In the Sunday Sun news paper last week, I came across the Toys R US big book. This is Toys R Us’s holiday buying guide. The toys marketed to girls were Barbie, Baby Dolls, kitchen sets, ironing boards, and a pink ride on power wheels motorcycle this motor cycle had a side car on the motorcycle for the girl’s dolls. What was odd was all the Lego’s and build blocks and problem solving toys were geared towards the boys. The boy’s motorcycle was black with no side car for his action figures, (the boy dolls).
The I know there will never be a perfect society with everything being equal, but it would be really nice if the toys marketed to girls had more problem solving ideas. In general, toys are marketed in a way that is gender based. It can be said that the influences that account for the lack of women going into the fields of science, begins at a young age—the time of boys playing with blocks and building things and girls playing with Barbie and baby dolls. I think it’s great to have role models for girls in school, but I think the role models should start at a young age with education for the parents, especially those of girls, regarding toys to help children become better problem solvers.
How true. Little girls aren't encouraged to use their brains for problem solving. They are expected to believe their only role is to be a domestic worker (mommy, housekeeper, etc.)
ReplyDeleteYes, I haven’t thought about this that much, but after reading your post it really got me thinking. Girl’s toys seem to pose many fewer challenges and brain stimulates compared to boys. Also those girls are ALREADY starting to be conditioned into playing the ‘homemaker.’ The kitchen sets, playing house and being motherly. They start off with the simple acts of just creative play which by no means is bad, but look at what they boys are doing. Many boys toys really challenge, the puzzles (for example Transformers take a lot of thought in transforming them from cars/trucks into the figure), building blocks (ex. Lego’s, which are very popular with boys and some girls involve building and aesthetics and structure) and the rock geology and kids science lab sets all seem to be advocating to boys much more so than girls. So I feel the levels of challenging the kids brains is definitely gender separated. Yes, girls will always be into the pink and the dolls and boys the action and building. But wouldn’t it be nice to see some equal levels of toys for education and brain stimulation for boys and girls?
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you regarding this issue. The stereotype begins at a young age of women (girls) being the homemakers and men (boys) being the macho ones. I think that there are so many things wrong with how they gear the selling and marketing of children’s toys. Why would we teach young girls how to iron? Cook? Clean and be responsible for all household responsibilities at such a young age? I understand that women and men need to learn these things but why not let them create their own play and imagination?
ReplyDeleteI agree that they should start advertising more gender neutral problem solving toys. They always have boy and girl isles, but why separate the isles at all? Are people afraid to see a little boy pick a toy that is "made" for a girl? Do you think people don't want to see their kids crossing the "gender line"? I hate walking in to stores and seeing ads that have all girl things in pink and all boy things in blue. It is stereotyping and telling parents what they should be teaching their children... boys to solve problems with work and girls to cook, clean, and take care of the family. Girls are taught to be the care taker from day one and I think someone should begin to put an end to it or at least have boys learn young to so it will be easier on a women and family when children are present.
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