Sesame Workshop says the report presents the findings of an independent evaluation conducted by Ipsos into the effectiveness and impact of Takalani Sesame's mass media content in engaging fathers in their children's development through play. 

The evaluation focused on assessing changes in both child and adult in key areas such as caregiver knowledge, attitudes and behaviours, caregiver-child interactions, time spent in guided play, reduction of gender stereotypes, child autonomy in activity selection and the adoption of nurturing parenting practices, adds Sesame Workshop. 

The organisation says the purpose of the evaluation was to better understand how media can promote father engagement and to uncover key learnings for future programming. Over a 12-week period, 1 200 fathers and 240 children across Gauteng, the Eastern Cape and the Free State took part in the study. The study also incorporated qualitative insights drawn from focus groups with caregivers and children, providing deeper understanding beyond quantitative data.

The findings, which were shared at a Sesame Workshop event in Johannesburg on Thursday, 10 April, show that fathers involved in the study became more confident and joyful in playing with their children, reported improved relationships and spent more time in meaningful interactions. While time constraints remained a challenge — with 71% of fathers citing a lack of time as a key parenting challenge — the intervention successfully made play more appealing and rewarding for fathers.

Importantly, the intervention also reduced gender stereotypes among both children and adults. The evaluation found encouraging trends towards more diverse, gender-neutral play choices. Girls increasingly engaged in outdoor activities traditionally associated with boys, while boys showed greater acceptance of puzzles and traditionally female-associated toys like dolls. 

According to the research, children exposed to the media content also demonstrated an increased understanding that domestic tasks and play activities are suitable for both genders, reflecting a reduction in rigid gender norms. Meanwhile, caregivers showed an 8% increase in agreement that girls can play with cars and trains. The data also revealed a 10% increase in children preferring to play with their fathers and a 9% rise for uncles — showing a clear shift toward valuing fathers as play companions.

"These are positive signs," says Dr Onyinye Nwaneri, Managing Director of Sesame Workshop South Africa. "Children recognising that play, chores and emotions aren't gender-specific is a powerful step towards equality. And seeing fathers support that journey shows real promise for long-term change."

Positive parenting practices also showed improvement over the course of the 12-week evaluation. Findings revealed that more fathers were engaging with their children and they reported stronger emotional bonds and more nurturing interactions. However, while fathers reported feeling more supported by female caregivers, preliminary insights indicate that mothers did not experience a reciprocal increase in support. This highlights an important area for further exploration in future research into enabling genuinely collaborative parenting environments.

Dr Nwaneri notes that, while insightful, the study's findings are bound by certain limitations. These include a relatively small sample size from only three provinces, limiting the gathering of broader insights. The non-randomised design of the study could also introduce selection bias, and the findings relied on self-reported data. Additionally, some unintended exposure to campaign material occurred due to a concurrent social media campaign during the study's final four weeks. 

Dr Nwaneri emphasises, however, that these limitations don't detract from the significance of the study findings or the valuable understanding they have provided into the positive impact of exposing parents and children to appropriate media. They also present clear opportunities for refining methodologies in subsequent research.

"This evaluation reinforces the significant potential of appropriate and well-targeted media to catalyse positive societal transformation, particularly in challenging entrenched gender roles and enhancing inclusive, nurturing parenting practices," Dr Nwaneri concludes. "Our intention is to build on this study to improve future research and enhance our delivery methodologies so as to maximise the depth, scalability and positive impact of the work we are doing."

For more information, visit www.sesameworkshop.org. You can also follow the Sesame Workshop on Facebook, X, Instagram, or on TikTok.

*Image courtesy of contributor