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TRUCE 2009-2010

For more information contact TRUCE: www.truceteachers.org PO Box 441261, West Somerville, MA 02144 • [email protected]

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Children Work It Out Through Play

Violent or traumatic events such as natural disasters, wars, and economic crises affect everyone.Some children experience these events directly, others receive information about them. Some childrenare included in discussions, some overhear adults’ or other children’s talk, some hear or see it on thenews. Many young children may be confused or frightened and try to work out their feelings andunderstanding in play. Adults can observe and guide the play by responding to what children say withsimple, accurate information and keeping the play within safe physical and emotional boundaries.

(See box on p. 2 )

T eachers Resisting U nhealthy Children’s Entertainment

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P ri nted o n

rec ycled pa pe r

Toys, Play & Young Children Action Guide

Play is essential to children’s healthy developmentand learning. Children use play to actively constructknowledge, meet social/emotional needs, and acquire lifeskills. The content of their play comes from their ownexperiences. Because of the pervasive influence of the

electronic media — TV, movies, videos, DVDs, comput-ers, video games — children spend more time sitting in frontof a screen and less time playing creatively with each other.These changes in today’s childhood are undermining play.

Parents are constantly faced with decisionsabout what toys to buy and what toys toavoid. The influence of high-powered marketingand popular culture interfere with thought-ful dec is ion-making at the toy store.

This guide is intended to help adults pro-mote ch i ldren ’ s c rea t ive and con-structive play by making informed choices about toys, and by working with oth-ers at home, school, and in the community to promote positive play and toys.

Play Belongs at School!

Playtime and recess are being short-ened or even cut under growing

pressure to use structured methodsto teach academic skills and preparechildren to pass exams. Quality playexperiences help children developcritical thinking, problem solvingskills, curiosity, persistence, andcreativity. Tese skills contributeto a solid foundation for academicsuccess in elementary school.

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What Parents & Other Adults Can Do

S ince the Federal Communications Commission deregulated children’s television in 1984, it has been legal to selltoys through TV programs. As a result, most best selling toys are linked to children’s TV shows and other electronicmedia. Many of these promote violence, focus on sexy behavior and appearance, and encourage buying more and more.

Deregulation has made choosing toys and creating a healthy play environment harder for adults. Dealing with thischallenge provides an opportunity to build communication and share values with children in a meaningful way. It alsooffers adults a chance to work together with schools and the community to create healthy play options for children.

parents & children• Provide interesting activities, materials, trips to encour-

age positive interests, hobbies.

• Define your values about violent toys and share them with your children.

• Shop at stores that sell toys that promote healthy playand consciously don’t sell toys of violence.

• Take action — write a letter /email to a toy companyor store.

• Plan toy purchases together and limit impulse buyingand overstimulating trips to toy stores.

• Provide uninterrupted daily play time and organize playmaterials so they are easily accessible.

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

parents & other parents

• Support each others’ efforts to reduce children’s exposureto TV shows and movies that are used to market toys,especially violent toys.

• Support each others’ efforts to avoid buying toys of vio-lence or items with logos related to movies, TV shows,restaurants, etc.

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

• Share strategies and ideas for alternatives to TV, especiallyat difficult times of day (before dinner, for example).

parents & teachers• Discuss the importance of play and how toys and media

affect it.

• Suggest ways to promote healthy play and limit chil-dren’s involvement with TV, movies, videos, DVDs,computers, video games.

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

• Start a home lending book and toy library to providepositive play options.

parents & community• Create coalitions among existing community groups

which support healthy play environments forchildren. Plan a community forum on this issue.

• Organize efforts to voice concerns about harmfultoys being marketed or advertised to children inyour 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 Pla y to Sa

fel y

Work Out Scar y Events

When young children see scar y things

in their

own lives or in the media

(news or entertain-

ment), it’s normal for them to bring what in-

terests, confuses, or frightens them

into their

pla y to tr y to work out their ideas an

d feelings.

Here are guidelines to help you respo

nd effec-

tivel y when such pla y occurs.

• Watch children as the y pla y, to lear

n more

about what the y know, are struggling

to under-

stand, and ma y be worried about.

• If the pla y gets scar y or dangerous

, gentl y

intervene and redirect it. For examp

le, ask how

people might help ea

ch other, and provide to ys,

such as rescue vehicles and medical equipment.

[See Rescue / First Aid Kit, p. 7]

• Tr y to follow the children’s lead in the

roles that

you take rather than taking over the pl

a y. Help

them come up with wa ys for extending

the pla y.

• After the pla y, talk with children a

bout what

the y pla yed. Reassure them about th

eir safet y.

Clear up confusions. Answer question

s simpl y.

