The LEGO Group has announced its latest LEGO® Playmaker, actor and play enthusiast Jason Momoa, who is on a mission to help reverse the growing play deficit affecting families around the world.While South African parents strongly recognise the importance of play, modern pressures on time and attention are leaving less room for shared family moments than ever before.According to the LEGO Play Well Study, 92% of South African parents wish they could play more with their children, while 5% say they do not play together as a family at all.The findings also reveal a major opportunity for families. Just five hours of family play each week is enough to significantly improve family happiness and wellbeing. That’s less time than many families spend commuting, watching television or scrolling on their phones each week.Mission: Never Stop PlayingGlobally, almost half (44%) of families are not reaching this happiness-boosting threshold.To help change that, the LEGO Group has launched its Never Stop Playing campaign, starring Jason Momoa as a corporate consultant whose mission is to inspire families to make more time for play.The campaign is built around a simple message: small, everyday moments of play can unlock creativity, strengthen family bonds and bring more joy into everyday life.Jason Momoa said:”Play has always been a big part of my life. My mom encouraged me to get outside, use my imagination, build things with my hands, make cool LEGO builds, be creative, make music, climb, explore and just be curious about the world. That shaped who I am.Whether I’m with my kids, making movies or jamming with my band, these simple moments of play keep me creative, grounded and connected to the people I love. Even a few minutes of play can completely shift your day. I think it’s important that kids and families today get the same encouragement to find any opportunity to play and spark moments of imagination, creativity and connection.”Watch the campaign video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZ6ywkTlfJo&t=7sThe Play Paradox in South AfricaJason Momoa’s message comes at a crucial time.The LEGO Play Well Study, conducted among 30,000 parents and 15,000 children aged five to 12 globally, found that while parents increasingly recognise play as essential for children’s wellbeing and happiness, work, screen time and household responsibilities continue to push play to the sidelines.In South Africa, parents identified workload, household chores and homework as the biggest barriers to family playtime, while 38% said a lack of safe spaces makes it difficult to play together more often.Key South African Findings59% of parents say their children play less than they did at the same age.32% of children say they are unhappy with how much they play.One in five children say they do not play at all.More families spend time on screens each week than enjoying shared play.Children are already feeling the impact, with more than a quarter reporting dissatisfaction with the amount of play in their lives.Parents, however, continue to recognise its value.
Most believe play strengthens family relationships, helps children make sense of the world around them and develops important life skills such as creativity, confidence and resilience.Helping Families Bring Play BackLEGO South Africa is launching the Never Stop Playing campaign to encourage families across the country to prioritise meaningful playtime together.Inspired by the LEGO® Play Well Report, the campaign aims to spark a national conversation about the importance of shared play between parents and children.Bringing the campaign to life is the LEGO® Play Squad, a group of LEGO Play ambassadors who will create exciting play experiences in communities across South Africa and encourage families to get involved.To further amplify the campaign, LEGO South Africa will host an interactive activation at Menlyn Park Shopping Centre from 15 June 2026, giving families the opportunity to experience the power of play in a fun and immersive environment.
Building a World That Never Stops PlayingFor more than 90 years, the LEGO Group has championed the importance of play.The organisation supported the establishment of the UN International Day of Play in 2024 and continues to celebrate the occasion annually through World Play Day on 11 June.Each year, more than 33,000 employees across the global business pause work to take part in play activities, alongside volunteering initiatives that reach more than 17,000 children in communities around the world.For more inspiration on how to Never Stop Playing, visit LEGO.com/NeverStopPlaying.