Over the month of April 2010, Flemish parents and Flemish children were questioned about the playing frequency within the overall leisure activities of 8-12 year olds, and about the purchase and use of toys. Karrewiet of Ketnet, Radio 2 and the Toy Museum endeavored to find answers to these questions in cooperation with InSites Consulting.

We will share some 2010 playing trends with you:

• Flemish 8-12 year olds spend more than 3 hours per day behind a screen. This is not surprising, since approximately 30% have a game console in their own room, 25% an own television and 20% a computer.
• Game consoles and particularly Nintendo DS are the most popular toys. Online games are also seeing strong growth.
• Digital play is therefore most popular, though classics such as LEGO (mainly popular among boys) and handicrafts (mainly popular among girls) are also a mainstay. Our children are not passive, for cycling and trampolining are also very popular.
• 25% of children usually play alone. One in three children feel their parents should make more time to play with them.
• Traditional games such as tag and football rule at the playground. If children could choose, they would like to have a trampoline at school. The new craze for trading games such as Bakugan is banned in half of Flemish schools.
• Annually, parents spend on average € 245.00 per child on toys and are primarily guided in their choice by ‘the joy of the child ‘. Their own best memories are of LEGO.
• Parents mainly want their children to move and be creative. Learning to cooperate is the most important to them when their child plays with others. The competitive spirit – which clearly exists among children – is not at all emphasized by parents. Parents generally prefer playing UNO, Monopoly or a puzzle with their children.

Toys that 8-12 year olds play with most often

1. Nintendo DS/Dsi/DsiXL
2. Bicycles/tricycles/scooters
3. Computer/PC games
4. Painting and drawing
5. Nintendo Wii
6. Trampoline
7. LEGO
8. Online games/surfing
9. Balls
10. Sony PlayStation
11. Roller skates, inline skating, skateboard
12. UNO
13. Miniature figures and animals
14. Monopoly
15. Swimming pool