Media Release 18 March 2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PARENTS EAGER TO PRIORITISE PLAY
DESPITE MODERN PRESSURES, NEW RESEARCH FINDS
- 80% of parents struggle to engage in play, most commonly due to exhaustion, stress, or time constraints
- Despite play being widely recognised as essential, 1 in 3 parents feel uninspired by playtime
- Screen time guilt looms large, with 3 in 5 parents feeling conflicted about their child’s media use
- Social and emotional skills rank as the top priority for parents, reflecting a shift in focus toward resilience, empathy, and communication
SYDNEY, March 18 2025 – LEGO Australia, in collaboration with Playgroup NSW, today launched The BIG Start, a comprehensive report revealing the critical role of play in early childhood development and the challenges faced by modern families.
The report reveals today’s parents are juggling more than ever – wanting to make play a priority for toddlers, but often feeling stretched for time, energy, and ideas.
The BIG Start report found 4 in 5 parents (80%) face significant challenges in engaging with their child’s play, with feelings of stress and overwhelm, and lack of time, being cited as the key barriers to engaging in play.
The mounting pressure is having a big impact on how families feel about play time. One in three parents (33%) admit to feeling bored or uninspired by playtime, and 61% of parents report feeling guilty about their child’s screen time.
Parent Educator and LEGO DUPLO ambassador, Gen Muir, says parents today are under more pressure than ever before.
“Parents today are under more pressure than ever to ‘get play right,’ but the truth is, there’s no perfect way to play,” she says.
“It’s the small, everyday moments – stacking DUPLO bricks together while chatting about your day or letting them lead you through a random brick creation – that matter most for a child’s development. These spontaneous play moments take the pressure off and lets kids – and parents – enjoy the moment. Even screen time can become a connection point for us to jump in alongside our kids, bringing their favorite characters to life in the real world.”
The report revealed a tricky tension point for many families who know what’s best for a child but aren’t confident in their own ability to deliver it. Almost three in ten parents (29%) doubt they add value when playing with their child. Dads (39%) are more likely than mums (21%) to feel this way, as are parents aged under 34 (36%) compared to those aged 35 or above (23%).
Playgroup NSW CEO, Emily Caska, says the findings highlight just how important it is to empower parents to feel confident about play.
“This research highlights the critical role of play in early childhood and the untapped potential
of playgroups. With 91% of parents recognising the benefits of playgroups for children’s learning and development, but only 3% identifying playgroups as their most frequent play location, there is a clear opportunity to better support families in accessing play-rich environments,” she said.
“We are committed to using these insights to advocate for greater investment in play-based programs that enhance children’s development and strengthen community connections.”
When it comes to early childhood development, parents’ priorities in 2025 are clear: social and emotional skills matter most. Three in four (74%) of parents ranked social skills as a top priority, followed closely by emotional development (67%) and cognitive skills (60%).
“Empathy, communication, and resilience are nurtured in the simplest of play moments -taking turns, making up stories, or building together. It’s rewarding to see modern parents prioritising social and emotional development, because these skills are the foundation for lifelong learning,” says Muir.
This report, informed by Playgroup NSW’s knowledge and expertise in early childhood development, will drive the ongoing research and community advocacy efforts from both brands, reinforcing LEGO Australia’s commitment to championing the power of play. The findings will be used to develop resources and initiatives that empower parents and create enriching play experiences for young children.
In celebration of the research launch and National Playgroup Week, Playgroup NSW is hosting a FREE online workshop on Tuesday 18 March from 7.30pm to 8.30pm AEDT.
Hosted by Emily Caska and Gen Muir the webinar will unpack the brand-new research and explore how simple, everyday play moments can have a profound impact on building resilient, confident children. Register HERE for free.
Note to Editors
About The BIG Start report
YouGov/LEGO Australia survey of 1,013 Australian parents of toddlers (children aged 1 to 4), between 14-19 February 2025. Following the completion of interviewing, the data was weighted by age, gender and region to reflect the latest ABS population estimates.
Start off BiG
As LEGO DUPLO bricks are larger bricks for smaller hands, we invite families to Start off BiG, introducing kids ages 1,5+ to dive into the world of LEGO DUPLO. Our big bricks open a world of possibilities for pre-school play that’s endless, diverse and fun. The new sets offer great play experiences that encourage fine motor skills, imagination and creativity, and like any LEGO DUPLO set, they have been thoughtfully designed to provide kids with the opportunity to develop both EQ (Emotional Quotient) and IQ (Cognitive quotient) skills.
About the LEGO Group
The LEGO Group’s mission is to inspire and develop the builders of tomorrow through the power of play. The LEGO System in Play, with its foundation in LEGO bricks, allows children and fans to build and rebuild anything they can imagine. The LEGO Group was founded in Billund, Denmark in 1932 by Ole Kirk Kristiansen, its name derived from the two Danish words LEg GOdt, which mean “Play Well”. Today, the LEGO Group remains a family-owned company headquartered in Billund. Its products are now sold in more than 120 countries worldwide.
For more information: www.LEGO.com
About Playgroup NSW
Playgroup NSW is a not-for-profit organisation that helps connect families and children to people and services in the community to positively impact their quality of life. For over 50 years, Playgroup NSW has delivered and linked over 65,000 families to vital services such as parent support groups and playgroups to foster early childhood development, navigate the challenges of parenting and build strong, resilient communities. With 550 playgroups operating each week and more than 26,000 sessions held annually, and support from over 500 dedicated volunteers, Playgroup NSW continues to make a significant difference in the lives of young children and their families across the state.
For more information: www.playgroupnsw.org.au
Contact
For more information, please contact [email protected]
