Vent about boy toys...

howleyshell

I'm not happy with what we as a culture condition our boys to become.

When I walk the toy isles the boy toys have an alarming trend.  Guns, action figures with angry faces, and mostly dark colors.  Each truck or car is bigger or badder than the next one complete with angry faces painted on them with teeth beared.   Things that encourage them to be aggressive, destroy and act angry.

When I walk the girl isle I see arts and crafts, dolls, animals, toys that encourage positive imaginary play and mostly bright colors.  Things to encourage them to create and show affection and caring.

Don't get me wrong.  I know the grass isn't always greener.  I'm certainly not a fan of all the "diva" and "drama queen" labeled stuff out there for girls. 

 

Seriously - it's HARD to find a "boy toy" for ages 5 and up that encourages positive play.  I know, I know... there are plenty of educational things and cross-gender things but the "boy" toys don't make me happy.

 

Not really a point to all of this... just a vent.

And before you say it I know that if I look I can find things that are not so "boy-ish."  It just makes me sad that that seems to be more the norm. 

 

FWIW - I bought my 4 yr old a toy kitchen/mixer set today.  He loves helping me cook.  I was thrilled to stumble across one that wasn't pink or purple and covered in glitter and flowers. 

omurray

Agreed.

Although, I have to admit that I'm not even sure where some of it comes from.  My DS just turned 4 and he is seriously IN LOVE with Iron Man.  He has never seen the movie, of course, and he doesn't watch any TV with commercials, so he didn't learn it there.  Its weird. 

kada626

I noticed that too awhile ago while walking thru target. I went down one of the "boy" aisles & thought everything looked kinda terrible. Luckily, my nephews are mostly into trains & legos.

JillAly

I'm not there yet but my friends with tween girls lament about how everything is sex, sex, sex for girls when they hit 9 or 10.  Boys get the aggressive car thing and girls are basically told to give their bodies away.  Having one boy and one girl - I'm going to be dealing with both! 

Hopefully, my kids will find friends that have parents who care about the messages that toys and the media send.  It's great to limit these things in your own house but there is only so much control we can have when they go elsewhere! 

brightning

My DD is totally afraid of the "boy" aisles.

And yes, the grass is always greener.

These days, I'm really struck by how little time we actually have left in the toy world. That's when the trouble really starts, I fear.

VTbride05

I agree. I dont even go in the gender specific aisles. DS's favorite toys are hit kitchen set, car garage, and his Melissa and Doug barn with tons of animals. Let them be little, right?!

Pesky

I agree -- I feel like I'm going to be limited as the kids grow.  And also why I love the M&D stuff and playmobil (to an extent -- all those little pieces drive me batty).  But I remember my neighbor's 6YO excitedly showing me his octagon and UFC fighting figures.  I have watched the fights (I'm a fan) and it is WAY too violent for kids.

neverblushed

I struggle with this too.  I really try not to push my kids toward gender stereotypes with their toy choices, but sometimes I feel like I'm swimming upriver in this effort.

It drives me crazy that there's clearly a "boy" aisle and a "girl" aisle.  The traditional "girl" toys are just as offensive, with a huge emphasis on fashion, appearance, and even dating/relationships in even preschool toys.

I find it appalling that most of the arts and crafts stuff (with the exception of crayola and play doh) is clearly marketed toward girls and located in the "girl" sections of the store.  Similarly, the legos and playmobils are generally marketed toward boys and located more in the "boy" sections of the store.

I want to say, "Excuse me!  My DAUGHTER really enjoys playing with playmobil pirates and building with legos, and my SON also likes to do art projects and play in the pretend kitchen!!!"

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omurray:

Agreed.

Although, I have to admit that I'm not even sure where some of it comes from.  My DS just turned 4 and he is seriously IN LOVE with Iron Man.  He has never seen the movie, of course, and he doesn't watch any TV with commercials, so he didn't learn it there.  Its weird. 

so funny you say that b/c Griffin is dying to ask Santa for the Iron Man mask he saw in Target... he has never seen Iron man in anything (cartoons, movies, books, etc) and knows nothing more about him except that he's a super hero.  he LOVES iron man now!

I'm not so upset with what is avail for boys- I just wish that more of the "girl" type stuff was NOT pink. It was HARD to find a baby doll stroller for our boys that was not pink.  I don't care if they play with pink toys- but I just don't want to look at a bunch of BIG pink things in my house- i prefer the colors of boy toys    My mom finally found one at a yard sale in blue - i still haven't seen one new in a store yet!

my boys love their baby dolls (cpk's!), pushing them around in the stroller... feeding them, diapering them... playing with their play kitchen and foods, etc.  I'm all for boys playing with "girly" toys - and i'm all for them playing with the typical boy stuff - whatever they are into. My sons just happen to be into it all

abpdjs

yes it's very irritating and sad.  i like that Carson sticks with cars, disney cars, buzz lightyear, legos and dinosaurs.

MamaNikki

I agree!  I also ditto what some PP said about the crafts section too.  Just today I was in Michael's, and there was an entire aisle of American Girl crafts, and I know that DS would love to do some of those crafts too.  Why do they have to be geared only toward girls?

Oh, and this also makes me think of the older clothing as well.  DS is wearing a 5T this fall.  When I'm at Target and I look across the aisle at the big boy clothes (which is where we'll be by spring, I'm sure), I shudder.