TRUCE 2002-2003

Toy Action Guide

www.truceteachers.org

West Somerville, MA

Play is essential to children's healthy development and learning. Children use play to actively construct knowledge and acquire life skills. The content of their play comes from their own experiences. Changes in today's childhood are undermining play. Because of the pervasive influence of the electronic media — such as TV, movies, videos and computer — children spend more time sitting in front of a screen and less time playing creatively with each other.

Toys are the tools of children's play. Toys influence play. Toys of value enhance children's natural ability to engage in imaginative, meaningful play by allowing them to bring their own ideas and solve their own problems. Many of the toys on the market today are highly structured and linked to TV and videos. These toys channel children into imitative play, robbing them of their own imagination, problem solving and creativity.

Parents are constantly faced with decisions about what toys to buy and what toys to avoid. Peers, ads and link-ups between products and the media pressure parents and children to buy every new toy from TV or movies, instead of making thoughtful decisions about which toys promote the healthiest play. This guide is intended to help parents promote their children's creative and constructive play by making informed choices about toys and by working with other adults at home, school and in the community to promote positive play and toys.

For more information contact TRUCE: www.truceteachers.org

PO Box 441261, West Somerville, MA 02144 • e-mail: truceteachers@aol.com

Teachers Resisting Unhealthy Children's Entertainment

Violent events such as those of September 11th, 2001, affect everyone. Children receive different information about war, plane crashes, natural disasters, snipers. Some children are included in discussions, some overhear adults' or other children's talk, some hear or see it on the news. Many young children may be confused or frightened and try to work out their feelings and understanding in play. Adults can observe and guide the play by responding to what children say with simple, accurate information and keeping the play within safe physical and emotional boundaries. (See guidelines, p. 2,)

What Parents & Other Adults Can Do

Since the Federal Communications Commission deregulated children's television in 1984, it has been legal to sell toys through TV programs. As a result, most best selling toys have been linked to children's TV shows and other electronic media, many of which promote violence, sexiness and buying more and more. Deregulation has made choosing toys and creating a healthy play environment harder for adults. Dealing with this challenge provides an opportunity to build communication and share values with children in a meaningful way. It also offers adults a chance to work together with schools and the community to create healthy play options for children.

Parents & Children

• Provide interesting activities, materials and trips to encourage positive interests and hobbies.

• Define your values about violence and share them with your children.

• Shop at toy stores that consciously don't sell toys of violence or toys that undermine healthy play.

• Take action — write a letter to a toy company or store.

• Plan toy purchases together and limit impulse buying and over stimulating trips to toy stores.

• Provide uninterrupted daily playtime and organize play materials so they are easily accessible.

• Work together to make thoughtful decisions about the role of media in the home.

Parents & Other Parents

• Support each others' efforts to reduce children's exposure to TV shows and movies that are used to market

toys, especially violent toys.

• Support each others' efforts to avoid buying toys of violence or items with logos related to movies, TV shows,

restaurants, etc.

• Share resources for activities, good toys and books, ideas for birthday gifts and events and outings with other families.

• Share strategies and ideas for alternatives to TV, especially at difficult times of day.

Parents & Teachers

• Discuss the importance of play and how toys and media affect it.

• Suggest ways to promote healthy play and limit children's involvement with TV, movies, videos, computer.

• Work together to develop school policies that promote healthy play (e.g., ample free play).

• Start a home lending book and tape program to provide positive leisure-time play options.

Parents & Community

• Create coalitions among existing community groups who support healthy play environments for children.

Plan a community forum on this issue.

• Organize efforts to voice concerns about harmful toys being marketed or advertised to children in

your community (e.g., complain at stores, write letters to newspapers).

• Plan a violent toy trade-in, good toy and book fair or swap. Involve older children in your efforts.

Helping Children Use Their Play to Safely Work Out Scary Events

When young children see scary things in their own lives or in the media (news or entertainment), it's normal for them to bring what interests, confuses, or frightens them into their play to try to work out their ideas and feelings. Here are guidelines to help you respond effectively when such play occurs.

