Girls play outside less than boys even at two years old

[WarriorN]

https://www.theguardian.com/education/2024/oct/18/girls-play-outside-less-than-boys-even-at-two-years-old-uk-survey-reveals?CMP=ShareiOSAppp_Other

I find this really sad.

Could it be linked to internalised parental sexism attitudes?

I do remember going to toddler singing groups with my two and being quite surprised it was mostly girls.

And I also remember one day where most of the girls were very scared of Dinosaurs, which happened to be the theme. (I bloody loved dinosaurs from an early age.)

I've got to the point where I distrust anything the Guardian has to say about women and girls. (previously an avid reader for 30 years until Cologne New Year 2015)

Girls are 'allowed' to be 'scared', and often get positive attention for being so. Boys on the other hand tend to be jollied out of it. you see this with primary-aged children. A group of the girls will squeal and say, totally unconvincingly, 'Oooh, I'm SOOO scared of XYZ' and back theatrically up against a wall. Unless someone steps in fast and says, 'Do you REALLY think that's going to hurt you?' other girls will join them.

The boys OTOH take the piss out of each other for being scared, and also get much more of the 'Come on Tommy! Look, it's only a model!' attitude.

As for the outdoors, girls clothes are often less convenient for outdoor play, and also show the dirt much more (white socks for the girls at primary school, grey for the boys, for example). A lot of parents still put quite a premium on their girls looking girly and neat and clean.

There is still a huge amount of ingrained sexism, and it's so common and expected that it's not even commented upon. I used to work in a school where the children in the lower years had colouring books that they could use when they'd finished their work and the teacher was happy with it. Boys got pirates/dragons/racing cars, girls got fairies/princesses/fluffy kittens. I was 😯

It's not helped by the fact that so many toys are clearly aimed at one sex or the other. It can be tricky to find something more neutral.

It annoyed the hell out of me from the time I was first pregnant back in the 90s and, um, yesterday when 2/3 of the girls I was dealing with decided something was 'scary' as the boys dashed to the front to see. I can understand that there might be inbuilt differences in attitudes towards risk ingrained from our evolutionary past, but I don't think it's right to accentuate this in a way that is likely to disadvantage girls.

ETA: Though I do agree with @Toseland about the Graun!

Look are childrens parties.
Boys... trousers/shorts and a top.
Girls... skirts and dresses.
Which is better for the park, soft ay, bouncy castle etc?

As for the outdoors, girls clothes are often less convenient for outdoor play, and also show the dirt much more (white socks for the girls at primary school, grey for the boys, for example). A lot of parents still put quite a premium on their girls looking girly and neat and clean

Anecdotal, but I’m thinking immediately of two young relatives of mine who were always dressed in flouncy, sparkly pink. They loved tearing around outside and getting messy but their mother was obsessed with pink, pink, pink, preferably Disney, and dressing them alike (they aren’t twins). On one awful occasion when they were visiting me, we went to ‘see the horses’ up the lane near my house and one of them accidentally tore her dress on some barbed wire. You’d think from her mother’s reaction that she’d committed the worst crime of all time. Child was petrified with fear. I was aghast at the fallout, having already been utterly bemused at the outfits they’d been put into (aged about 6/7 at the time) instead of sensible jeans and sweatshirts. They never wore those, always dresses. Mother is totally brainwashed with rigid gender roles, though, so I shouldn’t have been surprised (god knows what she thinks of me but I can guess).

It's obvious why; stereotypes which are alive and kicking. Girls are socialised to be quiet and calm. Boys are encouraged to run around.

You see it on here all the time "I've got boys, they're never still." All children love running around and playing.

There was a thread of suggestions for what to do with her 6 year old daughter. Face packs, crafts, films, nail polish were all suggested. All boring stationary stuff inside the house.

Then there are complaints that schooling is too feminised for boys. Bring boys up the same as girls and they'll sit still in class.

I know exactly what you mean re guardian and trust worthy ness, Sally Weal is pretty good though (I follow her) and is only reporting on a study

journals.humankinetics.com/view/journals/jpah/aop/article-10.1123-jpah.2024-0155/article-10.1123-jpah.2024-0155.xml

Gender stereotypes are unfortunately alive and well in 2024. That great source of data, the Argos Catalogue, has, fair enough, done away with the Boys' and Girls' toys categories. Many of the science-y toys now have boys and girls on the packaging. Many of the manufacturing companies avoid the issue by no longer picture any children at all on the packaging. And as far as I can see, all of the children pictured with dolls are girls.

