If you stroll through the toy aisle at a big box store, it practically shouts at you:
Girls want pink, frilly toys, especially baby dolls and princess figurines!
Boys are obsessed with transportation, wild animals, and superheroes!
But we know those statements are way too simplified, and not true. Over the last several years, parents have begun to rally against these outdated gender stereotypes that pervade mainstream marketing. Parents practically plead for acknowledgement of their child’s complex personality and diverse interests:
My son loves trains AND Frozen!
My daughter loves her baby dolls, but loves to dig in the mud, too!
Slowly, toy retailers like Target have begun to remove “Boys” and “Girls” signage and labels at the urging of groups like Let Toys Be Toys. But the toys themselves are not the only problem; it’s the marketing and advertising, too.
The magnets I dissected in this post are a great example.
Nowhere were they labeled “boys” or girls” but the color-coding of the packaging, especially in contrast to each other, instructs the buyer which is “appropriate.” These magnets were loaded with stereotypical words that dramatically underestimate children’s beautiful complexities.
How can we combat gender stereotypes in play?
One way to solve this problem is to ensure your child has access to many different types of toys, no matter their sex.
Another way to reduce gender stereotypes in play – often forgotten – is through the power of open-ended toys!
That’s why I’m so grateful to Modern Rascals for sending along this gorgeous Nins, Rings and Coins play set, and for sponsoring this post, so that caregivers like you can learn more about the benefits of open-ended toys. Of course, all opinions are my own and I always give you my honest and frank thoughts.
What are open-ended toys?
Open-ended toys are toys or materials that have no “right” or “wrong” way to play; no instructions needed. They encourage many different ways to play.
With open-ended play, children exercise authority over how to play with a certain toy or material – they make their own decisions and use lots of creativity and imagination in the process.
Benefits of open-ended play include:
Leadership: your child gets to decide how to play, rather than have the toy decide for them.
Experimentation: a wooden coin (like these stacked below) can be almost anything – a piece of food, money, a base for other toys, a tool, a bandage, a hat, the bottom of a tower, or anything else kids can think of. Adults don’t need to “show them” how to play or what do.
Imagination: imaginative play helps children use creativity and “try on” different situations and personas. One minute they play grocery store and the next minute, it’s a doctor’s visit, all with the same materials. Their ideas can run free!
Problem-solving: children need to figure out different ways to use open-ended toys like blocks or rings, if they require balance or negotiation. When there isn’t only one correct answer, they will be able to problem solve many different scenarios.
Encourage mixed-gender play: We’ve discussed the benefits of mixed gender play, and open-ended toys are likely to be something that everyone can agree upon! Children will feel unified, not divided in their play.
Independent play: Open-ended toys require less intervention from adults, because there is no “right way” to use them.
Development: Toys like blocks and stacking toys encourage building, sorting, and counting, which all promote hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, math and physics.
Cost savings: Some of the toys may seem more expensive at first, but when you stop to realize you need fewer open-ended toys, and that they will last a long time through many ages and several children, they are a great investment. When you total up the cost of the many cheap plastic toys you have that only get a few uses, it’s probably much more! Plus, you can integrate Grapat toys like this with low- or no-cost items, like buttons, pinecones, paper towel rolls, and boxes.
Independent play… yes, please.
I’ve known Modern Rascals since the time I founded Think or Blue in 2017 – I mean, what parent with an aversion to gender stereotypes couldn’t possibly love their bright colorful clothes? (You’ll see their swim suits in my swim suit roundup.) But I only discovered recently that Modern Rascals offers toys, too.
We have been working hard to encourage my 3 year-old to play more independently, and open-ended toys help that skill tremendously. When I put out blocks, a piece of paper, play dough, a sensory bin, or some cardboard boxes, she gets deeper into play and needs less interaction with me. Score!
People refer to this as the “flow state,” which I soooo love to see my child enter. She is fairly extroverted, and loves to interact with people, so we work hard to set up an environment that intentionally helps her achieve that flow state, to get deep into her own play.
I’d been eyeing some of the Grapat and Grimm’s toys for a while, unsure if the cost was really worth it. But as I mentioned, a couple of high-quality, open-ended toys like blocks or this Nins, Rings, and Coin set, is a worthy investment.
I hear from families with both 2 year-olds AND 8 year-olds who play with some of the same toys. And they combine well with play staples, like basic wooden blocks.
Promote more gender inclusive play
We know that there ARE impacts of stereotyped toys. But we also know that counter-messages have impact, too!
When lines for play are drawn too strictly or rigidly, they limit children’s worlds, their skills and aspirations. Many children, especially at the toddler and pre-schooler stages, will work their best to “fit in” to the gender they’ve been assigned. They learn early that girls are supposed to like pink, therefore anything marketed in pink is “for girls,” but just as importantly – “not for boys.”
These limits are superficial, adult-imposed, and are dangerous to our children’s development. With open-ended toys, kids have plentiful opportunities for creativity, imagination, and mixed gender play.
What we love about Modern Rascals’ open-ended toys
This play set is sturdy and high-quality. Kiddo has already poured all the pieces on the wood floor and nothing broke.
The product arrived in a cardboard box with no plastic used. It included a cloth bag for the toy, to keep it easily organized in your play room.
The colors are gorgeous, too. Grapat uses natural dyes that reveal the intricacies of the wood veins. And the wood comes from sustainable forests. Read more about Grapat toys and their production here.
Did I mention it’s ridiculously versatile? There are so many ways to play with it. My 3 year-old has counted the pieces, arranged the people on her wooden blocks, incorporated all of it into a car game, and stacked the coins into a tower.
She even wrapped up the nins as a gift for Mickey Mouse’s birthday. Doesn’t Mickey look jazzed? In our house, it’s someone’s birthday at least 5 times a day. But the point is… this set allows for so much creativity and freedom of imagination.
That’s exactly what quality, open-ended toys can do – they let your child drive the play. Instead of instructing her how to play, these toys fit seamlessly into her current love of birthday parties and embrace it. Whatever stage of interest is next, the nins, rings and coins are sure to serve it well.
I’m excited to see what she’ll do with them next!
In the meantime, I’m eyeing a few more of Modern Rascals’ open-ended toys, like these:
Mandala mini cones (trees):
Thread game with large rainbow buttons:
Tell me, which ones are on YOUR wish list? Also, what do you observe when your children play with open-ended toys?
You get a VIP treat for being a Think or Blue reader! Enter the code THINKORBLUE at check-out for a free gift with your Modern Rascals purchase, until May 15, 2019.
Grab the free guide for parents: 20 Independent Play Activities for Kids, jammed packed with activities that take 5 minutes or less to set up, and use materials you already have at home!
You’re right. It’s so easy to just push children to play with toys based on stereotypes. But it’s definitely time to let them choose for themselves what they like and what to play with, what colors they want to wear, etc.
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