We want to educate our children in equality, far from discrimination and stereotypes, and at this point toys have much to say. You don't have to go around too much to find non-sexist games and toys, it doesn't matter so much the toy as our attitude towards them and how we present it to our children.
Recently we brought you a decalogue to choose non-sexist games and toys, but in principle, no toy by itself is sexist. That is, all toys can work for boys and girls, the key is in the way they are used and in the way they play, as well as in the way in which the environment refers to them or predisposes children to their use .
What types of toys should we look for for our children? What should we ask friends and family so that sexism does not "slip" in gifts?
That any game, any toy, can be used by both girls and boys. And we saw that this is very simple: if the genitals are not to be used to play, any toy for them or for them will be worth (and if not, it is not a children's toy).
That the game serves to develop physical skills: balance, coordination, aim, strength ... For example all sports items, marbles, diabolos, bows, balls, jump ropes ...
Games and toys that serve to develop intellectual abilities: memory, ingenuity, perseverance ... Here are included the board games, playing cards, puzzles and memory games, constructions, role-playing games ...
That enhance the values and human qualities of people (not boys or girls): cooperation, fantasy, imagination, creativity ... Here we have costumes, kitchens, dolls, babies, puppets, constructions, role-playing games ...
That favor team play: learn and respect rules, know how to lose and win, cooperate with the group ... As with many board games, some sports, traditional team games ...
Games and toys that help to think, to investigate, to reason, to learn ... so that they can understand how the real world is.
Finally, remember that any toy can be fun, we don't have to invest a lot of money or find sophisticated toys, thanks to their inventiveness and imagination, thanks to their desire to learn, any object can become the most fun of toys, any dad and mom playing with them is the best entertainment!
It is important that we talk with our children, that we educate them in equality, that we banish gender roles in the case of toys and so in this way we prevent possible comments about their games ("That's girls", "A this can't play girls "...) affect them.
Supporting our sons and daughters, educating them in these values of equality, it will not be difficult for us to contribute to their self-esteem, to their full development, avoiding perpetuating gender roles based on inequality, submission or submission, without assuming that boys are stronger or weaker girls and that there are toys for boys and toys for girls.
