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War Toys @wartoys.org · 18/09/2026

The boardgame War Toys: Evac Ops™ is now available for purchase in the US! We're so proud to bring these impactful and extremely-affordable toys to market. wartoys.org/shop #toyphotography #wartoys #photography #photojournalism #warplay #boardgame #armymen

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War Toys @wartoys.org · 05/06/2026

Ten years ago, photojournalist David Gilkey was killed while on assignment for @NPR in Afghanistan. David covered wars in Iraq, the 2010 Haiti earthquake, and Ebola in Liberia. We are fortunate to work with David's family and friends to honor his legacy. #toyphotography #photography #photojournalism

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War Toys @wartoys.org · 20/01/2026

The potential impact of our approach is massive, and the costs are tiny. We’ve spent less than a Cybertruck to develop socially-impactful toys that are incredibly cheap to manufacture and distribute in 41 languages! Thanks to our partners in China, they are now available to retailers worldwide.

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War Toys @wartoys.org · 20/01/2026

After years of development and more than a few setbacks, our first fostered products are finally hitting the market! These are the first production samples of our standalone boardgame, prepared for Spielwarenmesse - the toy industry’s largest trade event. #wartoys #armymen

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War Toys @wartoys.org · 04/12/2025

Detail of our Dickey Chapelle pewter figure, showing her #Nikonos underwater camera used for the @natgeo assignment “The Water War in Vietnam.” Support our programs by give someone (or yourself) a unique gift this holiday season! wartoys.org #photojournalist #photojournalism #photographer

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War Toys @wartoys.org · 06/11/2025

We are honored to be working with Dickey's estate. Her family provided amazing access to Dickey’s cameras, clothing, and gear – all of which was reproduced in incredible detail by sculptor David Lea in standard 1:32 scale. Your purchase directly supports our programs: wartoys.org/programs #wartoys

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War Toys @wartoys.org · 06/11/2025

Dickey’s remarkable life ended in Vietnam on November 4th, 1965. While on patrol with US Marines, she was killed by a booby-trap. Dickey was the first female correspondent killed during the Vietnam War, and the first American female photojournalist ever to be killed in action. #photojournalism

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War Toys @wartoys.org · 06/11/2025

Dickey started her career as a combat photojournalist during the battle of Iwo Jima in WWII. Always wearing her trademark pearl earrings and harlequin glasses, she spent the next twenty years covering conflicts from Korea to the Hungarian Revolution. #photography #photojournalism #wartoys

Photo of Dickey Chapelle, courtesy of the Wisconsin Historical Society.

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War Toys @wartoys.org · 06/11/2025

Born Georgette Louise Meyer, Dickey Chapelle (1919-1965) was a force of nature, beloved by the soldiers she photographed and revered as both an accomplished war correspondent and trailblazer for women working in photojournalism. wartoys.org/shop #photography #photojournalism #wartoys #armymen

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War Toys @wartoys.org · 06/11/2025

To support our toy industry program, War Toys® is releasing a special, pewter “army man” of legendary photojournalist Dickey Chapelle. wartoys.org/shop #photography #photojournalism #wartoys #armymen

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War Toys @wartoys.org · 21/06/2025

“Hadil” drew her life before the war in #Syria, her dad watering a tree at home. She then drew the #refugee tent she was surviving in with her brother and sister in #Lebanon. Her father has been notably erased from her drawing of the camp. #arttherapy #childreninwar #wartoys #worldrefugeeday

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War Toys @wartoys.org · 21/06/2025

“Hadil” drew her life before the war in #Syria, her dad watering a tree at home. She then drew the #refugee tent she was surviving in with her brother and sister in #Lebanon. Her father has been notably erased from her drawing of the camp. #photography #toyphotography #wartoys #worldrefugeeday

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War Toys @wartoys.org · 07/06/2025

At a #Syrian #refugee camp in #Lebanon, 11-yr-old “Hana” drew a seemingly happy scene of her family at dinner. She revealed it was the last time she saw her dad alive. He got up to investigate sounds of gunfire outside and was killed steps from their door. #wartoys #arttherapy #childreninwar #war

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War Toys @wartoys.org · 07/06/2025

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War Toys @wartoys.org · 24/05/2025

Drawing by “Mahmoud,” made at the Spafford Children’s Center in East Jerusalem, 2011. #arttherapy #wartoys #childreninwar #israel #palestine #jerusalem

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War Toys @wartoys.org · 24/05/2025

In East Jerusalem, local #Palestinian children play a constant cat-and-mouse game with #IDF, often throwing tiny pebbles to harass them. “Mahmoud’s” drawing shows what happened to his friend when the soldiers didn’t want to play one day. #wartoys #art #photography #toyphotography #armymen #arttoys