2

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Meaningful learning Children's play is often influenced by the toys they use.Toys of value enhance children’s natural ability to engagein imaginative, meaningful play by allowing them totry out their own ideas and solve their own problems.Toys of value can offer children the kind of learning which will help them succeed in school.

Respectful play

Children learn many messages through play. As educators, we believe it is important to select toys that promote

cooperative play. When children’s play is filled with competition, they learnthat playmates are opponents and winning means thateveryone else is a loser.

When we support cooperation, children learn to livetogether better—respecting each other’s ideas, findingsolutions to challenges, and working together toward acommon goal.


Choosing Toys of Value

3

2009-2010

Choose toys that promote. . .

Respect for the environment Apply the motto of reduce, reuse, recycle

to gift and toy giving.

A Word AboutThe Environment

Adults can help children appre-ciate our natural environment.Children are curious about theworld around them, finding joyin a leaf, acorn, or rock theydiscover while outside. Childrenlearn from the behaviors wemodel for them. We can provide

a model that demonstrates ourcommitment and responsibilityto our environment.

Co ns ide r t

h is... whe n yo u

sho p f or to y s, l

ook f or e n viro

n-

me ntall y- f rie n

dl y prod uct s.

Choose toys that provideopportunities for…

0 Dramatic playHelps children work out their own ideas about their

experiences. Provides a powerful way of learning new skillsand a sense of mastery. Examples: blocks, dress-up clothes,fabric pieces, dolls, puppets, props to recreate real life(post office, restaurant, store), plastic and stuffed animals.

0 Manipulative play with small play objects Develops small muscle control, eye-hand coordination,and visual discrimination – skills needed to read and write.Teaches about relationships between objects, essential forunderstanding math and science. Examples: constructionsets and toys with interlocking pieces (basic Legos, LincolnLogs, K'nex), puzzles, pegboards, pattern blocks.

0 G ame playing Teaches about taking turns, planning strategy, sequencing,rules, and cooperation. Examples: board games like check-ers and chess, card games, jacks.

0 Creative arts Encourages self-expression and the use of symbols, a vitalskill for problem solving and literacy. Develops finemotor skills. Examples: poster and finger paints, assort-ment of blank paper of all sizes and colors, crayons andmarkers, scissors, glue, recycled materials, stamps, clay, weaving kits. Collaborative art experiences are easy andsimple. The process of creating together doesn't alwaysrequire a lasting product. [See Sensory Fun & CollageShoe Boxes, p. 7.]

0 Physical play Promotes healthy body awareness and coordination.Provides opportunities for social interaction. Use Reduce,Reuse, and Recycle ideas for toy swaps: bikes, scooters andother wheeled toys, climbing structures.

• Reduce: Involve children in sorting through thetoys they have outgrown. Donate to localorganizations or hold a toy swap event.

• Reuse: Put away toys when interest lags.Reintroduce at a later date.

• Recycle: Renew everyday items by transformingthem into toys. Use recycled materials tocreate instruments, toys, and other creations.

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4

Toys have enhanced play value when they . . .

3 Can be used in many ways.

3 Allow children to be in charge of the play.

3 Appeal to children at more than one ageor level of development.

3 Are not linked to video games, TV, or movies.

3 Can be used with other toys for new andmore complex play.

3 Will stand the test of time and continueto be part of play as children develop new

interests and skills.3 Promote respectful, non-stereotyped, non-

violent interactions among children.

3 Help children develop skills important forfurther learning and a sense of mastery.

3 Can be used by children to play alone as well as with others.

3 Can be enjoyed by both girls and boys.

Support independent specialty toy stores that have made a commitmentto high quality non-violent toys. (See Resources, p.8)

Dramatic play

Together children can use an old sheet or blanket todrape over chairs/tables to create a house, animal den,or cave, and decorate with fabric markers. Use ShoeboxIdeas (p. 7) to create cooperative play opportunities, forexample “Shoe Box Garden," which could develop into

joining a community garden.

Manipulatives

Children can learn to work together, negotiate, andachieve a common goal by building with small blocks(making a town) or doing a puzzle together.

Game playing In addition to commercial cooperative board games,adults can change the rules for traditional games. Thereis no need for winners or losers or to keep score, orthere can be a group score, which is an agreed upongoal. The game ends when all players have had a chanceto finish.

Creative arts

When children paint or draw, they can be given a larger

piece of paper to create a mural together.

Physical play: Musical Chairs

When the music stops, take away a chair, not a child,to encourage sharing of remaining chairs. Almost allgames can be changed with a goal of a shared outcome,accomplished by all players finishing rather than oneindividual winning, the rest, losing. Adapt your favoritegames to a achieve common goal–play together, ratherthan against each other.

Create cooperative play experiences...

