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Original poster

Appropriate ages for toys and other things?

74 replies

MirandaG · 27/12/2008 17:21

Trying to work this out. My DD1 is 5 and I am surprised at the amount of High St Musical, Hannah Montana etc that girls of her age seem to be given. I thought these were for older girls? Last year my DD2 got a Bratz towel (she was five months). A Bratz birthday cake also featured at one point for my (then) four year old. DD1 comes home from school singing Mamma Mia songs and 'I kissed a girl, I liked it'. (This has been banned - am trying to ignore Mamma Mia although not happy about this either) I realise that this isn't a new topic, but what is it all about?
Can't they just be little girls for a while?

Sorry ranting a bit, but would be interested in what people think is the appropriate age range for the following themed toys?

Hello Kitty
Charlie and Lola
High St Musical
Barbie
Bratz
Hannah Montana

OP posts:

DontCallMeBaby · 28/12/2008 19:52

I think the difference is that Hello Kitty is about merchandise first and foremost - I've just had to look her up to see if there are any stories etc behind her! So she's just an image, not one with embarrassingly childish stories associated with her.

I have to hold back from suggesting characters/toys etc might be too young for DD now (unless it's going to cost me money, in which case I can be quite quick to suggest it's 'for babies' ). She hasn't yet spontanously shown any real contempt for anything 'too young', I'm mildly surprised after a term at school.

She does sing an oddly-worded variation on Mamma Mia almost constantly though - but she's not seen the film, she'd be bored rigid by it.

Cupofteaplease · 28/12/2008 20:46

Well, I seem to be in the minority here (as I often seem to be...) but, dd1 is 3 and she has been into Carlie and Lola for a VERY long time now, to the point that she gave her new C+L DVD to her 18 month old sister as 'she'll enjoy this Mummy because she's a baby' However, I taught in a Year1 class last year and they LOVED hearing C+L stories, whereas my current Year2 class are not interested at all.

Hello Kitty- had no dealings with this yet.

HSM- dd1 and I have seen HSM3 twice in the cinema. The idea of a love story is lost on her, she just loves the music and dancing. Consequently, she loves all the merchandise and has the cheerleader dress with pompoms and was given hair clips for Christmas.

Barbie- she was given 2 for Christmas last year, but has shown no interst since.

Bratz- she has no idea about these yet.

Hannah Montana- who??!!

Smithagain · 28/12/2008 20:52

Clary - actually, you are probably right about the books. My 6yo LOVES watching Charlie and Lola on TV, and thoroughly enjoyed the live (puppet) show at the theatre, but I doubt she would read the picture books now. So maybe the merchandise is aimed at younger kids but the programme still appeals to older ones?

Clary · 28/12/2008 21:23

...

Original poster

MirandaG · 28/12/2008 21:32

I don't really know Hannah Montana but DD2 (5) got a birthday card featuring her. Don't tell the Year 5 girls but we got a Hello Kitty video out of the library last year and, put it this way, the storylines in Charlie and Lola are sophisticated in comparison

OP posts:

Clary · 28/12/2008 21:35

well that doesn't surprise me Miranda.

I don't think the yr 5 girls at our school are as sophisticated as they would like to have me believe...

Hulababy · 28/12/2008 21:39

From my experience, which is pretty much only girls:

Hello Kitty - no idea
Charlie and Lola - 2y to 5y
High St Musical - 4y (reception) to 10/11y (upper primary)
Barbie - 3y to 10/11y
Bratz - hopeflly never I guess 5y to 10/11y if they must though
Hannah Montana - same as HSM

My 6y loves all things HSM and Hannah Montana, has loved Barbie and Polly Pocket since 3yo. She adores Mamma Mia and other musicals. She listens to pop musical, plus some of "our" music too, as well as HSM et al constantly on her CD/MP3 player in her room, forever singing and dancing with friends.

I dont like her sining the "I kissed a girl" song and one or two other more sexualised sogs, and don;t put them onto her MP3 player for her, but she hears them at school (older girls) and on the radio.

However, despite all this she remains a very sheltered and naive little girl, bright as a button but definitely not street wise. She is certainly my little girl.

These things IME do not make little girls grow up too soon.

Hulababy · 28/12/2008 21:42

NorthernLurker - what on earth is wrong with giving children musicial equipment in their room? DD had a CD player in her bedroom from practicially birth. A soft gentle lullaby or classical track was really nice in the early feeding hours. And then she loved her nursery rhymes on it, and gradually more proper music. Can't personally see anything wrong with a child of any age wanting to listen to, sing to and dance along to music in their room. DD now has a CD player with iPod docking station in her room (Christmas present) - she worked out how to use within 15 minutes and it has been a huge hit.

Hulababy · 28/12/2008 21:49

I also think as parents too many adults over think these things. Children don;t see the sexualised aspect of things some parents see in them.

Honestly, HSM - there is nothing harmful in it at all. On its siplest level it is just singing and dancing. For the slightly older ones there is a kiss in the second film and 2 or 3 int he 3rd film. The whole point of the films to is the message that it is okay to be yourself and not change to fit in. There is no swearing in it, nothing sexualised, etc. It is a Disney film - sickly sweet and harmless IMO

My 6y loves Mamma Mia - she doesn;t even question the atual story line as such. Not interested in why there could be three fathers - however, she is interested in the whole singing and dancing again.

