Fisher-Price’s Little People figure sets are such a popular toy staple, from nurseries to playgroups to schools, the figurines can be identified far and wide.
In a bid to ensure the popular figurines are truly representative of modern Britain, the People Kind figure pack has been updated now to ensure representation across different occupations (including a recycling collector, a baker, a mother, a photographer, a doctor) and different health conditions (sight, vitiligo), as well as a mix of abilities (wheelchair use) and genders as well as different ages and a range of hair styles and colours.
The evolution follows research that found a growing trend for inclusive toys with 80% of UK parents believe inclusive toys are important for children. In addition, parents also feel that there’s a visible need for retailers to stock more inclusive toys with disability, professons and ethnicity the three highlighted areas of under representation.
The research among 1,000 UK parents of children aged 0-5, also found that over half (51%) believe that toys and games often set unrealistic standards for children, with disability (39%), a variety of work professions (33%) and ethnicity (32%) three areas where parents felt more could be done to increase inclusivity.
Kelly Philp, Marketing Director at Fisher-Price® UK, says: “We have created the figure pack to help encourage a more accepting world through the power of play by helping toddlers recognise differences in people at a young age and lay the foundations for them to become more familiar with – and accepting of – the community around them. We want the pack to act as a call to action and encourage better representation in pre-school toys across the board, but we know there is much work to be done and intend to continue our work to improve inclusivity across the whole Little People collection.”
The Fisher-Price® Little People® People Kind figure pack launched on October 10th, World Inclusion Day, and is available now from Smyths Stores and Amazon.