• Watch children as they play, to learn more about what they know, are struggling to understand and may be worried about.

• If the play gets scary or dangerous gently intervene and redirect it. For example, ask how people might help each other or provide toys, such as rescue vehicles and medical equipment. [See Rescue Kit p. 7.]

• Try to follow the children's lead in the roles that you take rather than taking over the play. Help them come up with ways for extending the play.

• After the play, talk with children about what they played. Reassure them about their safety. Clear up confusions.

• Answer questions simply.

All toys listed are suitable for girls and boys. Age guidelines represent youngest age for safety and appropriateness. However, we have selected toys that children can use throughout their early years.

Toys have enhanced play value when they . . .

• Can be used in many ways.
• Allow children to determine the play.
• Appeal to children at more than one age or level of development.
• Are not linked to video games, TV, or movies.
• Can be used with other toys for new and more complex play.
• Will stand the test of time and continue to be part of play as children develop new interests and skills.
• Promote respectful, non-stereotyped, non-violent interactions among children.
• Help children develop skills important for further learning and a sense of mastery.

Choose toys that promote . . .

Dramatic Play. Helps children work out their own ideas about their experiences. Provides a powerful way of learning new skills and a sense of mastery. Examples: blocks, toy vehicles—cars, trucks, planes, boats; dress up clothes, small animals, dolls, stuffed animals, puppets, props to recreate real life (post office, restaurant, store), materials for creating small worlds like doll houses, castles.

• Tote Along Garden (International Playthings) Ages 3 & up $15

12 accessories, 6 pockets, mesh bottom on tote can be used in sandbox, garden, or container of dirt/sand.

• Junior Chef (Schylling) Ages 3 & up $25

8 piece enamel cookware set - pots, pans and utensils.

• Cutting Food Box (Melissa & Doug Classic Wooden Toys) Ages 3 & up $20

2 wooden knives, 2 cutting boards - 33 wooden pieces that can be sliced into (pre-cut) pieces.

Manipulative Play with Small Play Objects. Develops small muscle control and eye-hand coordination.

Teaches about relationships between objects, essential for understanding math and science. Examples: construction sets and toys with interlocking pieces (Legos, Lincoln Logs), puzzles, pegboards, miniature models, parquetry blocks.

• Melissa & Doug Classic Wooden Toys

• Pattern Blocks and Boards 120 wooden shapes, 10 pattern board Ages 3 & up $15

• Wooden 3-D Dominoes—Shapes/Farm/Nature themes Ages 3 & up $10

• Wooden Magnetic Farm/Vehicles/Dinosaurs Sets Ages 2 & up $8

• Curiosity Kits (Curiosity Kits, Inc) Ages 4 & up $14

"Super Dooper Build'em Up Sticks." 130 wooden sticks, dowels, beads.

• Atollo (Atollo) Ages 5 & up $3-$13 & $26

Endless possibilities for creating creatures, vehicles, etc. Sets of 24, 120, or 240.

Choosing Toys of Value

2002-2003

Support independent specialty toy stores that have made a commitment to high quality non-violent toys.

Creative Arts. Encourages self-expression and the use of symbols, a vital skill for problem solving and literacy.

Develops fine motor skills. Examples: poster and finger paints, assortment of blank paper of all sizes and colors, crayons and markers, scissors, glue, recycled materials, stamps, clay, weaving kits.

• Craft materials (Creativity for Kids) Ages 3 & up $1.50-$2

Individual packages of colored sticks, pom-poms, wood shapes, feathers, jumbo pipe cleaners.

• Wikki Stix (Omnicor) Ages 3 & up $6.25

Waxed yarn sticks can be bent in many shapes. Variety of colors.

• Magnetic Wall (Smethporth Specialty Co.) Ages 2 & up $20

2'x3' folding panel magnet-receptive wallboard. Use with magnets or dry erase markers.

• Peg Loom (Harrisville Designs) Ages 5 & up $20

Weaving for beginners. Includes wool. Can make wall hangings, bags, magic carpets.

