LEARNING RESOURCES IGNITES 'PLAYFLUENCER' MOVEMENT IN CELEBRATION OF INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PLAY

Original Influencer of Learning Through Play Calls for Parents to Relish in Developmental Benefits of Playtime

VERNON HILLS, Ill., June 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- In celebration of the first-ever International Day of Play, Learning Resources - a family-owned manufacturer of educational toys - is raising awareness of the benefits of learning through play with its unique call-to-action for parents to become the 'Playfluencer' in their child's life. As the 40-year-young original influencer of learning through play, Learning Resources is living its mission to inspire a lifelong love of learning by empowering caregivers to 'playfluence' their child's holistic development.

From fine and gross motor skills development to social-emotional learning (SEL) and STEM, Learning Resources offers a range of toys that support children's development at the most crucial early stages. According to a OnePoll survey issued earlier this year*, parents reported needing the most help teaching their children developmentally appropriate skills. The survey also revealed that 90% of parents try to teach their children life skills when they play together.

Through its Playfluencer Movement, Learning Resources is partnering with parents and educators to model a Playfluencer's role and showcase a variety of inspiring solutions across social media platforms. Starting June 21, 2024, a special celebrity dad will join the movement to share a variety of tips, tricks and product advice all summer long, supporting fellow parents and caregivers as they keep their children entertained and engaged.

"As we celebrate our 40-year history of developing fun and educational toys, we're excited to take this unique opportunity to champion the benefits of play," said Jon Horn, vice president of brand management at Learning Resources. "Our mission is to partner with parents to unlock the power of toys on their children's development, and this Playfluencer Movement is meant to educate, inspire and empower families to find joy in purposeful playtime."

Since 1984, Learning Resources' iconic toys have been created with unique and entertaining play patterns that instill important life skills to set young children up for success, with beloved examples including:

• Pretend & Play® Calculator Cash Register – teaches early math and plants the seeds of financial literacy
• Big Feelings Pineapple – helps with social-emotional learning (SEL)
• Spike The Fine Motor Hedgehog® – boosts fine motor skills to unlock independence and school success
• Botley® the Coding Robot – builds kids' critical thinking and problem-solving skills through introductory coding activities

Adrienne Appell, executive vice president of marketing communications at The Toy Association, shared: "International Day of Play serves as a friendly reminder for all families to prioritize play. We're proud to support Learning Resources and the Playfluencer Movement, as it is just one example of how we can unlock the power of play to nurture a child's learning and development, and most importantly, bring joy."

Follow @LearningResources on Instagram, TikTok and Facebook for content featuring #Playfluencer and additional announcements including special partners who will share more on the benefits of learning through play. Learn more at www.LearningResources.com.

About Learning Resources:
We're Learning Resources®, and learning is where we play. Trusted by parents and teachers since 1984, our award-winning educational toys help kids develop a lifelong love of learning while building essential school-ready skills—from ABCs and 123s to screen-free coding and STEM, we make learning fun at every age, stage, and skill level. Discover countless ways to learn through play with our award-winning, top selling products including Pretend & Play® Calculator Cash Register, Farmer's Market Color Sorting Set and Toy of the Year winner Botley® the Coding Robot.

For more information, visit www.learningresources.com, or follow the brand on Facebook @LearningResources, Instagram @learningresources and TikTok @learningresources.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Nicole Brief, [email protected] 

*Data from a survey conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Learning Resources from Mar. 22 to Mar. 31, 2024, with a panel of 1,000 American parents of children aged 2 to 8.

SOURCE Learning Resources