McDonald’s Replaces Happy Meal Toys With Our Favorite Childhood Books To Encourage Kids To Read
With more and more kids enslaved to the screen from as young as they can remember, the push to ensure that children are still able to get lost in a book and let their imaginations roam free is more important than ever.
Over in New Zealand, the giant fast-food chain recognizes this and has replaced the tacky plastic toys you would often find in a Happy Meal with the whimsical works of Roald Dahl, a renowned children’s author that my generation grew up on.
Image credits: McDonalds
“The Happy Meal Readers programme is all about helping parents to get their children to enjoy reading,” said Jo Mitchell, director of marketing at McDonald’s New Zealand.
“The Roald Dahl characters are ones that many parents will have enjoyed growing up, and it’s great to play a part in introducing them to a new generation.”
The scheme is a positive step to arrest declining literacy rates, especially among teenagers, in some western countries.
Image credits: McDonalds
However, it could be argued that it is parents, and not giant fast food corporations, that should be at the front line of the battle to keep kids reading. Books are available for free at your local library, so you don’t need to expand your kids’ waistlines in order to expand their minds!
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The books, which also include activities and stickers, feature extracts from Dahl classics such as The BFG, Matilda, Charlie and The Chocolate Factory and Fantastic Mr. Fox. Because really, it would be incredibly unfair if the next generation were to miss out on these wonderfully weird adventures.
Image credits: McDonalds
Not only are these kinds of Happy Meals helping kids to stay curious, but they are better for the environment too. Gone are the tacky, cheap plastic toys that would, in most cases, go directly to the landfill or even worse, the ocean.
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Image credits: McDonalds
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Here’s what people had to say about the new happy meals
I LOVE this!! KUDOS for paving the way to removing the toy (which looses it's appeal after an hour). The most beautiful things are created through imagination. Reading more induces that imagination
Back in the 80s the toys were pretty cool. My Gma still has some that we got back in the day and my kids love to play with them! They used to be fun. Now they're cheap junk.
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This is not only great for the kids but a million times better for the environment. Those little plastic toys are awful and get used for an hour then chucked away. Books over plastic any day!
I totally agree. Books are more environmentally- friendly. I just hope that toys be made from environmentally friendly materials than plastic.
Load More Replies...
In Canada you've been able to get a choice of book or toy for a while now.
This is way better than a crappy, cheap plastic toy that can do only one thing.
This is so nice and fun because if you are bored you can check out the book while eating food ;))))) food makes everything better
Chick fil a used to do this. They also once gave seeds and a dirt scraper.
"With more and more kids enslaved to the screen from as young as they can remember ... " Well, who might be responsible for that? Children learn by imitating ... guess who.
This is great!!! When I was 7 I looked forward to my monthly Dr. Seuss book, when I was 10 I looked forward to Scholastic Book sales, and now, I still Love to read!!! There are so many places I’ve gone while reading books!!! Way to go McDonalds!!
What a MARVELLOUS idea! Those pathetic little plastic toys would have been forgotten in seconds, but books? WOW!!!
PS: I would gladly pay a little extra for McDonald's meals for my grandchildren if it meant books instead of useless toys here in Australia!
Load More Replies...
Congrats to McDonalds for phasing out the toys. For too long have kids been indoctrinated that McDonalds is a celebration/party/destination, when in reality it is just somewhere to feed the kids and keep them quiet during a days shopping . Kudus to all McDonalds staff x
It's about time they came out with something educational. My son once got plastic solar system planets with sucktion cups to stick on glass I LOVE them & still have them on my mirrior. The people need more mind developing toys like LEGOS, books & science stuff.
This is an amazing idea...that didn't last long.I went to McDonalds yesterday and there was Lego Movie 2 toys. Good job Mickey D's.
They're doing the same in Australia. My daughter works at McDonalds, and I get her to buy the most recent book for her younger sister after her shift (I pay of course). She loves them!
