A poll commissioned by Little Tikes confirms that play has been a significant part of daily life for locked-down families.

Researchers working on behalf of Little Tikes polled British mums and dads to show the importance of play during lockdown, with over half (57%) stating they’ve appreciated having the chance to play with their children. Some 39% said they feel like they’ve got to know their kids better during their time at home and over 90% said they believe the old saying ‘The family that plays together stays together’ is true.

The survey results, which generated a spread of national coverage over the weekend, follow Little Tikes launching the digital campaign, A Little Help from Little Tikes, which provides families with free play inspiration from the comfort of their own home.

The study polled 1,000 parents of children aged 11 and under, and also found that families are making an average of seven Zoom calls to grandparents each week, and are playing and even dancing together in an average of six Tik Tok videos per week.

Michelle Lilley, head of marketing UK at Little Tikes, said: “We were keen to get a sense of the nation and how parents feel and their experience of lockdown. We appreciate it’s a huge challenge for families across the UK. It’s encouraging to see that plenty of parents are feeling closer as a family and that they’re learning more about each other than ever before.”

She added: “We’ve been championing play for over 50 years, and now more than ever, we’re seeing the benefit of families playing together. We’re hopeful the warm weather continues and that families have the chance to make even more play memories throughout the summer months. It’s still a challenging time for many, but with more retailers preparing to open we’re hopeful for an even busier and fun summer ahead”.

Little Tikes sales have surged throughout March, April and May, with outdoor toys including the Cozy Coupe, Fountain Factory and First Slide continuing to be in the top selling outdoor lines. Visits to the Little Tikes website have also increased, with parents accessing the free online resources that are available as part of the #ALittleHelpFromLittleTikes campaign. Audience growth across social channels has seen an uplift as parents engage with the campaign and competitions that have launched.

Little Tikes is increasing activity across digital and TV, with key outdoor products featuring on TV again from 15th June for four weeks to bolster water and core outdoor lines.