Physical Play. Promotes healthy body awareness and coordination and helps let off steam. Opportunities for

social interaction. Examples: bikes, scooters and other wheel toys, balls, bats, jump ropes, space trolleys, pogo sticks, giant chalk, swing sets, climbing structures, play tunnels.

• Egg 'N' Spoon Race (International Playthings) Ages 3 & up $20

Balancing game for 2-4 players/teams. Appropriate for different age levels.

• Ring Toss (Schylling) Ages 3 & up $8

Classic family game.

• O ball (Rhino Toys) Ages 0 to 106 $8

"Easiest ball in the world to catch."

Game Playing. Teaches about taking turns, planning strategy, sequencing, rules and cooperation. Examples:

board games like checkers and chess, card games, jacks.

• Amazing Animal Trivia (International Playthings) Ages 6 & up $20

Wild question and answer adventure. 2-6 players. Can be non-competitive. Created by Wildlife Conservation Society.

• Charades for Kids (Pressman) Ages 4 & up $14

Act out animals, spaghetti, etc. 3-6 players. No reading required. Can be non-competitive.

Remember the Classics!

• table blocks • ocean, farm and rainforest animals or insects • construction sets (Legos, Lincoln Logs, etc.) • people and animal props • tool sets • flashlights • dolls with accurate features • clay • basic art supplies • blocks • cars, trucks, boats, planes and trains • dress-up clothes and house wares • bean bags • balls • jump ropes • playing cards • puzzles • tape stories • medical kits • musical instruments

Things You Can Do For Free

Reading Books . Provides exciting content to use in play and an essential foundation for literacy. Children enjoy telling, acting out and drawing their own stories. Visit your local library. Select books with meaningful stories and characters and positive values.

Play with Natural Materials. Using sand, water, mud, rocks, shells and leaves cultivates a love of nature and the environment. Extend play with buckets and shovels, bubble blowers, watering cans, plastic tubing, cardboard boxes for collecting and sorting, magnifying glasses, flashlight, butterfly net, balance scales.

Toys and Toy Trends to Avoid

We have chosen toys that dramatically illustrate the harmful toy trends. Some toys could fit into more than one category.

Toys have limited play value when they . . .

• Can only be used in one way.
• Encourage everyone to play the same way as determined by the toy designer.
• Appeal primarily to a single age or level of development.
• Will probably sit on a shelf after the first “fun” half hour.
• Will channel children into imitating scripts they see on TV or movie screens.
• Do special high tech actions for the child instead of encouraging the child's exploration and mastery.
• Lure children into watching the TV program or other media linked to the toy.
• Promote violence and stereotypes, which can lead to disrespectful and aggressive behavior.

Try to avoid toys that . . .

Make Electronic Technology the Focus of Play . Young children, especially infants and toddlers, learn best

by interacting with people and materials and by seeing their direct effect on the environment. Often billed as educational, many electronic toys control and limit play.

• Star Wars Trivia Game (Hasbro) Ages 6 & up $30

This handheld palm pilot look-alike includes an encyclopedia of trivia from every Star Wars movie ever made. It also has an organizer, alarm, calendar, calculator address book and “to do” list features which are useless to children.

• First Impressions Loveable Lily (Leap Frog) Ages 1 & up $20

Soft toy frog that claims to teach numbers, counting, time, colors and body parts when you press its nose, face and tongue. Really does little more than focus babies' “play” on pushing buttons to get a reaction.

• Elmo's World Cell Phone (Fisher-Price) Ages 18 months & up $10

Flip phone has moving eyes and animated screen. Press phone buttons to hear numbers and silly sounds instead of really talking on a play phone.

Lure Young Girls into Focusing on Appearance . Promote stereotyped and sexualized behaviors, making

how bodies look the sole focus of play and equating self-worth and success with appearance, including being thin and wearing make-up and skimpy clothes.

