Play Library » girls

Google Fight: Bratz vs Barbie Dolls

Lei — Tue, 25 Jul 2006 12:09:07 +0000

Does Barbie still rule or do newcomers like the Bratz dolls have a chance at ascending the throne? A Google Fight’s been staged, click the image below to find out who emerges the victor – Barbie or the Bratz.

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Gender-Specific Toys

Lei — Thu, 08 Dec 2005 13:35:45 +0000

Like most modern parents, I’d like to think I present my son with toys that are as gender-neutral as possible. In fact, if you’ve noticed, I am reluctant to categorize many of the toys I feature here at Play Library as either toys for boys or girls. Still, it’s plain to see that my son prefers traditional boy toys like spaceships and cars.

Toy preferences may have developed far back in human evolution and may even be partially determined by our genes. Recent research has shown that male monkeys like to play with toy cars while female monkeys prefer dolls.

Like little boys, some male monkeys moved a toy car along the ground. Like little girls, female monkeys closely inspected a doll. Males also preferred balls while females fancied cooking pots. Both were equally interested in neutral objects such as a picture book and a stuffed dog.

Scientists speculate that females prefer dolls because they’re programmed to care for infants while males prefer toys that allow them to practice skills like throwing and moving which are useful for hunting.

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Polly Pocket

gayla — Fri, 10 Jun 2005 15:17:26 +0000

I just discovered Polly Pocket for my three-year-old daughter and she loves it! I bought her a little set for our recent seven-hour drive to Tucson and she had a blast. The clothes are a lot easier to put on than Barbie dolls, and they are nice and portable. She enjoyed pretending with the dolls, having them talk to each other, and did a good amount of imagination play.

The only problem I see is that the shoes and accessories are VERY small, and not condusive to my eighteen-month old. I plan on getting future sets, but I’ll have to make sure the older one keeps them all contained and in her room!

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