Toy Industry Association Reaffirms Statement on Toy Guns and Violence

By Robert Farago

Official statement:

The Toy Industry Association (TIA) and its members are proud of the important, life-shaping role that toys, games and play have in the development and growth of children. Toys themselves do not promote aggressive behavior. As Jeffrey Goldstein, Ph.D., author and professor of Media and Communication at the University of Utrecht in The Netherlands, has said: “There are no ‘violent’ or ‘nonviolent’ toys. There are simply toys, many fashioned after objects found in the adult world, and others inspired by fantasy objects found nowhere else.” Quite often, military and other role-play items may help kids work through or cope with what is happening in the world around them through play rather than through outwardly aggressive behavior . . .

Toys that foster friendly competition promote active bodies, active minds and healthy lifestyles. They keep kids moving, allow them to role-play (cops, superheroes, etc.), encourage teamwork and/or strategic thinking, empower both genders, allow them to work through their emotions, and help them to forge their own identities and develop moral values. The toy industry makes it a priority to ensure the safety and well-being of kids while bringing joy to their …Read the Rest

Source:: Truth About Guns