invited viewers to visit thegeniusofplay.org for more resources and inspiration.

The Genius of Play’s expansion into Canada will also include partnerships with key parenting influencers on social media and syndicated articles across a range of daily online and print media outlets. The campaign’s target reach is 1.5 million.

“The Genius of Play has been successful in promoting both the value of play and the innovative products created by our members among U.S. parents and educators,” said Serge Micheli, executive director at the CTA. “We’re thrilled to be able to help expand its mission into new territories and engage new audiences.”

The Genius of Play website offers expert advice from play and child experts, play ideas for families, and play-inspired resources for teachers. Toy companies are encouraged to spread awareness about play’s vital role in child development – visit www.TheGeniusofPlay.org to learn more.