Scaling-up playful parenting

About

Parents and primary caregivers have an important role to play in their children’s development. Their responsive caregiving sets a critical trajectory for brain growth in young children, which lays a solid foundation for healthy development and lifelong learning.

Evidence from a range of countries shows that when caregivers engage in quality play and reading with their children, it can result in improved learning outcomes that persist throughout the life course.

On October 29th, 2019, the LEGO Foundation announced a new partnership with UNICEF to scale parenting interventions that promote playful interactions, increase global knowledge and buy-in for playful parenting programs, and bolster primary caregivers’ demand for playful learning during the early years.

This partnership aligns with the Foundation’s 2019 commitment which pledged to bring to scale impactful programs that support parents and caregivers to strengthen their children’s development through play. While ample evidence confirms the benefits of Playful Parenting programs, such efforts have rarely expanded beyond the local level.

The LEGO Foundation, by way of its Playful Parenting initiative, is investing in bringing programs to scale and developing learning to help ensure sustainability and continued expansion.