Reflection paper
Description
For this reflection paper, you will be thinking about children’s toys as agents of gender socialization. 1) Read or listen to the following NPR piece: https://www.npr.org/2019/03/26/705824731/sparkle-unicorns-and-fart-ninjas-what-parents-can-do-about-gendered-toys 2)Then do some research on kids toys. You can do this a few different ways. If you really want to go all out, do more than one of them! Option 1, in a store -Go to Target or Walmart (wear a mask and follow safety precautions) and browse the toy aisles. Note which toys seem to be marketed to which children. How do the toys for boys differ from the toys for girls? Option 2, using an online store -Go to target.com and look at the toy section. The link here will take you to a toy search that lets you specify age and gender. See what toys are recommended for a boy at a given age vs a girl at a given age. How do they differ? https://www.target.com/c/toys/-/N-5xtb0 Option 3, using google shopping -Go to shopping.google.com and search “toys for boys” and “toys for girls.” If you want to, after doing those searches, add in ages, like “toys for boys age 5” 3) Reflect on your favorite toys when you were a 5-6 yr old child. What were they? Were they gendered? Did they reinforce gender stereotypes in any way? Your reflection paper will include all 3 of these elements. In 2-3 pages, you will discuss: -What is gender? -What are gender roles? -What is gender socialization? -Why do sociologists think of toys as an agent of gender socialization? -What have researchers found out about gender socialzation and toys? (use materials from book and the NPR piece) -What did you find when you did step 2, your research on gender and toys? -What was your favorite toy as a small child? Was it gender normative? Did it reinforce gender stereotypes? -Does it matter what kinds of toys kids play with? Why or why not?
