About this Collection
What do I want to find out?
To what extent pupils hold stereotypical ideas about gender and how they relate that to behaviour and activities for children.
What do I need?
- A set of cards with names or pictures of the following toys: Alternatively you can use real toys.
baby doll, ball, computer game, construction set, cuddly toy, dinosaurs, Doctor’s kit, dressing up clothes, face paint, play kitchen, play people, tool set, toy sword, tractor
- A large piece of paper with a Venn diagram drawn on it, or two hoops.
- A recording template.
What do I do?
Timing: 10 minutes
- Arrange the cards or toys where everyone can see them. This activity can be done with a group or as a whole class.
- Ask: Which toys are for girls, which toys are for boys and which are for both?
- Ask pupils to place the toys into the Venn diagram according to whether they decide that the toy is only for girls, only for boys, or for both girls and boys. This can be done on an interactive whiteboard if working with the whole class at once.
- For each choice, ask does everyone agree? Why is this toy only for girls? Could a boy play with this toy?
- Record all responses. Where pupils are unable to reach a consensus, record on the sheet the number of pupils that place the toy in the column for girls, in the column for boys, or in the shared column.
How do I analyse the results?
- Look at the balance of responses for each toy. Do pupils conform to gendered toy choices, or are there responses evenly spread?
- Note down any comments that pupils make in criticism of the activity, for example, do they refuse to choose and respond by saying that any child can play with any toy?
- Note whether pupils are questioning, whether they change their mind freely or whether they are very certain about their choices.
- Record whether pupils assign any qualities or characteristics to children who might play with the toys, (pupils may even use pejorative terms). Is there greater acceptance of girls playing with “boys toys” than of boys playing with “girls toys”?
How do I measure the change?
- Depending on the time between each audit, you can repeat the activity exactly, or use an alternative set of toys based on the same criteria.
- Alternatively, you can repeat the method using different objects, such as lunch boxes, styles of clothing or footwear or types of story book.
- Review the results and compare them to the previous set of data. Positive change will be indicated by an increase in responses in the column for both boys and girls.
- Look for changes in certainty, as well as an increase in awareness of freedom of choice.
- Look to see if pupils identify stereotypes, or are willing to challenge the views of others.