Genius of Play presents survey of 2,000 parents

As parents prep for back-to-school, research shows that the majority are worried their child will be below grade level in the fall – because of the classroom time lost due to COVID-19.

A survey of 2,000 parents with school-aged children revealed 65% are concerned about their child being behind due to the disrupted 2019–2020 school year. Commissioned by The Genius of Play, the survey looked at what parents have done to keep their child learning this summer, how the pandemic has impacted playtime, and what their thoughts are for school starting back up in the fall.
Some highlights from The Genius of Play survey include:

• 70% of parents are actively taking steps to prepare their child for this school year — this includes educational workbooks (47%), getting them a virtual or in-person tutor (39%) and spending time reading together each day (39%)
• 76% of parents say that having time for educational play this summer has been the best way to prepare their child for the coming school year
• Majority (79%) of parents view play as an escape/coping mechanism that relieves stress and anxiety from the COVID-19 pandemic
• 68% of parents say their kids are getting tired of screens and gravitating to traditional toys as a result of the pandemic

And what do parents think about going back to school?

• Most parents (52%) do not feel safe to send their child back to school until 2021
• 46% of parents don’t expect their child's school to open up for students to physically be in class until 2021

And what about early elementary students?

The survey asked parents to provide an age range for their children, with the youngest age range being 5 to 8. Unfortunately, it is not possible to isolate just the kindergarten age, but here are some findings specific to the 5-8 age group we can share.

• 15% of kids in this age group did not have ANY distance learning in the spring to replace missed classroom time – more than any other age group.
• Educational workbooks are the most popular route parents of 5-8 year olds are taking to prepare them for the school year. 54% of parents said they used them during the summer.
• That said, 38% also said they dedicated a set amount of time each day to playing with educational toys.

Tips for parents with kindergarten age kids:

• Infuse all learning with play.

“Play & Learn” ideas are just one example, with many toy companies and other organizations offering free resources.

• Turn everyday moments into learning opportunities.

Think about all the possibilities! A trip to a supermarket can be a scavenger hunt – ask your child to find as many items as possible that start with a certain letter of alphabet. Cooking together is a hidden lesson in measurement. Or how about trying License Plate Game on your next road trip to learn the names of various states!

• Encourage child-led, open-ended play.

This kind of play has been found beneficial to improving a child’s executive function, which is important to all subsequent learning. For children as young as kindergarten, foundational skills like problem-solving, critical thinking, and decision-making matter the most, and play is especially powerful in building this type of skills. Make sure to provide a variety of toys to stimulate your child’s creativity and curiosity. Dress-up kits, dolls and action figures, building toys and puzzles are all great choices.