Like it or not, boys tend to levitate towards action figures, cars and sports while girls reach for dolls, play kitchens and tea sets. Naturally, there are exceptions to these stigmas - and playing with toys outside of traditional gender roles is perfectly healthy behavior - but any parent can attest that you can’t force a child to play with a toy they don’t like. If you are a parent with children of opposite genders, it can be a real challenge to get kids to play together. Outdoor games, drawing and building blocks are all great options to help bridge the gender gap, but here are a few other products that will help get boys and girls to play together in harmony.
This Tree House Playset by Melissa & Doug combines the imaginary play fun of a dollhouse with the fun and boy-ness of the outdoor adventures. Both boys and girls will love to interact with the included wooden figures as they climb, swing and slide through the tree-themed environment.
My First Castle might seem like a completely boy-oriented toy on the surface, but both boys and girls will love to play Fairy Tale. Children can create an intricate and interactive pretend world like they would with a doll house, but with a variety of characters and stories. Papo, the company that makes this castle, also makes a variety of fantasy and fairy tale figurines that include knights, trolls, princeses, fairies, dragons and sorcerers.
