Children begin to develop a sense of gender roles at a very early age. These gender roles are harmful to children of all genders and continue to affect us throughout our lives. Gender stereotypes also contribute significantly to discrimination against LGBTQ+ individuals.
The Fawcett Society released a report in 2020 examining the effects of gender stereotypes in early childhood. It is noted that many gender stereotypes are reinforced through products marketed for children, including clothes, toys, and media.
The report urges toy manufacturers to “design toys for children, not by gender.”
“Children seek out explanations for the world they live in. This helps to influence their brain development, so the way that we present it to them matters.”
BuyBuyBaby Top 100 Toys
I catalogued 99 different products from 31 different brands.
Each product entry included:
Name
Age range
Was gendered language used in the product description?
What gender(s) were the children pictured using the toy?
Here’s what I learned:
Only 2 out of 99 products used gendered language in the product description
Both products were targeted at girls
Case Study- SKIP HOP Zoo 3-in-1 Ride-On
2 variations of this toy appeared in the “Top 100 Products”: a unicorn, and a dog.
Note the differences in gender representation between the images for the unicorn (a “girl” toy) and the dog (a “boy” toy).
I checked a few different websites, including skiphop.com, and there do not seem to be any pictures of a boy using the unicorn toy. In contrast, there is at least one child that appears to be a girl using the dog toy.
Making boys’ toys available to girls is only half the solution.
Removal of gendered language needs to be accompanied by a conscious effort to show diverse gender representation for all toys and products.
Lesley
they/them
Lesley is a curious dog who enjoys playing in the dirt and splashing in puddles. They spend hours outdoors looking for interesting bugs and collecting cool rocks and leaves.
Primary lesson:
It’s ok to not feel like a boy or a girl. Just be yourself.
Other takeaways:
It’s fun to be outdoors and get messy.
Benjamin
he/him
Benjamin is an energetic and enthusiastic cat who loves hosting tea parties and wearing his flower crown, and he isn’t afraid to show how much he cares about his friends.
Primary lesson:
Boys can like pink, flowers, and tea parties. Showing emotions is not only for girls.
Other takeaways:
It’s good to make other people feel included.
Miriam
she/her
Miriam is a creative and confident stoat who is constantly making something new and imagining all sorts of wild and crazy stories to tell. She’s tough and is always willing to help out!
Primary lesson:
Girls can be strong and assertive— both physically and emotionally.
Other takeaways:
It’s important to take precautions to prevent injury.
Ellie
he/him
Ellie is a calm, easygoing bear who plays the violin and enjoys building things with blocks. He is always kind and polite, and he does not like to wear shoes because he is a bear.
Primary lesson:
Just because you’re quiet doesn’t mean you don’t have things to say.
Other takeaways:
It takes practice to get good at something, but the end result is worth it.
I made paper dolls of the Lesley & Co. characters and their outfits and had a 6-year-old child play with them and give me feedback. She found aspects of all four characters that she could relate to, and also suggested I add a bunny character who does gymnastics.
The files for the paper dolls can be found at the bottom of this page. If you decide to print them out, I’d love to hear about it!
Development of the Lesley doll
This is the final mock-up. The photos are from after my capstone exhibit, hence the crayon.
I was delighted to find that a child had enjoyed my work enough to add their own little touch!
I made a foam model and covered it in paper (left), then cut it apart to make a pattern (center).
I ended up developing the head separately and then scaled up the body pieces for the later iterations.
Meet Lesley!
safety eyes
won’t come off with wear
plastic pellet filling in paws
gives satisfying weight to hands & feet
soft fleece
washable & huggable
appliqué details
add personality & visual appeal
needle sculpting
defines individual toes
Print your own Lesley & Co. paper dolls
Thank you for checking out my website and showing interest in Lesley & Co.
I printed the ones I used for user testing on smooth Bristol, but you should be ok using normal cardstock. For best results, use a craft blade to cut out the fine details.