As more children emerge from the pandemic dealing with mental health issues, their parents are looking for ways to build emotional resilience in them.
Toy companies are watching closely, too.
Although still in its early stages, more and more toy marketers are beginning to embrace MESH (mental, emotional and social health) as a name for toys that teach children skills such as how to adapt to new challenges, resolve conflicts, and be themselves. Defend, or solve a problem.
The acronym was first used in the child development community and the American Camp Association a decade ago and has gained new resonance in the wake of the pandemic. Rachele Harmuth, head of the ThinkFun division of toy company Ravensburger, and Deborah Gilboa, a resilience expert and family physician, formed a MESH working group earlier this year with the goal of getting manufacturers to design toys with emotional resilience in mind and allowing retailers to Promote them accordingly.
“We just need to do some education on parents and educators on how we can be intentional with their play time,” Gilboa said.
The plan is to certify MESH toys by mid-2024, much like the Toy Association does for STEAM toys, emphasizing science, technology, engineering, arts and math. Toy Association spokesperson Adrienne Appell pointed out that MESH is an area that will continue to be monitored as it develops.
Many toys that could be considered MESH happen to already be in children’s toy boxes, such as memory games, puppets, certain types of LEGO bricks, Pokémon trading games, and Dungeons & Dragons. The concept was highlighted at the recent four-day toy industry’s annual show in New York, where a host of toys, including hand2mind and Open the Joy, were on display to encourage children to express their feelings using mirrors or puppets.
James Zahn, editor-in-chief of the trade publication The Toy Book, noted that most of the new toys developed using MESH will begin hitting the market next year.
But some worry that the MESH approach may end up promising parents something it cannot deliver. Companies also risk exploiting parents’ anxieties about their children’s mental health.
“I’m concerned that MESH will be used as the next marketing gimmick,” said independent toy analyst Chris Byrne. “This creates a culture of fear that children are not developing socially and emotionally. That’s not really what the toy industry does.”
Experts say Childhood Depression and Anxiety The numbers have been climbing for years, but the ongoing stress and grief brought on by the pandemic has exacerbated the dilemma, especially for those already struggling with mental health issues, struggling with counselors and other school resources during distance learning For isolated people.Many educators have begun to emphasize social emotional learning In response, it teaches children soft skills, such as helping them manage their emotions and build positive rapport with others.
Dave Anderson, vice president of school and community programs and senior psychologist at the Child Mind Institute’s Center for ADHD and Conduct Disorders, applauds the toy industry’s efforts to similarly address emotional recovery. But he said parents need to be cautious about claims companies may make. He said that while there was evidence that the skills highlighted by the MESH working group could build resilience, there was no evidence that the toys themselves could build resilience.
“The concepts are evidence-based; the toys themselves are not,” he said.
Brian noted that the skills the MESH working group emphasizes are the fundamentals of play, whether it’s skateboarding to build perseverance or learning how to share toys to help resolve conflicts.
“In my opinion, if you live in a healthy home, you have healthy play, and your parents are engaged, then the MESH thing will happen automatically,” he said.
The U.S. toy industry itself is coming off a weak year, especially a lackluster 2022 holiday season, as retailers are mired in a toy glut after enjoying a pandemic-induced spending spree on parents’ toys. The slump has continued so far this year, with U.S. toy sales down 8% from January to August, according to Circana’s retail tracking service.
For its part, the MESH Working Group initially worked with specialty stores like Learning Express and small toy companies like Crazy Aaron’s, which has expanded beyond Thinking Putty, adding activity kits that teach kids problem-solving, such as how magnets work with putty With the use of. ThinkFun is marketing a game: Rush Hour, a sliding-block logic game that lets kids fight traffic.
But large retailers like Amazon are also starting to realize the MESH approach.
“The growing popularity of MESH toys illustrates the power of play and the important role toys play in our lives,” said Anne Carrihill, director of toys and games at Amazon.
Richard Derr, owner of the Learning Express franchise in Lake Zurich, Ill., said last spring he trained his employees to help parents choose the right toys. But the challenge is not to scare parents.
“You don’t want to rush up to someone and say, ‘Hey, how was your child’s mental health today?’” Del said. “That’s why local toy stores are a great place to start because we have relationships with the community, customers and teachers.”
But he pointed out that toy manufacturers should not overuse the word “grid” without any meaning.
Sarah Davis, a mother of three boys ages 3, 6 and 9, is open to the idea of MESH toys. The Great Falls, Virginia resident said her 6-year-old had delayed speech because he was wearing a mask during the heart of the pandemic, while her 9-year-old son has some issues with social interaction after being isolated and glued to his laptop.
“My kids don’t have anxiety issues in school,” she said, but added. “I remain concerned about the long-term effects of this situation.”
It’s not just the promise of building emotional resilience through MESH, but more importantly whether the toy itself is actually fun.
“Are my kids going to ask for that toy for Christmas?” Davis asked. “I’m really curious and I’ll keep an eye out for them.”
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