AIIMS Bhopal Study – Parents Overlook Environmental Aspect While Choosing Toys

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): An AIIMS Bhopal study has found that most parents give little importance to the environmental impact when selecting toys for their children. While factors such as price, durability, visual appeal, and safety are prioritised, eco-friendliness is rarely considered.

The study focused on identifying factors influencing toy selection for children up to five years of age. It was conducted in the Barkheda Pathani area of Bhopal, involving 251 parents selected through convenient sampling.

Findings revealed that the most important factors for parents were price (66.9%), durability (56.6%), visual appeal (48.2%), age appropriateness (45.4%), and safety concerns such as small parts or sharp edges (43.4%). Other considerations included aesthetic value (37.8%), the child’s abilities (36.7%), and interests (34.7%).

Developmental and educational aspects, such as promoting physical activity (34.3%) and encouraging social interaction (32.7%), were also considered. However, environmental impact influenced decisions in only 6.41% of cases — indicating a significant lack of awareness or attention to eco-friendly options.

Other factors, like the child’s gender (33.1%), toy popularity (33.5%), and size (32.3%), had relatively less influence. Parents’ decisions were also shaped by variables such as the child’s age and gender, the age of the parent, the main decision-maker in the household, the number of children, family structure, and socio-economic status.

Experts believe these findings can guide parents, healthcare providers, teachers, social workers, and toy manufacturers in designing and selecting toys that are both developmentally appropriate and environmentally friendly. They stress that incorporating environmental considerations in toy selection can support children’s healthy development while contributing to environmental conservation.