Introduction
We live in a society where the roles of the males and the roles of the females are getting redefined with each passing day (Archer and Barbara). It seems that everyone has an idea about the nature of how men and women should operate and behave in the current society.
The beliefs which have been handed down through generations provide a way of understanding this subject better. This is because they offer firsthand experience into the nature of men and women, and their place in the wider society (Archer and Barbara). Toys and gender Toys bring to the fore different aspects of functioning among the children.
This is because these toys have got different impacts in children development. In the case of boys, it has been realized that they have got more toys than the girls. Furthermore, boys have got a greater variety of toys as compared to the girls. Boy’s toys bring out their masculine and aggressive nature (Archer and Barbara). For instance, the boys’ toys are largely made up of vehicles, that is, toy cars and automobiles.
Boys have got more violent looking toys. Examples of such toys include skates and kites. It is more likely that you will find boys with soldiers and guns as toys. In essence, this is aimed at transmitting the message that boys are supposed to be rough and a bit aggressive. On the other hands toys which resemble the girls are supposed to be soft and tender (Archer and Barbara).
Toys which are associated with girls are largely made up of dolls, doll houses and the domestic items such as spoons and dishes. This aims at instilling in girls the motherly role they are likely to play in their adult years. At this point it is worth noting that colors associated with toys also define the gender which that toy belongs to. In girls’ case it is assumed that they prefer a certain color of toys while boys prefer a different type of color.
The girls’ toys are largely pink in color. This is noticeable in the dolls that are found in most toy stores. On the other hand, the boys are associated with bright colors such as red and blue in most of their toys. This notwithstanding, the society has realized that there is need to have toys which bring the girls and boys to the same playing field. In this case, the manufacturers have come up with the unisex toys.
These are toys which can be used by both genders without any form of prejudice. These toys encourage the boys and the girls to play together. Some of these toys include toys which can be used in outdoor activities such as music toys or remote controlled gadgets. In addition, there are games such as the scrabble and monopoly which offers both genders an opportunity to take part in play without any bias.
Conclusion It is important to give children an opportunity to learn express themselves using toys early in life. However, it is fundamental to note the fact that these toys will have implications on the kind of personalities that they develop in future. It is therefore important to ensure that the toys that one brings for the child are suitable for a certain age and meet certain objectives.
Works Cited
Archer, John and Bloom Barbara. Sex and Gender, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2002. Print.