It's time to play!

IKEA Play Report 2024

Would you like a little more play and a lot less seriousness in your everyday? It’s possible! Playfulness is a simply a mindset after all; a way of thinking and living that defines how we approach and interact with the world. We’re here to spread the word that a more playful life at home not only feels good, it is good - for all of us, big and small.

The IKEA Play Report reveals extensive research on play and playfulness at home. For the 2024 report, we surveyed 7,000 children and their parents in seven countries, as well as spoke to experts from around the world, for a truly global view on play. We visited 36 families in three countries, carrying out in-depth interviews to give their views on play and what it means to them. Let's take a hop, skip and jump in and learn about play around the world!

A boy picks up toys and throws them into a box. He is laughing.

We visited 36 families in three countries to understand the status of play and playfulness at home

A boy stands with his arms outstretched in front of a round window. He is wearing a hooded shark towel as a cape.

We also spoke to experts, as well as 7,000 children and their parents, for a truly global view on play

A child sits in a white teepee. He is playing with a striped ball and a dinosaur.

More time for play

The world is ever-changing and can feel uncertain. For an increasing number of parents, the most important thing is the happiness and wellbeing of their children; not their educational skills, as was the case a few years ago. 95% of parents say that their child’s happiness is closely or somewhat related to how much or how often they play.

For the IKEA Play Report 2024, when asked if they spend more time playing with their children now, compared to a few years ago, 51% of parents said yes. Although other commitments, such as too much homework, after school activities and TV still get in the way, it’s wonderful to see a clear uptick in families making more time for play compared to a few years ago!

A child puts a label on a yellow TROFAST container. Toys a displayed on top and in the storage unit, and drawers are full.
A woman sits on a sofa, watching her son play with his toys on a rug on the floor. In the foreground, a dog looks at the camera.

“Why can’t we just let kids be kids for goodness sake!? They will soon enough become grown-ups with lots of chores and demands.”

– Thea
mother of Annabell

A graphic image of a yellow square with a green circle, red square and blue triangle inside.

Equal play for all!

Many families want playfulness in their lives, but factors such as low income, long work hours, cramped living conditions and a perception that educational outcomes take priority over free play get in the way.

According to Helen Dodd, Professor of Child Psychology, “If children are given time and space to engage in play they will become more capable of coping with and solving the big and complex challenges they will face in their lives. The future will require them to respond to uncertainty and change with creativity and imagination, more than ever before. We need to provide more opportunities for play and value its importance, to nurture good mental health as well as support a sustainable future for the world.”
An aeriel image of two children playing. One has one leg in a hula hoop, the other child is jumping from cushion to cushion.
A family gather around a table in the living/dining room. A man kneels on the floor to play with a child, who is playing with a trainset.

95% of parents say that their child’s happiness is closely or somewhat related to play

54% of parents would like more time to play with their children

A girls sits on the floor, she has her arms in the air and is smiling, while her dad watches, smiling, from the bed.

90% of children say they always or sometimes feel happier when they play

“If children are given time and space to engage in play they will become more capable of coping with and solving the big and complex challenges they will face in their lives. The future will require them to respond to uncertainty and change with creativity and imagination, more than ever before. We need to provide more opportunities for play and value its importance, to nurture good mental health as well as support a sustainable future for the world.”

– Helen Dodd
Professor of Child Psychology

A graphic image of a yellow square with a green circle and blue triangle inside.

Getting our priorities right

Stress-free fun! Greater self-love and advocacy! Deeper social and emotional connection! We believe these are priorities worth working towards - and we are not alone. Through our research, all three appeared to be really important for parents and children, too.

A desire for a stress-free and happy childhood

Both children and parents prioritise the carefree, liberating, and light-hearted side of play and playfulness. 

Two children sit at a table in a play/bedroom. They are drawing.

A wish to boost children's self-love and advocacy

Children want more advocacy. Whereas parents want to foster their children’s self-love and self-expression, children want more freedom and autonomy. Play is virtually the only space where children make their own decisions. This is where they have the power to set the rules, and where they want to take things.

A girl sits in an egg-shaped chair in her bedroom. she is playing with a BLÅHAJ shark and smiling.

A call for social and emotional connection

Children and parents share a growing need for social and emotional connection and they seek it within the safe walls of home. However, many people lack social activities at home that transcend ages and interests and go across generations. At times, online dance games or other physical online games can be the solution.

A man and his son stand on a sofa, they are drawing with chalk on a blackboard wall behind the sofa.

The revolution begins at home

Both children and parents see the world as a scary, dangerous place, and they want their home to be the opposite - a safe and comforting space for mental wellbeing, self-love, autonomy, and family togetherness. Parents would love to design more playful living spaces. But often they don’t know how. 

With home becoming smaller and free space scarce, the bed often becomes so much more than a place to sleep; it becomes a gaming hot spot, sofa, workspace, dinner area, play space – you name it! And everyday objects can be just as fun (if not more so!) as traditional toys and games.

A boy kicks a football in between small red and blue ballards.
Two children play fight in a room. One is on the bed, wearing a pirate hat, while the other is on the floor with a toy shark.
A girl leans on a table, playing with toy dinosaurs and animals.

At IKEA, we believe that children are the most important people in the world and every child has the right to play. We are committed to integrating children’s rights into everything we do – especially the right to play and be heard! So we continue to involve them in developing our children’s products and range.

As home is the place where families spend time together and build connections, we bring a playful mindset and twinkle in the eye throughout IKEA. We continue to create products and solutions that trigger the imagination, and encourage jumping and crawling, climbing and of course, play.

Ready to join the play revolution?

Then take a look at our latest play report. It’s filled with fascinating findings from an extensive international research study focusing on the state of play and playfulness at home.

Read the IKEA Play Report 2024