Playful Parenting Series
Introducing the Playful Parenting Series: Insights, Tips, and Transformative Strategies
Welcome to our Playful Parenting Series, an engaging collection of articles and vlogs designed to empower parents and caregivers with innovative strategies to enhance their children's development through play. This series is part of the "Scaling-Up Playful Parenting" initiative, a groundbreaking partnership between the LEGO Foundation and UNICEF, committed to promoting playful interactions and increasing global understanding and support for playful parenting programs.
Since its launch on October 29, 2019, this initiative has aimed to scale parenting interventions that foster responsive caregiving, crucial for healthy brain development and lifelong learning in young children. By expanding these impactful programs beyond local levels, the LEGO Foundation and UNICEF strive to create sustainable, large-scale change. This partnership emphasizes in-depth work in Zambia and Serbia, advocacy and communication, and global knowledge generation and dissemination.
At ISSA, we are passionate about empowering parents, educators, and service providers to create enriching, joyful environments where children can thrive. Playful parenting is more than just fun and games. It is a comprehensive approach to child-rearing that, as the Harvard University's Center on the Developing Child has highlighted, leverages play as a powerful tool for fostering development, building resilience, and nurturing strong bonds between children and their families and educators. By integrating play into various aspects of daily life, children’s growth can be supported in diverse and meaningful ways, no matter the circumstances.
? Why Playful Parenting Matters
Playful parenting embraces the idea that play is essential for healthy child development. It encourages engagement with children through activities that promote cognitive skills, social competencies, emotional resilience, and physical abilities. This approach is adaptable and can be tailored to support children in a wide range of situations, from everyday life to challenging circumstances such as poverty, war, and refugeehood.
Integrating Play into Different Contexts
Playful parenting can be seamlessly integrated into various contexts to address specific concerns and opportunities. Over the past few weeks, we’ve shared a series of articles that delve into the heart of playful parenting, offering practical advice, inspiring stories, and evidence-based strategies to integrate play into daily routines. This culmination of our playful parenting series is designed to provide a comprehensive overview of the various facets of playful parenting and how it can transform children's lives:
⚖️ Serious Benefits of Play: Play is a serious matter when it comes to child development. We outline 13 reasons why play is crucial and how it can be effectively incorporated into daily life. Read more
? Educational Play: Teaching kids through play can make learning a joyous and effective experience. We share methods to integrate educational activities into playtime. Read more
? Inclusive Play: Play serves as an equalizing factor, unlocking every child's potential. We explore how inclusive play can bridge gaps and provide all children with equal opportunities for growth. Read more
? Health, Education, and Social Services: In Serbia, playful parenting has been successfully implemented across health, education, and social services sectors, enriching child development on multiple fronts. Read more
?? Engaged Fatherhood: Fathers play a vital role in playful parenting. This article provides insights and tips for fathers to become more actively involved in their children's playtime. Read more
? Engaging Babies & Toddlers: The possibilities of playful parenting are limitless starting as early as birth. We've prepared a guide of 21 cost-free joyful learning activities for parents and caregivers. Read more
? The Power of Stories: Discover playful reading strategies that turn story time into an adventure, fostering a love for reading in children of all ages. Read more
?️ Resilience Through Play: For migrant and refugee families, playful parenting can foster resilience and well-being. We discuss how play can be a cornerstone of support in challenging circumstances. Read more
? Digital Play: Navigating the digital world can be tricky for parents. Our guide to digital play offers strategies to ensure children engage with technology in a safe, responsible, and beneficial manner. Read more
?Healing through Play: Playful experiences help children process emotions and overcome adversity. This article delves into how play strengthens emotional resilience in Ukraine. Read more
Our Playful Parenting Series includes the following insightful articles and vlogs:
? Acknowledgements
We extend our heartfelt thanks to the LEGO Foundation and UNICEF for their invaluable support in making this initiative possible. UNICEF has partnered with three ECD networks - the Early Childhood Development Action Network (ECDAN), the Africa Early Childhood Network (AfECN), and the International Step by Step Association (ISSA) to engage in collaborative knowledge exchange and learning on Playful Parenting programs. UNICEF also partnered with the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) to provide country-level technical support through the establishment of an ECD Professional Development Hub. These partnerships will help strengthen the ECD global and regional landscape and will in turn increase the impact and reach of the UNICEF-LEGO Foundation Playful Parenting Program’s interventions.
Together, we are committed to fostering environments where every child can experience the profound benefits of playful learning.
? Stay Connected
To explore all our articles and learn more about the Playful Parenting initiative, visit our initiative page and continue the conversation on LinkedIn.
By embracing playful parenting, we can create resilient, thriving families and a brighter future for our children. Let’s embark on this journey together!