• Amazing Christie Nails (Mattel) No age given $10

20 different kinds of nails for young girls complete with stickers and stamps encourages girls to think that “doing their nails” is actually play and elevates nail fashion as an appropriate activity for young girls.

• Barbie “Make Me Pretty Talking Styling Head” (Mattel) Ages 3 & up $30

A life-size Barbie head for styling hair. “She's a pretty talking head! Should Barbie be a princess or a bride today? Just ask Barbie! She talks to you as you style her hair and do her makeup!"

Link Non-nutritious Food to Play . Toys with logos of fast food restaurants and junk foods, or that make junk

food the focus of the play promote poor nutrition and ensure an early, easy market for brand name foods. Products like these can contribute to obesity and eating disorders, a growing problem for children.

• Barbie McDonald Playset (Mattel) Ages 3 & up $10

• Barbie Pizza Hut Playset (Arco Toys) Ages 3 & up $10

Miniature equipment so Barbie (who couldn't eat such food often and keep her shape) can prepare meals at these fast food restaurants.

• Kellogg's FROOT LOOPS Counting Fun Book (Harper Collins) No age given $6

A cardboard book like those for toddlers. Children count out sugar-coated Froot Loop cereal pieces and place them in slots in the book. Comes with Froot Loops coupon.

Glorify Violence, Including Military and War Toys . Since September 11th and with growing talk of war, many

toys of violence have appeared on the market. Such toys focus children's play on violent themes, undermine lessons adults teach, glorify war and violent behavior and bring in scary real-world themes young children cannot fully understand.

• Forward Command Post (Ever Sparkle Industrial) Ages 5 & up $40

Miniature building that “looks like Barbie's dream house with partially blown up walls.” 75-piece set of soldier figures, toy weapons and furniture to create a “fully outfitted battle zone.”

• GI Joe Motorized Humvee with Rapid Fire Cannon (FunRise) Ages 3 & up $40

Army “attack vehicle” makes realistic battle sounds and has rapid fire air-powered cannon. “Controls are designed specifically for small fingers.” (Age rating makes this toy particularly objectionable.)

• Lego Galidor Toy Line (Lego) Ages 4 & up $15/action figure

• Lego Alpha Team Toy Line (Lego) Ages 6, 7, or 8 & up (Varies) $9 & up

Two toy lines of interchangeable action figures and props whose sole purpose is to fight. Lego, long trusted by parents for its construction toys that encourage creative play, has changed direction with these toys.

Turn Children into “Media” and “Action Figure” Characters Using Dress-up Kits . Channel

children into imitating stereotyped, violent, or sexualized behavior of characters on TV, in movies and from popular culture.

• Power Rangers Wild Force Action Set (Manley Toy Quest) Ages 5 & up $12

Includes vest, mask, belt, sword so that children can fight like the Power Rangers do.

• Barbie “Pop Sensation” (Mattel) Ages 3 & up $25

Comes with headset child can wear in order to be a pop star and “sing with Barbie.”

Are Linked to TV Programs, Movies and Video Games with Content Rated as Appropriate for Older Audiences. Involve children in content not intended for them and can lead them to think that the video game, film, or TV program linked to the toys is meant for them to see.

• Play-Doh Jurassic Park III Playset (Playskool) Age 3 & up $10

Turns open-ended Play-Doh into a toy of violence. Make dinosaurs, "then destroy them with chomping action Spinosaurs' mouth,” a puppet that fits over child's hand so “you can control the carnage!”

• Spiderman and Friends Action Heroes including “Crime Fighter” and “Police Officer” (Playwell) Ages 3 & up $8 Community helper action figures with faces and features of Spiderman. Confuses real helpers with fantasy figures.

• WWE & WCW Professional Wrestling Figures Ages vary from 4 & up $6 & up

Wrestling action figures of real life TV wrestlers do single violent actions and make hostile comments when button is pushed.

Undermine Good Parenting Practices. Appeal to parents' insecurities and desire to do a good job preparing their children for school. These toys promote teaching of rote skills inappropriate for young children and how they learn.

