To be disappointed in the toys aimed at girls?

[FrostedCranberries]

My DD has a birthday coming up and shopping around for something aimed at her age group (5) I'm not very impressed.

Lego for girls is all in pink, Frozen or Troll themed. Theres makeup sets full of glitter and lipstick, LOL, bakery sets, hair dressing and baby crap. These are all toys in the aisle for girls.

The boys however have a choice of logical games, exciting Lego (police, vehicles and superheroes), coding games, building blocks, maths and science kits. Everything to get them ahead academically.

Why is this ok? And why isn't anyone doing anything about this? Are people really ok with raising their daughters to look pretty and be mummy first, whilst boys get a head start in problem solving leaving the girls to fall behind further perpetuating the stereotype that females are emotional and not logical?

I wanted to get her a lego police car to add to her box of legos but I felt a bit apprehensive as I wouldn't want her to not feel like she fits in with all the other girls.

Yabu and frankly I think you’re just looking to have a go at the whole girls vs boys aisles. No one but you is stopping you from buying a supposed ‘boy’ toy - I don’t even know nor notice different gender aisles - I buy whatever the kids what, not colour or aisle specific - you are creating this problem abs this is your projection, be careful you don’t pass this onto your daughter. My son (who happily is sitting with painted red nails just like his sister abs mummy) has no concept on girls stuff can boys stuff - that’s on you.

Dd5 got poppy from trolls, Anna and Elsa dolls, princess dresses and sylvanian families play set.

Dd8 got a science kit, make your own slime, a plasma ball and art supplies. Her list at 5 would have looked similar to dd5 this year.

I have bought them plenty of things from your boys list, I would say most of those are gender neutral. They've never not fit in with their friends.

Buy a range of things, expose them to lots of different things. Ime girls seem to go through a pink sparkly princess stage from about 3-5/6. Some continue, others then have less 'girly' interests.

Guineapig99 have you actually looked at the Lego Friends sets? Yes there are some pink pieces but also dozens and dozens of other colours. One of the new sets coming out for January is one with the STEM obsessed character Olivia and her electric car and wind power turbine. That's much more impressive than yet more police/fire over in Lego City !
I also have a Lego Wonder Woman figure. She is from the DC Superheroes range that used the (friends style) minidolls instead of minifigs. I also have Bat Girl and Bumblebee Girl* from that range.
*not sure of the actual character name of the bumblebee one !!

Do the toys say 'boys' and 'girls' on them? If not buy her some from all sections.

Frozen Lego and doctor Lego

You are the main problem here.

But if pink toys are for girls how do we know if a toy that isn't pink is for girls? Iyswim....

I felt a bit apprehensive as I wouldn't want her to not feel like she fits in with all the other girls.

Unless the things say “girls only”’or “boys only” on them YABU and actually perpetuating this nonsense with thoughts about not fitting in etc. Unless you need a Willy or fanjo to operate a toy (and if it’s for children this will never be the case!) then you can buy whatever toy you like!

You’re buying into the issue tbh.

Just buy her wherever she will play with and enjoy, Ignore the packaging. There’s loads of Lego that is “non gendered”.

Brands trying to be gender specific with toys is annoying. However, you buy what your child might like. When my daughter was a toddler she wanted a kitchen, so she had one that wasn't pink. She's nine now and loves Lego. She's currently building one of the 3 in 1 sets which looks water transport based from where I am. But she does like Lego Friends and Elves. She's spent some Christmas money on Minecraft Lego and has also had a whale of a time with a National Geographic Stem activity.

You're feeding it by saying yourself that the pink Lego is for girls and the cars and coding are for the boys. Even by saying that the aisles are for one gender or the other (although I think shops should mix it all up) is buying into the gender stereotypes. I bought my 2 year old boy a pink pram and doll from a toy shop years ago (his choice) as we browsed all the aisles. Just take her along all the aisles and see what takes her interest?

You are and you aren't.

YANBU to be pissed of at toys being gendered and girl meaning everything pink,sparkly,flowery etc even for gender neutral things like lego, building stuff, cars etc.

YABU however to pay any attention to it. Buy what your kids wants/likes regardless of which aisle it's on. When you search online just put lego/playmobil/car/ superheroes set/doctor set whatever without boy/girl into it. Then pick what fits the most.

I buy what DD is into regardless of how supermarket,toy shops or clothes shops try to differentiate them.

