The multi-year partnership will produce play sets to encourage children to be enthusiastic about nature conservation through play.

With nature and environmental matters high on the agenda for many families, German toy manufacturer Schleich and National Geographic Kids have collaborated to launch a series of new play sets designed to get children excited about conservation through play.

The tie-up which is initially set to run until the end of 2023, covers all markets in Europe, North, Central and South Africa, Russia, Asia Pacific and Latin America, and features Schleich’s authentically detailed, hand-painted characters from the brand’s Wild Life range, including animals such as meerkats, racoons, panthers, crocodiles and gorillas. The partnership kicks off with the release of three sets – Nutty Mischief, Meerkat Hangout and the Wild Life Ranger Adventure Station.

As well as product, entertaining and educational content linked to the wild animals and their habitats will be published across a variety of channels.The aim is for the sets to inspire children to create stories based around the animals, while having fun learning about the natural world and sparking their curiosity.

“You only protect what you know and love,” said Dirk Engehausen, CEO of Schleich. “We are delighted to have found the perfect collaborator in National Geographic Kids – the only kids’ brand that has a scientific research organisation at its core – for our popular Wild Life range. Together we can use storytelling and role play to get children excited about animals and their natural habitats.”

He added: “The topics of environmental protection, preservation of biodiversity and sustainability are more important than ever before. And we at Schleich – as a traditional brand found in millions of kids’ rooms worldwide – want to do our part to introduce even the youngest to these topics through play.”