Boy Toys versus Girl Toys

by Heather Long | More from this Blogger

21 Jul 2006 07:00 AM

It can drive you nuts when you are out shopping for baby and you see the gender separation of toys even at such a young age. You may wonder what's going on if your male toddler enjoys playing with baby dolls and is it okay that someone gave your baby girl a play set of tools? The trick here is to realize that there's a ton of research in this area, but most of it is undependable.

Babies develop at different rates and are affected by everything from their environment (including whether they have siblings), to their parents to the opportunities presented to them. Some studies suggest that baby boys prefer hard objects and baby girls prefer soft. Other studies tell you that the types of games your baby likes to play are an indicator of their later skills in life. If your babies like to play with dolls, they will likely develop stronger language skills later. They will be more compassionate and they will be social in nature because they are developing nurturing talents now.

Babies that prefer puzzles and blocks are going to be better at special orientation and design as they get older. They will also be good at math and other math-related skills. While there is some truth to these ideas, the truth is - the activities that build on your baby's interests are the ones that will help them develop into the people they are going to be.

Don't be pushy about trying to make them play with items or things you think they should play with. Encourage them to develop their interests and you can even add some toys to their collection to let them explore. Because that's what being a baby, a toddler and eventually a child is all about - exploring and developing.

So if your baby boy toddler likes to play with dolls - that's okay. If your little girl toddler likes to build towers and bang her hammer and use the play drill - that's okay too. My toddler liked to mimic both her father and me. She liked to pretend to hammer when he was building. She liked to pretend to clean when I was. She liked to bang away on a keyboard when she watched us doing it and she even loved to have us read to her - whether it was our books or hers - because we did it.

Help your baby discover who they are - and let them explore the world their way. You may find that you have a lot more in common than you thought.

What does your baby like to play with?

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Learn more about Heather Long

Heather Long is 35 years old and currently lives in Wylie, Texas. She has been a freelance writer for six years. Her husband and she met while working together at America Online over ten years ago.

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