Whether you believe that gender-based play is biologically or socially constructed, there's no denying some toys appeal to boys more than girls.
Does it matter? We'd argue not really. As long as both girls and boys get an opportunity to develop key skills through play, it doesn't matter what toys they use.
Boys tend to lag behind girls in social development, especially at the pre-school stage. Boys learn social skills in very different ways to girls, who tend to use traditional role play and communication to develop skills such as empathy, compromise, negotiation, sharing, cooperation, etc. Boys tend to develop these skills through more active, rough and tumble activities and play fighting.
Wow Toys targets boys with a host of toys like construction and digger vehicles
While we're still in the throws of a litigious society where very few schools and playgroups allow aggressive play, it's important to give children the toys that they can use at home to facilitate this social development. This play can incorporate all sorts of toys from dressing up as Power Rangers to playing pirates with Playmobil. Boys' characters such as Ben 10 and Tree Fu Tom provide support for imaginative hero role play.
Nerf guns and water pistols provide manageable and safe ways for children to engage in play fighting and learn about boundaries and consequences, while battling toys like Attacknids encourage competition with the fighting element removed from the child.
Boys like competition, and learning to deal with winning and losing is an important life skill. Games and toys such as Subbuteo and Scalextric provide healthy competition and involve skill, so boys are encouraged to practice to master the game – another key skill for future success.
There is a wide range of boys' toys on the Good Toy Guide website, with explanations of how they help develop different skills.
WEBSITE REVIEWS
Pesky Pirates
A fun game where players move around the board collecting treasure.
Fun Rating: 3/5
Educational Rating: 3/5
- Promotes counting and simple addition
- Encourages social skills including turn taking and communication with others
- Prompts discussion about pirates and treasure
Combat Creatures: Attacknid
Features attachable weapons that fire up to 30 feet and a 360-degree rotating head.
Fun Rating: 4/5
Educational Rating: 1/5
- Increases motor control
- Encourages social skills such as communication, sharing and turn taking
- Encourages role play
- Can be used to prompt discussions around good/evil to promote moral development
Playmobil Pirate Ship
Large Pirate Ship that floats on water.
Fun Rating: 4/5
Educational Rating: 2/5
- Promotes imaginative play
- Encourages cooperation and communication when played with others
- Prompts discussion about floating and sinking
