Empowered by Play » gender

LEGO Friends vs. LEGO Education: What’s the lesson here?

Geralyn — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 17:26:35 +0000

“Those aren’t real LEGO minifigs!” my son said, as he watched a commercial for the new LEGO Friends line. “What do you mean?” I asked. “They aren’t real minifigures. That’s not what LEGOs look like!” His brother shook his head in literal disbelief as he watched. “I know a lot of girls who would not like those LEGOs,” he said somberly when the commercial was through.

After reading so much online about LEGO Friends, I had decided to show my sons the commercial on YouTube. We don’t have TV, so they didn’t know much about the line – even though they are avid LEGO fans. My sons build with LEGOs everyday. Everyday. They build with their cousins whenever they can. Tomorrow we will be at our local library for the LEGO “Build and Learn Together” Club. There girls and boys build and learn together – using a wide range of multi-colored LEGO bricks.

My sons aren’t the only ones who think LEGO Friends is a bad idea. Objections have been raised all over the Internet, and I thank Marketing, Media and Childhood for capturing the essence of many of these comments – check out this Lego Friends Roundup. There are at least two petitions to the LEGO company - one petition by New Moon Girls, and one by the founders of the SPARK Movement. And you can read LEGO Group’s tepid response released yesterday.

Last night Nancy Gruver, founder of New Moon Girls hosted a #GirlsNow Tweet chat to talk about the LEGO Friends. Lots of food for thought. Some of my favorite tweets were:

Nancy_newmoon: My big question for Lego is how does the Friends set ‘Inspire and develop the builders of tomorrow’ ? #girlsnow

Nancy_newmoon: The emphasis in the Friends set is on girls’ appearance and girls’ possessions – not on what they can imagine & build. #girlsnow

DrRobyn: Do you think girls would have rejected LEGOs if they included astronauts, farmers, CEOs, and researchers as roles for figures? #girlsnow

SPARKmovement: LEGO needs to meet with a diverse group of girls, parents AND researchers who can explain why this line is dangerous #girlsnow

peggyorenstein: RT @rchains: @empoweredbyplay @pinkstinksuk “pink” marks girls as the sex class. raised to be looked at & judged, not create. #girlsnow

During the Tweet chat, what really hit home for me is the disparity between the mass-marketed LEGO sets and the LEGO Education division. I’ve talked with LEGO Education reps at conferences, and have heard from them that there is no connection between LEGO Education and the LEGOs you see in toy stores and on TV. LEGO Education actually does a great job including girls in their STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) products and curricula. On the LEGO Education website, you will see girls building, problem solving and creating – alongside their male peers. Female science teachers give testimonials alongside their male counterparts. The LEGO sets themselves are gender neutral and even the cartoon LEGO characters Jack and Jill represent both genders. LEGO Education isn’t perfect, but in terms of messages regarding gender as it relates to science, math, technology, problem solving and creativity it is miles ahead of what we see from LEGO in the stores and on TV.

Of course it all comes down to the mighty dollar, and LEGO Friends is all about that. LEGO saw an opportunity and went for it. And make money, they will. That’s because not all parents are upset. Many parents are thrilled to have an alternative to Bratz dolls and Monster High dolls. And when you compare LEGO Friends to the vamped up Bratz and Monster High, you can see how LEGO Friends will appeal to some parents. Still, I am personally disappointed with LEGO. On one hand, they have a young girl dressed up as an astronaut to advertise their LEGO Bricks in Space program (in conjunction with NASA) and on the other hand they have automatically switched their female LEGO Club magazine subscribers to the newly launched pastel “LEGO Club Girls” – a magazine heavy on the purple and pink and light on building instructions. Here is more on that from the unhappy UK blogger who writes “Lego Club membership – are you a girl, or are you normal?”

I’ll be writing my own letter to the LEGO group about the disparity between their divisions and my latest disappointment with them. Meanwhile, I’ll be trying to explain it all to my sons as I struggle myself to try to figure out – what is the lesson here?

Peggy Orenstein’s CINDERELLA ATE MY DAUGHTER

Geralyn — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 14:52:01 +0000

Peggy Orenstein’s book CINDERELLA ATE MY DAUGHTER wasn’t the book I hoped it would be – it was better.

I was hoping she’d knock the marketing giant flat on its exploitative keister and that her book would make a strong and irrefutable case against Disney’s shameless and relentless marketing to young girls – opening parents’ eyes to all harmful stereotypes that Disney foists on our young girls and boys. I was hoping for a lambasting.

Instead, Orenstein offers the reader a deeply nuanced, thoughtful and honest look into her personal journey of parenting her young daughter through the princess years. As a mother of only boys, I appreciated the chance to enter into the complicated world of raising a happy and confident daughter in our current “girlie-girl culture”. Orenstein looks at American Girl dolls, Bratz dolls, Hannah Montana, Britney Spears, Internet chat rooms, Greek myths and more, taking the time to see what is behind the headlines and what the research is telling us. She talks to other parents about the choices they are making for their daughters. Orenstein helps illustrate that as your child moves from preschooler to tween, teen and beyond, the choices you make and why you make them will help shape how your daughter sees the world – and sees herself in the world. The book is sort of a wake-up call to wake-up and be present in your daughter’s media life.

