Get Ready Grandma, School's Out for Summer

Toronto, ON - Summer has officially arrived and school-kids across the country are eager to flee the confines of the classroom. A new Ipsos Reid poll conducted on behalf of Canada.com has discovered what kids will be up to over the next two months as their parents try to keep their child engaged in activities that are safe and fun.

Grandma and grandpa, aunts and uncles beware: topping the list of summer activities across the country is sending the kids away to stay with relatives for a few days or weeks as one in three (34%) parents say they've got this in store for their children -- maybe accompanied by some rest and relaxation for themselves.

Perhaps in an effort to keep their kids fit and healthy during the lazy days of summer, three in ten (27%) will enrol their kids in an organized sports league.

Parents also appear to favour activities that not only keep their children engaged but also that give themselves a break from looking after their children. Summer camps appear to be a popular activity for Canadian children: two in ten (20%) parents say their children will participate in a day-camp program, while a similar proportion (16%) will send the kids away to an overnight-camp program. Two in ten (16%) will also register their kids with daycare for the summer months.

One in three (31%) say their children won't participate in any of these activities and perhaps have something else in mind.

These are some of the findings of an Ipsos Reid poll conducted between June 10 and 14, 2010, on behalf of Canada.com. For this survey, a sample of 1,017 adults from Ipsos' Canadian online panel was interviewed online. Weighting was then employed to balance demographics and ensure that the sample's composition reflects that of the adult population according to Census data and to provide results intended to approximate the sample universe. A survey with an unweighted probability sample of this size and a 100% response rate would have an estimated margin of error of +/-3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, of what the results would have been had the entire population of adults in Canada been polled. All sample surveys and polls may be subject to other sources of error, including, but not limited to coverage error, and measurement error.

For more information on this news release, please contact:
Sean Simpson
Senior Research Manager
Ipsos Reid Public Affairs
(416) 572-4474
[email protected]

About Ipsos Reid

Ipsos Reid is Canada's market intelligence leader, the country's leading provider of public opinion research, and research partner for loyalty and forecasting and modelling insights. With operations in eight cities, Ipsos Reid employs more than 600 research professionals and support staff in Canada. The company has the biggest network of telephone call centres in the country, as well as the largest pre-recruited household and online panels. Ipsos Reid's marketing research and public affairs practices offer the premier suite of research vehicles in Canada, all of which provide clients with actionable and relevant information. Staffed with seasoned research consultants with extensive industry-specific backgrounds, Ipsos Reid offers syndicated information or custom solutions across key sectors of the Canadian economy, including consumer packaged goods, financial services, automotive, retail, and technology & telecommunications. Ipsos Reid is an Ipsos company, a leading global survey-based market research group.

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About Ipsos

Ipsos is a leading global survey-based market research company, owned and managed by research professionals. Ipsos helps interpret, simulate, and anticipate the needs and responses of consumers, customers, and citizens around the world.

Member companies assess market potential and interpret market trends. They develop and build brands. They help clients build long-term relationships with their customers. They test advertising and study audience responses to various media. They measure public opinion around the globe. Ipsos member companies offer expertise in advertising, customer loyalty, marketing, media, and public affairs research, as well as forecasting, modeling, and consulting. Ipsos has a full line of custom, syndicated, omnibus, panel, and online research products and services, guided by industry experts and bolstered by advanced analytics and methodologies. The company was founded in 1975 and has been publicly traded since 1999. In 2009, Ipsos generated global revenues of e943.7 million ($1.33 billion U.S.). .

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