Never even realized he was responsible for a lot of my childhood favorites, but I am well-acquainted with him and his macabre adult short stories! Loved to read then, love to read now! And love to watch some of his stories come to life on the screen as well.
You have the choice between toys and books in France for a few years. You always learn something from the books (some about History, some about Jean de la Fontaine...). Kids love it!
I object to the term "Happy Meal" with associated toys. From experience kids just want a "happy meal" regardless of whether they are hungry, when a piece of fruit or another snack would be sufficient. They are sneakily placed near supermarkets and marketed so that "McDonalds" means fun - wheras in fact they are dismal plastic floors, walls, tables and chairs - with semi-cold food-stuff - strangely crowded with 100s of other kids and noisy as hell.
Try to live your life without something totally unrelated triggering you.
Load More Replies...
yeah, f**k all those 375,000 jobs provided, how dare they!!!
Load More Replies... I LOVE this!! KUDOS for paving the way to removing the toy (which looses it's appeal after an hour). The most beautiful things are created through imagination. Reading more induces that imagination
Back in the 80s the toys were pretty cool. My Gma still has some that we got back in the day and my kids love to play with them! They used to be fun. Now they're cheap junk.
Load More Replies... This is not only great for the kids but a million times better for the environment. Those little plastic toys are awful and get used for an hour then chucked away. Books over plastic any day!
I totally agree. Books are more environmentally- friendly. I just hope that toys be made from environmentally friendly materials than plastic.
Load More Replies... In Canada you've been able to get a choice of book or toy for a while now.
This is way better than a crappy, cheap plastic toy that can do only one thing.
This is so nice and fun because if you are bored you can check out the book while eating food ;))))) food makes everything better
Chick fil a used to do this. They also once gave seeds and a dirt scraper.
"With more and more kids enslaved to the screen from as young as they can remember ... " Well, who might be responsible for that? Children learn by imitating ... guess who.
This is great!!! When I was 7 I looked forward to my monthly Dr. Seuss book, when I was 10 I looked forward to Scholastic Book sales, and now, I still Love to read!!! There are so many places I’ve gone while reading books!!! Way to go McDonalds!!
What a MARVELLOUS idea! Those pathetic little plastic toys would have been forgotten in seconds, but books? WOW!!!
PS: I would gladly pay a little extra for McDonald's meals for my grandchildren if it meant books instead of useless toys here in Australia!
Load More Replies... Congrats to McDonalds for phasing out the toys. For too long have kids been indoctrinated that McDonalds is a celebration/party/destination, when in reality it is just somewhere to feed the kids and keep them quiet during a days shopping . Kudus to all McDonalds staff x
It's about time they came out with something educational. My son once got plastic solar system planets with sucktion cups to stick on glass I LOVE them & still have them on my mirrior. The people need more mind developing toys like LEGOS, books & science stuff.
This is an amazing idea...that didn't last long.I went to McDonalds yesterday and there was Lego Movie 2 toys. Good job Mickey D's.
They're doing the same in Australia. My daughter works at McDonalds, and I get her to buy the most recent book for her younger sister after her shift (I pay of course). She loves them!
Never even realized he was responsible for a lot of my childhood favorites, but I am well-acquainted with him and his macabre adult short stories! Loved to read then, love to read now! And love to watch some of his stories come to life on the screen as well.
You have the choice between toys and books in France for a few years. You always learn something from the books (some about History, some about Jean de la Fontaine...). Kids love it!
I object to the term "Happy Meal" with associated toys. From experience kids just want a "happy meal" regardless of whether they are hungry, when a piece of fruit or another snack would be sufficient. They are sneakily placed near supermarkets and marketed so that "McDonalds" means fun - wheras in fact they are dismal plastic floors, walls, tables and chairs - with semi-cold food-stuff - strangely crowded with 100s of other kids and noisy as hell.
Try to live your life without something totally unrelated triggering you.
Load More Replies... yeah, f**k all those 375,000 jobs provided, how dare they!!!
Load More Replies...
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