As a child, I was very happy with riding a bike and playing football with my older cousins. Through play I learned what teamwork was and I learned that play helped to build character. When I was growing up there was things that girls could play and things that boys could play. I was always getting in trouble because as a girl I was not suppose to be playing football with the boys but I was suppose to be playing with my dolls and girl cousin or watching my Granny make a quilt. As an educator I can say that the way things are a little the same is that there are still gender based play. In our classroom we encourage the children to explore all types of play regardless of gender.
Here is a quote from The National Institute of Play, that I really enjoyed reading: " The ability of a young child to create their own sense of their mind, and that of others, takes place through pretend play, which continues to nourish the spirit throughout life, and remains key to innovation and creativity" (2009).
Your bring up such an important point. Gender based play should not be forced on children. Children should be allowed to make their own choices about the play and activities they want to engage in. Children should have the opportunity for themselves to decide what interests them or not. If adults are giving only certain toys and props to a certain gender, than they are pushing their biases on them.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Frank that children should be allowed to choose their activities and gender based play shouldn't be forced. However, in my personal daycare I have seen parents tell their boys that dolls are just for girls or not to play dress up. I definitely agree that gender play still exists. Thank you for sharing your childhood experiences.
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