For a terrific interview with Orenstein, check out the podcast and transcript of her hour with Healthy Media Choices’ Mary Rothschild. Here is a powerful excerpt from the interview where Rothschild hits the nail on the head and helps crystalize the message that Orenstein is sending us:

Mary Rothschild: This is one of the keys, I think – intentionality. Being intentional, even if you decide to let all the Princess stuff in. Whatever you decide for your family, being intentional makes all the difference in the world. The child (senses it).

Peggy Orenstein: That’s actually a great way for me to put it, so I appreciate your telling me that. When I talk about it, I’m going to say that, if you don’t mind. I can’t tell you what decisions to make for your child but, whatever you do, to provide context. I wanted to start a conversation and I wanted to provide some context and information so that parents could make their choices more wisely, but I guess what that does mean is make them intentionally. If you’re going to let your daughter get the twenty-one-piece Disney Princess makeup kit, know what you’re doing. That’s fine. That’s your choice. That’s your right, but know what you’re doing.

Be intentional about your choices. Good advice for parents of boys, too. For the full podcast and interview please check out Healthy Media Choices.

Liv Girls and Moxie Girlz…move over Bratz

Geralyn — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 01:40:00 +0000

Yesterday I wrote about the new Moxie Girlz…today it is yet another way-too-cool doll line, Liv Girls. Liv Girls includes an online world that you can enter for only $19.99 (plus $9.99 for shipping and handling). These “four fun-loving teens who love to hang out together” (but, alas, are sold separately) come with a “secret code” that unlocks a virtual world where young girls can “read the Liv Girls’ super secret diaries” and take “snap shots” of the Liv Girls “having all kinds of super adventures and place them in a scrapbook to share with friends.”

Ugh! Here we go again with another “virtual” world where kids are pulled away from actual interactions with friends and family members. Authentic relationships and experiences are pushed aside, as this electronic world seduces vulnerable youngsters who (like anyone) want to belong. The ad is scary when you really look at what they are saying…

“Live in our world”

“Real Girls, Real Lives”

“There is so much to do!”

“This is where all our lives totally come together!”

Gee, thanks, Spin Master, Ltd for making the world a better place for our children. We really needed another way to keep our kids plugged into the internet, living pretend lives – away from books, nature and actual human interactions.

I’m trying to figure out if this new generation of dolls is any less offensive than their predecessor Bratz. It looks like the advertisers are going for a more wholesome look, but the effect is the same for me. Teenagers aren’t playing with these dolls – but very young girls are. And now the young girls can even “live” in an online virtual teenage world. To me, that’s getting worse, not better.

KEVA planks – creating fun for everyone!

Geralyn — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 20:19:00 +0000

I am a big fan of KEVA blocks. They are simple wooden planks – and their potential is limitless. Basically, KEVA planks are maple construction blocks, each precisely made to the same dimension. Construction toys are great in general, because they are never the same toy twice, but KEVA planks are the ultimate (in my book) because they are made of wood (better for the earth than plastic) and they are all exactly the same. How many times have you and your kids played with LEGOs and spent precious time searching for the piece you need. In the classroom, or at home, LEGOs and K*Nex can create problems when kids fuss over coveted pieces. Not a problem with KEVA! Also, clean up is a piece of cake, since you just have to toss all the blocks into a single bag or bin. And you build by stacking. No glue or nails needed! Kapla planks are similar to KEVAs, but they are made in France. KEVA planks are made right here in the USA.

Last week my family had “Cousins Camp”, with 13 campers ranging from 4-years-old to 12-years-old. KEVA blocks were a hit across the board. For younger and older, boys and girls, the KEVA blocks had universal appeal. Even the grown-ups had fun building. No kidding. It’s hard to find entertainment that has such broad appeal. And, as the guide book states, “Attention spans lengthen, concentration deepens, creativity is focused, teamwork happens naturally, excitement builds, children learn.” In the classroom, I’ve seen students spontaneously try to build a tower taller then themselves, or build and rebuild a complicated structure day after day – perfecting their own design.

Imagination, physics, art and problem solving all come together in this wonderfully complex, yet simple toy. Adding to your collection is straightforward, since they aren’t linked to the latest blockbuster movie or TV show. For about sixty dollars, you can get a set of 200 planks. That may sound like a lot of money, but compared to single-purpose plastic toys that kids quickly out grow (or get tired of), consider your purchase as an investment. (By the way, I am not getting money to endorse these blocks…I’m just an enthusiastic fan!) In a world of plugged-in entertainment and virtual experiences, KEVA planks provide a welcomed and much needed hands-on experience.

