10 Millionen mal Baby Born...

Dienstag 22. Oktober 2002, 09:30 Uhr

     Zapf Creation feiert 10 Millionen BABY born(R) weltweit /
     Deutschlands beliebteste Puppe ist in 43 Ländern der Erde
     zu Hause

     - Querverweis: Bild wird über obs versandt und ist abrufbar unter:
     www.presseportal.de/galerie.htx?type=obs

     Rödental (ots) - Vor rund elf Jahren hat BABY born(R) das "Licht der Welt" erblickt
     und seit dem Kinderherzen auf der ganzen Welt erobert. Die Funktionspuppe

                                                  der Zapf Creation
                                                  AG wurde seit 1991
                                                  10 Millionen Mal
                                                  produziert. In dem
                                                  umfangreichen
                                                  Zubehörsortiment
                                                  von derzeit über 80
                                                  Accessoires finden
                                                  kleine Mädchen
                                                  alles für das
                                                  Mutter/Kind-Rollenspiel.

                                                  BABY born(R) ist
                                                  einzigartig mit ihren
                                                  sieben lebensechten
                                                  Funktionen. Wie ein echtes Baby kann sie Brei essen,
                                                  aus der Flasche trinken und macht in das Töpfchen
     oder die Windel, ganz ohne Batterien. Durch diese Funktionen wird das bei kleinen Mädchen beliebte
     Mutter/Kind-Rollenspiel sehr realistisch und die Kinder lernen viel über ihre Umwelt. Nahezu alles, was für die
     Betreuung und Pflege eines Babys benötigt wird, ist auch in der Spielwelt von BABY born(R) erhältlich. Kleine
     Puppenmütter können von modischer Kleidung für drinnen und draußen bis hin zum Reisebettchen oder
     Fahrradschalensitz ihre Lieblingsspielsachen auswählen. Das Zubehör ist im typischen BABY born(R) Design
     gehalten und durch die unverwechselbare gelbe Ente leicht wieder zu erkennen.

     Das Mutter/Kind-Rollenspiel mit BABY born(R) erobert die Welt

     Drei von vier Mädchen in Deutschland spielen mit der meistverkauften Funktionspuppe*, die gleichzeitig auch die
     beliebteste Puppe in Deutschland ist. In den Jahren 1997 und 1998 war BABY born(R) auf Platz 1 der Hitliste des
     gesamten deutschen Spielwarenmarktes (ohne Videospiele) und rangiert bis heute auf den vordersten Plätzen*. Keine
     andere Puppe verkauft sich in Deutschland so gut wie BABY born(R). Der Erfolg des Spielkonzeptes schlägt sich
     auch in den Zahlen der Zapf Creation AG nieder. Die Puppe BABY born(R) inklusive aller Zubehörartikel trug 2001 über
     100 Millionen Euro zum Gesamtumsatz des Konzerns bei.

     Auch auf dem internationalen Markt hat sich BABY born(R) bestens etabliert. 2001 wählte Dr. Stevanne Auerbach**
     alias Dr. Toy, eine US-amerikanische Psychologin und anerkannte Expertin für Spielwaren, die Funktionspuppe mit
     den sieben lebensechten Funktionen zur besten klassischen Spielware. In Schweden und Australien wurde BABY
     born(R) als bestes Spielzeug ausgezeichnet und im selben Jahr in Großbritannien zur Puppe des Jahres 1998 gekürt.

     "Wenn Mädchen mit Puppen spielen geht es nicht darum, dass sie trainieren Mütter zu sein, sondern dass sie
     zeigen, jemanden lieb zu haben. Sie lernen Gefühle und Stimmungen auszudrücken. Das Puppen spielen ist dabei
     die Sprache der Entwicklung passender Reaktionen auf ein Baby - auf einen Freund. Kinder brauchen imaginäre
     Spielkameraden und diese sind ihnen sehr wichtig", begründet Dr. Toy ihre Aussage, dass Jungen ebenfalls mit
     Puppen spielen sollten.


mitglied.lycos.de/ArbeiterX/Dr1.jpg" style="max-width:560px" >

                                            1,000 parents to find out
                                            how and why they give
                                            pocket money to their
                                            children. It has recently
                                            launched a new product,
                                            BABY born miniworld; a
                                            small version of its
                                            popular BABY born®
                                            doll that come with a
                                            mini room set, which is
                                            perfect for pocket money
                                            budgets.