I personally believe that so long as us parents are actually talking to our children, and guiding them and informing them of stuff - then these toys and films are NOT the problem. However if we fill their heads with all the "you can't have this because..." stuff then we set them up to believe that it is so.

ramonaquimby · 28/12/2008 21:49

to be fair to northernlurker she said media centers - I take that to imply dvd players/tvs/ computers that sort of thing

Hulababy · 28/12/2008 22:03

Fair enough - I certainly wouldn;t want DD having a TV, DVD or computer in her bedroom. She has access to a computer, and prob a laptop of her own again soon - but it will remain downstairs for supervised use.

Clary · 28/12/2008 22:08

Interesting what you say there about Mamma Mia Hula.

I went with a few pals, none of whose DDs (all 7) had seen it - but some of their peers had.

We all came out saying "no way will they see that for a while yet" - really because of what I feel is quite an adult theme (plus one or two rather saucy bits).

So I am interested that yr DD missed that completely. I think maybe an older child might pick up on it but it be a tricky question IYSWIM - ie a 7-8 yo hmm, a 10 yo yes no probs we'll talk about that.

Hulababy · 28/12/2008 22:16

Honestly it hasn;t been an issue at all with DD. She absolutely loves the film and i had no problem with buying her the DVD. Infact she watched it again to do with her nana, for the 4th time (or 5th?) Yes, she comments on the story line and knows that the girl has 3 dads and doesn;t knwo which is the right one - but that's as far as it goes. She hasn't asked anything more about how and why. A lot of her frinds at school have also seen it, both in her year group and in the older years, plus one or two of the lower years as well. the girls are always singing and dancing to the songs in the playground.

I wouldn't allow DD to see Grease or Dirty Dancing yet, but Mamma Mia wasn't an issue here. All DD is interested in is all the singing and dancing anyway.

ramonaquimby · 28/12/2008 22:22

my 7 year old has also watched it with me - completely over her head, if she was watching it at an older age - would be a different story I think

NorthernLurkerwithastarontop · 28/12/2008 22:23

I did indeed mean entire walls of electrical equipment

Hulababy · 28/12/2008 22:24

I think I'd be more wary of watching with an 11y than a 6/7yo TBH. Simply because of the story line - but then hopefully I'd just deal with any questions as they arose ina proper manner.

MilaMae · 28/12/2008 22:41

Ds5 adores Mama Mia,I have no problems with it what so ever, it's a great film and he loves the songs. Not sure what's wrong with the 3 fathers issue if it came up which it hasn't. She doesn't know who her dad is-err so. Saucy bits-where were they then? Agree with Hulababy in that any questions would be dealt with through discussion.

Bratz and Barbie are total trash a complete and utter waste of money with practically zilch play value in them unless you consider dressing up like a hooker,going shopping and wanting to be a star to be valuable activities. Wouldn't waste a penny of my money on either and wouldn't be keen on them coming in the house but not sure about going so far as banning. Thankfully none of the dc are interested in either.

High School Musical and Hannah Montana I haven't seen and the dc don't know they exist so can't comment.

Clary · 29/12/2008 00:17

saucy bits - that bit with the mock willy. And maybe some others but that was the one that sticks. I fell asleep tho so there may have been more

Maybe we were all hyper aware - as had been discussing beforehand whether to let them see it or not...

DD can be very acute anout some things and not at all about others so maybe it would be fine. I really wouldn't want to be explaining the storyline to a 7yo tho. 11yo yes no problemo. I think anyway....

Mind you DD has shown no interest so maybe I have got away with it (phew).

Yes agree Grease much much worse. HSM totally fine tho. Even the girl with glasses is beautiful really

piximon · 29/12/2008 00:50

all fans of Hello Kitty in our house, I have several episodes of the show and it attracts ds1 (5.10) to dts (almost 2), even dh watches it. I'm in my early 30s and still cherish the one I was bought as a toddler.

None of mine are big fans of C&L and no interest in HSM/HM/Bratz etc, dd1 is 4 and obsessed with fairies and princesses.

DaniellaC · 29/12/2008 01:38

I'm 17 and me and most of my friends at college still listen to high school musical and hannah montana i also have some hello kitty trainers.I think most children go through a stage of being too old but still secretly like it then when they are older will admit to liking it again. It is actually quite 'trendy' to like HSM and Hannah Montana at my college.

Original poster

MirandaG · 31/12/2008 17:23

so it's not teletubbies for students anymore?!

OP posts:

christywhisty · 03/01/2009 17:14

DD 11 loves Hello Kitty (not watching it just the likes pj's bags etc), HSM, Hannah Montanna and Mamma Mia. She giggled a bit at some of the saucy bits in Dancing Queen and Does Your Mother Know.
My Nieces were still watching HSM into their mid teens.

mumeeee · 04/01/2009 17:36

DD2 is 19 she stil likes Hello Kitty stuff and stil watches HSM films.My nine year old watches the HSM films but doesn;t like the stuff now. She has just got into Hannah Momtanna and I think that is about the right age.

americannails · 12/03/2009 16:19

MirandaG - I am with you on this one, I feel old and stuffy when I say no to some things - like BRATZ. My dd is almost 9 now and at parties when I see what the other girls are wearing and types of presents being given at parties-I am left perplexed. Fortunately my dd lives in jeans.

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