Inspirational MESH (Mental, Emotional, & Social Health) Accreditation Program Launches to Strengthen Youth Mental Health Through Play

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Jan 24, 2024, 08:43 ET

Manufacturers Are Invited to Pre-Order Product Submissions for MESH Accreditation

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Jan. 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- MESH Helps, a ThinkFun initiative, continues its industry-wide call-to-action in 2024 with the launch of an inspiring accreditation program to evaluate and certify play products that promote mental, emotional, and social health (MESH) for kids. The MESH Accreditation Program is now accepting pre-order submissions in partnership with FUNdamentally Children through May 2024.

"Research shows that parent's top concern is their children's mental, emotional, and social health. MESHHelps.org was launched to address how the toy industry can build children's resilience through play," said Rachele Harmuth, head of ThinkFun. "As the toy industry is rapidly embracing this idea, the top request has been for a review process that would allow products to be MESH accredited. We're excited to invite all toy and game companies to be the first to join this movement."

The MESH Accreditation Program will evaluate products based on the research compiled by ThinkFun in partnership with resilience expert, Dr. Deborah Gilboa. FUNdamentally Children has adapted this research into an accreditation framework that will focus on the 8 critical mental, emotional, and social health skills along with 4 play patterns that can intentionally build resilience detailed in the MESH White Paper to evaluate products. Harmuth shares, "Identifying MESH products gives us a new way to share the impact of toys and games. It allows us to see products through a new lens and strengthen children's mental health through play."

All products awarded the MESH Accreditation will receive a lifetime certificate and seal for physical and digital application. Pre-orders will receive priority evaluation for accreditation by September 2024 for holiday marketing. Physical products and product determination for MESH evaluation will not be required until May 2024. For more information about the MESH Accreditation Program or to pre-order toys, games, and play products with special promotional pricing and first access, please visit: www.MESHhelps.org/accreditation

About MESH Helps:
MESHhelps.org launched in October 2022 to address the growing concern of kids' mental health in an increasingly challenging world. ThinkFun, a division of Ravensburger, inaugurated MESH Helps in partnership with resiliency expert, Dr. Deborah Gilboa to support the mental health of children today. MESH Helps functions as an independent nonprofit with a mission to help kids build resilience through play by strengthening the critical skills of mental, emotional, and social health. For more information, please visit MESHhelps.org.

Rachele Harmuth
Head of ThinkFun
800-468-1864
[email protected]

SOURCE MESH Helps