                                            Parents appear to be far
     more aware that their children will need to manage their money effectively as
     they get older, due to issues such as increasing house prices, paying for
     university fees, debts from university (averaging £10 - £15,000) and longer life
     spans.

     Dr Pat Spungin, a child psychologist and founder of parenting site raisingkids.co.uk, who worked with Zapf Creation on
     the survey, comments, "Parents seem to be more conscious of the pressures of modern living on the bank balance,
     and are now using pocket money to teach their kids about saving and budgeting from an early age. Things that were
     taken for granted when I was young, such as being able to own your own home, are no longer a given, so it's more
     important than ever before to develop sensible attitudes to money management."

     The survey found that parents can be classified into four main groups, depending on their attitudes to pocket money:

     The "Browns" (Savers)

     28% of parents' say the main reason for giving pocket money is so that their children learn about saving. 40% of
     parents insist that their children save, and the lesson seems to be rubbing off with 34% of their children choosing to
     save some of their pocket money.

     They place a high importance on having savings and want to instil this in their children so that they learn to invest in
     their future. The Browns won't give their children extra money if they want a specific item and will encourage them to
     save up for it instead.

     The "Bransons" (Money managers)

     The Bransons give pocket money so their children learn to be sensible about money. These account for 27% of
     parents and they will tend to either make their children save if they want a specific item or will give them extra money
     in return for doing chores, to make the connection between money and work.

     The Bransons want to teach their children about the value of money and how to juggle the money they have to pay for
     the different things they want. They encourage their children to think about what they want to buy and to manage their
     money effectively to be able to do this.

     The "Beales" (Earners)

     The Beales don't give pocket money at all - their children have to earn it, which they do by helping in the house and
     doing chores. They account for 15% of parents.

     The Beales will give extra money, but only in return for doing extra chores. They want to teach their children the value
     of work and the fact that work earns money, which in turn means you can buy the things you want.

     The "Beckhams" (Spenders)

     Only 19% of parents have no hidden agenda and see pocket money as 'spending money' to be enjoyed and disposed
     of as their children wish.

     The Beckhams will dish out extra cash fairly regularly, while a few admit to constantly 'forking out'. They don't place
     any importance on managing money or saving and possibly see their children as too young to be learning about this.
     They believe childhood is a time for fun while responsibility can come later on.

     Dr Pat Spungin comments, "The way that parents give money to their children often has a direct correlation to how
     their children deal with money in later life. So those who focus on saving and money management will tend to have
     children who look at what money they've got and think carefully about what they do with it. Spenders' children will be
     those who don't think about money so much; they may go on to possess numerous credit cards and will tend to
     overspend rather than save up."

     Other findings from the survey were:

     * Only 4% of parents said they would give their children a lot more money ifsthey could afford it, with most believing
     that they get enough already * 86% of children do have some savings, however most of this does not come fromstheir
     pocket money. Presents and gifts are the main source with 19% of parentssactually saving on behalf of their children,
     often using their child benefit.sMany respondents said the reason for these savings is for education and thesfuture *
     Parents are the main source of money but most children do have at least onesother source; grandparents are the
     main providers of this extra money * 56% of children spend their money on treats i.e. sweets, crisps and junk
     food;showever many children also spend money on books (21%), magazines (44%) andstoys (18%) * 70% of parents
     attempt to limit the amount their children spend on junk foodsetc. * Average pocket money rises from 94p for 4 year
     olds, to £3.22 for 11 year olds Notes to Editors: * Case studies are available on request * All respondents were
     UK-based parents with at least one child between the agessof 4 and 11 * The research was carried out via an online
     survey on www.raisingkids.co.uk/s* BABY born® miniworld costs from £2.99 - £11.99 and is available from all
     majorstoy retailers
mitglied.lycos.de/ArbeiterX/Dr1.jpg" style="max-width:560px" >