Mix Up The Toybox
This holiday season, Mattel invites you to #MixUpTheToybox to better reflect the world kids see around them. Read more about the importance of helping children understand and appreciate diversity.
More Tips from Our Play Experts
We believe that play is an essential part of keeping a normal routine for families, while also fostering kids’ imagination, creativity, and intellectual stimulation. This is why we’ve aggregated Mattel ‘Play From Home’ tips to help parents navigate this difficult time that we are sharing with our communities and across social media. Here are a few tips we compiled for parents around the world:
Tips Experts: Empathy Skills Are More Crucial Than Ever
Empathy Skills Are More Crucial Than Ever.
Neuroscience Research Finds That Pretend Play with Dolls, Like Barbie, Allows Children to Develop Empathy.
Tips Experts: Ten Tips For Developing Empathy
Ten Tips For Developing Empathy.
Encouraging empathy helps children develop the skills needed to navigate an ever-changing world with confidence and compassion. Here are 10 tips from Dr. Michele Borba on how to teach your children empathy, by incorporating doll play as a useful tool.
Resources & Events
Check out these resources and virtual events from industry leaders (not affiliated with Mattel).
Baby2Baby
Baby2Baby is a non-profit organization that provides children living in poverty, ages 0-12 years, with diapers, clothing and all the basic necessities that every child deserves. During the COVID-19 crisis, Baby2Baby has distributed over 40 million basic essentials including diapers, formula, soap, shampoo, baby food and more to some of the most vulnerable children across the country impacted by COVID-19.
The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army expects to see a greater need among families for holiday assistance in 2020 than any year in recent history. COVID-19 has caused spikes in unemployment, homelessness, food insecurity and more. Millions of families that were already living paycheck to paycheck are now facing a crisis of need. Based on the increased services the organization has already provided this year, it expects to serve up to 155% more people with Christmas assistance.
Giving the Gift of Play with Save The Children
The holidays are a time for giving and giving back. As part of our Gift of Play campaign, we are excited to support Save the Children’s early education programs with a generous toy donation to children in the U.S. During these unprecedented times, it’s more important than ever that all children have the opportunity to #KeepPlaying. Even the smallest gift can Make Change for Children and help a child reach their full potential.
Feed the Children Delivers Holiday Hope
For families who are struggling this year because of the effects of COVID-19, trying to make the holidays special for their kids can be heartbreaking. That’s why we’ve joined our partner Feed the Children this November and December for their No Hunger Holidays campaign by providing 10,000 toys to be sent with the much-needed food and essential items they distribute to vulnerable families across the U.S. Working together, we’re committed to making their season brighter.
Save The Children 100 Days of Reading
Every child has the right to grow up healthy, educated and safe – regardless of race, gender or socioeconomic status. Our partner Save the Children was founded over 100 years ago to fight for universal values and children’s rights- and remains committed to fighting for what is right and against injustices. They have shared the following tips for talking with children about racism and social justice, aimed at helping children to better understand what is happening around them.
UCLA Health
Youth who are Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) that also identify as LGBTQ+ representation of sexual orientations and gender identities experience higher rates of social discrimination and isolation, including bullying, family rejection and a lack of social support. Our partners at UCLA Health share ways that families and friends can support LGBTQ+ and LGBTQ2S (Two-spirit*) -identified BIPOC youth.
CHITAG’s Young Inventor Challenge
The special spring edition of the CHITAG Young Inventor’s Challenge is being launched to help your kids to turn their big ideas for toys and games into actual designs while spending time at home. For tips and resources for entries, along with a video from Mattel President & COO Richard Dickson, click here.
UNICEF Kid Power - Get Active. Save Lives.
Empower your kids with purpose! Keep your children focused and actively doing good in the world. UNICEF’s dance, yoga and activity videos unlock free “coins” to give to causes they care about.
Happy Camper Live!
Happy Camper Live brings all the fun and excitement of summer camp right to families everywhere, with at-home virtual activities- 365 days a year. Founded by a real-life camp director with over 22 years of experience, it’ a place for you and your kids to discover new passions, skills, and have the time of their lives without ever needing to leave home.
Save the Children
In partnership with Save the Children, the world’s leading expert on childhood, we’re here to help by providing trusted tools and tips for parents, caregivers, teachers and all who care about children in crisis. Save the Children is committed to helping children and families during this uncertain time by providing resources for our nation’s youngest learners.
Highlights at Home (H@H)
Highlights Magazine launched a new free service for families called Highlights at Home (H@H), featuring puzzles, jokes, videos, games, physical activities and suggested acts of kindness to explore with your kids.
Random House’s Big Ideas Night virtual event!
Check out Random House’s Big Ideas Night virtual event to hear tips on navigating parenting and caregiving during this time, from authors Lisa Damour (Under Pressure), Cara Natterson, M.D. (Decoding Boys), Kristen Howerton (Rage Against the Minivan), and Judith Warner (And Then They Stopped Talking to Me).
The Toy Association
Our partners at the Toy Association are compiling tips, tricks, and more for parents and caregivers during this time. Select the link below to learn more about learning at-home while social distancing.
Virtual backgrounds
Brand new backgrounds for virtual parties and playdates (or even conference calls), featuring your and your kid’s favorite brands.
Learn How-to...
Code:
Our friends at Tynker are dedicated to empowering kids to create - with just the internet and a computer. Tynker offers self-paced online courses for children to learn coding at home. For parents looking to get started, the Tynker Educator Tutorials YouTube channel has you covered.
Accelerate STEM learning:
The Hot Wheels Speedometry curriculum encourages inquiry and real-world, problem-based learning through play, hands-on activities and in-depth lesson plans that are mapped to state and national standards including Common Core State Standards (CCSS), Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS).
Our Impact
The Mattel Children's Foundation has focused on one major objective: Improving the lives of children in need. During this time of uncertainty, we continue to support our philanthropic partners and look for additional ways to help our community and give back in any way that we can through play.
LAUSD Support
Mattel will be supporting the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) by donating over 10,000 various games, school supplies and toys, which will be distributed alongside the meal kits LAUSD is providing for students at grab & go centers across the city. Mattel also participated in the “LA Students Most in Need,” a fundraiser for LAUSD students and their families who are struggling during the Coronavirus pandemic, which has raised over $300,000.
Community Donations
We are also partnering with and donating to key organizations within our community, including Baby2Baby, The Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club, Save the Children, Pediatric Vision Group and more.
UCLA Mattel Children's Hospital
Mattel is a proud philanthropic partner of UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital and its extended family of UCLA Health resources, experts and thought leaders. Check out these great tips on helping children build resilience from the UCLA Center for Child Anxiety Resilience Education and Support (UCLA CARES).
Top Books
Read along with your kids and their favorite characters.
Top Toys
Keep your kids entertained and engaged with these top toy picks.
Our Partners
Find more great Mattel products for your child, online or in-store, at these retailers:
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