Parents reveal why they want their kids to play with toys

Get your kid the toy they want for the holidays this year — four in five parents confirmed that their child is happier, more social and confident in themselves when they play with their favorite toy or doll.

A poll of 2,000 U.S. parents of school-aged kids found that 63% believe if their kid plays with toys or dolls early in life, they’ll have an easier time fostering new friendships later in life.

Ahead of the holidays, the survey commissioned by fashion doll brand Rainbow High and conducted by Talker Research, found that 69% of parents confirm their kids play with dolls and action figures. Likewise, 69% said their kids have many or “a fair amount” of friends.

A third (36%) of parents said dolls are used to create memories for their child to experience with their friends; 34% said dolls have helped their child develop new friendships with other children.

Interestingly, 60% of parents agreed that the pressure to be “grown up” or achieve success negatively impacts their child’s self-confidence. Confidence is not defined through success, but rather through a sense of self and forming strong friendships.

And 52% said their child believes their favorite color matches their personality.

The study also looked into what parents want their kids to learn or discover while playing with their toys and dolls. The most important was that kids learn "how to socialize" (50%). That was followed by problem-solving (43%), finding personal interests (41%) and communicating with peers (40%).

Interestingly, less than a third of parents named academic skills as a key learning, showing a stronger interest in instilling social and emotional values.

“For kids, the holidays are all about play, and are a crucial time for their self-growth,” said Dr. Sheryl Ziegler, a Clinical Psychologist and Play Therapist. “The ability to play with and change colors helps kids navigate their world and sense of self, so the more parents can introduce colors of the rainbow during the gifting season, the better they can help their kids become more confident and more social.”

The survey dove deeper into the impact of color on childhood play. Two-thirds (68%) said it’s likely their child would want a doll or toy that comes in their favorite color.

Moreover, 61% of parents agreed that their child feels more confident if they have the opportunity to choose toys based on colors of the rainbow.

And most (91%) agreed that if kids have the option to choose fashions — either for themselves or their dolls — representing different colors, they’ll feel more confident and expressive.

Even beyond a primary color spectrum, 65% of parents noted that it's important for their child to have toys or dolls that are diverse and represent different cultures and ethnic backgrounds.

Nearly two in three parents (64%) would even actively seek out toys or dolls that represent different unique personalities or interests for their kid. This matched the amount of parents who were likely to buy their child dolls with different skin colors, body types, or cultural or social backgrounds.

The study also found how on-screen characters have an impact on what toys and dolls kids will play with. Nearly half (46%) of parents say their child often or always plays with toys or dolls based on characters from TV shows and/or on YouTube.

And most (91%) noted that their kids reenact what they see on TV and/or on YouTube with their toys or dolls.

When asked what they’d like their children to take away from what they watch on TV and/or on YouTube, 49% of parents named problem-solving as the number one takeaway. Other important takeaways included discovering their personal interests (41%) and building confidence (40%).

“Parents are experiencing a growing presence of digital content in their kids’ playtime,” said Josh Hackbarth, Chief Marketing Officer, MGA Entertainment, Rainbow High’s parent company. “Key themes from Rainbow High like problem-solving, discovering personal interests and character traits, and building confidence are important takeaways our kids should gain from consuming content.”

TOP 7 WAYS KIDS EXPRESS THEIR SELF CONFIDENCE
- Trying new things - 53%
- Making friends easily - 51%
- Sharing their accomplishments and/or ideas with friends/family - 51%
- Identifying and explaining their feelings and interests - 46%
- Using their imagination while playing - 43%
- Showcasing personal style (clothes, accessories, hair styles, etc) - 42%
- Greeting new people - 37%

SURVEY METHODOLOGY:
This random double-opt-in survey of 2,000 American parents of children aged 4 to 17 was commissioned by Rainbow High between May 1 and May 10, 2024. It was conducted by market research company Talker Research, whose team members are members of the Market Research Society (MRS) and the European Society for Opinion and Marketing Research (ESOMAR).