When I was a kid I did not play with Barbie dolls. I did not want to. But I also did not play with building toys. They were for boys and I am a girl. Back in the days when I was a kid, (in the Stone Ages) boys and girls did not play with the same toys. And I thought things were different now. But now I am not sure.
I am not sure if girls and boys play with different toys on purpose or if adults just give them certain toys that are considered boy toys or girl toys.
In any case, an interesting observation from watching kids play with building and construction toys, there does seem to be some difference between the typical play of boys and girls. We do not like to admit it necessarily, but it is our experience that girls seem to like to make a simple space and spend time focused on the design and decoration of that space – thinking about how it would be used and what it would look like.
Boys spend less time on those specific details of a space and more time on the big structure. Some young designers are working on a new project that will provide a building toy specifically for girls. It is called Roominate and you can find out about it here.
With this toy you can build the simple room and then you can make it your own – design it and decorate it and make up stories about it.
And girls or BOYS can do play with it.