Let Toys Be Toys – for girls and boys

Let Toys Be Toys is asking retailers to stop limiting children’s interests by promoting some toys as only suitable for girls, and others only for boys.

Toys are for fun, for learning, for stoking imagination and encouraging creativity. Children should feel free to play with the toys that most interest them.

Isn’t it time that shops stopped limiting our children’s imagination by telling them what they ought to play with?

The answer is simple – we’re asking retailers and manufacturers to sort toys by theme or function, rather than by gender, and let the children decide which toys they enjoy best.

Find out more about the Let Toys Be Toys campaign.

Debenhams

Department store Debenhams say that putting toys under large pink and blue signs saying ‘Boys’ and ‘Girls’ helps shoppers. We don’t agree.

Read more…

Update from M&S

Following our letter to Marks and Spencer where we asked them to stop making toys named “Boy Stuff” and “Lil’ Miss Arty” and to get rid of gendered shelving displays, they’ve got back to us. Read more…

Not just sexism… This is M&S sexism

Last week we asked our followers what they thought about Marks & Spencer’s ‘Boys Stuff’ (action toys such as walkie-talkies, jungle animals, magnets and marbles) and ‘Lil Miss Arty’ (arts and crafts) ranges.  They weren’t impressed:  Read more…

Royal Society of Chemists says chemistry is not just for boys!

Tesco backs down over ‘boys’ chemistry set

The giant supermarket retailer blamed sexist signposting of toys on “consumer research” but finally promised to review the way they categorize their toys, after pressure from Let Toys Be Toys supporters.

Read more…

Tesco backtracks on labelling chemistry set for boys

Radio documentary: Why are we selling our kids a gendered worldview?

Boots agree to let toys be toys in store

High-street retailer Boots has agreed to take down ‘girls toys’ and ‘boys toys’ signs in their stores after pressure from consumers including Let Toys Be Toys campaigners. Read more…

Waterstones_1304_activitybooks

A great week for Let Toys Be Toys!

Last week saw several major retailers agreeing to make changes to their signs, and let toys be toys for girls AND boys.

Liz Jordan from Let Toys Be Toys said, “It’s been quite a week for changes. It seems like retailers are really starting to take notice.”  Read more…