CHICAGO, June 4, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- When it comes to family fun and play, Denver's doing it best according to a new study¹ from Quaker Chewy, part of The Quaker Oats Company, a subsidiary of PepsiCo, Inc. While 95 percent of parents nationwide say that play is important to their families, a little over half are devoting less than three hours per week to playtime¹. Denver rose to the top with some of the study's highest scores in outdoor fun and adventure, given it is a city surrounded by national and local state parks with plenty of hiking and walking trails. Based on these findings and the brand's ongoing commitment to providing families with delicious, wholesome and convenient snacks that moms and dads can feel good about, Quaker Chewy partnered with Extra TV Host and celebrity dad Mario Lopez to help inspire play and fuel the fun across America.

"Congratulations to Denver for winning the title of the most playful city for families in America! Family time plays such a big role in our household. I love goofing around with my kids in our backyard, heading to a nearby park or even checking out a museum. Whether in big or small ways, we just enjoy spending time together and looking for fun snacks that help us to keep playing," said Lopez. "I'm excited to partner with Quaker Chewy to help encourage every family out there to have some fun!" 

Most Playful Cities in America

To find America's Most Playful City, Quaker Chewy examined a number of criteria indicative of family fun and playtime. The top 10 most playful cities represent communities with a high population of families and children and ample access to both outdoor and indoor family-friendly amenities.  

The top 10 most playful cities in the U.S. are:

1. Denver, Colo.
2. Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn.
3. Seattle, Wash.
4. Portland, Ore.
5. Washington, D.C.
6. San Diego, Calif.
7. Atlanta, Ga.
8. San Francisco, Calif.
9. Sacramento, Calif.
10. Virginia Beach, Va.

Denver's abundance of parks contributed to its high scores in outdoor fun because they have some of the highest per capita numbers of amenities like swimming pools and sports courts. Additionally, Denver residents have some of the highest expenditures on musical instruments, sporting events, recreation and participant sports.

To celebrate Denver's top spot and show America just how playful its residents are, Quaker Chewy surprised the city last month with an unexpected visit by Lopez, plus samples of Quaker Chewy Granola Bars to help fuel their fun. Check out the video of Mario's visit to Denver on www.ChewyKeepPlaying.com or Quaker's YouTube Page. 

State of Family Play

Not only did Quaker Chewy uncover the most playful city, but the brand also surveyed parents nationwide to uncover the state of play in the U.S. Key findings revealed:

• Nearly 95 percent of parents say that play is important for their family.
• More than half of parents (58 percent) use ready-to-eat snacks on at least a weekly basis to make more time for play together.
• The majority of parents say family playtime helps them grow close and spend more time together (83.9 percent), as well as create lifetime memories (71.3 percent). Additionally, about half of parents indicate it helps reduce stress (55.6 percent) and they have fun themselves while playing together as a family.
• Parents say that work schedules are the top factor that stands in the way of family playtime (72.9 percent), followed by chores/cleaning the house (39.6 percent). Parents also listed kids' sports/activities, money, weather and school/homework as frequent barriers to family play.

Parents who participated in Quaker Chewy's Most Playful City in America Survey also shared their tips for making everyday activities more playful when short on time:

• Make chores fun by turning them into a race or friendly competition.
• Insert humor into everyday interactions by laughing and joking around whenever possible.
• Turn on the music and sing along together.

"Family playtime is so important not only for instilling healthy habits, but also building bonds and creating lasting memories together," said Sofia Colucci, marketing director for Quaker Foods North America. "Quaker is dedicated to providing the fuel and inspiration families want to make playtime a frequent priority, especially with the convenient, delicious goodness of snack bars like Quaker Chewy."

Quaker Chewy – The Snack That Helps Fuel Family Fun

When it comes to playtime snacks, most parents look for options that are convenient (46.3 percent), tasty (44.5 percent) and something they feel good about serving to their kids (65.6 percent), according to survey results¹. With 8 grams of whole grains in most bars and delectably fun flavors – from newer flavors like Caramel Apple to classics like Chocolate Chip and Oatmeal Raisin – Quaker Chewy Granola Bars are a snack that moms can feel good about giving their families and that kids love to eat. A trusted, delicious grab-and-go snack, Quaker Chewy is a fun-to-eat option to help provide families with the fuel they want for playtime.

Keep Playing! With Chewy Promotion

To help inspire families' playtime together and fuel even more family fun across America, Quaker invites parents to participate in its Keep Playing! With Chewy promotion for a chance to win $25,000 to make over their favorite play space. Through June 13, parents can visit www.ChewyKeepPlaying.com to submit a photo of their family's favorite place to have fun along with a description of how they would make over the space and why. Entries will be judged on four criteria: promotes family fun, creativity, feasibility for a makeover and need for a makeover. All entries will also be eligible for weekly, random drawings for a $500 gift card.

For more information about Quaker's Keep Playing! With Chewy promotion and official rules, visit www.ChewyKeepPlaying.com. For more information about Quaker Chewy Granola Bars, visit www.QuakerOats.com, www.Facebook.com/Quaker or follow the brand on Twitter @Quaker.

¹ Quaker Chewy "Most Playful City for Families" Study and Survey conducted by Sperling's Best Places. April 2015. Study included a meta-analysis of the 50 largest metropolitan areas in the U.S., which cover more than 50 percent of the U.S. population. The top cities were identified using factors which can be correlated with family fun and play time, including families/children per capita, family/play-centric amenities, parks, consumer expenditures related to play/recreation and the frequency of playful activities. An online survey was conducted with more than 4,500 U.S. parents between April 3-17 inquiring about their attitudes and behaviors towards family play time.  

About The Quaker® Oats Company 
The Quaker Oats Company, headquartered in Chicago, is a unit of PepsiCo, Inc., one of the world's largest consumer packaged goods companies. For more than 130 years, Quaker's brands have served as symbols of quality, great taste and nutrition. Holding leadership positions in their respective categories, Quaker® Oats, Quaker® Rice Cakes and Quaker Chewy® Granola Bars are consumer favorites. For more information, please visit www.QuakerOats.com, www.Facebook.com/Quaker or follow us on Twitter @Quaker.

About PepsiCo

PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more than $66 billion in net revenue in 2014, driven by a complementary food and beverage portfolio that includes Frito-Lay, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Quaker and Tropicana. PepsiCo's product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including 22 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.

At the heart of PepsiCo is Performance with Purpose – our goal to deliver top-tier financial performance while creating sustainable growth and shareholder value. In practice, Performance with Purpose means providing a wide range of foods and beverages from treats to healthy eats; finding innovative ways to minimize our impact on the environment and reduce our operating costs; providing a safe and inclusive workplace for our employees globally; and respecting, supporting and investing in the local communities where we operate. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com.

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SOURCE The Quaker Oats Company