• Baby Shakespeare Find and Rhyme (Playskool/Hasbro) Ages 18 mos. & up $35

· Baby Einstein Toy Line claims to teach “human expression.” “Learn” object names, make rhymes of prepackaged words. Use CD to “teach more” including dependence on fast-paced media at too young an age.

A Letter About Fighting Toys: for Children & Adults to Talk About Together

Some kids really love toy guns and toys with weapons on them. They have fun pretending to fight with them. A lot of teachers worry about weapon toys. They think that if kids play with these toys and pretend to fight and kill, it will teach kids that it's okay to hurt people and that fighting and hurting are fun. Kids often say,

"We're only pretending. We're just ‘playing.'” Some teachers say kids in their classes pretend to be

characters on TV. Kids act out kicking and fighting. Then kids often really do hurt each other. It gets scary.

It isn't pretend, teachers say. Many teachers are worried. They are angry that TV shows and ads make violent toys look cool so kids want to buy them. They say companies shouldn't be allowed to sell violent toys to kids on TV. Teachers hope this letter will help families talk together about the toys they buy and make thoughtful choices.

• What do you think about what the teachers say?

• What do you think teachers, parents and children should do about fighting toys?

• What can grown-ups do to help children be safe and learn not to fight?

• What ideas do you have about how children can play without fighting toys?

Shoe Box Gifts f or Hours of Creative Play

U sually, giving gifts to children means buying manufactured toys at a store. Here is an alternative gift idea

that you can easily put together. Shoe box gifts are collections of small, familiar items that are organized around a play theme and presented in an appealing way. They also show that expensive toys in fancy packages aren't necessarily the best. The process of putting together such an easy, yet imaginative and age-appropriate gift for a special child in your life can be very satisfying for you, too.

Making Shoe Box Gifts

• Decorate an empty shoe box and lid (gift wrap, stickers, etc.).

• Choose a theme and put a clear label on the box which includes both a simple word and picture of the theme.

• Most of the items we suggest are found at hardware stores, pharmacies, stationery stores and art/crafts stores, supermarkets.

• Use small containers, zip-type sandwich bags, or building dividers with small pieces of cardboard to make “compartments” for the various items in the shoe box. Young children appreciate organization—being able to return everything to its place.

• Most of these suggestions are appropriate and safe for children to use independently; however, objects in some kits may require adult supervision and/or aid (e.g., food coloring).

SHOE BOX GARDEN

• plastic lined shoebox

• potting soil

• seed packets

• small watering can

• Popsicle sticks

• garden tools

• gardening gloves

WATER/BATH

• plastic funnel

• plastic tubing

• plastic eye dropper

• turkey baster

• spray bottle

• squirt bottle

• plastic sea animals

• plastic nesting/measuring cups

• bubble bath packet

BABY BOX

(with baby doll or stuffed animal)

• newborn disposable diapers

• empty plastic baby food jars

• baby-size spoon

• plastic baby bottle

• infant clothes & blanket

• small wash cloth

• pacifier & rattle

• bib

Shoe Box Gift Theme Ideas: Use these or create your own

PLAY DOUGH

• buy a can of play dough or make your own

• garlic press

• plastic knife

• Popsicle sticks

• wooden dowel

• plastic lids

• small tray/plate

• buttons/beads

• plastic animals

PLAY DOUGH RECIPE

1 cup flour

1 Tbsp. oil

1 cup water

1/2 cup salt

2 tsp. cream of tartar

food coloring

• Mix ingredients in saucepan.

• Cook over low heat stirring constantly until play dough pulls away from sides of pan.

• Scoop play dough onto wax paper, knead until smooth.

• Store in airtight container.

