Taking play seriously—raising inclusive kids
I’m loving these “multicultural markers” from Crayola. (Tip: If you have Amazon Prime, buy these instead, as although they cost more, you’ll be eligible for that free shipping.)
If, as we do in my house, you go through a lot of markers, you might consider buying a class set, which costs considerably less per pen than the individual pack of markers.
If you prefer pencils or crayons in a variety of skin tones, you might check out these instead:
I’m liking both the look and the affordability of the Groovy Girls dolls.
Check out, for example, Dela:
She has a really cute face:
And here’s Latasha:
Connor is advertised as a boy, but I like that s/he has kind of a lesbian vibe:
And then there’s Lycia:
Check out all the Groovy Girls, and let me know which one is your favorite.
A friend writes,
i can’t believe this but i’ve been searching for a asian rag dog for [my son] and i came across a site called the multicultural toybox. when i clicked on the about tab, guess whose name is there?? you’re awesome!! now help me find an asian rag doll for [him] that doesn’t have slanty eyes and wear oriental clothing!! 🙂
My response (which I’ve expanded a bit for this blog entry):
This is indeed a frustrating search. You have my sympathies!
Your best place to look might be Etsy, though of course there are a ton of stereotypical Asian dolls there, too. You’re going to pay a bit more than in a chain store, but if you see a doll you like there–of any ethnicity–you might be able to get the creator to make a custom doll for you with the characteristics you want. It’s very common for Etsy sellers to make custom items. Definitely do a search for “Waldorf dolls” because I’ve seen those in all kinds of skin tones, hair types, and clothing styles. They tend to have this general shape:
photo by Céline, and used under a Creative Commons license
I also like this Etsy shop a lot — — though of course you’re going to want to be sure to get a doll w/o any detachable parts like buttons. If you like her style, but you’re crafty yourself, you definitely need to check out Hillary Lang’s Wee Wonderfuls: 24 Dolls to Sew and Love. Lang also offers relatively easy-to-sew–and very cute–doll patterns on her website.
If you’re looking for a baby rag doll, Amazon offers this Rosy Cheeks Baby:
Amazon also sells a girl version of the same doll:
Multicultural Toybox readers, what would you recommend to my friend or to others looking for similar dolls?
I’m loving this doll at Etsy by henandchick:
It ties in nicely with my most recent post: why can’t we more easily reimagine characters in other ethnicities?
If she’s still available, you can purchase her for $45.
Some might argue a kids’ movie packed with white characters is too easy a target in this multicultural age. I beg to differ.
My complaint about Toy Story 3 doesn’t stem just from a desire to see more diverse characters represented in a box office winner (and quality movie). Rather, my dissatisfaction has another dimension: merchandising. We all know how poorly represented people of color are in the mainstream toy market, and Pixar has missed a significant opportunity to address that gap in representation.
Critics of this idea might argue that including a toy of color in the film–and then creating an actual toy from the character–would be a losing proposition for Pixar, as toys of color are less popular than white character toys, even sometimes among children of color. I argue that Pixar has a large enough media platform and merchandising empire to influence the attitudes of all kinds of children toward multicultural play.
In this age, why must Jessie be a redhead? Or solely a redhead? Why can’t she be, say, Latina? Couldn’t Pixar’s merchandising division offer variations on characters so that children can see themselves represented in their everyday play, if not in the movie?
What are your thoughts?
I have a soft spot for eco-friendly toys. They’re toys! They’re eco-friendly!
I first saw these particular trucks in my local toy store, and I fell in love with them immediately. In addition to being attractive and appearing durable, they have an interesting origin: They’re made from recycled plastic milk jugs, and they’re made in the U.S., in California.
The manufacturer, Green Toys, has this to say about these toys on its website:
All Green Toys products are 100% made in the USA. To be more specific, they are produced in California, a state known for strict toy safety and environmental laws. It’s cool to buy USA, but also think about this: transportation is one of the biggest contributors to greenhouse gasses. We all know driving less is good for mother nature, b
ut did you ever think about how many miles a toy logs before it ends up in your local store? [Read more…] about Unique holiday gift idea #6: Eco-friendly trucks and tools