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Original poster

Opinions on gender-neutral toys

60 replies

mumzylou · 30/04/2018 12:57

Hi guys I would like everyones thoughts on gender-neutral toys concerning development of skills, is it more beneficial for a child to play with toys designed for their specific gender?

Thank you.
Louise

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Elelfrance · 30/04/2018 13:07

ehm no .... my pair's favorite game at the minute is piling up stones to make a fort for ants & spiders ... 1 girl 1 boy ... not sure what gender the insects are though
they're learning teamwork, cooperation, how to build stuff, natural world etc etc

Tamingoftheglue · 30/04/2018 13:11

There are no boys toys or girls toys, there are just toys.

Incarnationsofunderstanding · 30/04/2018 13:13

Oh I love getting the chance to use this one!

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

General parenting Toys

SittingAround1 · 30/04/2018 13:13

A mix of toys for both sexes is good. Let them play with what they want.

SleepingStandingUp · 30/04/2018 13:16

for a child to play with toys designed for their specific gender?

They are way too young for those toys.

My son loves cars, dinosaurs, unicorns, his pushchair that he uses for his doll, unicorn, dinosaurs and sheep, lego, books, Mr Tumble, Ubercorn, My Little Pony, his kitchen, his football, jigsaw puzzles, building blocks

ErrolTheDragon · 30/04/2018 13:17

Have a read of http://lettoysbetoys.org.uk - 'let toys be toys', a campaign started by some MNers.

In short, no - there are toys, let your kids play with a range depending on their interests not their sex. To give you an example: It was extremely beneficial for my DD to play with electronics kits (which some idiots might think were 'boys toys' and then request a soldering iron for her birthday when she was about 12. She's now doing an engineering at Cambridge and landed a good summer placement because her practical skills include soldering!

Dubdoor · 30/04/2018 13:19

Toys don't have a gender.

Any child can play with any toy.

Chinesecrested · 30/04/2018 13:22

If you've only got boys it's a waste of money to buy dollies, Barbie, or My Little Pony. (Unless they ask).
If you've only got girls, no point buying Batman stuff or Scalextric (again, unless they ask)
Some toys are gender neutral - Little tykes red cars, Marble run, board games, scooters

Sandsnake · 30/04/2018 13:26

Incarnation - that’s brilliant!

Soubriquet · 30/04/2018 13:29

Oh crap!

You mean I wasn't supposed to let my Ds play with babies pushchairs and a pink hoover?!

Noooooo!! My poor boy will be ruined

Or you know, I'll accept the fact it's a bloody toy and toys are suitable for both sexes

ErrolTheDragon · 30/04/2018 13:31

If you've only got girls, no point buying Batman stuff or Scalextric (again, unless they ask)

Rubbish. There's no point buying a kid any very expensive toy unless you have some clue that they'd like it, but you can't judge that unless they get to play with a good range of toys. You can't automatically prejudge what any one child will like based on their sex.

gallicgirl · 30/04/2018 13:34

If your toy is operated by genitals then it's probably not suitable for any child. All the other toys are suitable for all children.
Pick a toy based on the skills you want your child to develop.
Oh, where are you going to be publishing these responses, by the way?

SleepingStandingUp · 30/04/2018 13:40

If you've only got boys it's a waste of money to buy dollies, Barbie, or My Little Pony. (Unless they ask). If you've only got girls, no point buying Batman stuff or Scalextric (again, unless they ask)
So I'd buy a boy batman without him asking but is expect him to ask for Cinderella? My daughter can have a pony without asking but not a dinosaur?

Some all toys [for children] are gender neutral - Little tykes red cars, Marble run, board games, scooters, batman, dolls, mlp, scslextrix

Hope that helps Chinese

Original poster

mumzylou · 30/04/2018 13:43

so as parents do you think you're completely unbiased towards gender when buying toys for a child that couldn't ask for specific types of toy?

OP posts:

systemlakeland · 30/04/2018 13:44

www.city.ac.uk/news/2016/july/infants-prefer-toys-typed-to-their-gender,-says-study

Children as young as 9 months-old prefer to play with toys specific to their own gender, according to a new study from academics at City University London and UCL.

The paper, which is published in the journal of Infant and Child Development, shows that in a familiar nursery environment significant sex differences were evident at an earlier age than gendered identity is usually demonstrated.

Fromage · 30/04/2018 13:47

mumsylou

in reply to your OP:

no, that's bullshit
actually it's damaging, imo, to restrict children from playing with toys just because they were meant for the opposite sex in the olden days

Also - "development of skills" you said - what skills? Are planning for your son to be an engineer and thus need him to play with Meccano, or perhaps you want your daughter to be a nurse so she'd be better off a dress up nurse outfit? If so, you should know that no university or employer ever, has been interested in what toys a candidate played with as a child. "Really great at playing with the toy kitchen" cuts no ice when applying for catering college.

RBBMummy · 30/04/2018 13:48

Toys don't have genders just let them pick what they like. Some days that might be more stereotypically feminine. Some days that might be more stereotypically masculine. Doesn't matter.

Soubriquet · 30/04/2018 13:48

I buy toys I know my children will like

Now Ds likes dolls, hatchimals, cars, paw patrol,pj masks and things like that

Dd likes dolls, hatchimals, cars, paw patrol,pj masks and things like that.

See the similarities? They both like the toys I buy because they can play with them. Not because they are girl and boy toys.

I might buy dd a scooter in purple because she asks for it but that doesn't mean it's a girls scooter and Ds can't use it

Fromage · 30/04/2018 13:50

Oh you've asked a completely different question now.

Have you been hired by a publication or is this for your blog?

ErrolTheDragon · 30/04/2018 13:50

so as parents do you think you're completely unbiased towards gender when buying toys for a child that couldn't ask for specific types of toy?

I tried to be. However, many people still are biased - Xmas and birthdays often resulted in a high proportion of gendered gifts.

EspressoPatronum · 30/04/2018 13:51

@systemlakeland

Babies of different sex are treated differently pretty much from birth.

SleepingStandingUp · 30/04/2018 13:55

Link didn't work.

I do find it funny how many are squeamish about my son having a dolly. He does prefer unicorn and we all know unicorns are boy toys though

ArcheryAnnie · 30/04/2018 13:57

All toys are gender-neutral. It's only the conditioned response of adults which makes anyone think one toy or another is gendered.

Let your DC play with whatever takes their eye.

Wait4nothing · 30/04/2018 13:58

I buy (and provide suggestions for family when asked for ideas) dd a good range of toys (I’m a teacher so think about what I would expect in a nursery environment). She has bricks and dolls and soft toys and a train track for example. I avoid expensive character toys (as I don’t think play value is worth money as they are often outgrown quicker) and hope to as much as possible as she gets older. If buying for other people I would only buy a specific gendered toy if asked - I normally choose duplo, outdoor toys, board games, craft stuff depending on the child.

ErrolTheDragon · 30/04/2018 14:00

toys designed for their specific gender?

OP, what sort of toy are you even thinking of which is 'designed for a specific gender' which might actually contribute to 'development of skills'? if by any chance you mean things like pink 'girls science' kits, then no, they're not beneficial compared to ungendered science kits. They're patronising and 'othering'.

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