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War Toys @wartoys.org · 24/04/2025

6-yr-old "Iryna" imagines her cat waiting outside of her destroyed home in #Ukraine. Displaced families had to leave pets behind while running for their lives. There wasn't time to find them; the animals ran away or hid from the explosions. #wartoys #arttherapy #art #toys #cat #childreninwar

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War Toys @wartoys.org · 24/04/2025

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War Toys @wartoys.org · 18/03/2025

Yusef said that the yellow shape is Spongebob Squarepants. Next to him is a ladybug. And at the bottom of the page is the ISIS prison in Iraq where he was beaten and tortured to force his uncle to comply. #arttherapy #childreninwar #torture #wartoys #iraq #spongebobsquarepants #drawing #war

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War Toys @wartoys.org · 18/03/2025

“Yusef” was imprisoned, beaten, and tortured by ISIS because his uncle was a police officer who resisted their takeover of Mosul. Yusef was taken to force compliance, alongside other boys with family deemed a threat to ISIS rule. #wartoys #toyphotography #photography #art #iraq #childreninwar #war

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War Toys @wartoys.org · 13/03/2025

At the top of his drawing, a 10-year-old Syrian refugee named Farid wrote, "We thank you for welcoming us. I'm Lebanese. I wish to go back to my school." #wartoys #arttherapy #syria #childreninwar #refugee #lebanon #art #drawing

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War Toys @wartoys.org · 13/03/2025

"Farid" said that Lebanese were mean. Half of his drawing is about fleeing #Syria. The other shows his dream of going back to Homs and finding everything destroyed, except for his home. He was sure it must be ok, and it had to be better than here. #wartoys #toyphotography #photography #refugee #art

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War Toys @wartoys.org · 06/03/2025

Drawing made in 2011 by a young Palestinian girl named “Manal” at the Spafford Children’s Center in East Jerusalem, inside the Old City. #wartoys #arttherapy #childreninwar #drawing #art

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War Toys @wartoys.org · 06/03/2025

Asked about the future, #Palestinian children in East Jerusalem imagined an uprising against #Israel. The photo was taken by the wall that separates the West Bank. The child in the background was an orphan living on the streets nearby. #wartoys #toyphotography #photography #art #activism

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War Toys @wartoys.org · 25/02/2025

7-year-old #Ukrainian Alisa imagines a happy future w/ a soldier, understood to be her father. She said water is trapped underground by the war, and will surface to feed the trees, flowers, and a rainbow when he is home again. #wartoys #childreninwar #ukraine #photography #toyphotography #art

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War Toys @wartoys.org · 21/02/2025

"A warrior who is brave" throws a Molotov cocktail at a Russian APC in a drawing by 7-year-old "Artem." The #Russian tank, destroyed by #Ukrainian forces outside #Kyiv, now occupies a neighbor's cabbage patch. #wartoys #childreninwar #toyphotography #photography #arttherapy #ukraine #war #art

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War Toys @wartoys.org · 09/02/2025

Asma Elementary School, #Gaza City in 2012 - Amara drew soldiers, helicopters, and tanks but only pointed out the girl and the missiles, the girl and missiles, again and again… #wartoys #photography #toyphotography #art #childreninwar #arttherapy #photography #palestine #israel #cinderella

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War Toys @wartoys.org · 09/02/2025

The American Journal of Play published an in-depth interview about War Toys® and our toy industry program. We are grateful to have had the opportunity to encapsulate so much of the work, from its origins to what it’s become! www.museumofplay.org/app/uploads/... #wartoys #toyphotography #arttoys

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War Toys @wartoys.org · 08/02/2025

In 2017, several Iraqi children drew Angry Birds, always the yellow one named "Chuck." In the game, he shoots down like a missile. Kids used him as a way to talk about airstrikes on their homes in a less scary way. #wartoys #toyphotography #childreninwar #arttherapy #iraq #angrybirds #photography

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War Toys @wartoys.org · 08/02/2025

With social media becoming increasingly problematic, we hope you’ll signup for our mailing list to stay informed! wartoys.org #wartoys

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War Toys @wartoys.org · 05/02/2025

In the Dheisheh Refugee Camp outside #Bethlehem, an 8 year old named Fatima said that she was afraid that her little brother would be killed in an airstrike. Her drawing shows them playing together, exposed, as soldiers and bombs close in. #wartoys #toyphotography #photography #childreninwar #art

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War Toys @wartoys.org · 31/01/2025

