Dads Debate: Should Boys Play With Dolls?

We billed this as a debate but that’s not what happened at all. We asked a bunch of dads if boys should be allowed to play with dolls. The answers may surprise you.

Maybe one or two time traveled from the olden days to chime in on more ‘manly’ toy options for a boy in 2017 but most all other answers from dads focused on dolls can help a young boy learn to nurture for the time in the future when he may be become a dad, like you. This is about as affirming as anything on the internet these days.

Side note: buy your boys the kid’s book William’s Doll. Brilliant read on this very topic.

Should Boys Play With Dolls?

Sean Denney: Why shouldn’t a boy play with a doll? One day he may well be a father. Pushing a pram and holding a baby as a father is manliest thing he will ever do. Raise yourself a good father by being a good father.

Colette Wood: My 2 year old got one for his birthday. A boy called Paul in his buggy, he feeds him his bottle pits his dummy in puts him to he’d and takes him for walks.

David Beesley: I’m not a fan of gender roles at that age. Toys are all about learning through play. If anything, playing with dolls will help him learn the roles of being a caring parent. That can’t be a bad thing.

Chris Holland: What the hell is the difference between him having a doll and him receiving it as a Christmas present? Makes no sense. Don’t worry, it won’t make your son gay. And if your son IS gay, this won’t be why. Just try loving him regardless. Also, I’m 34, married with two kids, both of whom I had with a woman, so I’m relatively secure in my sexuality. I push a baby in a stroller all the time. It’s cool, we’re allowed.

James Leach: As I read the original post my first thought was “wait a minute, I’m standing here shopping with my little baby boy in a pram”.

Don’t get caught up on the image that playing with dolls is negative for a boy, one day he may be a caring father and like me, taking my little lad out in a pram.

If you’re getting hung up on the idea that dolls or dresses or whatever will influence a future sexuality – I doubt it and you have to accept that it’ll be your little lads’ decision and life to lead whichever route they take – be the supportive father he’ll need either way.

Chris Daniel: I don’t understand why it’s inappropriate for Christmas but fine for other occasions. One of my daughters likes power tool toys so she’s getting some for Christmas. I say let them play with what they want.

Darren Barnstable: there is a point at which you have to draw a line between what you think is appropriate for your child and what makes them happy. this doesnt sound inappropriate and it sounds like he would love that, so i dont see a problem, except you have a hangup about it. sometimes we have to swallow our hangups, or we end up like my dad who wants nothing to do with his son because hes not the sports star he always hoped for. learn to accept him the way he is, or risk letting your hangups alienate you two later in life. that may sound extreme but it starts small, and early.

John Duffy: My boy has a pink Peppa Pig trolley, he chose and paid for himself ( he’s 4)
Got some funny looks to begin with but then the realization that he pushes the shopping if it’s just a few things clicked with people.
Boom!
Free child labour.
Toys aren’t really gender specific until someone tells the child that they are.
Get him the pram/doll combo if that’s what he wants.
Happy kids are what it’s all about.

[sarcasm alert]
Shane Deeks: Seeing as we are living in 1950 why do you even let your wife have an opinion. Slap her, tell her shut up and remove her weekly allowance.

Flickr photo by Katrina Br*?#*!