Girls vs. boys

kelly321 · October 2012

Just curious -- for the past few weeks, DD has gotten into a phase where she takes any sort of small bag and puts things in it to carry around, so basically she makes her own purses. When we were in the toy store after her vaccinations a couple weeks ago, she ran straight to the dolls with no encouragement or direction from us. She also likes trucks, but I was wondering what your observations with your own children are. Do they seem to be drawn to the stereotypical boy/girl-gendered stuff? Are your boys making things into purses right now?

I don't care if DD plays with dolls or trucks, just to be clear. It was just something I noticed the other day and wondered if it (purses and dolls) was something that is just common for her age regardless of gender or whether toy differentiation along gender lines is starting this early (I wouldn't have expected that).

jg_girl1 · October 2012

I do find that DD naturally does girly things. She always has a purse when playing in the house and prefers her doll over most toy. She is obsessed with shoes, clothes, head bands,and having her nails done.

cbugg · October 2012

DS loves trucks/cars/balls/blocks/rough housing, but also likes to put his stacking rings around his arms like bracelets and gives his stuffed animals hugs and kisses. We don't typically buy "girl" toys...but he does play with them at friends houses. If we let him choose though he tends to choose the "boy" stuff more.

je2161 · October 2012

It's funny you mention the purse thing. DD got a ladybug purse from a relative a few weeks ago, and she is obsessed with it. She loves wearing it on her shoulder and then sort of posing, lol. She also asks me to take off my bracelets so she can put them on. That being said, she also enjoys playing with blocks, balls and cars.

Athena0809 · October 2012

I have wondered the same thing since the first time DS took a truck pushed it back and forth and made a vroom sound. I have wondered because my cousin's 18 month old girl is obsessed with getting her hair into a little "palm tree" type pony tail on the top of her head, she'll grab anything that looks like hair elastic point to her head and says "pretty?" She holds a stuffed animals and rocks it yet DS is deathly afraid of stuffed animals, he's obsessed with soccer balls and footballs...make one wonder how all that is innate.

kuipogirl · October 2012

My DS loves to climb on everything and then jump off. He gets bumps, bruises and scrapes all the time. He absolutely loves balls and blocks and loves to crash things together and throw things everywhere. He also loves his stuffed animals and has no problem playing with toys that are pink or girly. He is really good at sharing and will cuddle with me sometimes but also loves to wrestle with my husband and our dog.

kelly321 · October 2012

Steph&Harry08:
I have wondered the same thing since the first time DS took a truck pushed it back and forth and made a vroom sound. I have wondered because my cousin's 18 month old girl is obsessed with getting her hair into a little "palm tree" type pony tail on the top of her head, she'll grab anything that looks like hair elastic point to her head and says "pretty?" She holds a stuffed animals and rocks it yet DS is deathly afraid of stuffed animals, he's obsessed with soccer balls and footballs...make one wonder how all that is innate.

DD also loves soccer balls! Whenever she sees big kids playing with one, she tries to run over and grab it Huh? While we were in the States this summer she had one that she loved to let roll down a little hill and then would go get it and carry it back up only to roll it down again, so I'm guessing that's what started things.

calm_angel_2003 · October 2012

ds loves to climb especially on the couch then slide off the back. i was scared when he did it at first but hes a pro now. hes also like an inch shorter than the back of the couch. ds also likes trucks and cars but will hold hes stuffed animals and give it hugs and carry it around sometimes

oooCarrieB · October 2012

I think kids just copy what they see adults around them doing. My daughter likes to carry a purse and wear sunglasses on her head because she is mimicking me. She also loves cars.

I wouldn't think too much about gender specific play at this age.

Athena0809 · October 2012

oooCarrieB:
I think kids just copy what they see adults around them doing. My daughter likes to carry a purse and wear sunglasses on her head because she is mimicking me. She also loves cars. I wouldn't think too much about gender specific play at this age.nbsp;

DS sees me put on make up, carry a purse, wear giant sunglasses and I've never seen him show any interest in anything "girly" at all.

elisbu02 · October 2012

Steph&Harry08:
oooCarrieB:
I think kids just copy what they see adults around them doing. My daughter likes to carry a purse and wear sunglasses on her head because she is mimicking me. She also loves cars. I wouldn't think too much about gender specific play at this age.nbsp;
DS sees me put on make up, carry a purse, wear giant sunglasses and I've never seen him show any interest in anything "girly" at all.

My thoughts exactly

kacelle · October 2012

Right now, DD is mostly into building with wooden blocks and reading books. She does love her baby doll, but it's her lovey and the only toy she sleeps with every night. At this age, I'd expect it to be individual preferences or family/caretaker encouragement or modeling rather than gender differences.

kelly321 · October 2012

kacelle:
Right now, DD is mostly into building with wooden blocks and reading books. She does love her baby doll, but it's her lovey and the only toy she sleeps with every night. At this age, I'd expect it to be individual preferences or family/caretaker encouragement or modeling rather than gender differences.

That's what I would expect, too, which is why I was asking because we have given no encouragement or modeling with dolls and that's what she ran straight to in the toy store even when I was trying to get her more interested in wooden building blocks. I can see the purse as modeling, as I always carry one when we go out, but the fact that she was so interested in dolls just really struck me. I don't care one way or the other, but I thought it would be interesting to hear what all of your experiences were.

And DD also loves stacking things and reading books. :-)

pinkflipflops44 · October 2012

I'm still very glad that she doesn't like girly things. I guess the only thing girly I notice is taking her dad's bead necklaces from college and wearing them. But she also likes to put them in containers and shake them.

JMU_Bride09 · November 2012

Haha I wouldn't call it a purse, but yea, DS likes to put things in containers and carry them around. He's been carrying around his Halloween pumpkin bin for months now, full of both candy and toys.

He's pretty darn stereotypical when it comes to his toys. He loves cars, trains, and tools. We go to a playgroup, and he once picked up a little girl's baby doll and had fun tossing the doll around the room lol.

btbarron08 · December 2012

This is exactly how our DS acts! He uses his rings as bracelets and kisses his stuffed puppy and Mickey. But he always has a car or truck nearby. Daycare includes 4 girls and 2 boys, so he has the opportunity to play with dolls, etc. but I rarely seen him playing with the dolls.

Girls vs. boys

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