Responses to GoldieBlox

Did you read my Nerf for girls rant? I found another product for girls.

GoldieBlox is definitely a better pick for the aspiring young engineer or scientist. I looked on the website though, and I wish it were more difficulty with the parts. Sadly, I would still pick a KNEX toy over this. I read other blogs about this idea of making boys toys "girly and accommodating" (like this post).

Just as I was looking on my facebook page this morning, my friend shared a blog post from Kate Surf's Parenting Blog on DIY Engineering. Check out her makeshift Rube Goldberg Machine.

I LOVE THESE. I never tried building a large scale one. I remember doing designs with dominoes. I love watching movies and music videos with devices like this, like my favorite Ok Go video.



My point is, GoldieBlox has a long way to go, and so do we.
Why not teach your kids all that they want to learn? Let us not put them in our own idea of what we want them to be. Let them find their joy and, most of all, let them play.

Why??? Nerf for girls.

My parents, sister and I went to the movies last Sunday for my mother's birthday. Through all the advertisement and commercials before the movie, we saw this:

Seriously? My sister and I shook our heads. Why would girls want their own version of the Nerf gun? I thought Nerf guns were cool when I was younger. If there were more kids in my neighborhood, then I'm sure we would play with those cool sticky foam darts.

*I'm not going to talk about the conversation of allowing kids to have "guns".*

(source)

I just want to express my feelings when I saw those girls in the commercial. Did you watch the video yet?

"I am strong." 

"I am fierce." 

"I am determined." 

"I am confident."

They sound off as they run in a field, shooting their pink and girly bows and revolvers. Oh, please. I wouldn't buy these toys when I was younger. I'd rather have the original Nerf shooters. Some kid would be sure to attack me because they'd see my glittery feminine weapon. 

Do we really need our own girl versions of Nerf guns to feel "confident" and "fierce"? The answer is NO.

I'll admit, the crossbows are pretty neat. But why are they so girly? I'd rather have camo.

Buzzfeed also gives some good pointers about this new toy for girls. 

Congratulations, Hasbro. Thanks for trying to keep us equal. [/end sarcasm]

This is my own opinion. I was not paid to write this. I'm a sociologist, so topics like these will come up on certain occasions.