How to tell if a toy is for a girl or a boy.

[Luminous Animal]

?6

[Kalidurga]

1. When I was a very young child I had no idea that there were boy toys and girl toys

I didn't mind playing with dolls, but I liked cars and trucks just as much.

[Art_from_Ark]

7. My mom didn't want me playing with dolls

But I wasn't too interested in boys' toys, so she ended up getting me mostly unisex brain-developing stuff like jigsaw puzzles, puzzle books, language books, and board games, which I appreciated.

[Kalidurga]

10. I don't think there is anything wrong with kids playing with dolls

But, they should have the option to play toys that traditionally have been boys toys as well. It was hurtful to hear nope that's just for your brother. Not that that stopped me. But, it shouldn't be an occasion to shame girls if they want to play with a toy truck. And boys should definitely not be shamed if they want to play with dolls. Or any of the other girl things. Let them wear tiaras if they want.

[Art_from_Ark]

13. There were dolls that were specifically targeted at boys

That is, G.I.Joe and his merry band of fightin' men. I wasn't interested in them, or in dolls in general. But my mom had spent a lot of time making dolls' clothes for female members of my family, and they showed absolutely no interest in dolls, so my mom was kind of hurt about that. So to cheer her up, I showed an interest in what she had made, and that freaked her out, so she ended up selling the dolls and their clothes.

You've got to remember that in that era, boys weren't even supposed to play flutes or clarinets in band, Bennie Goodman and Jean-Pierre Rampal notwithstanding.

[Eleanors38]

16. And Artie Shaw. Stan Kenton wouldn't allow clarinets

in his big band.

[Ykcutnek]

2. I would have rather had the Easy Bake Oven, rather than the Creepy Crawlers thingy.

But I was too embarrassed to ask.

Sigh.

[HappyMe]

9. I had both!

I played with Barbie, baby dolls, trucks, Creepy Crawler cooker.... one minute I was sewing clothes for my Barbie, the next I was crashing the race car into the tow truck. I had big fun and was a lucky girl.

[treestar]

12. My nephew wanted one of those

He liked to watch cooking shows on tv as a kid. His Dad cooks.

I honestly don't see what that is a girl's toy at this point.

[Skink]

3. Please just put mens in big letters

[ReRe]

4. Oh my...

[JI7]

5. i hate it when parents and other adults tell a kid "that's for girls" "that's for boys"

if they have interest in something.

[Hekate]

6. Oooooooooh myyyyyyy: This toy is not for children.

[OnionPatch]

8. I saw a little boy yesterday

All excited about a kitchen set that had a child sized stove sink and frig. His sister was a few feet away checking out the mini basketball set. Their dad took them and switched them around.

[Luminous Animal]

11. Kick.

[TexasMommaWithAHat]

14. All the little boys I know love baby dolls

but they seem to draw the line at the American Girl dolls or type. Too "girly."

Imo, every toddler boy should be given a baby doll - it is when they first see themselves being nurtured, and then practice nurturing on the doll.

[HappyMe]

15. Yes, that's true.

A baby doll is fine. I think people should get the toys that the kids are interested in. I don't see the point of forcing a doll or a truck on a kid if they aren't interested.

[TexasMommaWithAHat]

17. I tried everything possible to get my girls to play with "boy" toys

nah

Then, around 3rd grade, I noticed that my daughters preferred to play soccer, dodgeball, and other active games with the boys.

So, I guess the moral of my story is - if you give them time, they find themselves. You don't have to be pushy about it.