NEW RESEARCH CONFIRMS JUST SECONDS OF PLAY INSTANTLY BRING FAMILIES CLOSER
- Findings from Phase 2 of the “Power of Play: Family Connection” study from Kinder and the University of East London (UEL) confirm that shared play is a powerful catalyst for strengthening emotional and physical connection between parents and children.
- To further support families and kids in playtime, Kinder has expanded its Value of Play hub on Kinder.com, providing families with tips and ideas to bring meaningful and connection-driven play into everyday life.
The “Power of Play: Family Connection” study, conducted in two phases by the University of East London (UEL) with support from Kinder, reveals new findings, building on Phase 1 research into the power of shared play on emotional connection and family bonding and highlighting the immediate and measurable impact that even short moments of shared play can have on family connection and children’s emotional wellbeing.
Led by Professor Sam Wass, Director of the Institute for the Science of Early Years at University of East London (UEL), the second phase of the “Power of Play: Family Connection” study used wearable technology and machine learning to observe 21 new families, in addition to the 20 of Phase 1, in their own homes, capturing how parents and children respond physically and emotionally when they play together.
The findings, drawn from data captured across both phases of the study, showcase that play increases connection within family, in three important ways. First, conversations become more linguistically aligned – parents were more likely to answer children, and children were more likely to answer parents. Second, families moved physically closer together during play. Third, before play began, parents’ and children’s heart rates reacted to each other with an average delay of around 14 seconds. During play, however, that gap dropped to just four seconds. While these specific timings require further investigation, the findings indicate a number of different ways in which play strengthens family connection – almost immediately after play begins.
“What we are seeing, in real homes and in real time, is just how quickly play brings families together,” said Sam Wass, Director of the Institute for the Science of Early Years, University of East London.
“What surprised us most is that the effects continue beyond the play itself, families stayed closer together, with their conversations remaining more aligned and in-tune than before play started.
Play creates moments of synchrony and togetherness – thinking about the same thing at the same time.
These are thought to be crucial drivers of children’s development. It is through engaging with our parents and carers that we learn to be able to concentrate, and to regulate emotions, on our own.”
The study forms part of Kinder’s wider Value of Play initiative, launched in 2025 to explore the role of play in emotional development, learning, and family wellbeing. Building on these results, Kinder has expanded its Value of Play hub on Kinder.com into a dedicated online destination, designed to help families rediscover the joy and value of playing together, transforming expert insights into simple, practical ideas that encourage connection, creativity, and everyday moments of shared play.
Throughout 2026, new findings and expert-led play ideas will continue to be shared on Kinder.com, alongside the introduction of Kinder Play Breaks — a consumer engagement initiative designed to inspire families to pause, reconnect, and bring more moments of play into everyday life, already being launched in UK and Germany.
“The research confirms what many parents instinctively feel: when you are fully present in play with your child, something meaningful happens. We see it in their heartbeats, their closeness, and the way their conversations evolve,” said Emiliano Laricchiuta, Global President Kinder at Ferrero, “These new insights deepen our understanding of the connection between parents and children and reinforce our belief in the power of play. At Kinder, our ambition is simple: to encourage more moments of shared play, supporting kids’ emotional wellbeing, development, and the bond between parents and children.”
Learn more about Kinder Value of Play initiative and find practical play ideas at: PLAY VALUE - Kinder.
Discover more about Kinder Play Breaks in UK and Germany.
―
To receive the latest news and stories, subscribe to our newsletter here.
