WAYNE, N.J., Aug. 8, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Over the past few decades, there has been a 25% decrease in the time kids spend playing - to that, Toys"R"Us® says it's time to set play free. And so, today the company announced that it is teaming up with Nickelodeon(TM) to launch fun-filled events, a toy sweepstakes and more to encourage kids to get up and play in celebration of Nickelodeon's Worldwide Day of Play on September 30.

"In an attempt to shape our kids into better versions of ourselves, what we as parents have actually done is over-schedule and regiment their lives - and where's the fun in that?" said Carla Hassan, Executive Vice President, Global Chief Marketing Officer, Toys"R"Us, Inc. "At Toys"R"Us, we know play has the power to help kids build self-esteem, learn critical thinking and develop early learning skills. But first we need to set play free, which is why we're so excited to partner with Nickelodeon to encourage kids to play outside the box."

Throughout August and September, five select Toys"R"Us stores in the U.S. will host outdoor "Time to Play" events packed with fun for the whole family, including Slime photo stations, giant inflatables, obstacle courses and more. Event dates and locations include:


    --  Saturday, August 12: Toys"R"Us Mesquite (2100 N. Town East Boulevard,
        Mesquite, TX)
    --  Saturday, August 19: Toys"R"Us/Babies"R"Us Castleton (8250 Castleton
        Corner, Indianapolis, IN)
    --  Saturday, August 26: Toys"R"Us Totowa (445 US Highway 46, Totowa, NJ)
    --  Sunday, August 27: Toys"R"Us/Babies"R"Us Bay Parkway (8973-95 Bay
        Parkway, Brooklyn, NY)
    --  Saturday, September 9: Toys"R"Us Brandon (330 Brandon Town Center Drive,
        Brandon, FL)

In addition, beginning September 4, kids will have a chance to win some of the hottest toys of the summer through the "Free Play of the Week" Sweepstakes at Toys"R"Us stores nationwide. Kids and parents can sign up at their local Toys"R"Us store's sweepstakes kiosk to enter for a chance to win that week's prize including Barbie(®), NERF and more.

As a proud partner of Nickelodeon's Worldwide Day of Play, Toys"R"Us will host family fun and games at Nickelodeon's New York City celebration in Brooklyn, New York's Prospect Park (Nethermead) on Saturday, September 16 from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm ET.

About Toys"R"Us, Inc.
 Toys"R"Us, Inc. is the world's leading dedicated toy and baby products retailer, offering a differentiated shopping experience through its family of brands. Merchandise is sold in 879 Toys"R"Us and Babies"R"Us stores in the United States, Puerto Rico and Guam, and in 815 international stores and over 255 licensed stores in 37 countries and jurisdictions. With its strong portfolio of e-commerce sites including Toysrus.com and Babiesrus.com, the company provides shoppers with a broad online selection of distinctive toy and baby products. Toys"R"Us, Inc. is headquartered in Wayne, NJ, and has nearly 65,000 employees worldwide. The company is committed to serving its communities as a caring and reputable neighbor through programs dedicated to keeping kids safe and helping them in times of need. Over the past three decades, the Company has given more than $100 million in product donations to children's charities. Since 1992, the Toys"R"Us Children's Fund, a public charity affiliated with Toys"R"Us, Inc., has also donated more than $130 million in grants. For more information, visit Toysrusinc.com or follow @ToysRUsNews on Twitter.

About Nickelodeon
 Nickelodeon, now in its 38(th) year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, digital, recreation, books and feature films. Nickelodeon's U.S. television network is seen in more than 90 million households and has been the number-one-rated kids' basic cable network for 22 consecutive years. For more information or artwork, visit http://www.nickpress.com. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB).

View original content with multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/toysrus-and-nickelodeon-team-up-to-play-outside-the-box-300500769.html

SOURCE Toys"R"Us