New research commissioned by Little Tikes on how families have spent lockdown shows that play is a significant part of daily life.
New research commissioned by Little Tikes has revealed how families have spent lockdown, with play being a significant part of daily life.
Researchers polled British mums and dads and despite the ups and downs of family life during lockdown over half (57%) said they have really appreciated having the chance to actually play with their children, while 39% said they feel like they’ve got to know their kids better during the time at home. Over 90% said they believe the old saying ‘the family that plays together stays together’ is true.
The study of 1,000 parents of children aged 11 and under found that families are making sure they find time to connect with loved ones, making an average of seven Zoom calls to grandparents each week. Quality time together is also key, with families coming together to play and even dancing together in an average of six TikTok videos per week.
The survey results – which generated a spread of national coverage across last weekend and reached over 98 million people – come on the back of Little Tikes launching its digital campaign, A Little Help from Little Tikes, which provides families with free play inspiration from the comfort of their own home.
“We were keen to get a sense of the nation and how parents feel and their experience of lockdown,” said Michelle Lilley, head of marketing UK at Little Tikes. “We appreciate it’s a huge challenge for families across the UK. It’s encouraging to see that plenty of parents are feeling closer as a family and that they’re learning more about each other than ever before.
“We’ve been championing play for over 50 years and now more than ever we’re seeing the benefit of families playing together. We’re hopeful the warm weather continues and that families have the chance to make even more play memories throughout the summer months. It’s still a challenging time for many but with more retailers preparing to open we’re hopeful for an even busier and fun summer ahead.”
Little Tikes sales from March to May have benefitted from the good weather, with outdoor toys including the Cozy Coupe, Fountain Factory and First Slide continuing to be among the top lines.
Visits to the Little Tikes website have also increased, with parents accessing the free online resources that are available as part of the #AlittleHelpFromLittleTikes campaign, and audience growth across social channels has seen an uplift as parents engage with the campaign and competitions that have launched.
Little Tikes is increasing activity across digital and TV, with key outdoor products going on TV again from June 15 for four weeks to bolster water and core outdoor lines.