BTW…for more thoughts on gender-neutral toys, check out this post.

What makes you happy?

Geralyn — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 21:17:00 +0000

Earlier this week on American Public Media’s Marketplace, I heard an excellent interview with James Gustave Speth, Dean of Forestry and Environmental Studies at Yale University. The ideas presented in the interview, Taking Stock: Rethinking Consumerism, support many of the concepts I have been writing about in Empowered by Play. Speth talks about over-consumption and how it doesn’t lead to happiness. He is hoping the recession gives us a chance to reinvent ourselves in a happier, more family-friendly, sustainable way of life. He reminds us that people find pleasure in giving, not in receiving. Hmmm…a simple, yet vital message in these consumer-driven times! Here is a quote from the interview (emphasis added):

SPETH: The great hope I have is that we won’t just recover. That we will reinvent. That we will change the nature, to a large degree, of what our economy is all about. What I would like to see, personally, is some set of policies put in place which would have the effect of both curtailing our consumption, and at the same time improving Welfare. So what things would do that? Certainly, taking more time in leisure, having a shorter work week, longer vacations. Greater labor protection, greater job security. Some restrictions on advertising. The Swedish ban on advertising directed at children is something we should consider seriously. You can click here to read or listen to the entire interview.

I’ve been thinking that the current recession offers a unique opportunity to help restore imaginative play…in that simple toys and recreation are often more affordable and sustainable than the flashy, electronic and battery operated entertainment that is so pervasive today. It is terrific to hear that message in mainstream media!

For more thoughts, here are some of my related posts:

Gender-neutral toys: Good for your wallet good for your kids

Two Good Reasons to Cut the Cable and Family Game Night…unplugged .

NY Times article, "Bringing Girls into the Game"

Geralyn — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 13:59:00 +0000

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/15/sports/15girls.html

This was a great article in today’s NY Times about programs designed to switch up some of the deep gender divides on the playground and in sports. I felt that some of the posted comments missed the boat, so of course I had to add my two cents:

“After reading these responses, I am compelled to respond. I agree that some, ‘healthy neglect’ is a good thing for kids and recreation, but letting, ‘kids be kids’ isn’t as easy as it used to be. The gender divides perpetuated by toy manufacturers and our commercial culture are more entrenched than ever. This article was about opening doors and increasing options for kids. That is a good thing. I applaud the teacher who encouraged the girls to switch their game to “gym teacher”. It gives the girls a new way to think about their game. Finally, I have worked with Sports4Kids and it is actually a great model for engaging boys who aren’t drawn to the competition of sports, but like to play.”

Gender-neutral toys: Good for your wallet and good for your kids

Geralyn — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 20:02:00 +0000

Visit the toy aisles today and you will see dazzling purple and pink displays dappled with sparkles – and decidedly darker aisles dappled with weapons. The difference between “boy” toys and “girl” toys seems never to have been more obvious – or more ludicrous. There is the “Red Giant Slash” action figure from the Fisher-Price Planet Heroes Voice Comm line for three to eight-year-olds. The red-faced figure aims a huge missile-launcher and even says the words, “Fire up the neutrino ray!” Not sure what that means, but I’m sure there are plenty of three-year-old boys who do. For two-years and up, Fisher-Price also has a Snap ‘n Style line of toys, including a pink fashion wardrobe and a variety of outfits for a little pink doll. You can buy the whole bundle for $50. Yes, that did say for 2-year-olds. Not 12-year-olds. You can buy Pastel Edition Scrabble, Pink Boutique Monopoly or Twister Pink. You can even buy girl or boy versions of popular handheld video games – if you go in for that sort of thing.

When I was little I rode a basic blue, yellow and red Big Wheel. It went fast and it was fun. And it was inclusive. No one got teased by kids in the neighborhood because this ride-on toy was the wrong color. We could pass it on to younger siblings of any gender and really get our money’s worth. Marketers push the gender specific toys because it’ll force you to buy more. From scooters, to balls, to Play-doh creativity centers – you can buy the “girl version”, the “boy version” or the gender-neutral version.

I say, give your son the power to figure out what kind of boy he wants to be and your daughter the power to figure out what kind of girl she wants to be. Don’t let the toy companies do the deciding. If you are not sure that’s a good enough reason, how about this…you will find that your money goes farther!! Your kids and their friends can share more – and you’ll have many more options for hand-me-downs or re-sale. Also, when toys get used for more years by more kids, its better for the environment, too. Less trash.

So that’s three good reasons to steer clear of gender-specific toys. Its better for your kids, better for your wallet and better for the earth. Keep in mind that open-ended toys which inspire imagination and creativity, such as sand boxes and building blocks are always good options. Scooters, balls and jump ropes which promote healthy activity a great, too. Try to remember to buy gender-neutral versions that will appeal to lots of kinds of kids.