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Supporting families for nurturing care: Training resource package for home visiting practices
This training package equips trainers of home visiting professionals with essential knowledge, skills, and tools to deliver consistent, high-quality pre-service and in-service training.
Developed by UNICEF ECARO and the International Step by Step Association (ISSA), it builds on almost ten years of collaboration and earlier home visiting modules (2017–2025). The goal is to strengthen home visiting as a key community health service supporting families from pregnancy to early childhood.
The package includes three guides: General Overview, Foundational Training, and Extended Training, each offering adaptable materials such as session plans, slides, and handouts based on nurturing and family-centered care.
It combines two main areas: (1) programmatic knowledge on child development, health, nutrition, and parental wellbeing, and (2) practical skills such as communication, relationship building, observation, problem-solving, and cultural responsiveness.
Grounded in adult learning principles, the training encourages reflection, peer learning, and practical application, fostering the professional growth of trainers and home visitors while improving the quality of home visiting services.
Trainer Guide: General Overview
Trainer Guide: Foundational Training
Trainer Guide: Extended Training
button[src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/694724257114b734f4bb749a/6985cff74ab2bbd98fabe605_SUPPORTING%20FAMILIES%20FOR%20NURTURING%20CARE%20Training%20Resource%20Package%20for%20Home%20Visiting%20Practices_0.pdf"][label="Download the Resource Package"] button[src="https://clearinghouse.unicef.org/sites/ch/files/ch/teams-ECARO-Planning-ECA%20Knowledge%20at%20UNICEF-Guide%201.General%20Overview-2.0.pdf"][label="Trainer Guide: General Overview"] button[src="https://clearinghouse.unicef.org/sites/ch/files/ch/teams-ECARO-Planning-ECA%20Knowledge%20at%20UNICEF-Guide%202.Foundational%20training-2.0.pdf"][label="Trainer Guide: Foundational Training"] button[src="https://clearinghouse.unicef.org/sites/ch/files/ch/eams-ECARO-Planning-ECA%20Knowledge%20at%20UNICEF-FT_2025_PowerPoints_Day_I%20-2.0.pptx"][label="PPT"] button[src="https://clearinghouse.unicef.org/sites/ch/files/ch/teams-ECARO-Planning-ECA%20Knowledge%20at%20UNICEF-FT_2025_PowerPoints_Day_I%20-2.0.pdf"][label="PDF"] button[src="https://clearinghouse.unicef.org/sites/ch/files/ch/eams-ECARO-Planning-ECA%20Knowledge%20at%20UNICEF-FT%202025_PowerPoints_Day%20II-2.0.pptx"][label="PPT"] button[src="https://clearinghouse.unicef.org/sites/ch/files/ch/teams-ECARO-Planning-ECA%20Knowledge%20at%20UNICEF-FT%202025_PowerPoints_Day%20II-2.0.pdf"][label="PDF"] button[src="https://clearinghouse.unicef.org/sites/ch/files/ch/eams-ECARO-Planning-ECA%20Knowledge%20at%20UNICEF-FT%202025_PowerPoints_Day%20III-2.0.pptx"][label="PPT"] button[src="https://clearinghouse.unicef.org/sites/ch/files/ch/teams-ECARO-Planning-ECA%20Knowledge%20at%20UNICEF-FT%202025_PowerPoints_Day%20III-2.0.pdf"][label="PDF"] button[src="https://clearinghouse.unicef.org/sites/ch/files/ch/eams-ECARO-Planning-ECA%20Knowledge%20at%20UNICEF-FT%202025_PowerPoints_Day%20IV-2.0.pptx"][label="PPT"] button[src="https://clearinghouse.unicef.org/sites/ch/files/ch/teams-ECARO-Planning-ECA%20Knowledge%20at%20UNICEF-FT%202025_PowerPoints_Day%20IV-2.0.pdf"][label="PDF"] button[src="https://clearinghouse.unicef.org/sites/ch/files/ch/eams-ECARO-Planning-ECA%20Knowledge%20at%20UNICEF-FT%202025_PowerPoints_Day%20V-2.0.pptx"][label="PPT"] button[src="https://clearinghouse.unicef.org/sites/ch/files/ch/teams-ECARO-Planning-ECA%20Knowledge%20at%20UNICEF-FT%202025_PowerPoints_Day%20V-2.0.pdf"][label="PDF"] button[src="https://clearinghouse.unicef.org/sites/ch/files/ch/teams-ECARO-Planning-ECA%20Knowledge%20at%20UNICEF-Guide%203.Extended%20training-2.0.pdf"][label="Trainer Guide: Extended Training"] button[src="https://clearinghouse.unicef.org/sites/ch/files/ch/eams-ECARO-Planning-ECA%20Knowledge%20at%20UNICEF-ET%20Day%20I-2.0.pptx"][label="PPT"] button[src="https://clearinghouse.unicef.org/sites/ch/files/ch/teams-ECARO-Planning-ECA%20Knowledge%20at%20UNICEF-ET%20Day%20I-2.0.pdf"][label="PDF"] button[src="https://clearinghouse.unicef.org/sites/ch/files/ch/eams-ECARO-Planning-ECA%20Knowledge%20at%20UNICEF-ET_Day%20II%20merged-2.0.pptx"][label="PPT"] button[src="https://clearinghouse.unicef.org/sites/ch/files/ch/teams-ECARO-Planning-ECA%20Knowledge%20at%20UNICEF-ET_Day%20II%20merge-2.0.pdf"][label="PDF"] button[src="https://clearinghouse.unicef.org/sites/ch/files/ch/eams-ECARO-Planning-ECA%20Knowledge%20at%20UNICEF-ET_Day%20III%20merged-2.0.pptx"][label="PPT"] button[src="https://clearinghouse.unicef.org/sites/ch/files/ch/teams-ECARO-Planning-ECA%20Knowledge%20at%20UNICEF-ET_Day%20III%20merge-2.0.pdf"][label="PDF"]Published in:
