Play in Action: The Genius of Play’s 2019 Successes

genius-of-play-logoJanuary 27, 2020 | The Genius of Play continued to raise awareness of the importance of play in 2019, reaching new milestones across its audiences of parents, grandparents, caregivers, educators, and media.

“Insightful research, hands-on play resources, and targeted communications across a wide range of platforms are helping advance The Genius of Play’s messaging to resonate with families and thought leaders on a global scale,” said Anna Yudina, director of marketing initiatives at The Toy Association. “By positioning toys as important tools that can help combat challenges facing today’s parents and teachers, such as decreasing physical activity and screen-time addiction, we are elevating the critical role of our industry’s playful products. We are excited to build on these efforts throughout 2020.”

Key highlights in 2019 include:

  • Garnered more than 1.8 billion impressions through media coverage at top-tier publications and parenting blogs including Fatherly, Fox News, Good Housekeeping, New York Post, Romper, and Vox.
  • Delivered more than $20 million in donated media value through The Genius of Play public service announcements (PSAs), hitting 163 markets including New York, Los Angeles, Washington, DC, Houston, Boston, and many more.
  • Featured 193 Toy Association member companies in giveaways and Genius Play Pix, which helped grow the movement’s Instagram following by 122 percent and overall social engagement by 45 percent.
  • Garnered more than 540 million media impressions and reached 5 million people with the inaugural #PlayAllMay month-long celebration of play.
  • Partnered with Dr. Gummer’s Good Play Guide (formerly Fundamentally Children) in an international study that found 75 percent of children are not getting enough playtime.
  • The Genius of Play experts participated in engaging panels at CES’s Family Tech Summit and the Shanghai International STEAM Educational Expo, and led a discussion on Capitol Hill.
  • Visits to The Genius of Play website increased by 113 percent, thanks in part to expanded content that included downloadable coloring/activity sheets and play ideas for kids with special needs.

Check out this infographic that summarizes the program’s 2019 successes.

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.