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Buyers Beware:The Scoop about

AGE RATINGS on Toy Boxes

Many parents use age recommendations ontoy boxes to help with toy purchase decisions.But did you know that manufacturers can putany age rating they choose on a toy box? Andearly childhood experts are rarely consulted.Do not rely on age ratings alone. Rely on whatyou know about your child. oys with smallparts are required to have an age warning label,not related to the age recommendation.

Challenging the Federal Trade Commission

Te Campaign for Commercial Free Childhood (CCFC) petitioned the Federal rade Commission to stop the film industry from linking toys and other products with violent PG 13 movies, like "GI Joe" and "ransformers," to young children.Media-linked toys and products introduce violent content from movies rated for older children into the play of very young

children. Tis marketing practice makes it harder for parents to say "no" when their children ask to see these movies.

Visit CCFC at: www.commercialfreechildhood.org to learn more about their recent campaigns and how you can get involved.

P ri nted o n

rec ycled pa pe r

For more information contact TRUCE: www.truceteachers.org PO Box 441261, West Somerville, MA 02144 • [email protected]

PLEASE COPY AND DISTRIBUTE

Bells & Whistles: Traditional activitieslinked to electronics. Electronic toys take controlof play, have limited ways of use, are outgrown quick-ly, and can make traditional toys seem boring. Theypromise to teach children skills using methods thatare untested by research. For example, digital art setsthat use computers to replace creative art also remove

the problem solving, imaginative, sensory experiencetraditional art materials provide. The onslaught ofelectronic “reading kits” with CDs, DVDs, and flash-cards, like Hooked on Phonics Discover Reading Sets,can undermine the benefits of language development,love of reading, and parent-child bonding that comesfrom parents reading a simple book to children.

Baby Madness: Electronics aimed at infantsand toddlers. For infants and toddlers, learning is

done best by interacting with people and materials intheir environment and seeing the effects of their actions.Electronic toys teach babies that play is done for them,and keep them from creating their own “smart” actionsand ideas. Electronic “teaching” toys, for children asyoung as 6 months, claim to teach letters and soundsdespite the child’s lack of developmental readiness or re-search supporting these promises. Electronic music cen-

ters and busy boxes distractand may entertain, but

[Continued from p. 5]

B a b y D V Ds F a i l t he Tes t !

Even t hou g h t he Ame

rican Academ y o f Ped

i-

at ric s recommend s no

elect ronic s f or childre

n

under t he a g e o f t wo

, manu f act urer s clai

m

wat chin g Bab y Ein s

t ein and Brain y Bab

y-

t y pe video s hel p s ba

bie s g et smart er soon

er.

But t he C a m p a ig n f or a Com

merc i a l- f ree

C h i ld hood ( C C F C ) filed a c

om plaint wit h

t he Fed er a l C

omm u n ic a t ions Co

mm iss ion

( F C C ) sa yin g t here i s lit t le re search t

o su p port

t he se claim s and some

re search t hat find s t he se

it em s can even dela y

develo pment . I n 20

08,

t he F C C a g reed wit h

C C F C and t old t he s

e

com panie s t o chan g e

t heir advert i sin g claim

s. Using logos on toys and cloth-ing teaches young children tomake choices based on namebrands, not on the value of the

product. "Branding" can lead to: - unwise buying choices - unhealthy habits - nagging!

B e w a r e o f

B r a n d i n g replace human

interaction andcuriosity, the truebuilding blocksof learning.

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Usually, giving gifts to children means buying manufactured toys at a store. Here is analternative gift idea that you can easily put together. Shoe box gifts are collections ofsmall, 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.

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

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

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

• Use small containers, ziplock sandwich bags, or build dividers with small pieces of cardboard to make compartments fothe 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 mayrequire adult supervision and/or aid (e.g., food coloring.)

7

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

SENSORY FUN

• hypoallergenic, unscent-ed shaving cream

• plastic tray • food coloring • popsicle sticks, clean

combs, plastic fork, etc.• smock or old T-shirt [Adult sprays piles, lines,

or other shapes on tray.Children sculpt, smooth,draw, and write.]

SHOE BOX GARDEN

• plastic-lined shoe box • potting soil• seed packets• small watering can• popsicle sticks• garden tools• gardening gloves

NATURE EXPLORER

• nature guides withpictures of birds, trees, woodland animals

• small sketch book andcolored pencils

• binoculars• plastic magnifying glass• camera (toy or real)• vest or small backpack

with pockets• small ziplock bags• bag of bird seed

BEYOND SHOE BOXES

Recycle large boxes that can be painted/decorated for

dramatic play. Create a car, spaceship, animal, crea-ture, house, or cave. Extend the play possibilities byadding blocks, flashlight, tablecloth, and/or pillows.

