So refreshing to see an advertisement where a little boy is displaying a typically “female” toy.
Rainbow doll pram
gender
Worried?
Start poorly
Your child can be anything they want to be. Sometimes you just have to give them opportunity, perhaps opportunities you originally may not have thought were suitable for their age, gender, size, ability etc. Challenge them. Let them give it a go and let them learn and experience the world in whatever way they can.
Girl power
I really interesting read about how gender stereotypes are becoming less rigid.
The article states how when asked to draw a scientist 1 in 3 21st century children draw a female scientist compared with 0 children before the year 1996. More females are also undertaking science degrees which is a real step in the right direction!
It’s really nice to hear some positive news in regards to gender stereotypes.y undergraduate dissertation was on this topic hence my interest in this area.
Link below:
One day they will be…
Something I feel passionate about is tackling gender stereotypes at an early age and encouraging boys to play with girls toys and visa versa. I really love this picture as it shows how happy little boys can be if we just let them play with “girly” dolls. There’s nothing to be ashamed of, at the end of the day it’s just a toy but there are parents out there who shape their children’s minds into believing boys must play with “boys” toys and therefore say unkind words to boys such as those in this picture. Let’s make it a norm that a toys are unisex after all, your son may be a dad one day.
Audi Espana
It’s nice to see such a large, global company tackling gender stereotypes in their newest advert. Enjoy!
That’s for girls, that’s for boys
The Let Toys Be Toys campaign is asking the toy and publishing industries to stop limiting children’s interests by promoting some toys and books as only suitable for girls, and others only for boys.
I’d strongly urge you all to have a browse through their website and give them a follow on Twitter for interesting posts and updates: @lettoysbetoys
I have attached below a link to their website as well as a link to an interesting article they have published about children’s views on stereotyped toys.
http://www.lettoysbetoys.org.uk/thats-for-girls-and-thats-for-boys/
DC Super Hero Girls
Lego have got some bad press in recent times due to the release of their Lego friends range which was very much aimed at girls.Lego had always been viewed as a gender neutral toy but with the introduction to this range it seems as though Lego suffered from a lot of backlash. Although, the bad comments seem to have done something to the Lego head office and they are now releasing a female Lego superhero range, yay!
Above you can see a picture of the new superhero range. It has been said that the DC superhero line will include 11 superhero women. It’s a move in the right direction and encourages children to not conform to gender stereotypes through play. It encourages young girls, in particular, to broaden their horizons and makes them realise that they can be superheroes too. Girls can be cool too.
http://www.kveller.com/legos-new-line-of-female-superheroes-is-the-toy-we-deserve/
A round of applause for the ELC
The Early Learning Centre was my favourite shop when I was younger. For those of you who aren’t aware, the ELC is a toy shop opened in the 1970’s based all over the UK. Their ethos is shown below.
Helping children be all they can be
At Early Learning Centre, we do all we can to help mums help children grow into happy, self-confident people.
We create fantastic toys – toys that help develop vital skills, toys that help children get off to the best possible start, and toys that are tremendous fun.
All our toys are designed to help children explore the boundaries of their imaginations and creativity , to make learning fun and help children be all they can be.
I have always been a fan of the shop and all that they do in promoting children’s play but this recent picture made me develop even more of an appreciation for the company. The caption that went along with the picture went as follows:
“Your little boy or girl will have so much fun with their Magical Mimi Hairdresser’s Belt”
The picture itself shows a young boy dressed in the typical boy colour of blue yet, he has the pink “Magical Mimi Hairdresser’s Belt” wrapped around his waist. I love the fact that ELC are so open about children being able to play with whatever toy suits them best, whether boys play with pink hairdressing toys or girls play with cars. Whatever the case, children should be able to play with toys that help them to express themselves. I feel that more companies should learn from ELC and advertise their toys to appeal to all audiences. If your son wants to be a builder then that’s ok, and if your son wants to wear a tutu and be a ballet dancer that’s ok too.
Well done ELC, you are the future!
The new Barbie
What fantastic news! Mattel ( the company that creates Barbie ) have officially announced a new range of the Barbie doll which includes 6 different skin tones, varying healthy body shapes as well as curly red hair, afros and even long blue hair! I personally believe this is a step in the right direction.
A link to the article published by The Guardian:
Charities such as Beat, have been campaigning for years to try and get the Barbie doll to become more representative of true life and it seems that all of their hard word has finally payed off.
However, can we fully blame Barbie dolls for the rise in children with eating disorders and body dissatisfaction? There are many other influences in a child’s life including celebrities, air brushed pictures, magazines including comments such as “doesn’t she look fat!” and tv adverts which all seem to represent women in an unrealistic way.
The dolls have also been subject to criticism as although they are more representative than they were, they are still “smaller” than the average size 16 UK woman. However, will making a size 16 Barbie doll promote healthy body image?
The article also seems to make it feel like being thin is a negative thing. The original Barbie has become victimised because of her size yet we must remember some woman are naturally thin. This drastic change could therefore make them feel uncomfortable about their bodies, perhaps creating more problems.
Overall yes, I am pleased with the changes that have been made but I still feel there is a long way to go.
everythingchild 