Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence of gender stereotyping by parents of young children vs. non-parents for modern toddler toys. Ninety-four parents (52 f, 42 m), with at least one child under 5 yrs, and 110 non-parents (63 f, 47 m) were shown common toddler toys. To determine the prevalence of gender stereotyping, participants were asked to identify whether they viewed the toy as gender neutral or more appropriate for a boy or girl. Participants were also asked to determine the importance of the toy for child development. Results revealed that both parents and non-parents identified toys such as stacking rings, puzzles, musical instruments, learning laptops, and television learning systems as gender neutral. Ride-on toys, playground equipment, trucks, and sporting balls were classified as masculine, while tea sets and dolls were identified as feminine. Parents also identified educational toys (e.g., child laptops, television learning systems) and musical instruments as critical to development. Toys identified as less important for development were those that afforded the greatest opportunity for physical activity (e.g., ride-on toys, playground slides). In contrast, non-parents rated toys affording physical activity significantly higher than parents. These results demonstrate a distinct gender-biased stereotyping of modern toddler-aged toys. Toys that provide greater movement opportunities are more likely to be considered appropriate for boys and feminine-defined toys are more likely to be associated with inactive behaviour. Non-parents appear to value the importance of toys eliciting physical activity to a greater extent than parents with a young child.
