Credit: Mick Haupt – public domain

During the best time of year to give children toys comes a new poll that shows four in five parents confirmed their child is happier, more social, and confident in themselves when they play with their favorite toy or doll.

The survey 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.

7 in 10 parents reported their kids play with dolls and action figure—and they have “many” or “a fair amount” of friends—according to the survey commissioned by doll brand Rainbow High and conducted by Talker Research.

On the question of what makes kids confident, 60% of parents agreed that confidence is defined through a sense of self and forming strong friendships.

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

Interestingly, less than one-third of parents named academic skills as being a comparable. They showed 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 helps kids navigate their world and sense of self.”

Nearly two in three parents (64%) actively seek out toys or dolls that represent different unique personalities or interests for their kid.

On-screen characters have an impact on what toys and dolls kids want to play with. Nearly half (46%) of parents say their child often or always plays with toys or dolls based on characters from TV shows or YouTube—and 91% said their kids reenact the scenes with their toys, dolls, and imagination.

After all, there must be millions of adults who remember donning a cape when they were young, thinking about their favorite super hero.

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

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%

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