Avoiding gender stereotypical toys - need ideas for DD

[HonoluluMom]

DD is going to be about 2.5 years when Christmas rolls around and I'm pretty hard-pressed for ideas. I really want to try to avoid giving her gender stereotypical toys such as dolls, dollhouses, purses, pink-themed toys, etc.

Hit me with some ideas. DD already has unit blocks, kitchen, trike, sand/water table, duplos, lots of books, lots of crafts (paint, playdoh, easel), puzzles, and a Little People farm!

[TwinFoxes]

Well, DDs love trains. And cars. That being said, I wouldn't avoid giving them "girl" toys. There's nothing wrong with dolls etc. DDs have them, they just don't like them as much as trains.

How about a grocery cart? DDs like theirs. Oh, and the step 2 roller coaster is still a big hit.

[hillview]

Hummm I'd get her what she likes to play with or what you think she might like to play with.

DS1 has legos trucks blocks and stuffed animals
DS1 has lots of pink toys (his favorite color) and a baby doll and legos trucks cars
/hillary

[ourbabygirl]

Yeah, DD just turned 3 and her favorite things are
Legos
Trains
Play food, candies, etc. (organizing them)
Play doh
Dollhouse stuff
Coloring
Candyland (could you get your DD other pre-school games?)

Anything Mickey Mouse, Hello Kitty, or Thomas the Train-related.
She also likes Magnatiles, especially when DH & I build things with her.

[Aishe]

My 2.5yo ds plays with dolls and carries a purse. Those kinds of toys are great for creative and imaginative play. I think they're only as gender stereotyped as you make them. So I wouldn't necessarily avoid them. With a little hunting you can find non-pink options if that's what bothers you.

My ds loves his M & D castle, which comes in either pink or gray. There are wooden dollhouses that are gender neutral. A Rody Horse is also great for that age. DS plays with his every day. Some kind of truck or bus is always good, too.

[mikala]

Here are some other gender neutral toys for that age group:

Books, magnatiles, dress-up clothes (a lot of the Melissa and Doug ones are gender neutral firefighters, doctors, etc.), Automoblox, playscarves, Mr. Potato head, more advanced puzzles, etc.

[vonfirmath]

Favorite games for DS at 2.5:

Haba Orchard
Go Away Monsters, Go Away
Gamewright's Hiss!
Candyland and Candyland Castle
Snail's Pace Race (there are two games with that name. This one by Ravensburger: http://www.amazon.com/Ravensburger-S...7926327&sr=8-1)
I suspect he would have liked Hullabaloo too

[Melaine]

My girls loved their blocks, bilibos, picnic table, Learning Tower, Schleich animals, Wheely Bugs, and Sprig toys at that age. They still play with all of those at almost 5. Of course, I am all about embracing "girl" toys and "boy" toys equally so we have plenty of dolls and stuff like that too, beside the cars and trucks and sports equipment.

I understand not wanting to over-do the pink, but I have to say avoiding certain toys completely because they are usually considered girl toys perplexes me.

[♥ms.pacman♥]

My 2.5yo ds plays with dolls and carries a purse. Those kinds of toys are great for creative and imaginative play. I think they're only as gender stereotyped as you make them. So I wouldn't necessarily avoid them. With a little hunting you can find non-pink options if that's what bothers you.

i give my DD lots of pink stuff and "girl" toys like dolls etc (mainly to distinguish her stuff from DS's) which she likes but to be honest i think a lot of what she goes for are trains, cars etc..maybe bc she sees DS plays with them!

i recently came from my niece's 2nd bday party. i got her Megabloks which she loved. i think megabloks, duplos are probably universally loved by most toddlers/preschoolers! duplos might be better for 2 and up though.

learning tower is another idea..got it last Christmas for DS and he loves it. i put him in it when i'm cooking something so it's a safe place to keep him contained, yet he can still see what is going on.

i would give trains/Thomas sets a try as some PP mentioned. my DS is obsessed with them, and it looks like my DD may eventually get into them too. at the party my niece was having a blast in her older brothers' room playing with Thomas wooden railway set. at 2 yo they are usually old enough to put the wooden tracks together and link up the trains etc.

[zag95]

last Christmas DD got a train set (from costco) as her big present! She loves it and has enjoyed playing with it all year (she'll be 4 at the end of January!)