The Serious Side of Fun: Managing Childhood Stress Through Play

by Ava Diamond

If you’re in the toy industry, you know that play is essential to how a child develops physical and social skills right from the start. In fact, play is actually a biological drive in all mammals, including humans (Brown & Vaughan, 2010; Libby, 2014). Extensive research over decades has shown that in the absence of actual toys, children will create toys from whatever they have in their environment. In fact, even with actual toys, we know the big cardboard box, pots & pans, and couch cushions can be some of the most entertaining toys for children. The need to play comes from the natural developmental drive to learn through experience. It also is an adaptive tool that children use well to mitigate stress.

The “serious side of fun” is the responsibility that toy makers, buyers, and sellers have to own their impact on young, developing minds.

While many child-wise people are at the helm of these organizations, it’s not easy to keep a finger on the pulse of research findings and current issues facing children. The most informative study on toys was performed by the National Association of the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) over a ten year period of time…but even that was completed prepandemic. Pandemic and post-pandemic years have shifted awareness and understanding of children’s needs and shown that childhood stress is exponentially more challenging than ever before.

According to the Child Mind Institute’s 2021 Mental Health Report, 30-40% of children are struggling with anxiety or depression since the onset of the Pandemic. Children every where in the World have experienced a disruption to life as they knew it ranging from challenging to traumatizing. There are multiple factors contributing to this increase so we can’t blame it all on the Pandemic. The numbers were rising for a decade prior to 2019. Social media consumption, screen time, less quality time with family, and the over-scheduled, high-demand activities that have kept children busy are all elements causing the increased stress. The toy industry has an opportunity and a responsibility to help with this very serious concern.

Chronic stress is the #1 cause for more injuries and illnesses than any other condition that exists. Research shows the alarming increase in children living with symptoms of chronic stress: anxiety, depression, digestive issues, somatic complaints, suicidal thoughts.

In 2023, we now have well-documented findings on brain development and brain health. Why do we need to know more about why and how to care for our brain at any age?

Play is one of the most effective ways to lower cortisol (stress chemical) levels in both children and adults. The key to stress-reducing play is in the immersive nature of the game or activity. Typically, this kind of play is non-competitive, has guidelines for use that aren’t prescriptive or heavily rule-regulated, and/or fosters a childrens’ ability to express themselves. How can you do your part to mitigate stress in a child’s life with the toys you make or sell? You can start by using these three questions to evaluate products:

1. Does this toy help to develop problem-solving, social, and/or physical skills?

2. Does this toy provide an open-ended opportunity for children to innovate, explore, develop their own ideas?

3. Does this toy encourage active engagement (mind & body) to make the play experience happen?

Meaningful, mindful play is the way children prepare for their future. There is so much research on child development and much less on how they play with toys. The toy industry is at the front line of being able to remediate children’s stress and foster healthier growth. Seeking consultation from child development experts or taking the time to read current psychology trends and findings is a great way to elevate quality control practices.

Ava Diamond, LCSW, Creator of Brain & Body Optimization coaching, served as the Clinical Director of a Yale Child Study program, developed curriculum on social-emotional learning for top educational programs, and has been a child, adolescent, and family therapist since 1991. Ms. Diamond has her expertise in child development and brain health. She brings her Brain & Body Optimization program to top global law firms and Fortune 100 companies. For the past few years, Ms. Diamond has also served as the child-development advisor for Fantasma Toys, a global toy manufacturing company and provided consultation for numerous smaller companies, individual toy inventors, and toy store owners. She is available to answer any of your questions by email or to formally consult with your team via her website.