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TRUCE Offers Toy Shopping Tips
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BOSTON, Nov. 28, 2005 -- Teachers Resisting Unhealthy Children's Entertainment (TRUCE), a national coalition of educators has issued its 11th annual list of toys and toy trends to avoid purchasing this holiday season. In its 2005-2006 edition of the Toy Action Guide, TRUCE lists good toys, bad toys, and suggestions for creating a healthy play environment for children. TRUCE also addresses the impact that violent current events and popular culture directed at children may have on both children's play and holiday shopping.
"Play is essential to children's healthy development and learning. Children use play to actively understand the world and develop life skills," said Diane Levin, Professor of Education at Wheelock College and founding member of TRUCE. "Many toys now on the market not only rob children of their own creativity, but also promote violent or sexualized images. TRUCE hopes to help families make informed choice about toys and positive play."
The Toy Action Guide recommends toys that promote - Dramatic play: such as Fun-with-Fruit (Small World Toys) and Giant Rainbow Blocks (ImagiPlay)
- Manipulative play with small objects: such as Magneatos (Guidecraft.com)
- Creative arts: such as Splash Art (Reeve & Jones)
- Physical play: such as a Jump Stick (Toysmith)
- Game playing: such as Hiss (Gamewright)
According to the TRUCE Toy Action Guide, toys to avoid are those that- Are packaged with a CD, video, or other media product such as Silly Squirt (Fisher Price)
- Make appearance and make-up the focus of the play such as Bratz Funky Fashion (MGA Entertainment)
- Use electronics to take control of traditional play activities and materials away from children: Little Touch Leap Pad Puzzles (Leap Frog)
- Include electronic book systems that promise to teach reading skills to young children: such as Leap Pad Learning System (Leap Frog)
- Make violent themes the focus of the play: such as Star Wars Jedi Force - Mace Windu (Playskool/Hasbro)
- Turn children's bodies into weapons: such as Bionicle 3-in-1 Power Gauntlet (Lego)
- Turn the TV into the controller of the play: such as TV Wild Adventure Mini Golf (Milton Bradley)
TRUCE suggested toys that foster creative play and healthy development don't need to be expensive. As an alternative to store-bought toys, the organization recommends creating "shoe box gifts" that are inexpensive and among the best toys parents can give a child. These gifts are collections of small, familiar items that are organized around a play theme and presented in an appealing way. In addition to fostering imagination and creativity, these toys are likely to be used more often than the flashy electronic toys that tend to fascinate kids only briefly before being relegated to the bottom of the toy box.
The Toy Action Guide, is available online at http://www.truceteachers.org.
About TRUCE
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 classrooms. TRUCE helps parents and teachers counteract the negative and promote the positive.
  
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