Play Time With Purpose: 5 Ways Educational Toys Empower Young Girls

Empowering girls from a young age is a profound investment in their future. Helming a brand devoted to developmental and educational toys, we have had the privilege of witnessing how play can empower girls and impart essential lessons about boundaries and inner strength from an early age.

External empowerment involves equipping girls with the skills, knowledge, and opportunities to excel in the world by providing them with the necessary tools. It means nurturing their independence, decision-making abilities, and social skills. It's about inspiring them to pursue careers in STEAM-related fields  (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics), where girls are often underrepresented.

Internal empowerment, on the other hand, focuses on building self-esteem, self-assurance, and the inner strength to face challenges. It's about fostering independence, resilience, and the capacity to make choices confidently.

STEAM-based learning is a significant aspect of empowerment. Educational toys can play a pivotal role in introducing girls to STEAM disciplines. Through hands-on DIY experiments and books of autobiographies featuring remarkable women in STEAM, girls can connect with these fields in an engaging way. Such experiences encourage them to explore STEAM careers, ultimately contributing to their empowerment. These experiences can include STEAM-based DIY kits, STEAM-based art kits, experiment kits, and board games involving logical thinking and problem-solving.

How can educational toys help convey these concepts?

Educational toys are our allies in empowering girls and teaching them about boundaries. They offer dynamic and engaging ways to instil these values. Here's how they work their magic:

Fostering Independence: Through independent thinking and problem-solving, educational toys encourage girls to realise they can make choices and solve challenges on their own. This builds their self-efficacy. A simple LEGO set can encourage independent thinking, planning, and execution.

Building Confidence: Confidence is nurtured through experience. Educational toys provide a safe space for girls to experiment, learn from successes, and grow through failures. This newfound confidence accompanies them throughout life. Completing goal-oriented projects via games and DIY kits, for example, fills a girl child with internal confidence.

Developing Communication Skills: Many educational toys involve teamwork and cooperation, teaching girls to express themselves, listen to others, and negotiate—skills essential for setting and respecting boundaries. Group board games are an invaluable tool to achieve this.

STEAM-Based Learning: Educational toys offer an engaging introduction to STEAM disciplines. DIY experiments and reading about the life stories of notable women in STEAM make these fields relatable and exciting for girls, inspiring them to consider STEAM careers. Science DIY kits and games have now become teaching tools to motivate scientific thinking.

Development through Creativity: Thoughtfully designed play assets stimulate creativity, which is a valuable asset in both personal and professional life. They encourage girls to think outside the box, fostering innovation and adaptability. Creative kits not only teach new crafts and concepts but also promote design thinking.

Defining boundaries for children is like explaining invisible lines that define what's okay and what's not okay. It's not just about physical boundaries; it's also about social and emotional boundaries.

When children play with each other, they learn the importance of consent, respecting each other's boundaries, and engaging in cooperative play. Encouraging children to play with their peers and participate in activities that promote learning and growth is crucial.

Additionally, when children play games like Monopoly, LIFE, and UNO with adults, treating them as equals rather than just young players helps sharpen their skills, boost their confidence, and develop a sense of fairness. This approach teaches them that their voice and choices are valid, promoting assertiveness and boundary-setting.

In essence, empowering girls through play is a holistic approach that encompasses physical, social, emotional, and intellectual boundaries. Educational toys provide a unique and enjoyable way to introduce these concepts, while interactions with peers, reading, and participating in activities all contribute to their growth and understanding of boundaries.

Moreover, encouraging girls to read more books not only fosters a love for learning but also exposes them to different perspectives and situations, which help them better understand and respect boundaries.

Educational toys empower girls by offering them the tools they need to navigate life with confidence. By investing in their development through play, we're not merely stacking blocks; we're constructing a strong foundation for them, brick by brick. The empowerment they gain today will accompany them as they journey through life.

As parents and educators, it's our duty to equip our girls with the tools and guidance needed for them to develop into self-assured, self-reliant, and conscious. 

Empowering our girls through play is an investment in a brighter future for them and for our society as a whole. It's a journey that works as an investment.

Here's to more purposeful and joyful play!

Tanya Shah is the Co-founder of Toycra and views expressed by the author are their own

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