https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Wed, 29 Apr 2026 15:13:04 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/everyone-should-see-this-toy-ad#post-1375509 Sat, 25 Jan 2014 11:41:46 +0000 Corduroy 1375509@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I love the ad because the girl looks like an older version of my LO. She's even dressed the way I dress LO. Squee! </p> <p>I agree with the message too but I really need to know how my LO went 'back to the future' and got in a photoshoot. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/everyone-should-see-this-toy-ad#post-1375490 Sat, 25 Jan 2014 11:31:13 +0000 MrsRcCar 1375490@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It shocks me that number of toys that used to just come one way when I was younger, now come in gender specific. It makes me really sad. For N's first birthday we were looking everywhere for a cozy coup, only to find that most stores had a lot of the "girl" (purple and pink) ones in stock and all the "boy" (yellow and red style) where sold out. So part of me hopes parents are fighting back against gender stereotyping. My brother and I had loads of toys that we shared and my parents didn't buy Barbie Dolls and the like until I asked for them. </p> <p>DH and I encourage a lot of music play and imagination play, we are hoping to hold off on gender specific toys as long as possible. Lucky for us our families are completely on board. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/everyone-should-see-this-toy-ad#post-1375479 Sat, 25 Jan 2014 11:22:22 +0000 Aimed 1375479@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@JoyfulKiwi: I agree, it's the trend of making girls toys more 'adult' in terms of the figures and less challenging that really bothers me. I feel like it is setting up girls to live up to a superficial ideal only.<br /> Eta: I think it is the updated strawberry shortcake that I find most disturbing! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/everyone-should-see-this-toy-ad#post-1375435 Sat, 25 Jan 2014 10:57:45 +0000 honeybear 1375435@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>The main problem I have with a lot of toys is not that they're gendered, but that they're ridiculous. This applies to toys marketed to boys and girls. </p> <p>As to the Lego ad, I generally love Legos--I'm not even offended by the elaborate building sets they have these days because they all come apart to become whatever you want--and I wasn't finding anything really objectionable about the "Lego Friends" series until I ran across set that featured a purple sea turtle wearing a bow on its head. I don't see the point of that. </p> <p>I'm all for imaginative play, but I think that if a child wants a purple Lego turtle, they can build a purple Lego turtle. (I realize this was hard before the Lego Friends series because there weren't any purple bricks!) But to give a kid a purple turtle to play with is a little strange to me, whether they're a boy or a girl. </p> <p>The best part of Legos, as the ad from the '80s suggests, is that you're not very constrained by the preconceived notions of the adults who designed the set. My son is really into Legos and it has been my observation that the parts of the sets he has that are played with the least are the ones that are essentially static, like the minifigure dolls and the one-piece animals. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/everyone-should-see-this-toy-ad#post-1375431 Sat, 25 Jan 2014 10:56:02 +0000 MoonMoon 1375431@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I had those Adidas when I was a kid! And yes, I hope this age of hyper gendered marketing to kids comes to an end soon! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/everyone-should-see-this-toy-ad#post-1375409 Sat, 25 Jan 2014 10:48:59 +0000 autumnlove 1375409@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Love the ad. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/everyone-should-see-this-toy-ad#post-1375405 Sat, 25 Jan 2014 10:47:00 +0000 CupQuakeWalk 1375405@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@JoyfulKiwi: even the boy toys are weird! Lo got an action figure who is ripped so much it looks like he's hopped up on steroids and he wears a teenie tiny speedo. BLECH! I think he is supposed to be a lifeguard or something. Wtf... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/everyone-should-see-this-toy-ad#post-1375403 Sat, 25 Jan 2014 10:44:04 +0000 Radish 1375403@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I prefer that ad and the basic lego product to the girl version, but I don't think it is bad to offer the girl version. I think there is a demand and appeal to certain parts of the population. I like the idea of giving kids a choice in which items they are drawn to and want to play with. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/everyone-should-see-this-toy-ad#post-1375393 Sat, 25 Jan 2014 10:37:20 +0000 T.H.O.U. 1375393@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I agree. We are purposefully seeking out "boy" toys for our daughter. We won't buy the girl versions. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/everyone-should-see-this-toy-ad#post-1375315 Sat, 25 Jan 2014 09:36:36 +0000 Ms.Pumpkin 1375315@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I love this!</p> <p>I've read articles that talk about how when they make a "Girl's version" of a toy, there are often fewer pieces, they are less complicated/challenging, and focus on things like caretaking of babies and animals, as opposed to building and engineering. I love the idea that girls are just as capable of building and creating as boys- because it's true!</p> <p>It reminds me of this flow chart I saw circulating on the internet a few months ago- it made me chuckle, but it is pretty truthful! :grin: </p> [attach=4668/14/mzyol4.599x500.how-to-tell-if-a-toy-is-for-boys-or-girls-a-guide.png] https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/everyone-should-see-this-toy-ad#post-1375307 Sat, 25 Jan 2014 09:33:43 +0000 JoyfulKiwi 1375307@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>What's more disturbing to me is not the loss of gender neutral toys/advertising, but the way girls' toys have been re-vamped to look so unnatural &amp; for lack of a better word "sexy". Blech. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/everyone-should-see-this-toy-ad#post-1375305 Sat, 25 Jan 2014 09:31:51 +0000 Mrs. Tiger 1375305@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Posting the pic for the lazy... Love this ad! </p> [attach=1630/14/mzyod6.472x600.xwAsW56.jpg] https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/everyone-should-see-this-toy-ad#post-1375295 Sat, 25 Jan 2014 09:18:15 +0000 Aimed 1375295@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm not sure if this has already been posted but it was eye opening for me. I never really thought that much about gender neutral toys but now that that I see how they have changed so much since I was a kid, I am reconsidering. </p> <p><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/17/lego-ad-1981_n_4617704.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/17/lego-ad-1981_n_4617704.html</a> </p>