The January 2012 Toys and Play report examines the expectations surrounding toys and the demands made of play. It also looks at the type of toys children play with and the behaviour related with them.

For this report, YouGov SixthSense commissioned a survey among YouGov's online panel, drawing on a sample of 2,053 UK adults aged 16+ who have parental responsibility for at least one child under the age of ten in their household.

The questions asked covered the following topics:

  • Number of children in the home
  • Gender by birth order
  • Age of children in the household
  • Role of toys and play
  • Attitudes towards current toys
  • Parental involvement with play
  • Children's toy choices
  • The impact of toys on behaviour
  • Toys children own and play with
  • Behaviour associated with various toy categories
  • Desired skills arising from play
  • Gender and toys
  • When children stop play
  • Why children stop play
  • Toy buying decisions
  • Toy brands and characters.

In addition, YouGov SixthSense conducted qualitative research in the form of face-to-face interviews with selected childcare professionals about play and toys in the context of child behaviour.

To download a table of contents for this report, click here.