Charlie naturally gravitated to trains, cars and robots from a very early age! I had always thought that gender stereotypes were a socially constructed concept, so was a bit shocked to see how strong his toy preferences were for him!
On the other hand though, he had his toenails painted for the first time last week and loved it! And his sister also liked cars from an early age... so who knows.
Do your kids play with toys that match their gender stereotype?
blogger / pomelo / 5400 posts
Well, LO is definitely into all things trucks and trains and cars with little prompting, so yes. But he also likes his play kitchen, reading endless books, doll stroller, stuffed animals, etc. Oh, and he's transfixed when "Angelina Ballerina" comes on after "Thomas" ... so I guess it evens out a bit 
nectarine / 2458 posts
His favorite things are his cozy coupe, any ball, and hot wheels... but he also pretends to put on makeup with me, puckers his lips for chapstick, and is obsessed with my leopard print bikini top so.... it's hard to say, lol.
pineapple / 12234 posts
Yes...I think we have a good amount of toys for both genders: a kitchen, fireman house, cozy coupe, etc. and DS always has been fascinated with trucks. DD does like playing with the fireman house but she seems to go after pink toys down to toy aisle. She picks pink over any color even though we didn't buy gender stereotype toys for her (other than a pink Minnie Mouse car that my mom gave us - which they both love).
pea / 10 posts
It's funny you ask, because I have an opportunity to buy a new Britax Pavilion for next to nothing (less than $100) relative to its typical price, but the catch is the seat is pink and my child is a boy.
I thought this might be a good time to challenge gender stereotypes at an early age by buying the seat for him, but my spouse is not down with my enthusiasm. That being said, while I'm all about challenging particularly repulsive, gendered stereotypes, I still believe in sex (as distinct from "gender") differences, and hope to raise him accordingly in that regard.
GOLD / wonderful grape / 20289 posts
She's very girly and loves all things dolly and dress up, but she also has a blast at playdates at boys houses playing with trucks and cars and blocks. She also has a love for choo choo trains.... Because her grandma takes her on one weekly.
honeydew / 7687 posts
@mozahsuf: oh wow I would be all over that! Fortunately my husband is on board and could not care any less if our son is wearing pink, purple, blue, or yellow. I wanted the zebra Britax boulevard but the boring old grey was way cheaper 
He's too young to say at 9 months but he is obsessed with balls and books!
coconut / 8279 posts
@scg00387: we got the cowmooflage for DS, I've heard 'girly' comments from relatives...
DS loves hockey, soccer, baseball, basketball and trucks. But he also loves my heels and wants to put on makeup, lol
GOLD / wonderful apricot / 22276 posts
She plays with whatever, but I want to get her some matchbox cars because she loves this Little People bus we just got her. She likes wheels.
honeydew / 7687 posts
@rachiecakes: what?! we had the chaperone in cowmooflage (inlaws raise beef)... if anything I'd think it was "boy-y" because of the camouflage!
honeydew / 7444 posts
DD does not care for dolls, but she does like bags and jewelry. She is also fascinated by make up.
She loves cars, trucks, and blocks. I love that about her!
pomegranate / 3759 posts
DD loves Dora and dressing up in clothes. I bought her a few dolls and a purse just because she liked carrying around grocery bags. I haven't bought her a lot of girly stuff and don't try and push the whole princess stuff on her.
honeydew / 7488 posts
My DD naturally gravitated toward dolls and princesses and never played with any of the car toys I got her. She acted like she didn't know what to do with it! Whereas DS found her castoff cars and got on the floor and pushed them around. However he also loves princesses and clacking around in her dress up shoes!
eggplant / 11824 posts
So far LO show an equal interest in "girl" toys and "boy" toys - probably because both we and daycare expose her to both every day, so she isn't just around "girly" things. Same with clothing - she has a fair amount of pink clothing, but also wears lots of black, red, blue, yellow and other non-princessy colors.
She loves her baby dolls, but she also loves dinosaurs. She loves shoes, but also loves building blocks and trains.
We try not to keep too many stereotypical toys/clothing in the house - ideally we keep an equal mix, and she likes whatever she likes.
pomegranate / 3595 posts
We try not to push too many gendered toys and are pretty anti-princess culture, but LO has been obsessed with dolls lately! She also loves trucks and trains and playing outside but I have been surprised at the interest in baby stuff. She is 21 months.
hostess / wonderful watermelon / 39513 posts
She loves play food, books and shoes. Neutral, right?
blogger / pineapple / 12381 posts
Yes and no. Trucks and cars and trains and the kitchen are favorites. She doesn't have dolls but she does have "guys" (stuffed animals) and just lately she's started playing house where she likes to be the mama.
grapefruit / 4819 posts
We have mostly gender neutral toys and I'm happy with that. She loves her Legos (duplos), books, and push toys the best; she has shown zero interest in any dolls and I plan on holding off on the princess crap as long as possible (hopefully forever!). I've made my disdain for loads of gender specific toys well known so it hasn't been too much of an issue with gifts from family. I want my LO to feel as though she can play with whatever she wants without being pushed into one type of toy or another.
My SIL has conditioned her kids from day one to be very girly and very masculine. She has indoctrinated my niece into only wanting pink things, all things princess, and only the girliest of toys. Likewise with my nephew, who has been pushed from day one to play with tonka trucks, cars, and blocks. I absolutely do not want that for my children.
bananas / 9118 posts
Not yet, he's pretty equal opportunity aside from cars and trucks (and that's just because he saw his cousins playing with them during our family vacation). We do have a baby doll for him since he has a younger sibling on the way, I want him to get used to holding a baby and not throwing it. That one took a few discussions telling my husband to stop being so closed minded (that and I pretty much eliminated all the pink clothes, but I hate pink). I also plan to get him a play kitchen for Christmas. I'm not planning on encouraging Barbies or guns to girls or boys, but they will also be attracted to what they want so my job will be to teach them about safety (gun handling/ body image with Barbies).
pineapple / 12566 posts
DS is very boy, even though we have boy and girl toys. He is obsessed with trains, trucks and also loves books and his kitchen. He never plays with the stuffed animals, we don't have any dolls but I thought about getting him one. Anytime we are somewhere with toy stroller, he loves to push dolls in it.
GOLD / cantaloupe / 6581 posts
LO is only 2 months, but her favorite toy is a robot We purposefully bought her both 'girl' and 'boy ' toys and decorations for her room. She has flowers and spaceships on her wall! I will never tell her she can or cannot play with something, and will be buying her things that encourage creativity and thinking rather than gender roles.
watermelon / 14206 posts
Yeah, at 6, DS is definitely into all boy stuff. He would be offended if you asked him if he wanted to play dolls.
pomelo / 5093 posts
I don't really have gendered toys, so much. I guess we have a few stuffed baby dolls, but that's about it. My daughter is pretty excited about construction equipment, trains, airplanes, robots. Those all match my and her father's interests, so I think it's mostly exposure at this point. Child is obsessed with space ships, though. It is adorable.
pomegranate / 3890 posts
hmm I think most of his stuff is gender netural. he is obessed with his play kitchen and shopping cart. But he also love his truck and his stuffed animals (hugs them! so cute) so I would say both I don't believe in stereotypical boy and girl toys. my boy can play with whatever his heart desires
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