Recorded by photojournalist David Gilkey in Afghanistan (courtesy of his estate and @npr.org) wartoys.org/shop/vinyl-r... #photojournalism #toyphotography #photography #armyman #wartoys

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War Toys @wartoys.org · 19/01/2025

First test shot of player tokens for our board game Evac Ops! #boardgame #wartoys #evacops

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War Toys @wartoys.org · 30/12/2024

$83k isn’t chump change, but it’s an unbelievably low budget for a toy line w/ 12 figures, boardgame, mobile app, and lesson plans, all delivered in 30+ languages. For $1.50 wholesale, we are giving kids real play value while shaping lifelong perceptions. Donate to support more! wartoys.org/donate

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War Toys @wartoys.org · 29/12/2024

Sa'eed and his mother must cross #Israeli checkpoints for his #PTSD treatment in East Jerusalem. He imagines Palestinians in control and Israelis waiting "their fair turn." #wartoys #toyphoto #toyphotography #childreninwar #arttherapy #eastjerusalem #kalandia #checkpoint #Palestinian #photography

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War Toys @wartoys.org · 26/12/2024

The toys were posed and photographed on location in Mosul to narratively recreate Noor’s account. Here, a passing soldier rested on his AK47 as he stopped to look through the camera at the toy scene created through the lens. The angle was chosen for its cover from snipers. #toyphotography #wartoys

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War Toys @wartoys.org · 26/12/2024

Toys were sourced from shops and bazaars in Northern Iraq and cast as the various elements within Noor’s account - her family, soldiers, tank, airplane, and bombs. #toyphotography #props #behindthescenes #toyshopping

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War Toys @wartoys.org · 26/12/2024

In her drawing, Noor made no distinction between Islamic State and US-backed Iraqi forces. Both were equal threats to her. “This is my life when we had to leave. They were shooting at us. There were a lot of people running.” (Translation of Arabic text within Noor’s drawing) #arttherapy

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War Toys @wartoys.org · 26/12/2024

Noor participated in an art-based interview in Northern Iraq in 2017. She was a new arrival at the Debaga Camp east of Mosul. To ensure her safety, Noor worked with art therapist Myra Saad inside a child-friendly space provided by the humanitarian organization TdH Italia. #wartoys #photography

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War Toys @wartoys.org · 23/12/2024

Just 5½, Vanya drew #Ukrainian grandmother Raisa Smatko, known for making Molotov cocktails. She is there, protecting an IDP camp from a #Russian bomber dropping bananas since, according to him, those are way more funny than bombs. #wartoys #toyphotography #photography #childreninwar #ukraine #art

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War Toys @wartoys.org · 18/12/2024

Like many children, Karima deemphasized the most important / vulnerable elements in her drawing made in #Gaza City. Hiding within the chaotic scene is a mother holding a child, afraid of the fighting. #wartoys #toyphoto #toyphotography #photography #childreninwar #art #palestine #israel #war #toys

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War Toys @wartoys.org · 13/12/2024

Noor’s story of her family fleeing #Mosul was recreated in a liberated section while fighting raged 1km away. She was one of 950k displaced and forced to cross frontlines to reach safety. Toys shot under #ISIS billboard from safe angle. #wartoys #childreninwar #photography #toyphotography #iraq #art

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War Toys @wartoys.org · 09/12/2024

#Syrian #refugee Alya drew a before-and-after of Aleppo. She said it was beautiful before the war. The music-box houses, found near her camp along the Lebanon-Syria border, were sold cheap due to distorted songs. #wartoys #childreninwar #toyphoto #toyphotography #photography #arttherapy #art #syria

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War Toys @wartoys.org · 06/12/2024

Ali drew a barrel bomb being dropped on children in #Syria. He said they were injured, not killed. Scars on his face and neck show that he was likely talking about himself. At the top: “Syria will come back.” #wartoys #toyphoto #toyphotography #photography #childreninwar #arttherapy #barrelbomb

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War Toys @wartoys.org · 03/12/2024

The Young V&A museum in London acquired Evac Ops™ for their permanent collection! We are honored by this amazing validation after years of hard work developing our toy industry program. Thanks to the curators, Evac Ops team, and you for the support! #wartoys #givingtuesday #toys #boardgame

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War Toys @wartoys.org · 30/11/2024

Asma Elementary School, #Gaza City in 2012 - Amara drew soldiers, helicopters, and tanks but only pointed out the girl and the missiles, the girl and missiles, again and again. #wartoys #toyphoto #toyphotography #art #childreninwar #arttherapy #photography #palestine #israel #cinderella #airstrike

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