Teachers Resisting Unhealthy Children's Entertainment (TRUCE) created the following letter to help children and adults talk together about toys and play.
Here's how to adapt it for use in your classroom:
Read the letter to your students
To children everywhere:
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 OK to hurt people and that fighting and hurting is 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.
What do you think?
Sincerely,
The Teachers of TRUCE
As a class, discuss the following questions:
What do you think about what the teachers say?
What do you think teachers, parents and children should do about violent, 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?
Adapted with permission from TRUCE (Teachers Resisting Unhealthy Children's Entertainment).
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