By Alicia Drummond, BACP Accredited Therapist and Founder of The Wellbeing Hub
In a rapidly changing world where mental health challenges amongst children and young people are on the rise, the role of play in children’s development has never been more important. Toys, as facilitators of play, give children tools to navigate their emotional landscapes, build cognitive skills, and foster resilience.
According to global statistics from the World Health Organization (WHO) (1.), approximately one in seven young people aged 10-19 experience mental disorders. Suicide is the third leading cause of death for young people aged 15-25, and anxiety levels currently sit at 4.4% of 10–14-year-olds and 5.5% of 15–19-year-olds.
Multiple studies have shown that poor mental health in childhood which is not addressed impacts long term physical health, mental health, and general life satisfaction, and more than half of all mental disorders in adulthood begin in childhood or adolescence (2) (3)
We need to work proactively to protect the mental health and wellbeing of young people because quite apart from the tragic human cost, there is a huge economic cost of not doing so. A study published by the World Economic Forum and the Harvard School of Public Health predicts that the cost of mental health conditions will rise to $6 trillion globally by 2030, from $2.5 trillion in 2010.
A proactive approach includes helping children to develop the mental, emotional and social health (MESH) skills that protect wellbeing. These skills include problem solving, perseverance, communication, self-regulation, adaptation, self-advocacy, and cognitive skills. Of course, many of the games and toys that have always been a part of childhood such as dolls, puzzles, model making, books, and boardgames can build these skills, but specifically designed toys and games are becoming increasingly popular. As with most things in life not all toys are created equal when it comes to promoting MESH skills so how can you know as a parent or educator which toys to invest in.
MESH HELPS is an independent, non-profit organisation set up in collaboration with resilience expert Deborah Gilboa M.D., which has created an accreditation process for toys through FUNdamentally Children. Founded by Dr. Amanda Gummer, who has a PhD in neuropsychology and over 20 years of experience working with children and families, FUNdamentally Children uses a scientifically proven method to evaluate toys and children’s products.
They also evaluate digital products which is important as the role of digital play is now a significant part of many children’s play diet. Excessive screen time and exposure to inappropriate content can have a negative impact on children’s wellbeing, and parents are right to be concerned, whilst recognising that there are digital games which can have positive effects on mental health when used in moderation. Studies have shown that games which encourage creativity, strategy, and social interaction can improve problem-solving skills and provide stress relief. It is all a matter of balance and in the same way that we wouldn’t feed our children a diet of fries, fries, and more fries, so we must ensure that they are engaged in a range of activities online, and that their online activity is balanced with offline, physical play, with real people, in real time.
1. World Health Organization (2024). Mental health of adolescents. [online] World Health Organization. Available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/adolescent-mental-health.
2. Kessler RC, Amminger GP, Aguilar-Gaxiola S, et al. (2007) Age of onset of mental disorders: a review of recent literature. Current Opinion in Psychiatry 20(4):359–364 [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
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