New Research Suggests 94 Percent of Parents Believe Curious Children Are More Likely to be Successful Adults

ATLANTA, March 14, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, on what would have been Albert Einstein's 139^th birthday, Baby Einstein, the leading infant multimedia and toy brand, announces new data about curiosity for infants and toddlers. The brand's namesake, Albert Einstein, was tenaciously curious and as a champion of curiosity for infants and toddlers, the Baby Einstein brand is releasing the results from a research survey it commissioned with Wakefield Research¹ to highlight the role and significance of curiosity for babies, toddlers and their parents.

Baby Einstein believes the future belongs to the curious. Curiosity is at the core of the Baby Einstein brand. This prompted it to commission a survey to better understand how curiosity plays a role in infants' and toddlers' development and how parents value it as a trait for their children. What they found not only reinforced the brand's "why" and emphasis on cultivating curiosity, but also showed new findings about how much parents aspire their children to be curious and how having curious children makes parents feel more confident about their parenting abilities.

"I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious." -Albert Einstein

The data reinforces what Baby Einstein already believes and underscores the relevancy of the upcoming launches from Baby Einstein this summer. The brand will be taking a big step as it "ages up" and begins the development of products and toys for toddlers, a new audience for the brand who has primarily been focused on newborns to one-year-olds.

"As we celebrate the birthday of Albert Einstein, a man who prided his curiosity above all else, it's exciting to share news that Baby Einstein is relaunching the brand in its entirety, with its mission to help cultivate curiosity in infants and toddlers," says Meryl Macune, Senior Vice President of Kids II, the company that owns and operates the Baby Einstein brand.

"Over the course of the year, the Baby Einstein brand experience will be transformed. We are giving our brand a new voice, a new look, new products and partnerships; creating new ways for parents and their children to interact with the Baby Einstein brand. There will be a lot of great things to come over the course of 2018 and beyond, all rooted in the findings of our research that curiosity is a highly valued trait parents want for their babies and children."

These new, not-yet-released statistics and data points were compiled in conjunction with Baby Einstein and Wakefield Research. They reveal parents' opinions and values when it comes to fostering and supporting curiosity for their babies and children. Among the most notable findings and new statistics to come from the research survey include:

• 94% of parents believe the more curious children are, the more likely they are to be successful as adults.
• Nearly all parents (97%) agree that curious children excel beyond less curious children. The top areas where curious kids excel over their less curious peers are:
• Being creative (76%)
• Learning new things faster and more easily (75%)
• Thinking critically (68%)
• 90% of parents agree that their child is interested in toys that encourage curiosity for a longer period of time than toys that don't encourage discovery or exploration.
• More than three out of four parents say reading with their children (77%) and drawing together (75%) are some of the best ways to foster curiosity for their children.
• Nearly all (97%) parents note that nothing makes them feel more confident in their parenting skills than watching their child explore something new.

"Curiosity isn't just an enabler to a child's development and future success," adds Macune, "it also helps parents feel reassured that they're doing a great job. Based on our research with Wakefield, we know nearly all (97%) parents note that nothing makes them feel more confident in their parenting skills than watching their child explore something new. As an iconic brand who has provided award-winning products for newborns and infants, we're taking the brand forward with the brand re-launch to support parents in raising curious children."

Over the course of 2018, Baby Einstein will be unveiling new product launches, strategic partnerships and a global brand re-launch. This is all part of the larger effort to evolve the brand and offer new ways for parents and children to experience this iconic brand.

About Baby Einstein:

Born from the belief that the future belongs to the curious, Baby Einstein helps parents cultivate curiosity ? within their children and themselves through experiences of shared discovery and creativity. Why? Because curiosity motivates us to learn and adapt. It compels us to be open to possibility and confident in our skills. Curiosity is essential for succeeding in our ever-changing world and creating a better one.

¹ Methodological Notes:

The Baby Einstein Survey was conducted by Wakefield Research (www.wakefieldresearch.com) among 1,000 nationally representative U.S. parents of kids ages 5 and under, between January 19 and January 26, 2018, using an email invitation and an online survey.

Results of any sample are subject to sampling variation. The magnitude of the variation is measurable and is affected by the number of interviews and the level of the percentages expressing the results. For the interviews conducted in this particular study, the chances are 95 in 100 that a survey result does not vary, plus or minus, by more than 3.1 percentage points from the result that would be obtained if interviews had been conducted with all persons in the universe represented by the sample.

Contact: Catherine Merritt, 1-312-343-2812, [email protected]

SOURCE Baby Einstein