2025
Organization(s):
ISSA, UNICEF ECARO
Language:
Contact:
Ayca Alayli, aalayli@issa.nl
State of Southern European Fathers 2024: Building Evidence for Engaging Men in Nurturing Care in Italy, Portugal, and Spain
The State of Southern European Fathers 2024 report, developed under the EMiNC initiative, explores fathers’ involvement in caregiving across Italy, Portugal, and Spain. While many men report active participation in daily care, a significant perception gap remains: 74% of fathers believe caregiving is equally shared, but only 51% of mothers agree. The findings show that mothers still carry the greater caregiving and household burden, often at the expense of their well-being and professional opportunities. At the same time, the report highlights the vital role fathers play in children’s development—greater involvement is linked to stronger emotional bonds, improved learning outcomes, and better long-term well-being for children.
Yet barriers persist: rigid workplace cultures, limited access to paid leave, and lack of affordable, quality childcare constrain men’s ability to participate equally. The report calls for robust policy reforms—such as fully paid, non-transferable leave for fathers—and investments in early childhood services that actively engage men. Public campaigns and local peer support networks are also essential to shift norms and expectations. Promoting men’s caregiving is not only a matter of gender equality, it is a key strategy to ensure all children thrive from the very start.
The report, developed under the EMiNC initiative, explores fathers’ involvement in caregiving across Italy, Portugal, and Spain. While many men report active participation in daily care, a significant perception gap remains: 74% of fathers believe caregiving is equally shared, but only 51% of mothers agree. The findings show that mothers still carry the greater caregiving and household burden, often at the expense of their well-being and professional opportunities. At the same time, the report highlights the vital role fathers play in children’s development—greater involvement is linked to stronger emotional bonds, improved learning outcomes, and better long-term well-being for children.Yet barriers persist: rigid workplace cultures, limited access to paid leave, and lack of affordable, quality childcare constrain men’s ability to participate equally. The report calls for robust policy reforms—such as fully paid, non-transferable leave for fathers—and investments in early childhood services that actively engage men. Public campaigns and local peer support networks are also essential to shift norms and expectations. Promoting men’s caregiving is not only a matter of gender equality, it is a key strategy to ensure all children thrive from the very start.
Published in:
2025
Organization(s):
ISSA
Language:
Module 3: Nutrition for Infants and Young Children
The Module 3 ‘Nutrition for Infants and Young Children’ is intended to support home visitors and other health professionals in providing advice and support to parents and families on infant and young child nutrition. It includes three modules:
Module 3b: ‘Introducing Complementary Foods’
Module 3c: ‘Nutrition of Children Aged 2-6 Years’
You can access the whole package here.
button[src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/694724257114b734f4bb749a/6985cf735eb0b715b71d6271_3a.Nutrition-BreastfeedingNEWBORN-ENG-WEB.pdf"][label="Download 3a. Breastfeeding"] button[src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/694724257114b734f4bb749a/6985cf743139d7275e743a0a_3b.Nutrition-InfantYoungChild-ENG-WEB.pdf"][label="Download 3b. Introducing Complementary Foods"] button[src="https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/694724257114b734f4bb749a/6985cf766ca73e3f96db4776_3c.Nutrition-YoungChild2-6-ENG.pdf"][label="Download 3c. Nutrition of Children Aged 2-6 Years"]
Published in:
2025
Organization(s):
UNICEF ECARO & ISSA