Parental Concerns - Violent Toys and Video Games |
Date: 24/09/2009 |
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In addition to product safety, one of the biggest concerns of parents is the growing trend towards toys and video games that promote violence, crime, and war. In 2002, a national department store chain published an advertisement on its web site for a toy called "Forward Command Post" that featured an American soldier standing in a bombed-out house. It's an example of the growing collaboration, in recent years, between the toy and entertainment industry and the U.S. military, according to the activist group Worldwatch Institute. Video games with themes of terrorism and war in Middle-Eastern settings are selling well. In video games, kids can experience virtual combat, are exposed to exploding virtual body parts, and practice committing murder and theft to win games.
Traditionally, boys' and girls' toys have often been contrasted as being "rough-and-tumble" versus "nurturing." But that distinction may be disappearing, not only for healthy reasons of waning gender stereotyping, but for more questionable reasons such as the growing tolerance of—or obliviousness to—aggression and hostility in play by both sexes, according to an article in the May-June 2003 issue of World Watch, the institute's official publication.
Many parents are concerned about the growing number and level of acceptance of toys and video games that promote violence and war. However, not everyone agrees on what constitutes a violent toy. Most parents agree guns are symbols of violence. But at what point is the line drawn between a child perceiving a play gun as a toy or a device of violence? Many might agree a BB gun is violent since it can kill and wound small animals and birds and injure humans. But what about a squirt gun that shots water or a Nerf gun that shoots foam balls? To help answer these questions, Daphne White, founder of the Lion & Lamb Project, published a list of guidelines in the November-December 2004 issue of Mothering magazine. Lion & Lamb is an organization founded in 1995 to stop the marketing of violent toys and entertainment to children.
According to White's guidelines, violent toys and video games:
- Promote violence and aggression as the best way to settle disputes.
- Depict violent actions as fun, harmless, and "cool".
- Encourage children to act out aggressive scenarios.
- Foster aggressive competition.
- Depend on "enemies" that must be "destroyed."
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Age range
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Toys
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| Birth to two months |
Activity centers to look at and listen to; mobiles over cribs |
| Two to four months |
Rattles, teethers, activity centers to hit or kick while on back. |
| Four to six months |
Soft books, roly poly toys |
| Seven to nine months |
Nesting cups, pop-up toys |
| Ten to twelve months |
Push and pull toys, large blocks, board books, toys that require hand manipulation to "make something happen" |
| Thirteen to fifteen months |
Toy telephone, walk-behind toys like doll stroller, soft dolls and animals, balls |
| Sixteen to eighteen months |
Simple toy musical instruments, playing with water or sand, shape sorters |
| Nineteen months to two years |
Rocking horse, easy puzzles, make-believe toys (plastic houses and people, toy cars and trucks, play food and dishes), crayons and paper |
| Two to three years |
Tricycle, toy basketball hoop and balls, toy trains with tracks, dolls with bottles and other equipment, toy kitchen equipment, coloring books and crayons, books |
| Three to four years |
Simple crafts (including scissors, glue, and paper), beginning board games, toys for imaginative play |
| Four to five years |
Simple sports equipment, books, board and card games, computer games, collections, building blocks |
| Five to six years |
Small blocks and building sets, art supplies, activity books, beginning reader books, games |
| Six years and up |
Music, books, games, sports equipment. By this age, kids may get particular about their toys according to what is popular with their friends |
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