Why it matters

Let Toys Be Toys believes that play is a vital part of child development and can help shape long-term attitudes and ambitions. When toys are narrowly divided into ‘boys’ and ‘girls’ or signposted along the pink/blue divide, we risk limiting the possibilities and interests of our children.

Play matters

Play is crucial to how children develop and learn about the world. It is widely recognised that children benefit from access to a range of toys and play experiences. Although we have managed to persuade most UK shops to drop the ‘girls’ and ‘boys’ signs and labels, many retailers and toy manufacturers still market toys separately to boys and girls through adverts, toy catalogues, product placement or packaging. Action, construction, science and technology toys are predominantly marketed to boys, while role-play and arts and crafts toys are usually aimed at girls. We believe both boys and girls miss out this way.

Marketing matters

How toys are labelled and displayed is designed to affect consumers’ buying choices. Many people feel uncomfortable buying a boy an arts and crafts kit in a pink box, or a girl a toy that has been advertised only to boys. Other buyers may not notice that science kits and construction toys are missing from the ‘pink section’ of the shop or website, or that boys are largely absent from the pages advertising dolls in a toy catalogue.

The stereotypes we see in toy marketing form part of a route to the inequalities prevalent in adult life. By early primary-school age, studies suggest children already tend to have absorbed ideas about the jobs that men and women do. These stereotypical notions can then be very hard to shift and can, for instance, feed into the low numbers of girls taking STEM subjects and men entering professions such as childcare. Such ideas can also play a role in bullying.

Making a positive difference

It’s easy for retailers and toy manufacturers to make a positive difference, and they should benefit too. We are asking retailers to organise toys by theme and function rather than gender. And we are asking manufacturers to package and market their products in a way that includes all children. We have advice for the toy industry on how to do this with our series of #Just4Asks for retailers and manufacturers.

Let Toys Be Toys Toymark award

We recognise and celebrate retailers who are doing a great job ditching the gender stereotypes and marketing to children inclusively with our Toymark award for good practice. Visit our directory of recommended retailers to find a range of toy, bike and book shops throughout the UK. You can help make a positive difference by supporting these retailers, and letting us know about any shops who should be nominated for the award.