US & Canada

Since 2017, Spin Master and Save the Children have partnered to bring toys to children in emergency situations around the globe; 2020 brought new needs and new challenges with the onset of Covid-19. Together, Spin Master and Save the Children were able to protect, engage and bring joy to frontline workers, children and their families during a difficult year.

With a sudden and growing need for PPE, Spin Master’s product development team came up with an ingenious solution to create face shields using existing headbands from the popular family guessing game, Hedbanz, along with plastic inserts. In partnership with Save the Children, Spin Master provided face shields and masks to support Indigenous communities in need. Save the Children distributed more than 57,500 items of PPE to Indigenous health workers in Ontario and Manitoba through its National Reconciliation Program partnership with local Indigenous community organizations.

With kids at home, Spin Master launched Super Fun Calendar, a website featuring interactive and engaging activities and video content to entertain kids. The channel featured programming in a school style schedule complete with circle time, art, gym and music. The content was shared with Save the Children for their ‘Kids Hub’ which became the page with the highest user engagement, reaching over 279,000 Canadians totaling 1.2 million impressions.

Spin Master contributed more than 10,000 toys to Canadian children who found themselves out of classrooms and isolated at home early in the pandemic. Save the Children partners located in Alberta, Southern Ontario and Manitoba helped distribute the toys to families in need. An additional 83,533 GUND plush items were also delivered to partners in the US during the holiday season to Early Steps to School, Head Start and Early Head Start Projects in six locations across four states, supporting children facing vulnerabilities.

China

The Toy Movement partnered with Save the Children Canada to bring more than 20,000 toys to children in need in China. In China, children’s mental health and well-being has been challenged by rapid urbanization, digital transformation and large-scale population movements leading to changes in family structures. In urban areas, working parents often spend little time with their children. In rural communities, many “left-behind children” are raised by grandparents while their parents work in cities. Through this project, we were able to play a key role in building mental health support systems crucial to responding to children’s emotional and developmental needs.

Zimbabwe

In partnership with World Vision Canada, The Toy Movement reached 12,160 children in Zimbabwe by bringing toys into classrooms across the country. Teachers observed improved attendance, attitudes, and confidence as lessons in math, science, and reading came to life through play. Through independent and group activities, children built social skills, cooperation, and self-confidence while rediscovering the joy of learning.

Zambia

In partnership with World Vision Canada, The Toy Movement reached 10,244 children in Zambia by delivering educational toys to schools across the country. Teachers reported decreased absenteeism as children became more excited to attend classes that now include hands-on, playful learning. Games, puzzles, and sports equipment helped students develop problem-solving skills, coordination, teamwork, and cooperation—turning learning into an engaging and joyful experience.