Author | Lightnews

War Toys @wartoys.org · Jun 21

“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 · Jun 21

“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 · Jun 7

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 · Jun 7

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 #toyphotography #photography #art

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Reposted by War Toys

Brian McCarty @brianmccarty.com · May 10

@wartoys.org will never be as cool as No War Toys back in the 60s. I mean, seriously… The Doors played their friggin anniversary party!! #wartoys #thedoors

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War Toys @wartoys.org · May 24

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 · May 24

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 · Apr 24

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 · Apr 24

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 #toyphotography #photography #art #toys #cat

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War Toys @wartoys.org · Mar 18

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 · Mar 18

“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 · Mar 13

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 · Mar 13

"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 · Mar 6

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 · Mar 6

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 · Feb 25

Alisa’s drawing, made in Chernigiv, Ukraine - July 2022 #wartoys #childreninwar #ukraine #photography #toyphotography #art #arttherapy #chernigiv

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War Toys @wartoys.org · Feb 25

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 · Feb 21

Artem’s drawing from summer 2022.
#wartoys #arttherapy #warinukraine

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War Toys @wartoys.org · Feb 21

"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 · Feb 10

We’re grateful to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for the review of the touring exhibition “War Toys: Ukraine,” currently at the MacArthur Museum of Military History in Little Rock.
#wartoys #toyphotography #photography www.arkansasonline.com/news/2025/fe...

Little Rock museum exhibit shows war in Ukraine through children’s eyes | The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette - Arkansas' Best News Source

www.arkansasonline.com

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War Toys @wartoys.org · Feb 9

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War Toys @wartoys.org · Feb 9

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 · Feb 9

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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Reposted by War Toys

War Toys @wartoys.org · Dec 29

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 · Feb 8

Drawing of an Angry Bird character, made by a child in Iraq

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