RESCUE/FIRST AID

• flashlight

• Band Aids

• ace bandage

• sling

• eye patch

• gauze

• stethoscope

• fabric strips/bandages

• surgical mask

OFFICE

• stapler (4 or 5 yrs. & up)

• hole puncher

• tape

• Post-its or message pad

• small clipboard

• receipt book

• sticky-back blank labels

• key ring with old keys

• pens/pencils/markers

• ink pad & stamp

RESTAURANT

• take out menus

• desk bell

• plastic utensils

• plastic dishes

• cloth napkins

• pretend food

• order books

• pens/pencils

• placemats

• apron

Resources

ORGANIZATIONS

Coalition to Stop Commercial Exploitation of Children

Media Center of Judge Baker Children's Center

3 Blackfin Circle, Boston, MA 02115

www.commercialexploitation.com

• Works to stop marketing practices that harm children.

Commercial Alert

1611 Connecticut Ave. N.W., Suite 3A

Washington, DC 20029

202-296-2787 www.essential.org/alert

• Helps parents defend against harmful marketing & commercialism.

Lion and Lamb Project

4300 Montgomery Ave., Suite 104

Bethesda, MD 20814,301-654-3091 www.lionlamb.org

• Promotes healthy play & non-violent toys. Publishes Parent Action Kits, Violent Toy Trade-in Manual

Playing for Keeps

171 Green Bay Road, Wilmette, IL 60091

www.playingforkeeps.org

• Educates public about the value of play

American Specialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA)

www.astratoy.org

• Toy store and manufacturers who produce and sell many toys on

TRUCE's recommended list.

Books

• Auerbach, S. (1998). Dr. Toy's Smart Play. NY: St Martin's Griffin. Lists “100 Best Children's Products of 2002.” www.drtoy.com

• Bronson, M. (1995). The Right Stuff for Children Birth to 8: Selecting Play Materials to Support Development . Washington, DC: NAEYC www.naeyc.org.

• Carlsson-Paige, N. and Levin, D.E. (1990). Who's Calling the Shots? How to Respond Effectively to Children's Fascination with War Play and War Toys . Gabriola Island, BC, CAN: New Society www.newsociety.com.

• Giroux, H. (2000) . Stealing Innocence: Corporate Culture's War on Children . New York: Palgrave.

• Levin, D. E. (1998). Remote Control Childhood? Combating the Hazards of Media Culture . Washington, DC: NAEYC www.naeyc.org.

• Ready at Five Partnership. Moving Young Children's Play Away from TV Violence and Bringing Parents Into the Picture , available through Center for Media Literacy www.medialit.org.

• Walsh, D. (1994). Selling Out America's Children: How America Puts Profits Before Values—and What Parents Can Do. Minneapolis: Fairview Press.

Additional Resources

Both available from: Media Education Foundation, 26 Center St., Northampton, MA 01060 • 800-659-6882; www.mediaed.org.

• “Game Over: Gender, Race, & Violence in Video Games” Addresses how video games exploit gender, race and violence.

• “Mickey Mouse Monopoly: Disney, Childhood and Corporate Power.” Looks at Disney's role in shaping childhood and the ideas Disney movies and related products teach about race, gender and ethnic groups.

• UNICEF Website: MAGIC (Media Activities and Good Ideas by, with and For Children) www.unicef.org/magic. Shows how to implement the Oslo Challenge, which calls on media educators, governments, organizations, parents and children to support media's potential to make the world a better place for children.

TRUCE is a national group of educators deeply concerned about how children's entertainment and

toys are affecting the play and behavior of children in our classrooms.

TRUCE 's goals are:

• To raise public awareness about the negative effects of violent and stereotyped toys and media on

children, families, schools and society.

• To work to limit the harmful influence of unhealthy children's entertainment.

• To provide children with toys and activities that promote healthy play and non-violent behavior

at home and school.

• To create a broad-based effort to eliminate marketing to children and to reduce the sale of toys

of violence. To support parents' and teachers' efforts to deal with the issues regarding media.

For more information about what you can do and to make a contribution to cover our printing

and disseminating costs, write:

TRUCE , PO Box 441261, Somerville, MA 02144

www.truceteachers.org or e-mail: truceteachers@aol.com.

TRUCE wishes to thank BAEYC, Child Care Information Exchange, and Teaching Strategies, Inc. for their generous support.

 

 

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