Toys and toy stores today look very different compared to even those from a decade ago. In addition to there being much more acceptance of gender-neutral playthings, there's an emphasis on STEM toys for girls to discourage girls from feeling limited with the toys they "should" play with. Trend Hunter President Shelby Walsh recently shared a few thoughts with The Globe and Mail on this topic, fueled by what we've seen from our own data-driven research.
Many leading toy creators, marketers and retailers are embracing this movement to foster confidence in young girls who play with science, technology, math and engineering toys. As well as simply being more inclusive, these toys play a huge part in empowering young women to believe that they can enter male-dominated fields later in life.
New toys for girls aim to spark interest in science and math
STEM-focused play and gender-neutral retail environments are one step in the right direction, but ultimately, the marketing to our young girls has to change as well to empower girls and let them feel welcome in the fields that typically look (and feel) like boys’ clubs.
Read the full article on The Globe and Mail here.
The Globe and Mail: Trend Hunter's Shelby Walsh on Girls & STEM
Shelby Walsh in the Globe and Mail
Trend Themes
1. Gender-neutral Playthings - The trend is towards gender-neutral toys which disrupts traditional gender categorization and also creates opportunities in toy manufacturing for non-gender-specific products.
2. STEM Toys for Girls - STEM toys for girls forefronts the promotion of science and math among female children and also creates opportunities in marketing and retail industries for gender-specific toys.
3. Inclusive Retail Environment - Creating an inclusive retail environment disrupts the gender-bias tradition in toy stores which also creates opportunities for retailers to cater to a more diverse group of customers.
Industry Implications
1. Toy Manufacturing - Expanding the toy industry beyond gender specific toys and including STEM toys presents opportunities for toy manufacturers to tap into new consumer markets.
2. Marketing - Promoting STEM toys for girls sparks innovation for marketing and advertising agencies in developing campaigns that align with the gender-neutral trend.
3. Retail - Inclusive retail environments, which enable shoppers to peruse STEM toys for girls, allow retailers and toy stores to expand their targeted audiences beyond the usual demographic.