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How STEM toys are shaping the future generation as Germany (58% girls) and France (54% impact on their children. As education has girls), more girls than boys chose these been disrupted in many countries by the toys. In most countries surveyed, the pandemic, toys serve as an engaging medium gender split of kids picking to develop soft skills outside STEM toys as their favourite the classroom. Globally, one in Globally, one in is fairly equal. In light of the five parents of kids aged six five parents of kids ‘Girls in STEM’ movement, to 12 say that it’s important it’s crucial for toys and for the toys they buy for their aged six to 12 say that games to be inclusive kids to have some educational it is important for the and engaging for all kids. value, suggesting that they are toys they buy their kids In 2018, Mattel’s Barbie willing to pay more for toys to have some launched an engineer that help their offspring learn. educational value, doll and since then, other Furthermore, 62% of parents brands have introduced agree that STEM subjects are suggesting that they more representative toys. are willing to pay more the most important subjects Toys and content for kids to learn today. for toys that help their consumption are key At any given time, many kids kids learn factors that shape the have access to multiple screens development of kids and devices providing different everywhere. Science and technologysources of information. Although digital hobbies based careers are rising in popularity, are increasing in popularity, with video games with six of the top 10 career aspirations ranking as the number one pastime among kids of children globally being STEM-focused. in the UK, the rise of STEM toys asserts the value The Insights Family’s award-winning data of offline play. With 59% of parents in the UK portal shows that kids who play with reporting that they are concerned about their STEM toys are almost twice as likely to kids spending too much time online, STEM toys want to pursue a future in IT/computing have an opportunity to counterbalance digital and game design. time and be preferred by parents. It’s clear how much parents believe toys Parents and kids alike are beginning to focus and play can have a positive development on keeping a healthy mind, as well as a healthy body. Families are spending their money not only on entertainment, but also on experiences that will give them some emotional support in a time of stress and uncertainty. STEM toys can position and emphasise their credentials in this space. To find out what other trends will be popular this year, The Insights Family has launched its Future Forecast 2022 report, which contains 10 predictions and trends that will impact advertising, content, licensing, marketing, product and retail strategies for brand owners. To download the full complimentary Future Forecast 2022 report, visit: https:// try.theinsightsfamily.com/futureforecast.
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s the first generation of digital natives, the kids of today are fully immersed in technology - at home, at school and in their playtime. They are developing in an age where coding is mainstream, touchscreens are everywhere, and new content can be accessed all the time. These differences in the way children are learning mean that their interests, toys and hobbies are distinctly different from those of their parents. The excitement surrounding gaming, vlogging and streaming means that kids are leading the way when it comes to designing our future. Across the world, STEM subjects rank highly in the top 10 favourite subjects of kids aged six to 12. Maths ranked as the global favourite, with one in five kids choosing it as their preferred class in school. In correlation with this, the number of kids saying they play with STEM toys has grown exponentially over the past year. In the UK, the popularity of these toys among kids aged three to 12 has increased by 122%. Not only is this a significant change, but the majority of this growth has been driven by girls. In some countries, such
The Insights Family specialises in kids, parents, and family market intelligence. Providing real-time data on their attitudes, behaviour, and consumption patterns, every year the company surveys more than 383,760 kids and 187,200 parents.
As digital native pioneers, children are more immersed in the world of technology than any generation before, which is why STEM toys have such an important part to play in their development, says Nick Richardson, CEO and Founder of The Insights Family