But the gender message is given in other ways, e.g. the colour of the packaging, or even just the name and description.
Here are two random items from the same 'non-gendered' list of 'Role Play Toys':

Marvel Avengers Titan Hero Thanos Deluxe Action Figure Imagine the terrible Titan warlord threatening earth with this 30-cm-scale Thanos figure.

Disney Princess Style Collection Toy Tea Set Sleek, chic and oh so fun, this modern Disney Princess Style Collection Sweet Stylin' Tea Set provides an elegant, realistic and fun play experience.

Who needs 'boy' / 'girl' labels??🙄

But doesn't this mean the girls are all inside improving their brains? I was.

I sadly know how much stereotyping is alive and well; and concur with clothing. My boys' school shoes are so robust compared to their female peers.' I also only ever seem to buy one pair (bar growth spurts) whereas friends with girls seem to need a range. One girl I know used to deliberately choose the "boys" shoes as she knew how crap the girls' were.

I suppose I'm really surprised the lack of outdoor activity is starting as young as 2.

The other thing that got my goat was the lack of art / craft gifts for my boys' birthdays. A friend with a girl said it was pretty much all she got.

Of course it's parental ignorance. So many people think boys have more energy and, the old tinky laugh MN favourite, "need to be exercised like dogs" whereas girls are naturally inclined to sit quietly and play with their dolls.

As for the outdoors, girls clothes are often less convenient for outdoor play

This is very true. My DDs (5&2) have always worn thicker joggers from the "boys" section because the girls' clothes seemed to be more thin leggings.

You see it on here all the time "I've got boys, they're never still." All children love running around and playing.

I agree. All the "only boy mums understand how muddy and wild toddlers/young children can be".

Nauseating.

Hmm interesting, not sure about the younger ages but definately notice more boys in the park on their own than girls, I wonder if parents of boys feel more comfortable letting them play out independently at a young age? I have boys and have let them play out for a while, not sure if I'd feel differently with girls.

It might explain why girls do better at school in the academic sense, but it's not great for their self-confidence and sense of derring-do.

ETA The whole thing used to really annoy me. 'Boys will be boys!' said the simpering mother, as her young son shoved his way past my DDs in the queue for the flume.... What does teach the boy, and the girls?

It's stereotypes. Has anyone ever watched that clip where they switch the babies/toddlers clothes and watch how people play with them.

Eta

I live in an Indian area of the UK and both boys and girls rarely play outside unless at school or for a specific day out. It feeds into a wider theme of lack of exercise / fresh air becoming ingrained in our cultures from infancy.

Concerns about sex offenders, particularly as women and girls make up the vast majority of those targeted by offenders, will have a major part to play in this.

People aren't sending two-year-old boys out to play unsupervised but keeping their two-year-old girls at home for fear of sexual assult. This might be a factor for much older children but I don't see how it can be a "major" part.

No one in their right mind let's a two year old play unsupervised. The article is about children as young as two and the difference between how they are treated.

To think boys aren't targeted by predators is dangerously naive.

This. I love dresses, think they look fab, but I have now decided that unless something really stands out, I'm not buying another dress.

Having flappy fabric around your legs is just not conducive to movement. Neither are uncomfortable jeans or trousers, but skirts - definitely no.

There have been studies showing that older girls can feel intimidated in outdoor play areas.

Think of your typical skate park. There's often a posse of lads sat at the top of the ramp. It takes a very brave teenage girl to want to use it.

@OuterSpaceCadet teenage I could understand what you're saying, but I'm thinking more 6-10 year olds, I don't think those insecurities have set by my those ages surely? I don't remember being intimidated by groups of boys until high school plus. My nieces happily go play in the park but they go supervised so won't be out as much as my boys are.

I think it's got everything to do with fathers thinking it's important that their sons start to develop motor skills, ball control, and so on at an early age, and their daughters... not so much.

Based on my own experiences, I was often cold so hated going outdoors. DB had long trousers and closed shoes. I had a knee-length skirt, lacy socks, and T-bar shoes. I used to get wet feet if it was raining.

Mothers can and do teach ball skills too; especially if they have been sporty and physically active themselves.

Unfortunately, there do seem to be too many mothers who exercise too much caution around their daughters when in play grounds etc - and the girly clothing doesn't help, either.......I've lost count of the times i've seen parents instruct girls ( but also boys too) not to get their clothes/new trainers and so on dirty