The New LEGO® Play Well Report Reveals a Growing Decline in Shared Family Playtime, with 1 in 10 Families Saying They Don’t Play Together at All, according to a New LEGO® Study
The LEGO Group has today announced its latest LEGO® Playmaker, actor and play maestro Jason Momoa, who is on a mission to help reverse the growing play deficit impacting families globally.
While South African parents strongly recognize the importance of play, modern pressures on time and attention leave less room for shared family moments than ever before. In fact, the LEGO Play Well Study found that 92% of South African parents wish they could play more with their children, while 5% say they do not play together as a family at all.
But the findings also point to a powerful opportunity for parents. Just five hours of family play a week is enough to significantly boost family happiness and wellbeing – a small shift with meaningful impact. That’s less time than many families spend commuting, watching TV or scrolling on phones each week4.
Mission: Never Stop Playing
However, globally, almost half (44%) of families are not meeting this joy-bringing threshold. The LEGO Group is bringing this insight to life through its Never Stop Playing campaign, featuring Momoa as a corporate consultant tasked with helping the company inspire families to make more time for play. The campaign centres on a simple idea, where small, everyday moments can unlock creativity, connection and joy.
Jason Momoa is turning his playful mindset into powerful motivation for families: “Play has always been a big part of my life. My mom encouraged me to get outside, use my imagination, build things with my hands, make cool LEGO builds, be creative, make music, climb, explore, and just be curious about the world. That shaped who I am.
“Whether I’m with my kids, making movies or jamming with my band, these simple moments of play keep me creative, grounded and connected to the people I love. Even a few minutes of play can completely shift your day. I think it’s important that kids and families today get the same encouragement to find any opportunity to play, and spark moments of imagination, creativity and connection.”
Watch the campaign video here
The play paradox in South Africa
Jason’s PSA couldn’t come at a better time. The LEGO Play Well Study, conducted among 30,000 parents and 15,000 children aged 5 – 12 globally, found that while parents increasingly recognise play as essential for children’s wellbeing and happiness[1], work, screentime and household chores are squeezing it to the margins[2]. In South Africa, parents identified workload, household chores and homework as the leading barriers to family playtime, while 38% cited a lack of safe spaces as a barrier to playing together more often.
Key South African insights include:
- 59% of parents say their children play less than they did at the same age
- 32% of children say they are not happy with how much they play
- 1 in 5 children say they do not play at all
- More families spend time on screens than in shared play each week
Children are directly feeling the impact, with over a quarter reporting dissatisfaction with their current level of play.
At the same time, parents consistently recognise its value. Most say play helps build stronger family relationships, supports children in making sense of the world and develops critical life skills including creativity, confidence and resilience
Helping families bring play back.
LEGO South Africa is launching the “Never Stop Playing” campaign to encourage South African families to prioritise meaningful playtime together. Drawing from the LEGO® Play Well Report, the campaign aims to spark a national conversation around the importance of shared play between parents and children.
Bringing the campaign to life is the LEGO® Play Squad, a group of LEGO Play ambassadors who will help drive excitement and bring play experiences into communities and encourage participation across the country.
To further amplify the campaign, LEGO South Africa will host a fun and interactive activation at Menlyn Park Shopping Centre from the 15th of June 2026, inviting families to experience the power of play firsthand in an engaging and immersive environment.
Building a world that Never Stops Playing
For over 90 years, the LEGO Group has championed the importance of play. The organisation supported the establishment of the UN International Day of Play in 2024 and continues to mark the occasion annually through World Play Day on 11 June.
Each year, more than 33,000 employees across the global business pause work to take part in play activities, alongside volunteering efforts that reach over 17,000 children in communities worldwide.
For inspiration on how to Never Stop Playing, visit: LEGO.com/NeverStopPlaying
[1] 94% of parents say play is important to their family’s happiness and overall wellbeing (vs. 91% in 2024)
[2] Parents cite workload, housework, children’s homework and time they spend on devices as the biggest barriers to family playtime.
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