End Gender Stereotyping of Toys using Blue and Pink - All Toys are for All Children

Play has a pivotal role in the development of learning in children and it is important they are exposed to a wide variety of toys in their world.

Particular toys and experiences focus on many developmental skills in children such as social skills, spatial skills, encouraging active play, problem solving, learning to deal with emotions, development of self esteem and self worth, and fine motor skills. Sectioning toy choices into colour groups of Blue for boys and Pink for girls could lead to restricting childhood development in one or more key areas. This is because certain toys are not made available to a particular gender as marketers and toy manufacturer’s perceptions of what children should or should not play with are measured only on saleability to each gender, based on societal beliefs of what is acceptable for males and females to participate in.

Being a boy or girl should not determine what toy a child should play with. We need to be demanding more.

A toy department needs to be sectioned by age appropriateness, theme and ability, not whether a person is female or male. Toy manufacturers and marketers need to be accountable and facilitate the growing change society now has towards gender discrimination in toys, to put an end to gender stereotyping in toy packaging and marketing. Hopefully this will mean we will see these changes resonate through society with each generation, eventually diminishing gender discrimination altogether and what an amazing world that will be to live in.

No more Blue for boys or Pink for girls.

All toys are for all children