Beyond Barbie, new toys encourage futures in science and math
By Becky Yerak, Chicago Tribune
12.23.15
CHICAGO, Ill. — For years, a general complaint about dolls has been that they send the wrong messages to children. Many are blamed for promoting an unrealistic body image or reinforcing stereotypes that girls are mostly interested in shopping and dressing up.
Looking for something different? How about a Lottie astronomer doll, complete with a telescope, tripod and fact sheet about notable women stargazers, or a fossil hunter armed with a magnifying glass, geology hammer and ammonite fossils?
A Lego vet clinic with a mini-doll named Mia has five stars on Amazon. A GoldieBlox skydive action figure, also highly rated on Amazon, invites children to build a parachute pack.
The dolls are part of a movement catering to shoppers’ interest in STEM. STEM aims to encourage children to study fields related to science, technology, engineering and math.
STEM Dolls Selling Well
Parents, perhaps mindful of their daughters’ futures, are helping to make STEM dolls a “burgeoning category,” said Jackie Breyer, the editor-in-chief for gift guide Toy Insider.
The Mighty Makers line from K’nex, for example, includes a construction set in which two small female dolls get to build their dream house from the ground up. The I am Elemental line of female action figures features a character named Industry who can “repair anything that is broken.” iBesties is a doll line promoting entrepreneurship.
“Doll lines that teach kids science, technology, engineering and math principles are doing extremely well at retail,” Breyer said.
BMO Capital Markets, in an October toy industry report, called STEM toys one of five “new and emerging trends.”
But STEM dolls, specifically, might be one of the key ways that young girls get exposed to those subjects.
Research Shows More Building For Boys
Last summer, research by Purdue University found that engineering or building toys are purchased for boys twice as often as girls.
Retailers have been receptive to carrying STEM toys, including dolls.
Toys R Us named Project Mc2 dolls, who are both chic dressers and knowledgeable about science and technology, to its “holiday hot toy list.” Wal-Mart also carries an assortment of both.
Chicago’s Timeless Toys carries Lottie and GoldieBlox lines. Besides encouraging girls to consider scientific fields, “Lottie dolls have been very popular because they have a positive body-type image,” store manager Scott Friedland said. “They look like preteens instead of fashion models.” Lottie dolls wear bomber jackets, long-sleeve T-shirts, sturdy brown boots, cargo shorts and baseball caps. They don’t wear makeup, jewelry or high heels.
Timeless Toys has sold seven times as many STEM dolls this year as it did last year, Friedland said. GoldieBlox is the top-selling doll in the store.
Dolls Include Science Experiments
Among the gifts that Caroline Dickinson, 6, might find under the tree this Christmas are Project Mc2 dolls. Each comes “with a science experiment that will keep Caroline engaged throughout Christmas break and beyond, we hope,” said her dad, Dorian Dickinson.
Caroline’s favorite doll now is her American Girl doll, also named Caroline, whose attributes include bravery.
“While being brave is a great attribute for our Caroline to grow up with, we usually lean toward STEM-based toys and even dolls for Caroline,” Dickinson said. One recent morning, Caroline asked if American Girl had a doctor outfit for her doll. (It doesn’t.)
“Finding STEM-based toys is becoming a bit easier,” Dickinson said. “We’re also big fans of GoldieBlox and Legos.”
Traditional Barbies Still Popular
However, where dolls are concerned, non-STEM Barbie still rules, according to online shopping tracker Adobe. On Cyber Monday, for example, the five top-selling toys included the pink Barbie Dream House and Shopkins dolls, whose tagline is “Once you shop, you can’t stop.”
“While traditional dolls like American Girl and Barbie Dream House remain one of the most popular items, Shopkins and Doc McStuffins dolls were also popular,” said Jay Hanson, eBay merchandising vice president. Doc McStuffins is a female veterinarian. Hanson is also seeing “a lot of buzz” on such STEM toys as Meccanoids and Mc2 dolls.
Chicago mom TerrandBashua has her eye on GoldieBlox, which was launched in 2012 on Kickstarter. The brand says its skydiving and zip-lining girl action figures help teach spatial skills, engineering principles and problem solving.
Fewer Girls Enter Tech, Other Fields
Bashua said that she knows that “girls are under-represented in STEM fields — especially African-American girls. She wants to make sure her daughter "has the confidence, resources and support to go into any field.”
“We were happy to see that doll,” Bashua, the co-founder of tech startup SpaceHQ, said of the GoldieBlox Ruby Rails Skydive Action Figure.
Products made by Chicago-based North American Bear include stuffed dolls.
“STEM for girls is definitely a trend we’re watching,” said Vice President Melissa Bullock. Right now, most STEM toys are aimed at school-aged children, but the soft dolls are meant for kids under 6. Bullock said, “We focus more on healthy activities that this younger set engages in, like ballet and gymnastics and early reading skills like storytelling with our fairy tale-themed dolls.”
Most New Products For Older Kids
For now, STEM dolls are mostly a vinyl-doll category aimed at older children. Bullock said, “but as things progress it is certainly something we want to do."
She adds that any toy can be used to teach early STEM skills, including lining up playthings to be counted or sorted.
Todd Mielcarz said his 10-year-old daughter plays with Barbie, Monster High and American Girl dolls, and has played with science kits.
“She used to be all about princess but has moved away from that and plays with the dolls in more of everyday-type scenarios,” said Mielcarz, also the co-host of parenting podcast Paternity Test. “We’ve seen commercials for the Project Mc2 dolls, but she hasn’t shown much interest” in that line.
Mielcarz said, “I would certainly look toward a STEM-type doll before a Barbie doll in the future.”