I never worried about her being "left out" or the odd one out because she always had a varied selection of toys and interests so anyone coming over,boy or girl , would have something to play with. Same for when she went over for a playdate.

Also my stepson once asked for a pink sparkly skirt when he was 3 so my husband and his ex bought one (30 years ago now!) he wore it to preschool, no one batted an eyelid. He grew out of that phase and not that it matters at all, he doesn't wear them now and is getting married (to a girl) next year.

YANBU, I agree there is an issue I felt the same when buying for my nieces and nephews for christmas, however in your OP you said this, which just perpetuates the issue imho:

I wanted to get her a lego police car to add to her box of legos but I felt a bit apprehensive as I wouldn't want her to not feel like she fits in with all the other girls.

I don't know what it's like in your local toy store, but I haven't seen any 'girls aisle' and 'boys aisle' signs. Lego is altogether in one aisle. Categorised by theme. I have 2 DDs, the eldest is 5. She's got lots of Lego City sets. She was building the ice cream van the other day. Nothing remotely boyish or girly about it. She's got the police station set and i can't imagine any of her friends making fun of her for having it.

Pink fucking ‘friends’ Lego gives me the rage, so don’t buy it

Completely ridiculous. It's not 'pink' lego ffs. It's just lego in a variety of colours and often far more impressive than the shit they churn out and rehash for city. The first large fairground sets were fantastic. School, hospital, great houses. Plenty of variety if you didn't want a shop or cafe. They even did go carting sets last year!

Funny too how no one give a shit before 'friends'. No one kicked off that all the boxes were 'blue' and lego was targeted primarily at the male market with pirates, castle, city, adventurers, space, bionicle, Ben 10, chima, ninjago, monster fighters, vehicles, superheroes and endless bloody Star Wars. Yet 'friends' is somehow evil stereotyping.

I allow my DD's to play with what they like, not what I force on them.

@Whatsnewpussyhat

Pink fucking ‘friends’ Lego gives me the rage, so don’t buy it

Completely ridiculous. It's not 'pink' lego ffs. It's just lego in a variety of colours and often far more impressive than the shit they churn out and rehash for city. The first large fairground sets were fantastic. School, hospital, great houses. Plenty of variety if you didn't want a shop or cafe. They even did go carting sets last year!

Funny too how no one give a shit before 'friends'. No one kicked off that all the boxes were 'blue' and lego was targeted primarily at the male market with pirates, castle, city, adventurers, space, bionicle, Ben 10, chima, ninjago, monster fighters, vehicles, superheroes and endless bloody Star Wars. Yet 'friends' is somehow evil stereotyping.

I allow my DD's to play with what they like, not what I force on them.

I completely agree!

MeringueCloud I agree too. Guineapig99 is probably one of those people who read an article about Lego Friends when it was first released (8 years ago!!) but hasn't actually looked at the sets and what various themes there have been.

Girls like castles, Star Wars, ninjas etc.
Lego Friends is a fab range. Some great builds there, good characters and great STEM representation.
images.app.goo.gl/xfWeYmRvQdLQ5xvr9

Girls like castles, Star Wars, ninjas etc

Of course, but my point was that for the 20 years prior to friends, these sets were marketed solely at/for boys. So why suddenly are people kicking off because one single range began targeting girls? One that started a massive resurgence in kids (and adults!) building with lego because of the variety of new colours, pieces and also the more 'normal' and relatable settings.

We have lego from all themes, but when friends came out it was just so bright, cheerful and different.

Lego should bring back Fabuland!

WhatWouldPhyllisCraneDo
OMG YES !!!
BRING BACK FABULAND !!

I have some old fabuland somewhere...

Mine is all in the 'children's bedroom' at my mums house. Along with all DBs lego, the brio, my tea-set, duplo and whatever else she kept

You are a part of the problem. I have a 5 year old girl. For Christmas she got Star Wars lego, a scooter, Sylvanian Familiesa amd an LOL. Her 7 year old brother got the same. They never once questioned whether it was for boys or girls. They got cars and sparkly lip balm in their stockings, also hair accessories as they both have long hair.
They like the same things as they only play with each other these days.

I bought the Lego Friends Ice Cream Cart from Aldi yesterday. Out of 97 pieces only 12 are pink. Soooo disappointed. I thought this was meant to be the 'pink' range.
Although it is a least encouraging girls to become ice cream sellers - isn't it usually a job done by a certain MR Whippy or a bloke called Mario ?
(Sarcastic )