The Racing Car Won!
Decisions of Children
A retailer wanted a morning’s activity with children.
Making children happy isn’t difficult; they love doing cool stuff. When given a choice of projects they apply assumptions passed on by their parents.
It is fun to present them with a boy’s cliché, a girl’s cliché and a gender non specific alternative. They were presented with a racing car, a money/puzzle box and a clock to decorate.
Clock
Two layers of plywood followed by busy decorating for fingers that like fussing with detail- on the day, we only made two.
Money/Puzzle Box
The children weren’t interested. Their assessment was clear and final. Oh well. There is no photo to show. It won’t happen again! BUT, the racing car, that was another matter…!
Racing Car
Here is the winner of the day, everybody wanted to make one. Boys and girls all wanted to take one home.
For my part, I don’t think the success of this car had anything to do with gender bias. A lot of my energy had gone into making nice wheels. Each had been shaped with a clever tool on the drill press and when put on a nicely shaped car body the end result was pretty pleasing. Boys made it, then raced them around the floor. Girls enjoyed the act of craft.
A pyro pen is a great tool. Picking one up for the first time is an act of fascination. Children are drawn to it like moths to a light.
In Conclusion
This bunch of kids drove themselves to my best design and my best work- the cool stuff. Gender based clichés had no sway. Parents, kids and I all giggled together. We were together. It was a good morning!
