Unleash the fun! The LEGO Group is encouraging families to build more play into every day and join its global ’Play is Your Superpower’ campaign

• In a world where one in five (20%) families never play together and 76% of parents believe children have less opportunities to play, the LEGO Group is taking action, unveiling the next stage of its global Play is Your Superpower campaign
• From an immersive art gallery in Paris, to the world’s first playable library in China, the power of play is being brought to life across the globe
• With play being praised as a source for social inclusion, uniting people across backgrounds, genders, ages and abilities, the global play shortage means that children and adults lack fundamental access to experiences that build joy, creativity and meaningful connections.

In a world where play is increasingly undervalued, the LEGO Group is excited to raise the curtain on the second run of its Play is Your Superpower campaign, encouraging kids and families to give play more of a starring role in everyday life.

Urging everyone to rediscover the transformative power of play, this fun-fuelled campaign is a direct response to new global findings by the LEGO Group, revealing that families who play together the most are the happiest*, while a resounding 90% of children agree that play is the best way for them to learn, develop, and express their true selves.

The research spanning 36 locations with over 61,500 parents and children ages 5-12 also finds that 83% of parents see play as a platform for celebrating differences in a fun and positive way and as key to fostering a more inclusive worldview (85%). When play takes center stage, it has the superpower to bring people together - uniting people across culture, race, age, gender, ability and interests.

Yet there is a worrying trend. 76% of parents affirm that today’s children have fewer opportunities to play than previous generations. The research also underscores the pervasive impact of digital devices, parental workload and lack of access to appropriate spaces to play, with all points increasingly encroaching upon family playtime. Parents confess to spending nearly twice as much time on their phones and laptops as they do playing as a family, while 66% say heavy workload gets in the way of playtime and two-in-five families lack access to adequate play environments or safe spaces for playful activities, all in all resulting in one in five parents admitting they never engage in playtime together.

The good news: Nearly nine in ten children and parents crave more playtime together, Play is Your Superpower, is every family’s invitation to lean in and help put play back on the agenda!

Unite and Ignite: Superpower Studios
Reinstating play’s position in the world, the LEGO Group is uniting to promote the power of play through various activations around the globe.

In a bold reimagining of a traditionally adult-centric space, the Superpower Studios immersive art gallery has emerged in the heart of Paris as a vibrant celebration of play and connection. Together with an international squad of Play Ambassadors, led by Creative Advisor and founder of pioneering Parisian concept store Colette, Sarah Andelman, the LEGO Group is reinstating play’s importance globally. Fronted by Superpower Studios, they empower kids and families to embrace their superpower of play and rebuild the world through it.

To champion play in our everyday lives, China is creating the world’s most playable library. This immersive experience features multiple floors to explore, including a Super Playful Reading Room; a vibrant space filled with kids’ fun creations and wild ideas set across three immersive zones. Each zone is themed around Iconic Stories, Space Exploration, and Vehicle Creation, demonstrating the superpower of play.

In Japan, they are encouraging children to add imagination and creativity to their lives through an innovative restaurant-themed pop-up event, where a culinary-like experience meets creative LEGO play.

Elsewhere in Australia, they are partnering with children’s entertainer Emma Watkins to reimagine her favorite dance studio. With the help of a group of “Play Experts,” they are turning it into a vibrant, creative space using LEGO bricks, showing that play and creativity can transform any environment.

During the Berlin Festival of Lights, LEGO creations built by families will be showcased at iconic spots like the Brandenburger Tor, highlighting the Superpower of Play. Participating families can join the LEGO Creative Camp and rebuild the world with German football legend Thomas Müller.

“The lack of family-friendly play areas and playtime is having a detrimental impact on childhood development. Play is a superpower that fosters confidence, problem-solving abilities, and effective communication skills - essential attributes for a successful future. Our goal is to inspire families everywhere to recognise and build the transformative power of play into their daily routines.” says Alero Akuya, VP of Global Brand Development at the LEGO Group.

Commenting on the Superpower Studio activations, Sarah Andelman, said. “When we see the world through the untethered and imaginative perspective of kids, it transforms into a place brimming with creativity, joy and connection. Creativity flourishes when we embrace playfulness as our muse - it’s the spark that ignites innovation, turns the ordinary into the extraordinary and brings diverse and unique communities and visions together. That’s what Superpower Studios is all about.”

Play is Your Superpower demonstrates the endless possibilities of the LEGO System-in-Play. All Play is Your Superpower content, including an introduction to the campaign, information on Superpower Studios globally and more will be hosted on a dedicated Play is Your Superpower page on LEGO.com.

For more information about Play is Your Superpower visit: LEGO.com/Play-Is-Your-Superpower.

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Notes:

Sarah Andelman
After studying Art History at the École du Louvre, Sarah Andelman co-founded Colette in Paris in 1997. For over 20 years, the store gained global renowned for its creativity and vanguard curation at the intersection of style, design, art, and food. After closing colette in 2017, Andelman launched JUST AN IDEA, a consulting and curating company building bridges between disciplines, with expertise in brand collaborations and retail experiences. In 2021, she established the publishing company JUST AN IDEA BOOKS.

About the study:

• Commissioned by the LEGO Group, carried out by Edelman DXI
• 36 locations: including Australia + New Zealand, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Mainland China, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong SAR, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Mexico, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan Region, Türkiye, UAE, UK, and the USA.
• Total sample: 61,532, including 36,000 Parents and 25,532 Children aged 5-12 years old.
• Fieldwork: 13.12.23 – 24.01.2024
• Total sample: 61,532, including 36,000 Parents (appr. 1000 per market) and 25,532 Children aged 5-12 years old (appr. 700 per market).
• Fieldwork: 13.12.23 – 24.01.2024
• *When families play together, they are happier. Play is also seen as key for children’s development: Families that play together rate their own and their child’s happiness higher than families that don’t play together. 96% (NET) of children say play is important for their wellbeing. 98% of parents also say that play can help develop a growth mindset.

Percentage of parents who don’t have access to a suitable environment, facilities or a safe place to play as a family. Global – All children: 41%

In Hong Kong SAR, concern is highest at 67%, while Austrian parents report the greatest satisfaction at 23%. Caregivers in France, the UK, and the US are also troubled by the erosion of family-friendly recreational spaces.