Gender role stereotyping is one of the most consistent ways in which adults, and particularly parents, pay an important role in the socialization of a child (Wood). Toy play and toy selection provide context for parents to share their knowledge and teach the child their expectations in regard to gender-appropriate behavior. Toy stores are in a position to reinforce this gender-socialization as well. A visit to B & B Toy store in Westside Pavilion showed there was definitely a clear division of toys that were being marketed to boys and toys that were being marketed to girls. To begin with, they were displayed in separate sections of the store, not mixed together. The boys section contained cars and trucks, action figures, construction models, boats, sports figures from baseball, baseball mitts, bats and balls, footballs, and many different sized balls, golf sets, gameboy and other computer games etc. The girls section contained dolls of various sizes, including a large selection Barbie dolls and Bratz dolls, dolls clothing, doll strollers and cribs, girls toys from movies (from The Little Mermaid, Mulan, etc.) miniature household items like kitchen sets, miniature appliances, etc., childrenÆs jewelry, typical ôgirlö items like jewelry boxes, makeup sets, nail kits, diaries, secret messaging sets, etc.
There was a section with boxed games which was not divided by sex, and some toys such as swim goggles and mask sets, which, although they had clear male and female themes (Batman as opposed to Mermaid themes) were displayed together, and unisex items like talking fish and singing hamsters, and beach toys, and some toys and games advertised on television or with current movie themes. You could see when you watched children entering the store that they migrated to their respective areas - boys or girls section, with very little cross-over. This clearly shows gender socialization at work in the marketpl
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