by Jennifer Fink
Just-released data indicates that Hasbro’s “boy toy” division is not doing well. According to their financial reports, revenue for the boys’ toys division dropped 35 percent in the 2nd quarter. This is the fifth straight quarter that the boys’ division has reported a decline.
Analysts (and excuse makers) blame the iPad and electronics. One analyst (quoted in the Reuters article) said, “Boys are gravitating towards electronics at an earlier age now.”
Huh.
There may be some truth in that statement. My 7-year-old, for instance, plays on the iPad far more than he plays with toys. In fact, he’s pretty much abandoned toys, except for his bike. His older brothers, on the other hand — you know, the ones who were alive before the iPod era — played with toys much longer. Of course, they didn’t always play with them as the toy makers intended, but plastic figures, blocks, Legos and cars were definitely part of their repertoire.
Has my youngest son moved away from toys and toward electronics because the electronics hold some powerful sway over him, or is it because he wants to be like his older brothers, who rarely play with toys anymore?
Or could there be another factor at play?
Could it be that boys have abandoned “boy toys” because they’re lame?
Take a walk down the “blue” section at any department or toy store. You’ll see that the boy toys are clearly demarcated from the girl toys; there is no way to miss the pink, sparkly aisle and then the other aisle. Often, in fact, the aisle is marked with a sign that says “Boy Toys.” This is where you find Matchbox cars, Star Wars toys, Bey Blades, Pokemon, GI Joe, Tonka, superheros and Nerf guns. These are the things that are offered to our boys again and again and again. Build things, the toys imply. Smash them up. Make war. Fight. Dominate.
My boys love doing those things as much as the next boy, but is it perhaps possible that boys — and their parents — are refusing to buy into the idea that boy interests must be so narrowly defined? Maybe boys aren’t drawn to the iPad and electronics because the electronics are cool (which, of course, they are). Maybe boys are drawn to the electronics, in part, because the world of tech is far larger than the boy toy aisle at Walmart.
Online, boys can build things. They can solve puzzles. They can create things. They can cook or craft, sing or solve, destroy or dance. They can play mindless games, or engage their brains. They can read books, watch video, connect with other human beings.The beauty of an iPad compared to most boy toys is that the iPad can adapt to the interests of the boy. You might argue that a boy can play anything he wants with GI Joe, but let’s face it: GI is meant for pretend war games.
Boys, I’ve noticed, engage the longest with open-ended toys, toys that can be played with in myriad ways. That’s why Legos are a hit — there is no “right” way or one way to play with Legos. Same thing with blocks. But so many of the toys marketed to boys can be played with in just one way. What do you do with a Bey Blade, other then enter it into the area and watch it attack another Bey Blade? What do you do with a Matchbox race track other than watch the cars go ’round and ’round?
I’m afraid that toy executives will see the data and come to the conclusion that the answer to their falling revenue isn’t more creative, better toys for boys, but more electronic integration. It’s been done already; a few Christmases ago, my boys received plastic dinosaurs that could somehow be linked to the Internet. (Toy marketers, pay attention: they didn’t stay interested in those toys for long.) I’m afraid that soon, the boy toy aisle won’t just be blue and black, but blue and black and electronically-enhanced.
As much as my boys (and I) love tech, I, as an adult, recognize and appreciate the value of life offline. So toy-makers, I plead with you: Instead of just adding electronics to everything to attract young boys, why not try imaging life beyond the black-and-blue? Make some creative, imaginative toys instead.
What do you think? Do your boys still play with toys?
7 Responses
“Could it be that boys have abandoned “boy toys” because they’re lame?”
Bingo.
I really hate toys. Most are one-trick ponies that, in my house, get played with a couple of times before being relegated to dusty bunny purgatory under the bed. Legos are the exception. Legos are my all-time favorite children’s toy. Open-ended, creative and they occupy my kids for hours. The problem? They’re so expensive! The older my son gets the more advanced the Lego sets he wants, and I just can’t justify plunking down over $100 for one toy. However, Angry Birds and Subway Surfer are free and could provide hours of entertainment. I think the cost issue has to be part of the equation. On the flip side, I think we forget that so much of what children really enjoy doesn’t come wrapped in plastic. Running around outside, kicking a ball or drawing or painting are simple and practically free. But toy companies don’t get rich off of kids playing outside, do they?
You bring up such good points, Cynthia! Legos are expensive, and because they’re so popular and so versatile, you almost never see them at rummage sales. I’ve had some success with buying them on eBay. Sometimes you can find mixed lots — 5 lbs. of Legos, 10 lbs. of Legos, etc. My boys are more interested in making their own creations than with following directions anyway, so that works for us.
When young enough not to KNOW boy toys vs. girl toys, my son’s most used toys were related to his kitchen set. He then used his cars in pretend play. As an 11 year old the toys are tech or Lego.
The kitchen set was a big hit in our house too, Lisa. And we even had a baby care center for a couple of years. Not mention Care Bears.
I think the problem is a total lack of what I call “play value” (or what Cynthia calls being a “one-trick pony”). Whenever I shopped for toys for my (now mostly grown) nieces, nephews, and grandchildren, I always sought out the toys that could be used in many ways, for a long time, without invoking boredom. I think the boredom aspect is especially crucial in finding great toys for boys. Any toy with high “play value” will be a hit (such as Legos).
Great post! Love your blog!
I don’t think the problem is with the toys. The problem is that parents let their kids spend way too much time on electronics. My boys are 11, 9, 9, and 6. We have a Wii, and the older 3 have electronics. But we restrict their use. We have tons of Legos. My oldest builds replicas of all sorts of things, yes, including guns that actually shoot rubberbands. My youngest loves to get all the army men, die cast planes and cars, and with his brothers, re-enact famous battles. They play with toys. Not crap electronic toys, or the latest thing, but cool toys. Plus-Plus building components, Keva/Kapla blocks, Nanoblocks. Google those.
Computers are great, yes, boys can build, create, solve puzzles, etc. But it’s all virtual. It’s all passive. there are great toys out there for building. There are many permutations of the Rubik’s Cube for puzzle-solving. the “mainstream” boy toys are crap, yes. But there is a whole world of quality toys out there if you just look.
Toys that engage the mind, and promote fine motor skills, and creativity and play that are necessary for proper development.
Electronics have their place. I think the ipad is great. I think Minecraft is wonderful. But I also think that kids are “gravitating” towards electronics because parents are encouraging it. I see kids in grocery carts (mostly boys) on electronic devices. Even toddlers. Really? Our kids can’t make it through a shopping trip without a digital crutch? When my kids were young, grocery shopping was an opportunity for exploration. Even as toddlers, they explored shape, texture, smell, colors, weight, numbers, and sorting as they helped me pick out produce. Was it more work on my part than if I had handed them a tablet? Sure, but it was worth it.
Parents rely WAY too much on electronics to entertain our kids because it’s easy.
There’s nothing wrong with the toys. Boys will still play with quality, creative, fun toys if given the chance. But its easier to just hand them a video game, than to search those out.