An Intergenerational Crowd Comes Together for Hilltown Families Community Conversation with Dr. Susan Linn on The Importance of Creative Play in a Commercialized World

Jackie MacNeish of Ashfield, MA writes:

“On Tuesday night this past week I went to hear Dr. Susan Linn speak of the Importance of Creative Play in a Commercialized World hosted by Hilltown Families at the Meekins Library (Williamsburg, MA). It was fantastic – A topic I’m passionate about and yet wanted to know more about, a knowledgable and interesting presentation, and a community of different people (young, teenagers, elders, students, teachers, parents, etc) gathered together to listen, think and discuss. I would like to attend one of these discussions each month, so I hope there are more coming our way!”

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VIDEO

If you missed the talk last week here she is on TEDxTalks with an abbreviated presentation of last Tuesdays Community Conversation:

ONLINE RESOURCES

So what can a parent do to level the playing field? “They can begin by looking a their own patterns of consumption,” says Dr. Linn in a recent interview with the Daily Hampshire Gazette. “They can work to limit access to screen time and work to limit commercialism in their schools by urging school systems to have a policy on commercialism and marketing.”

Below we have several online resources we’ve compiled, many of them recommended by Dr. Susan Linn during her presentation last week:

• Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood
• 10 Things You Can Do to Reclaim Childhood from Corporate Marketers
• Commercial Free Holiday Guide
  Thereʼs no one size fits all method for navigating the holidays with our values intact. So Dr. Linn has created CCFCʼs Guide to Commercial-Free Holidays to provide an array of suggestions, from people she respects and admires, for reclaiming family and community celebrations from corporate marketers.
• Tips on having a commercial free holiday from CCFC members
• Teachers Resisting Unhealthy Childrenʼs Entertainment (TRUCE): Toy Buying
  Guide
  This annual review helps parents choose toys that promote healthy play and avoid toys that undermine it. In this age of technology, media and marketing to children, it is especially important to make informed toy choices. For more complete information about dealing with todayʼs play and media, go to: www.truceteachers.org to get our TRUCE Action Guides.
• The Center for the New American Dream: Simplify the Holidays Challenge
  Do you want your holidays wrapped in more meaning and less stuff? Take our 2011 Simplify the Holidays Challenge!

Continue the Conversation

Many people are interested in continuing this conversation. If you would like to be a part of this continued discussion on the importance of creative free play for our kids, drop us a line and we’ll give you a heads up on future opportunities for gather and discuss:

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