SECTOR FOCUS stools, DIY tools, doctors’ kits and many more to keep little ones entertained and educated while having fun. Children have missed out on so much over this unusual time and parents are working hard to replace what they may have experienced at school, nursery and playgroups.” Phil Cassidy, md of Casdon, says that imaginative play allows children to come up with their own rules, games and stories at a time when they’re out of their usual routine and may be feeling anxious or unsure. “Imaginative play has a varied range of benefits for young children - from encouraging creativity to helping with problem solving and communication skills,” he offers. “Casdon products are child-sized versions of items that adults may already use within the household. They allow the children to imitate the grown-ups and ‘help out’ in the home through role-play while also developing their imaginative and practical skills. “If retailers can show that they relate to and understand the role that parents have in their children’s play at home, and place emphasis on how this kind of play can benefit children’s development too – perhaps through enhanced ‘home-corner’ categories and sections – parents and give-givers will be able to clearly see the benefit of having products such as these in their home.”
To help keep this momentum, the company ran a campaign to encourage children to get creative during the third lockdown, making thank you cards for teachers, home-schooling parents and pictures for Easter. The campaign coincided with the launch of Little Brian Chunkie Paint Sticks range. “Children love to make things for other people and this was a simple way of helping them make something that might be sent to people they haven’t been able to see for a long time, like grandparents for example,” says Lindsay. Le Toy Van, meanwhile, has further strengthened its selection of imaginative play products – including its Honeybake collection - all of which are in gender neutral designs and are made to inspire “free and creative play”, says Alice King, the company’s digital marketing manager. “At a time when we’ve been confined indoors more than ever, we believe it’s more important for children to be able to escape, imagine and still be able to find the magical moments in the everyday that they would be missing out on,” Alice tells PPS. “Imaginative play is a wonderful way to teach children about the world around them, particularly preparing them for social interactions later in life. Simple acts such as interacting with the shopkeeper during play time teaches children the nuanced social interactions we have daily and builds confidence for these scenarios.” The final word goes to Kids Industries’ Gary, who concludes: “Play prepares us, continually in fact, to be the people we are destined to become and nowhere is this more important than in the preschooler.”
“Now more than ever we need to give our children creative and imaginative play opportunities.” Gary Pope, ceo, Kids Industries
FINDING MAGICAL MOMENTS Lindsay Hardy, marketing director at Trends UK, says that demand for creative products such as Little Brian’s Paint Sticks “went through the roof ” during the first lockdown, as parents searched for ways to keep children entertained that didn’t involve screens.
Left: Le Toy Van is further growing its Honeybake imaginative play collection this year. Above: Casdon’s products allow children to imitate their parents with lines such as the Henry and Hetty Cleaning Trolleys. Right: Demand for Little Brian’s Paint Sticks went ‘through the roof’ during the first lockdown.
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