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Hey boy, hey girl:
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The benefits of gender-neutral play
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In the old days, girls were pretty in pink and boys were busy in blue. However, thanks to a gender-neutral shift, some child care services are breaking down the pink and blue divide and encouraging kids to play as they please.
Here we look at two early childhood education and care services that are embracing gender-neutral play, and explore the possible benefits of this approach.
Gender-neutral play in Sweden
Sweden might be best known for IKEA and ABBA, however, the country has another claim to fame: Its gender-neutral kindergartens.
Administered by Lotta Rajalin, these kindergartens encourage children to:
- Try all kinds of activities, not just those associated with their gender
- Explore all their emotions, meaning girls can get angry and boys can cry
- Act in the way that suits them, whether that’s messy or tidy, rowdy or passive
Ms Rajalin says teachers do not put labels, like 'cute and helpful' or 'wild and tough' on children and that they speak about 'people, kids, humans and friends' rather than 'boys and girls'. What's more, toys are not divided into traditional gender groups, which means dolls mingle with dinosaurs, cars and wooden blocks.
Gender-neutral play in Australia
Back in the Southern Hemisphere, this play approach has been adopted by Timber Tots Child Care in Brisbane.
Here, children have welcomed gender-neutral dress-up boxes, boys are 'allowed to be soft and emotional', girls are 'supported when they're rough and tough' and children are not labelled.
Centre director, Jana Walker says, "Small children have no preconceived idea of how they should play, so it's a good idea to instil in them the idea that they can be anything they want to be, without judgment or bias … We have boys who will whirl around in a tutu or play with a toy oven, and we have girls who love the hands-on work of construction."
She adds, "I'm not sure that children are pre-wired into pink or blue brains. I have seen enough to know that surroundings and adults have a huge influence on children."
The benefits of gender-neutral play
Apart from giving children varied experiences and emotional freedom, this approach to play may impact their future success as well.
According to a small study undertaken by Uppsala University in Sweden, children who attended one gender-neutral preschool were found to:
- Be more likely to play with unfamiliar children of the opposite gender
- Less likely to be influenced by culturally enforced gender stereotypes
- Just as likely to notice gender and group people by gender, but less likely to gender-stereotype and gender-segregate
Researcher Ben Kenward says that although future studies are needed to establish whether a gender-neutral kindergarten education will lead to later success in life, he sees evidence pointing to this.
Mr Kenward says that when researchers interviewed children at gender-neutral kindergartens, based on their beliefs, "They seem more open to certain experiences than children from more typical schools. Given that children develop through play and through interactions with peers, and that many play activities … that promote development are traditionally gendered, then it would be reasonable to assume that this is likely to improve these children’s development and future success."
There are also benefits to be had from sharing toys. For example, playing with building blocks develops spatial skills in both girls and boys.
Criticism
Although Ms Walker says that parents at Timber Tots Child Care, "Are supportive of our non-gender-specific play areas", not everyone agrees with the approach.
In Sweden, gender-neutral kindergartens are rare and Ms Rajalin's methods have angered some. However, she assures critics that, "We don't take anything away, we only add."
And in Australia, Queensland director of the Australian Christian Lobby Wendy Francis says, "Talking about gender-neutral play makes children into sexual beings. It's a big mistake ... Just let them play and if they want pink over blue then that’s okay."
Saying that, if you are interested in a non-gender-specific approach, here's a recap:
Four ways to introduce gender-neutral play
Whether they are a girl or a boy, encourage children to:
- Try all types of activities and toys
- Explore all emotions
- Express their natural traits
- Imagine for themselves
References:
The Courier Mail
Science Direct
Quartz
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