Important Advisory:

The Asterisk on the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Lead-Free* Platinum Award list indicates that samples from only one particular batch of these toys tested lead free.  Other production runs or samples of the same products may contain lead.

We have not had the other toys on our website independently tested for lead content. For the future, we are requiring companies to provide us with documentation that their products have been tested by an independent lab and found to be free of surface and embedded lead, as well as phthalates.  

Can you avoid all gender-specific toys? Probably not. These are often the products kids want the most, not only because they are heavily promoted on TV, but also because children tend to sort the world out in the simple and absolute terms of right or wrong, hard or easy, boy or girl. There are, however, positive choices you can make-where a gender-free product will work for both boys and girls...and products that break gender stereotypes.

Here are some recommendations from the editors of the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio for breaking free of the Gender Agenda(tm).

Toy Kitchens. Select a non-gender specific kitchen that will appeal to both girls and boys. After all we want men to contribute in the kitchen, it sends the wrong message to have play kitchens that are just for girls. Step 2's Little Helper units (stove and refrigerator) are done in gender free colors. Step 2 (800) 347-8372.

Dolls. Barbie has branched out in recent years into more active roles (a doctor, a vet, a pilot). This year, there is Swimming Champion Barbie and Cool Skating Barbie. Both send more positive messages about participating in sports rather than just focusing on traditional hairplay and fashion. We recently discovered the Get Set Club, a new collection of multi-ethnic dolls that are 11 1/2 inches tall, come with flat feet and are poseable. While these dolls won't win any beauty contests with Barbie, their activity sets focus on journalism, science, banking, and the arts. Unlike Barbie pre-made settings, kits come with directions for creating props from materials around the house. The journalist kit also includes ways to create a news story, tape it and write it up for a newsletter. While Barbie has become a preschool phenomenon, these Get Set Activity Sets are geared to early school age kids. (215) 235-7455. www.getsetclub.com.

Action Figures. Bendos (Kid Galaxy $6 & up) are non-licensed action figures that will appeal to both boys and girls (3 & up). There are clowns, super-heros, scuba divers, firefighters, dancers and sports players. Same opportunity for pretending and storytelling but without the dark story lines of so many action figures. These are great props for blocks - which should be basic gear for both boys and girls. The fact that boys often do better in math than girls may well be because boys are encouraged to play with building toys that develop their spatial thinking skills. (603) 645-6252.

Crafts & Activity Kits. Rather than bringing home a plastic nail decorating kit, try the Hand Painted Ceramic Piggy Bank or Extreme Doodle Wallet (Creativity for Kids $15 each). Or bring home an archeological dig (Earth Lore) where kids can pretend to be archeologist. This company's Dino and Egyptian themed kits tested well with both boys and girls. Creativity for Kids (800) 311-8684. Earth Lore (800) 440-2630.

Games. There are more and more dating games on the market directed at preteen girls. We think there are better choices. Both girls and boys will enjoy Uno Blitzo (Mattel) or other traditional games such as Connect 4, Twister, or Upwards that have no built in Gender Agenda(tm). Mattel (800) 524-TOYS.

Electronics. We have seen a lot of electronic gadgets especially designed and color coded in pink and lavender for girls. We recommend more neutral choices such as Phusion (VTech) which is both a digital camera and an organizer. Rather than zap'em hand-held electronic games for boys, we recommend electronic versions of games such as Yahtzee or Simon (Milton Bradley). *Telephone numbers indicated when provided by manufacturer.

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