Re-framing engineering through a pink filter of domestic appliances reminds me of the “Science: It’s a Girl Thing!” video from a few years ago that tried to re-frame science as being suitable for girls by showing that scientists made make-up!  (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zj--FFzngUk)

 

But… whilst the pink Engineering Barbie things aren’t ideal, they are a step in the right direction.  The retailers do need to consider the current state of play when they are designing these sorts of things, and the current state of play is that little girls’ toys are all pink and non-moving.  There are non-pink meccano kits and lego kits and other STEM toys available that children can build, but this relies on the parents buying these things for little girls and on the little girls wanting to play with them.  Perhaps it is a good thing that toy companies are making incremental changes to their products?  First the pink washing machines, then a pink car, then a red bus, then a silver rocket ship?  


The toys are aimed at 4-8 year olds, and sadly, 4-8 year olds already have a very set idea of which toys are for girls and which are for boys (and the adults buying the toys certainly have set ideas about which to buy!).  I agree it is not perfect, but if a 4-8 year old girl had a choice of building a silver rocket ship or a pink revolving dressing table, perhaps most would chose the pink one, just because it fits in with the toys they already have at their disposal (doll clothes, doll house etc.).  Parents, friends and relatives might be more likely to buy pink Barbie things, rather than meccano tractors for the little girls in their lives, so at least this toy is starting to introduce some engineering skills at a young age. Once the little girls have played with this and have acquired the skills involved in putting the pieces together, they and the adults might be more open to looking at other STEM toys in a more favourable light. It isn’t ideal, but I think it helps to think of it as a good gateway STEM toy or as a means of introducing STEM by stealth, rather than as the final destination on the STEM road. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and I think small adaptions to existing toys might be more successful in encouraging girls to build their own toys than expecting a huge paradigm shift overnight (after all, STEM toys ARE currently available, they just aren't being bought for and played with by little girls to the same extent that they are being bought for and played with by boys). 


PS. I agree that the Computer Engineering book was ridiculous!

Re-framing engineering through a pink filter of domestic appliances reminds me of the “Science: It’s a Girl Thing!” video from a few years ago that tried to re-frame science as being suitable for girls by showing that scientists made make-up!  (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zj--FFzngUk)

 

But… whilst the pink Engineering Barbie things aren’t ideal, they are a step in the right direction.  The retailers do need to consider the current state of play when they are designing these sorts of things, and the current state of play is that little girls’ toys are all pink and non-moving.  There are non-pink meccano kits and lego kits and other STEM toys available that children can build, but this relies on the parents buying these things for little girls and on the little girls wanting to play with them.  Perhaps it is a good thing that toy companies are making incremental changes to their products?  First the pink washing machines, then a pink car, then a red bus, then a silver rocket ship?  


The toys are aimed at 4-8 year olds, and sadly, 4-8 year olds already have a very set idea of which toys are for girls and which are for boys (and the adults buying the toys certainly have set ideas about which to buy!).  I agree it is not perfect, but if a 4-8 year old girl had a choice of building a silver rocket ship or a pink revolving dressing table, perhaps most would chose the pink one, just because it fits in with the toys they already have at their disposal (doll clothes, doll house etc.).  Parents, friends and relatives might be more likely to buy pink Barbie things, rather than meccano tractors for the little girls in their lives, so at least this toy is starting to introduce some engineering skills at a young age. Once the little girls have played with this and have acquired the skills involved in putting the pieces together, they and the adults might be more open to looking at other STEM toys in a more favourable light. It isn’t ideal, but I think it helps to think of it as a good gateway STEM toy or as a means of introducing STEM by stealth, rather than as the final destination on the STEM road. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and I think small adaptions to existing toys might be more successful in encouraging girls to build their own toys than expecting a huge paradigm shift overnight (after all, STEM toys ARE currently available, they just aren't being bought for and played with by little girls to the same extent that they are being bought for and played with by boys). 


PS. I agree that the Computer Engineering book was ridiculous!