In celebration of World Inclusion Day, Fisher-Price® Little People®, the #1 infant, toddler, and preschool brand, is giving families of all kinds the chance to build a fully customisable toy set that best represents their unique family structure.
In celebration of World Inclusion Day, Fisher-Price® Little People®, the #1 infant, toddler, and preschool brand, is giving families of all kinds the chance to build a fully customisable toy set that best represents their unique family structure.
Starting today, the Little People® FamilyKIND campaign invites families from across the UK to visit littlepeoplefamilykind.com, where they can submit to build their own, one-of-a-kind Little People® set, choosing from up to 40 different figures that show a variety of skin tones, hair types, disabilities, occupations, and ages, that represents and celebrates their diverse family unit. Up to 100 family sets will be available, free of charge, on a first-come, first-served basis. The campaign is part of Fisher-Price’s® ongoing commitment towards celebrating differences and promoting a kinder world, as well as aiming to better understand modern UK families and taking learnings into future toy development.
The launch comes following recent Census data which highlighted just how much family structures are evolving within the UK. According to their findings, 18.7% of all UK families are single-parent, 5% see children living across two households, while 2.1% are now multi-generational, up from 1.8% in the previous Census. A further study by the Department for Education showed that 17% of adoptive parents in 2022 were same-sex individuals and couples[2].
Fisher-Price® has conducted further independent research looking into how parents and caregivers feel about the representation of different types of family structures in toys for their little ones. The research, polling 1,000 participants from across many different types of families – including single-parent, non-gendered, blended, multi-generational, same-sex, opposite-sex, and adoptive families – confirms that families in the UK believe better representation is needed.
The study found that 1 in 10 of those asked were not from a family made up of birth mother and birth father, plus children by birth. Of those: 34% were from a single-parent family, 33% foster family, 33% non-gendered parent, 26% adoptive family, 23% extended family, 16% blended/stepfamily, 16% same-sex family and 9% grandparent family.
Further to this, 58% of respondents said they felt there is a need for more diversity in toddler and preschool toys, with 91% saying they believe it’s important for children to have toys that represent their family structure, while 84% commented that having access to toys showing other types of families is just as important.
Exposure to wide representation is important for young children, including toys that reflect individual family structure, as Desiree Williams, Early Childhood Development Researcher from the Fisher-Price® Play Lab, notes: “We know that young children collect information from the world around them to construct their beliefs. This Little People campaign is a fun and inclusive way to introduce all the different ways a family can look and feel represented. With multiple and diverse figures representing different skin tones, hair types, disabilities, and dress, there are vast opportunities to find a Little People® figure that looks like each person in your family.”
Parenting expert Anita Cleare added:“Family really resonates with young children as it’s their primary reference point. Seeing themselves and their families represented in their toys and play figures builds children’s self-esteem and a sense of belonging. By celebrating the wide diversity of modern families through initiatives like this FamilyKIND campaign, we help all children grow understanding of different family structures and experiences.
“Many children experience changes in their families. My own children experienced living in a traditional nuclear family, a single parent family and a blended family. Seeing different family set ups reflected in their toys enhances all children’s social and emotional awareness and can help children face any changes and challenges positively.”
The Fisher-Price® Little People® FamilyKIND website can be found at littlepeoplefamilykind.com and will be live ahead of World Inclusion Day from Tuesday 3rd October 2023 for a limited time.