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Gender Stereotypes In Toys Essay

1066 Words5 Pages

The development of kids is directly impacted by gender stereotypes in toys. Toys can help children develop certain skills and functions. Play helps kids learn how to solve problems, get along with others, and develop motor skills (“Children”). Toys can help kids develop physical skills, cognitive concepts, language skills, and social skills (“Children”). Gender stereotypes negatively impact a child’s development. By closing the door on kids playing with a variety of toys, we deny them the opportunity to develop a wide variety of skills (“Toys”). During the Imprint Period (0-7 years), gender stereotypes in toys affects kids development. From ages zero to seven, kids soak up everything around them “like a sponge” (“Teenager”). During the Imprint period, the "neural network for how to do things in life is being laid down," and kids develop life skills. During this time everything we see we accept as true, and …show more content…

As gender stereotypes in toys impact a child’s interest, this also influences their career choices. Through playing with toys, kids develop interests (Steinmatz). When kids are only offered half of the toys available, they don’t get the chance to gain interest in the toys declared for the opposite sex. Gender stereotypes limit the variety of toys that kids will form interests and skills upon (Clayton). The skills and interests kids develop during childhood shape what academic and career choices they make as adults (“Toys”). Toys effect on career is proven as stated, “research by retail group Argos found that over sixty percent of adults working in design-led jobs, such as architects and designers, enjoyed playing with building blocks as children. Even more - sixty-six percent - working in maths related roles, such as accountants and bankers, preferred puzzles” (Barford). This is because adults reflect on their skills and interests that they have had since childhood before deciding their career(Clayton). Toys with gender stereotypes limit kids’

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