The 9th Annual Toy Action Guide produced by TRUCE (Teachers Resisting Unhealthy Children's Entertainment), a national organization of educators concerned about the impact of media and commercial culture on children, provides a list of toys and trends to avoid as well as toys of value.
It is available free online in both English and Spanish at www.truceteachers.org.
TRUCE recommends avoiding toys that bring violence into rescue-related play, link non-nutritious food to play, lure little girls into focusing on teenage behavior, equate money and shopping with fulfillment and fun, use electronics to over stimulate babies, or promote young children's interest in inappropriate content.
TRUCE recommends toys that promote dramatic play and manipulative play with small play objects, encourage respectful, non-stereotyped, nonviolent interactions among children, allow children to determine play, and help children develop skills important for further learning and a sense of mastery.
I feel like shouting, "thank you!" to TRUCE. We disallow even water guns and G.I. Joes in our house. We don't play with any toy who is holding a gun either. I have never felt comfortable allowing kids pretend to "kill" their playmates. We also try to talk about "healthy" eating, exercise, etc. One HUGE reason we still do not want a t.v. is MEDIA. When we are in AL & L sees commercials, he asks for every toy he sees advertised (message=I need that; stuff brings fulfillment & happiness). We also shudder to think about all the sexuality advertised & promoted to 7-year-olds through not only Bratz & Disney, but just about every outlet one could imagine. And it's not just girls. What about the muscles on some of some of those guys? Thanks, WIU preschol for the wonderful article. I couldn't agree more.
3 comments:
So, I take it that L and B don't play Grand Theft Auto on the PS3? What up?! LOL
Thanks for the Scrubs msg - I LOVED it! "...In the passenger's side of his best friends ride..."
Amen! I totally, totally agree. Aren't Bratz scary? It's disturbing the things that are aimed at children. We also have no violent toys aloud - not that it's come up yet (of course, you're not surprised). We were at a cousin's recently and I saw Calvin pick up a toy rifle with fascination. He kind of understood that something like "shooting" happened, but I loved that he didn't really know what shooting was, or even how to hold the gun. It made me smile.
P.S. Why don't we live near each other again? It doesn't make sense. We still only have one or two friends up here. It's so very sad.
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