Developed with Maddie Moate and Dr Amanda Gummer, the free cards help families rediscover screen-free imaginative play
Playmobil has launched free imagination prompt cards to help families rediscover screen-free play, in partnership with children’s author and presenter Maddie Moate, and child psychologist Dr Amanda Gummer.
Developed with Maddie and Dr Gummer, each prompt card begins with an open-ended story starter, encouraging children to invent characters, solve mysteries and build adventures of their own with their toys. Whether it’s discovering why smoke is rising above a castle orsolving the mystery of strange footprints outside a zoo, the prompts give families somewhere to begin while leaving the story entirely in children’s hands.
“The cards have been created in response to new research from Playmobil suggesting kids are experiencing what the company calls the ‘Imagination Gap”
Mitch Levene, Country Manager, at Playmobil, said: “Playmobil has always been about giving children the freedom to create their own stories. Whether it’s a pirate ship that’s suddenly sailing to the moon, a police officer solving a dinosaur mystery or a princess opening a beach café, our toys don’t tell children what to imagine, they give them the freedom to decide for themselves. Families will use these prompt cards alongside both new and much-loved Playmobil sets discovering just how much adventure can begin with a single idea.”
The cards have been created in response to new research from Playmobil suggesting kids are experiencing what the company calls the ‘Imagination Gap’. A study of 2,000 parents and 2,000 children found that while 38 per cent of kids wish their parents would play with them more, parents admit they often struggle to know how to get imaginative play started.
As a result, 86 per cent of parents say at least one toy or play activity their child once enjoyed has been partly replaced by screens. That compounds during the holidays, with 86 per cent of parents admitting to relying on screens to keep children occupied while they’re busy.
Dr Amanda Gummer said: “This research does not suggest that children have lost their imaginations. In fact, most children say they still make up games, stories or pretend worlds at least sometimes. The difficulty is that when boredom first appears, a screen is often the quickest and most familiar option, so children may have fewer chances to practise getting a story started for themselves.”
