>> When buying gifts for kids, I'll usually try for gender-neutral stuff unless the kid has expressed a preference for something specifically gendered.<<
Me too. I strongly favor classics because they can be used in so many different ways -- blocks, Legos, stuffed animals, etc. plus books of course. I admit to a fondness for the Waldorf and Montessori educational toys/tools and may buy them if I can find and afford them.
I still find it weird to see tree blocks / slices in stores at exorbitant prices. When I was little, that was something people made in the garage after a big brush-clearing or a tree fell down, and then would distribute to all the kids in their social circle. Hence why I wrote that in at Boss Blaster's pocket parks with someone just depositing batches of them, and it didn't matter if they "walked away" because there's always more raw material around.
>> When stocking a kidspace (which I've done) I try for mostly gender-neutral stuff, but will add in stuff that is useful for learning. Even if some of the things (like toy plates, toy cats, or a building kit) might have gendered connotations, I figure having a balance of those sorts of toys and not policing who uses them is the best option. (I do avoid buying obviously pink-and-blue-coded stuff).<<
That's logical. Kids need choices. I heartily approve of the new genderflexy dolls that can be coded either way. Waldorf dolls are like that, if you feel that anyone can have long or short hair. The clothes and other accessories tend to fit all the dolls so you can mix and match. The minimalist features are meant to encourage imagination.
>>Honestly, I'd think removing the pink/blue packaging, adding more gender diverse pictures on the packaging, and sorting toys by category would be sufficient to desegregate the toy section. Though to be fair, I haven't been to an official toy store in ages.<<
I agree that removing pink/blue packaging is a good idea for toys that are nongendered like blocks or Legos. Some things really are marketed for one or the other, like makeup blending kits; I don't consider it fair to ban those. More gender diverse pictures would be good in general. I have, indeed, seen toy stores that sorted most or all things by category and I have found that more useful. Our last regular toy store had only topical categories -- building toys, science toys, puzzles, board games, etc. That was (don't laugh) Dr. G's Brain Store. I think there were a few gender-coded items scattered around but most of the stock was genderfree. That was an all-ages store though, and heavily targeting nerds who tend not to crotchify everything like most people do.
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dancing_serpent
Yes ...
Date: 2024-12-11 10:26 pm (UTC)Me too. I strongly favor classics because they can be used in so many different ways -- blocks, Legos, stuffed animals, etc. plus books of course. I admit to a fondness for the Waldorf and Montessori educational toys/tools and may buy them if I can find and afford them.
I still find it weird to see tree blocks / slices in stores at exorbitant prices. When I was little, that was something people made in the garage after a big brush-clearing or a tree fell down, and then would distribute to all the kids in their social circle. Hence why I wrote that in at Boss Blaster's pocket parks with someone just depositing batches of them, and it didn't matter if they "walked away" because there's always more raw material around.
>> When stocking a kidspace (which I've done) I try for mostly gender-neutral stuff, but will add in stuff that is useful for learning. Even if some of the things (like toy plates, toy cats, or a building kit) might have gendered connotations, I figure having a balance of those sorts of toys and not policing who uses them is the best option. (I do avoid buying obviously pink-and-blue-coded stuff).<<
That's logical. Kids need choices. I heartily approve of the new genderflexy dolls that can be coded either way. Waldorf dolls are like that, if you feel that anyone can have long or short hair. The clothes and other accessories tend to fit all the dolls so you can mix and match. The minimalist features are meant to encourage imagination.
>>Honestly, I'd think removing the pink/blue packaging, adding more gender diverse pictures on the packaging, and sorting toys by category would be sufficient to desegregate the toy section. Though to be fair, I haven't been to an official toy store in ages.<<
I agree that removing pink/blue packaging is a good idea for toys that are nongendered like blocks or Legos. Some things really are marketed for one or the other, like makeup blending kits; I don't consider it fair to ban those. More gender diverse pictures would be good in general. I have, indeed, seen toy stores that sorted most or all things by category and I have found that more useful. Our last regular toy store had only topical categories -- building toys, science toys, puzzles, board games, etc. That was (don't laugh) Dr. G's Brain Store. I think there were a few gender-coded items scattered around but most of the stock was genderfree. That was an all-ages store though, and heavily targeting nerds who tend not to crotchify everything like most people do.