Want to interest your 7 to 12 year old in American History? One possible activity: introduce him or her to one or more of these action figures from HIA Toys. HIA Toys offers three well-rendered, poseable, 6 inch action figures based on African Americans:
Bessie Coleman,
Benjamin Banneker, and
Matthew Alexander Henson
I like the character in their tiny faces, their posability, and their exquisite accessories. Sigh. If only those accessories were available for playscale figures. In addition to the figures and their accessories, HIA provides a four-page Teaching Guide with ideas for lesson plans based on the action figures. Cost for each figure is $24.95 or $68.95 for all three figures.
Additional links about HIA Toys and their products:
Toy Directory
RTM news clip
YouTube news clip
Dolls Like Me products
These are great! I like all 3, but the Bessie Coleman figure is my favorite.
ReplyDeleteI agree, Roxanne! The detail in the faces for figures that small ... amazing. The articulation looks neat, too.
ReplyDeleteI just wish they were playscale. Another company did Bessie Coleman, but their doll doesn't resemble the photo of the pilot. The doll is interesting, but I'd never guess that she was meant to be Bessie Coleman without the accompanying text.
Maybe I could introduce these figures as American wee people?
Oops, that is sooo wrong, co-opting other cultures' stories to accommodate my collecting idiosyncrasies. (Head hung in shame)
But then again, I'm American. We co-opt ALL the time!
Dana, the other company that you mentioned, is it Girls Explore? I agree, that doll doesn't look much like Bessie Coleman. I have their Harriet Tubman doll. There's a decent resemblance, I just don't know why they gave Harriet straight hair. But it's a great set. I love the little book that came with it.
ReplyDeleteYes, that's the company, Roxanne!
ReplyDeleteNow their Harriet Tubman looks like the photos of Harriet Tubman. Straight hair for the Harriet Tubman doll? My guess is that's probably easier than curls or flocking ... can't see why otherwise.