What do you think about the new government guidelines(uk) to encourage boys to play with 'boys toys'?

Question

"Boys should be encouraged to play with toy guns at nursery school because it can help improve their academic performance, according to government advice issued yesterday.

The Department for Children, Schools and Families said boys aged between three and five had fallen behind their female classmates partly because nursery staff tried to curb their desire for boisterous play involving weapons. Boys were more likely to become interested in education and would perform better if encouraged to pursue their chosen play."

http://politics.guardian.co.uk/publicservices/story/0,,2233025,00.html

Answer 1

Too me it is sad. Each human being has their own individual likes, dislikes and development. Boys and girls both need encouragement to learn and I don't feel that only one type of toy will do that.

Answer 2

That's very scary.

Answer 3

That initial paragraph you posted:

"Boys should be encouraged to play with toy guns at nursery school because it can help improve their academic performance, according to government advice issued yesterday."  

is NOT from the government.  It is from Roberth Booth, the writer of the article.  And it's a TOTAL misrepresentation of what the rest of the article says.

Look at what *WAS* suggested:

"Better results can be achieved if nursery staff curb their 'instincts' to stop boys from playing with toy guns and instead make better use of their interests."

No encouraging of playing with a certain type of toy was mentioned.  What was mentioned was to not jump at the idea of stopping children from playing in certain ways that are not harmful to others and actually beneficial.  It's saying "don't stop them from playing something that's ok to play."  It's not saying, "encourage them to play in a certain way."

The author of that article should be ashamed of himself for writing an obvious misrepresentation to try to skew the article to suit his opinion.

Matt

Answer 4

is that real? and i thought the US was bad about sexual discrimination

Answer 5

My boys don't play with guns (which in my opinion are not toys) at home so I would not want them playing with them at school.

Answer 6

I think most schools in America have an anti violence policy that wouldn't allow any child to have a toy gun, or even make one out of blocks. The theroy is that if they are growing up pretending to shoot each other, then they won't respect the seriousness of a REAL gun.

Answer 7

About time.

I only ever give my boys boy's toys to play with.

Get them out shooting with their dad, chopping wood and fixing the car ...I need them to run the farm when we are old not wussing it in an office somewhere.