In celebration of World Inclusion Day, Fisher-Price Little People has revealed diverse play and customisable toy sets.
The new sets have been created to give families of all kinds the chance to build a fully customisable toy set that best represents their unique family structure.
The Little People FamilyKind campaign invites families from across the UK to visit littlepeoplefamilykind.com, where they can submit to build their own, one-of-a-kind Little People set, choosing from up to 40 different figures that show a variety of skin tones, hair types, disabilities, occupations and ages, that represents and celebrates their diverse family unit. Up to 100 family sets will be available, free of charge, on a first-come, first-served basis. The campaign is part of Fisher-Price’s ongoing commitment towards celebrating differences and promoting a kinder world, as well as aiming to better understand modern UK families and taking learnings into future toy development.
The launch comes following recent Census data which highlighted just how much family structures are evolving within the UK. According to its findings, 18.7% of all UK families are single-parent, 5% see children living across two households, while 2.1% are now multi-generational, up from 1.8% in the previous Census. A further study by the Department for Education showed that 17% of adoptive parents in 2022 were same-sex individuals and couples.
Fisher-Price has conducted further independent research looking into how parents and caregivers feel about the representation of different types of family structures in toys for their little ones. The research, polling 1,000 participants from across many different types of families – including single-parent, non-gendered, blended, multi-generational, same-sex, opposite-sex and adoptive families – confirms that families in the UK believe better representation is needed.
Exposure to wide representation is important for young children, including toys that reflect individual family structure, as Desiree Williams, early childhood development researcher from the Fisher-Price Play Lab, notes: “We know that young children collect information from the world around them to construct their beliefs. This Little People campaign is a fun and inclusive way to introduce all the different ways a family can look and feel represented. With multiple and diverse figures representing different skin tones, hair types, disabilities and dress, there are vast opportunities to find a Little People figure that looks like each person in your family.”
Parenting expert Anita Cleare added: “Family really resonates with young children as it’s their primary reference point. Seeing themselves and their families represented in their toys and play figures builds children’s self-esteem and a sense of belonging. By celebrating the wide diversity of modern families through initiatives like this FamilyKind campaign, we help all children grow understanding of different family structures and experiences.”
The Fisher-Price Little People FamilyKind website is now live ahead of World Inclusion Day for a limited time.
