What games do our children play? What toys do our children prefer? Is it
normally to play these games and toys? What cartoon films and movies do our
children watch? Can the modern toys and games be good examples for our
children? All of these questions are very actual (and, believe, not only in the
modern times).
Toys which are "not so beautiful", dolls which are «not too
correct in proportions», soft toys having specific features, etc. are the
reasons for the numerous discussions regarding their aesthetic components and
their “correctness”.
A lot of adults make the same mistake when they think that the
"terrible", “strange” toys, toy guns, etc. provoke negative emotions
like aggression and fear and the desire to do something bad. But very beautiful
dolls and “correct” toys can cause the same feelings. Depending on the plot of the play, one of the most attractive dolls may become an evil queen – it depends
on the social circumstances which have provoked play (the popular girl in a group
or in a class has offended her friend, the cartoon film or film has caused the
certain associations, etc.). And at the same time, the “strange” toy rescues the
world and helps everybody. It is also necessary to mention the theme of
children's loneliness and sometimes such strange heroes and toys can give
children the hope. Besides it in many fairy tales even "beautiful"
heroes meet with difficulties: they are not trusted that the "scarlet
sails" will come, they are offended by the stepmother, and they do not cope with
problems. I often noticed that, if this main hero does not look like others, he
or she will be closer to the child doubly.
Not long ago some people discussed the fact that the one well-known doll
should influence girls negatively because of the standards of body and beauty
(as good examples for girls other types of dolls were mentioned), and they
achieved their aim – now this doll will be in different proportions. This
situation reminds me the congress of tutors, which took place more than one
century ago and where the following words were said: «Do you think, that dolls with
their senseless faces, with silly protruding eyes, with their hats and toilets
of coquettes, do not give a bad example to the small mothers?» (quoted on D.Galanin). And very few people paid attention to the plots played by children using
these dolls. And plots comprised love, family, households, children, adventures.
Super popular game on playgrounds with the frightening name «Zombie»
does not contain terrible components: it is one of the variants of blind man’s buff or the protection of
"property" from the attack (it is necessary to hide something, etc.).
But do toy «monsters» and games with frightening names really reflect
the modern world? Yes, and not only modern. Too much vital violence transferred in the media screens can conduct to the fact that the inherent (for the mankind) fear of the death is being transformed and it is being reflected in the situation that the game of blind man’s buff is becoming the
game "Zombie". Such problems of the mankind like attitudes with peers and parents,
love, etc. are being discussed with children and teenagers with the using of the heroes of vampires. In
the conditions of a «global village » (Mcluhan) even the death of people is not
only the part of the news, it is also (and it is the most terrible) - the show. And we
have the answer of the toy industry to these events.
![]() |
This is a favorite toy of my Brother. This toy is 40 years old. |
Or let’s address to an old doll: the legs were broken; the whole condition
of this doll is not very good. However, the child does not want to hear the
recommendations of peers (even peers) to throw this doll out and buy a new toy,
because this doll is the most favorite and beautiful. I admit that I also have such
doll and it was always the main heroine of my play in spite of the fact that I
had a lot of toys. And it was possible to correct the hair of the doll and to
ask adults to repair “legs”.
«... Game and toys are not the reasons, but game and toys are the parameters
of already existing taste, aspirations... The struggle against toys seems to me
similar to the actions of a strange person who thinks, that the heat of the body
depends on the thermometer, and he is aspiring to destroy the thermometer to
lower the feverish heat of the body… », - D.
Galanin wrote one century ago.
We need to be very attentive not only to the format of the toys and the
names of the games; we need to pay attention to the plots of children's play. The play
of the child, even with a "strange" toy, is the great work of the soul of
the child. The chess figures or a simple stick, the little toy man with the green
face or very big ears can be the tools for the comprehension of internal
experiences and feelings of a small person.
And in the conclusion, I wish to ask you: "Would you
buy a Nutcracker Doll"?
You can also read the following blog posts:
1.Winter Activities of Children and Adults.
2.Sociology of Childhood. Play and Games in the Drawings of Children.
3.Pay Attention to the Play of Young Children.
Please do not sell, post, publish, or distribute all or any part of this article without author's permission.
Комментариев нет:
Отправить комментарий