Materials:

• appliance box

• paint, tape, markers

• wallpaper books to decorate and glue

• utility knife (for adults to cut holes)

• carpet samples

COLLAGE KIT

• roll of wax/craft/freezer paper

• recycled gift wrap/ribbon• children's glue or tape• fallen pinecones, other

natural materials• scrounge materials:

old keys, plastic bottletops, buttons, fabricscraps, etc.

• craft feathers, glitter, etc.

RESCUE/FIRST AID

• flashlight• bandaids• fabric strips/ bandages• ace bandage• sling• eye patch• gauze• stethoscope• surgical mask

PLAYDOUGH

• buy a can of play-dough or makeyour own

• garlic press• plastic knife• popsicle sticks• wooden dowel• plastic lids• small tray/plate• buttons/beads• plastic animals

PLAYDOUGH RECIPE

1 cup flour1 Tbsp. oil1 cup water1/2 cup salt2 tsp. cream of tartarfood coloring

• Mix ingredients insaucepan.

• Cook on low heat.Stir constantly untilplaydough pulls awayfrom sides of pan.

• Scoop playdoughonto wax paper.Knead until smooth.

• Store in airtightcontainer.

T h i n k

O u t s i d

e

T h e B o

x

I n t h e s

e d i f f i

c u l t e c o n o m

i c

t i m e s, h e

r e i s a n a

p p e a l i n g w a y

f o r p r o m

o t i n g q u

a l i t y p l a y

w i t h

o u t s p e n

d i n g a l

o t o f m

o n e

Shoe Box Gifts for hours of creative play

Making Shoe Box Gifts

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ResourcesBOOKS

• Carlsson-Paige, N. (2008). Taking Back Childhood: Helping YourKids Thrive in a Fast-Paced, Media-Saturated, Violence-Filled World.New York: Hudson St. Press.

• DeGaetano, G. (2004). Parenting Well in a Media Age: KeepingOur Kids Human. Fawnskin, CA: Personhood Press.

• Levin, D. E. & Kilbourne, J. (2008). So Sexy So Soon: The NewSexualized Childhood & What Parents Can Do To Protect Their Kids. New York: Ballantine Books.

• Levin, D. E. & Carlsson-Paige, N. (2006). The War Play Dilemma:What Every Parent and Teacher Needs to Know (2nd Edition). NY:Teachers College Press.

• Linn, S. (2008). The Case for Make Believe: Saving Play in aCommercialized World. New York: The New Press.

• Linn, S. (2005). Consuming Kids: Protecting Our Children from theOnslaught of Marketing and Advertising . NY: New York Anchor.

• Louv, R. (2006). Last Child in the Woods.

Chapel Hill: Algonquin Books.

• Schor, J. (2004). Born to Buy: The Commercialized Child & theNew Consumer Culture. NY: Scribner.

• Topal, C.W. & Gandini, L. (1999) Beautiful Stuff! Learning withFound Materials. Worcester, MA: Davis Publications, Inc.

ORGANIZATIONS

Alliance for Childhood •www.allianceforchildhood.net• Promotes policies and practices that support children’s healthydevelopment and play.

American Specialty Toy Retailing Association •www.astratoy.org• Look here for toy stores and toy manufacturers that carry many

quality toys.

Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood Judge Baker Children’s Center •www.commercialexploitation.org • Coalition working to stop marketing practices that harm children.

New American Dream •www.newdream.org• Helps families consume responsibly to protect the environment,enhance quality of life, and promote social justice.

Commonsense Media •www.commonsensemedia.org• Rates media based on developmental criteria, including rolemodels, commercialism, violence, and stereotypes.

International Play Association •www.ipausa.org • Works to protect, preserve, and promote play as a fundamentalright of all children.

Media Education Foundation •www.mediaed.org• Provides educational videos on media literacy.

TRUCE is a national group of educators deeply concerned about the impactof children’s entertainment and toys on the play and behavior of children in our classrooms.

TRUCE’ s goals are:

8 To raise public awareness about the negative effects of violent and stereotyped toys and media on children,families, schools, and society.

8 To work to limit the harmful influence of unhealthy children’s entertainment. 8 To provide children with toys and activities that promote healthy play and non-violent behavior

at home and school.

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

8 To support parents’ and teachers’ efforts to deal with issues regarding media, toys, and play.

8

TRUCE , PO Box 441261, Somerville, MA 02144 www.truceteachers.org • [email protected]

– – –

DVDs

• Mickey Mouse Monopoly: Disney, Childhood & Corporate Power

• Consuming Kids The Commercialization of Childhood. Media Education Foundation; www.mediaed.org

• Where Do the Children Play?Michigan Television; michigantelevision.org

Look for our new

TRUCE Guide

Infants & Toddlers: Play, Toys

& Media

For more information about what you can do, to give us feedback, or to let us know how you are using the guide,please contact us:

TRUCE thanks Matt Damon for his generous support.

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