All kids are naturally curious about the science of the world around them, from bugs to chemistry to stacking blocks. But at some point, many girls get the message that science and math and all that computer stuff is really just for boys.
Many believe that messaging comes early, in the toys marketed to girls compared to those aimed at boys.
Indeed, toys can have a big influence on kids’ aspirations. Microsoft commissioned a poll of U.S. college students in 2011, asking them why they chose to study science, technology, engineering and math -- the so-called STEM fields. The young men were more than twice as likely as women to cite games or toys as one of their key inspirations.
Women still make up only 17 per cent of undergrads in engineering and computer science as well as only 39 per cent of the students in math and sciences, according to NSERC, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.
And, women represent less than one-quarter of the workforce in STEM fields -- fields that pay well and that are projected to continue to be in high demand in the future.
It’s not hard to see why girls can feel left out of computer science, for example, when so many video and computer games focus on male characters, or why they give up on engineering or chemistry when so many science and building toys feature boys on the boxes.
In recent years, though, the toy world has been undergoing a seismic shift, with a real push to get girls interested in science, engineering and the other STEM skills.
Some toy brands have responded with toys targeted at girls, with plenty of pink and purple packaging and a focus on “girl stuff.” Other toy lines focusing on STEM skills and aimed at girls have taken a “girl power” approach. The marketing campaign for the Goldieblox line of toys may have run into some trouble, but it was a viral success that proved hugely appealing.
Other toy companies have taken the approach that the best way to get girls interested in science is not with girl-specialized products, but with gender-neutral toys that don’t leave girls feeling left out.
Here’s a look at a few toys that are designed to appeal to every little girl’s curious inner chemist, engineer and math whiz.
For the budding architect...
Building blocks have always been great for both both boys and girls. But now there’s also Roominate, which was designed by female engineers to inspire the next generation of architects and engineers. Like Lego, the Roominate pieces can come together in a variety of ways to build houses, furniture, a playground… the possibilities are endless. There’s even an add-on circuits pack, to allow budding builders to add real lights lamps, doorbells and more.
For the budding biologist…
Former science teacher and mother of two Nancy Balter created the Nancy B Science Club line of lab tools for Educational Insights to get kids aged 8 to 11 excited about science and to give them confidence to pursue science further in school. The purple and teal tools include a microscope and accompanying science journal, a beginner telescope powerful enough to see details on the moon and the rings of Saturn, and binoculars with an accompanying field journal.
For the budding electrical engineer...
The award-winning line of Snap Circuits by Elenco lets kids learn the basics of electricity by creating circuit boards using components that snap together. The sets can be combined to create remote-controlled vehicles, FM radios, a burglar alarm and more. There are also computer-interface experiments that allow kids to “see” the electrical signals in the circuits just like electronics engineers do using oscilloscopes and spectrum analyzers.
For the budding computer programmer…
A board game for kids aged 4 through 8, Thinkfun’s Robot Turtles is designed to sneakily introduce preschoolers to the fundamentals of coding. Players have to use commands and create functions to direct a turtle around a game board to a prize and then “debug” their code when they run into obstacles. It's a game that its developer say will lay the groundwork for future forays into programming.
For the budding chemist…
There are no shortages of chemistry kids at toy stores these days that let kiddies create everything from green, gloppy goop, to exploding volcanoes to chemiluminescent bubbles. The best come with guides that fully explain the chemical reactions behind each experiment and how those concepts translate into the real world.
