The topic ‘toys’ is one of the overlooked subjects in most people’s lives. Their significance, however, is of great concern to parents and guardians of children from their birth to adulthood. Psychologists are one of the personalities who best understand this topic. In their understanding, toys are not just toys in general. There are toys for boys and toys for girls. Some are unisex. Looking deeper into toys helps to determine which toys are appropriate for a certain gender and stages of growth. This in depth look at toys also helps in identifying the purpose of toys to children besides just creating fun and constructive distraction. This paper seeks to clarify the differences in toys and their purpose in generating basic skills in the young beings.
Despite all the sex segregation of toys, there are some toys that are suitable for both boys and girls. The production of these toys is being highly encouraged. The reason as to this is that such toys help in ruling out gender discrimination when these children have grown up into mature adults. Toys such as toy-phones, Fly Pen Top Computer and musical instruments are just, but a few to mention the several toys suitable for both genders. It is possible to tell that these toys are unisex based on the equal interest that all the kids have in them. There are toys, however, which are likened for boys, and the list is endless; cars, toy-trains, planes and ‘Mickey Fire Engine Team Activity Ride On’ (Laura, 2006). Girl toys include hair brushes and dolls, sewing kits, and dummy kittens.
As mentioned, toys are not only for fun. They are, in one way or the other, sources of skills that are very vital in the growth of a child and his/her future. Engineering skills and passion have been attributed to the toys such as cars and planes which the children used to play with, in their earlier stages of life. Mostly the male children dominate this category, not only engineering but other many courses, as well. Girls, on the other hand, grow to become models and beauticians owing to their association with dolls and kittens; funny enough to mention. Such skills and several others are as a result of the toys which the young stars play with, in their toy-play time.
Reference
Laura, C. (2006). Top Ten Toys for Boys & Girls. Yahoo Voices. Houston, Texas. Laura College. http://voices.yahoo.com/top-ten-toys-boys-girls-13509.html?cat=25
Rivers, C., & Barnett, R. C. (2011). The truth about girls and boys. Challenging toxic stereotypes about our children. New York: Columbia University Press.
Wilson, J. (2014). Gender segregation of toys damaging STEM equality. Engineering and Technology Magazine. http://eandt.theiet.org/news/2014/feb/toy-genders.cfm
