Recently, both online and in my "real life" I have heard play kitchens talked about as a "girl toy." That came as a shock to me. That honestly isn't something I considered before buying Jayden a play kitchen for Christmas. It was never even a passing thought in my head. Why would a play kitchen be only for girls? Aren't most chefs men?? Is it the sink and dishes that make it a girl toy? My husband does all the dishes in our house. I have even heard people say that if their boy wanted to do pretend cooking they would get them a toy grill. Grilling is for men but cooking in the kitchen is for women? This honestly surprises me. What do you all think?
I love that Jayden plays in his kitchen and pretends to cook things. If he wanted to be a chef some day, that would be great. Or maybe he'll just want to cook for his own family. I'd love for him to cook for me!
While we're on the topic, I also love when Jayden is sweet with his dolls. When Adam isn't at work, he's always done as much caring for Jayden as I have. Holding him, feeding him, changing diapers. Being loving and caring for a baby can't really be considered women's work anymore, can it? But, I've heard dads saying they don't want their boys playing with dolls. And the doll aisles in stores are pink. Not just the dolls and packaging, but even the shelves the dolls are on!
Baby Chloe
Baby Michael
The doll thing makes me sad, but the play kitchen honestly surprises me. I had no idea so many people felt that way.
Glad you posted this! I have always hated the gendering of toys--especially when they are so young.
ReplyDeleteMy son asked for and received an Easy Bake Oven for Hannukah one year; he also had a McDonald's Playset for cooking. He tended towards action figures and dinosaurs as he got older...and Legos (which I find are MOSTLY gender free).
My daughter--well, she tends towards the frilly--but I bought her a kitchen set which she then ignored (she prefers to help me in the real kitchen more). I have bought her trucks and she plays with some of my son's action figures.
Each child is an individual--it is unfortunate that society (and toy manufacturers) want to fit them into categories.
Funny you should mention this. I found a great deal on a wooden kitchen for E and honestly never thought anything of it. However both my dad and husband thought it was "girly." Oh we'll... Kind of ironic though since both of them also spend quite a bit of time in the kitchen. LOL!
ReplyDeleteThe stereotyping is so silly, and maybe a bit damaging for our kids. This is the reason I don't like shopping for toys or clothes at most big stores - the pink doll aisle, the uber-masculine boy stuff. My theory is that retailers would LOVE for you to buy all different stuff for your boy AND your girl...I love that you're just letting your kid play with what he likes. And I agree that we can't afford to let our kids be stereotyped. Many studies about traditional "female" attributes and success in school and the workplace are coming out, and we're not helping our sons by continuing to hold them to old stereotypes. I could go on about ths forever...
ReplyDeleteI don't like the concept of gender roles when it comes to children's toys. That said, I obviously don't see any problem with boys playing with toy kitchens. My brother used to play with my kitchen when he was little - just like I used to play with his GI Joe dolls. Who cares! As long as he's having fun and getting a chance to be creative, it shouldn't matter.
ReplyDeleteI hate that some toys are for certain genders, or at least what some people say. Way to go, mama, for getting such a fabulous toy for Jayden! He looks like he's having a great time!!!
ReplyDeleteGreat points. We have a friend who recently had a boy and he was mocking someone in their family whose boy really wanted a play kitchen for christmas... he went on and on about how it was girly and he can't imagine why a boy would want to play with that, he would never dream of allowing his son to have that toy (or god forbid a doll). Well, eventually it came up that the boy's dad is a chef! Of course he wanted a play kitchen. Duh!
ReplyDeleteIt starts so young!
ReplyDeleteWe were at a birthday party for one of Elfe's (boy) classmates a couple of weeks ago, and there was a craft for the kids where they could paint little wooden race cars. Elfe was painting hers blue and red when a boy came over and told her she couldn't do that because those were boy colors! The boys in her class also tell the girls on the playground that they can't play superhero with them because girls can't be superheroes - Elfe has gotten around that by teaching all the girls how to pretend to be Wonder Woman (we've been watching episodes from the old 70s series on the internet).
Seeing J. play with his toy kitchen makes me more optimistic about this whole depressing topic...
I have a kitchen set I rotate in and out and I only ever used to watch boys. They always loved to play with it, even the older schoolagers who were like 11! Mike's dad and brother were/are cooks (I wish it passed on to Mike-hehe). It is definitely wrong to assume it is a girl toy. That makes me sad that people still say that.
ReplyDeleteCan Adam have a talk to Mike about washing dishes? Thanks. ;)
Great post! I was wondering the same things about the play kitchens. A lot of the ones I've seen have been rather pink or girly, and I was thinking to myself, "What on earth?" I don't see how they could not be a boy toy. And the dolls? I have no experience there yet, my little guy doesn't play with much yet, but I remember my little brother all the time loving on his other sister's dolls and wanting to give them kisses- seemed perfectly normal to me. It's an interaction toy, so they can play interact with babies/people... why wouldn't that be for boys? I hate the bias there.
ReplyDeleteI seriously can't see how a play kitchen is a "girls only" toy. We don't have one (yet) but when we still went to playgroup that's the only toy that Nathan played with. I did buy him a doll a while ago but he shows no interest in that. Quite frankly his favourite thing is to take stuff from one container and put it into another!
ReplyDeleteI seriously can't see how a play kitchen is a "girls only" toy. We don't have one (yet) but when we still went to playgroup that's the only toy that Nathan played with. I did buy him a doll a while ago but he shows no interest in that. Quite frankly his favourite thing is to take stuff from one container and put it into another!
ReplyDeleteMy oldest SD bought our grandson, 2 1/2 a kitchen specifically because he loved Mea's so much. He loves to "cook."
ReplyDeletePeople are weird.
The no doll thing for boys makes me stabby. Boys turn into Daddy's, they need baby and doll experiences, too.
My brother is going to school to be a chef and he's a darn good one if I might add. So we bought Brayden some cooking pots and pans and little food things and he loves it! He doesn't have a full kitchen, but we introduced the kitchen items and it's a way for us to tell him about his uncle that he doesn't see very often. He also sees his daddy helping me in the kitchen, etc. It never crossed my mind that the kitchen items were possibly "girly". Now with dolls...B has sutffed animals and he couldn't care less about them. But his cars and trains he adores. But those things were never forced on him.
ReplyDeleteMy youngest has grown up loving dolls and his play kitchen. At Christmas, his sister received a Barbie, and other than his new toy garage it was his favourite thing to play with all day. No one cared, other than his sister who wasn't pleased he stole her toy..!
ReplyDeleteMy older two came to us with very entrenched ideas about what was and was not okay for their gender. It was interesting to see how their last two homes had shaped their views - and I imagine their previous parents (foster & biological) think we're total hippies now. Because our Jayden (6) wears makeup sometimes and has his nails done, and Olivia (8) hates anything girly
Theo LOVES those little kitchens!
ReplyDeleteI think the same thing! X is totally getting a kitchen for christmas, I don't care what anyone says.
ReplyDeleteLove him! Miss him. Is it too early to put in an order for when I visit next? I hear J is an awesome cook, I'll have whatever's on special. :)
ReplyDeleteLove him! Miss him. Is it too early to put in an order for when I visit next? I hear J is an awesome cook, I'll have whatever's on special. :)
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