Just as our nieces and nephews are off to a new school year, the Toy Industry Association (TIA) has relaunched it's "The Genius of Play" website, offering parents and caregivers (ahem, Savvy Aunties!) clear and easy access to professional advice and really great ideas for play, sortable by a niece's or nephew's age, or by the benefit of a specific type of play, and even by prep time!

The research-backed "The Genius of Play" initiative from the TIA announced it's new campaign slogan last May: "It's More Than Play," or #ItsMoreThanPlay, designed to expand parents' and caregivers' understanding of play's developmental benefits. As I've stated before, the time an aunt spends with a niece or nephew is often uninterrupted playtime, and the AAP recommends one hour of uninterrupted playtime daily for young children. Every time a Savvy Auntie plays with a child, we are helping them develop critical, life-long skills, including cognitive, physical, and emotional skills, as well as creative, communication, and social skills. I dubbed an aunt's playtime with nieces and nephews: "QualAuntie Time." 

Learn About the Developmental Benefits of Play

In a press release today, the TIA says "research shows that there is a deep connection between play and learning. According to one study, third graders who have 15 or more minutes of recess a day are better-behaved in school than those who have less. Playtime is more than just fun and games – it strengthens kids' minds and bodies, reduces stress, boosts creativity and nurtures family bonds." And a Savvy Auntie is certainly looking for ways to nurture her bonds with her nieces, nephews, and family-at-large - including helping parents make time for play.

"Once the school year starts, and fall begins, children's lives tend to become very structured and scheduled. We felt this was a perfect time to unveil the website to relieve that stress and ensure free play is included during the school year," stated Meredith Sinclair, M.Ed., parenting expert and Genius of Play Ambassador in the TIA press release.

Get an Excerpt of Meredith's New Book: Well Played

The TIA states it's new site "is designed for complete mobile optimization and serves all content in bite-size pieces to make it simple for busy parents [and Savvy Aunties] to discover the tools and resources. The site supports parents [and Savvy Aunties] who want to use play to engage their kids [and nieces and nephews] in unstructured learning outside of school." I especially like the list of Play Facts, which really hone in on the true value of a Savvy Auntie's QualAuntie Time spent with a child-not-her-own.

Discover The Genius of Play at www.thegeniusofplay.org 

Image: The Genius of Play
Published: September 7, 2016