Why do girls like dolls?
Research suggests there is a “biological basis” linked to the toys children choose to play with
A new study shows children pick stereotypical toys for their gender. Boys make a beeline for toy cars as soon as they can crawl, while girls are naturally drawn to dolls and teddies, reports the Daily Mail.
Researchers found that with no prompting, youngsters will choose the stereotypical toy. The study suggests there is a ‘biological basis’ to their preferences.
Psychologists Dr Brenda Todd and Sara Amalie O’Toole Thommessen from City University London carried out an experiment involving 90 children aged 9 to 36 months. The children were allowed to choose from seven toys, including a toy car, a digger, a doll and a cooking set. They were then left to pick which toy they wanted to play with.
Their choice and the amount of time they spent playing with the toy was recorded. The youngest girls spent most of their time playing with the doll, while the boys chose to play with the toy car and a bouncy ball.
Among the toddlers, girls spent 50% of their time with the doll while the boys spent 90% of time playing with the cars - which the girls hardly touched. Dr Brenda Todd said, “Children of this age are already subject to a great deal of socialisation. Boys may be given ‘toys that go’ while girls get toys they can nurture. There could be a biological basis for their choices.”
More like this
Do your youngsters make a beeline for stereotypical toys for their gender? Let us know below…
Authors
How NatPat's wellness patches may help your family
NatPat's range of wellness patches and stickers aim to tackle everything from allergies to lack of focus. We take a closer look at the range.