I played with erector sets and Lego and k-nex and helped my dad build stuff. It turns out I still like dresses, flowers, art, and boys, but I also like machines.
I don't know. I don't see why girls can't play with Legos and erector sets just like boys (why are those 'boy' toys??) and I hate the fact that toys have to be "girl toys" for girls to play with them. But, if it gets girls interested in engineering or if it gets that parent to buy it for a girl where they wouldn't buy a 'boy' erector set, why not?
I played with erector sets and Lego and k-nex and helped my dad build stuff. It turns out I still like dresses, flowers, art, and boys, but I also like machines.
So I don't like this.
That's how I feel. I had lego and erector sets. I think I would have been mortified to play with pink
There are a number of girly-girl engineers that I know who would have liked to play with something like that rather than an "ugly" erector set. Doesn't make them any less of an engineer at this point.
There are a number of girly-girl engineers that I know who would have liked to play with something like that rather than an "ugly" erector set. Doesn't make them any less of an engineer at this point.
I was just about to go there.
And I'm kind of liking the message that you don't have to lose your femininity to become an engineer.
There are a number of girly-girl engineers that I know who would have liked to play with something like that rather than an "ugly" erector set. Doesn't make them any less of an engineer at this point.
I was just about to go there.
And I'm kind of liking the message that you don't have to lose your femininity to become an engineer.
I'm going to have to go take my coworkers hot pink high heel shoe tape dispenser because it's too feminine.
Why would you have to lose your femininity to be an engineer in the first place?
What bothers me is the fact that people see what are really gender neutral toys as "boy" toys. You don't need to make a "girl" version! I'm glad this will maybe get parents to buy things that their kids will enjoy. But I think most little girls would have fun with normal building sets if they were put in front of them.
While I agree with the comments above re: femininity and engineering not being mutually exclusive, the comment in the link "I'm creating GoldieBlox to inspire girls the way Legos and Erector sets have inspired boys, for over 100 years, to develop an early interest and skill set in engineering. " bugged me. DD is plenty inspired by plain old Legos (as evidenced by her playing with them for over an hour yesterday).
Why would you have to lose your femininity to be an engineer in the first place?
What bothers me is the fact that people see what are really gender neutral toys as "boy" toys. You don't need to make a "girl" version! I'm glad this will maybe get parents to buy things that their kids will enjoy. But I think most little girls would have fun with normal building sets if they were put in front of them.
...for some girls... maybe even the MAJORITY of girls, you don't need to make a "girl" version.
But there are some girls out there who won't play with them because they aren't pink and girly. I see girls like this (blissfully, I don't have one), and I don't want them (self-)excluded from STEM-based education over what color the toys are.
While I agree with the comments above re: femininity and engineering not being mutually exclusive, the comment in the link "I'm creating GoldieBlox to inspire girls the way Legos and Erector sets have inspired boys, for over 100 years, to develop an early interest and skill set in engineering. " bugged me. DD is plenty inspired by plain old Legos (as evidenced by her playing with them for over an hour yesterday).
That bugged me too. I loved my legos when I was a kid, and this was before everything for girls had to be pink!
While I agree with the comments above re: femininity and engineering not being mutually exclusive, the comment in the link "I'm creating GoldieBlox to inspire girls the way Legos and Erector sets have inspired boys, for over 100 years, to develop an early interest and skill set in engineering. " bugged me. DD is plenty inspired by plain old Legos (as evidenced by her playing with them for over an hour yesterday).
That bugged me too. I loved my legos when I was a kid, and this was before everything for girls had to be pink!
Watch the video. She's doing this from a really good place.
Post by copzgirl1171 on Sept 19, 2012 11:53:11 GMT -5
WHY, WHY does the color matter?
You let your child play with regular legos and don't notice the color? I mean if pink is a gateway (nice word momi) to something more I couldn't care less. Pink it up.l
Yeah, the focus on pink is silly here, IMO. It's a color. A color all like, even my son. So what...if it gets them off the boob tube and using their mind, move on,
Post by ringstrue on Sept 19, 2012 12:03:37 GMT -5
The reason pink-ifying works is because A) parents segregate (however subconsciously or not) their kids to girl-only toys and B) girls segregate themselves to what other girls are doing and/or what is a "girly" toy.
Plus its not just girl-ifying. Most "engineering toys" ARE boy branded and marketed. Everything that a marketing company does to attract boys to a toy is also done to most engineering toys. Or rather, People market to boys or girls, and there is no effort to market certain toys to girls outside of making the effing thing pink.
If you actually bother to watch the video, you'll see that she had to even redo the premise for playing with the toy in the first place, because that's what the research showed was best to specifically attract girls: not just making it pink, but using the story book and main character and other elements that engage young girls in ways other engineering toys don't.
As for this toy, it still seems pretty .... basic to me. It sorta reminds me of that mouse trap board game. It doesn't go to the level that an erector set or model/machine building would go to. But its a nice start.
I played with erector sets and Lego and k-nex and helped my dad build stuff. It turns out I still like dresses, flowers, art, and boys, but I also like machines.
So I don't like this.
This exactly. I'm in patent law now but I still use my ME degree on the daily. This bothers me. Why does all this crap have to be made so girly/pink/ribbony?
As for this toy, it still seems pretty .... basic to me. It sorta reminds me of that mouse trap board game. It doesn't go to the level that an erector set or model/machine building would go to. But its a nice start.
Seriously, check out Engineering Is Elementary. You can buy single copies of the books, and the engineering projects all use everyday materials. It's totally brilliant. ( www.eiestore.com/ )
As for this toy, it still seems pretty .... basic to me. It sorta reminds me of that mouse trap board game. It doesn't go to the level that an erector set or model/machine building would go to. But its a nice start.
Seriously, check out Engineering Is Elementary. You can buy single copies of the books, and the engineering projects all use everyday materials. It's totally brilliant. ( www.eiestore.com/ )
Post by copzgirl1171 on Sept 19, 2012 12:16:45 GMT -5
Your daughter/niece/son/nephew picks up a toy. It happens to be pink/frilly but an erector set or a microscope or a ball or add your own here...do you make her put it back because it is pink? Please tell me no.
Please tell me no.
It is a damn color that happens to appeal to that child for whatever reason. Big deal.
Would you segregate them from a tractor because it is green or a football because it is brown?
Your daughter/niece/son/nephew picks up a toy. It happens to be pink/frilly but an erector set or a microscope or a ball or add your own here...do you make her put it back because it is pink? Please tell me no.
Please tell me no.
It is a damn color that happens to appeal to that child for whatever reason. Big deal.
Would you segregate them from a tractor because it is green or a football because it is brown?
I'm talking about marketing. Not toys you already have or daily life. I'm talking about the psychology behind what makes a person choose Toy A vs. Toy B on the shelf for Birthdays and Christmas.
Post by passthewine on Sept 19, 2012 12:31:43 GMT -5
Maybe I see things differently because I don't have kids, but at what point does a girl's preference for pink become ok? As a woman that works in construction, I had a pink hard hat for years... is that bad too? I thought it was cute and I never had to worry about any of the guys grabbing it.