Want To Play Trucks

Want to Play Trucks is a gentle and inclusive picture book that explores gender roles and friendship with warmth and understanding. Each morning in the playground sandbox, Jack and Alex meet to play-but Jack prefers trucks, and Alex loves dolls, sparkles, and tutus. Their preferences clash, yet the two find common ground with a creative solution: dolls who drive trucks! Through expressive illustrations and minimal text, this story celebrates the value of compromise, acceptance, and imaginative play. It challenges rigid gender stereotypes and encourages children to be themselves, opening important discussions about identity and inclusion in early childhood. This is a valuable resource for homes and classrooms seeking to support non-traditional, gender-neutral play in a supportive and positive way.

Educational benefits

• Promotes respect and acceptance of diverse interests and identities.
• Supports social-emotional learning by modelling compromise and cooperation.
• Encourages imaginative play and creative problem-solving.
• Develops understanding of gender stereotypes and inclusive language.

Classroom ideas

• Discussion: Explore themes of friendship and individuality through group talk.
• Drama: Role-play scenes or create new ones based on the story's theme.
• Art: Draw toys that combine both trucks and dolls in imaginative ways.
• Writing: Have students write about their favourite toys and why they like them.

Information

• Ages: 3+ years
• Dimensions: 15.3 x 24.6 x 0.4 cm
• Paperback; lightweight and easy to handle