Category: Side Exhibitions

Gender Based Toys

Toys are tools used for children’s entertainment and development, however they also serve to shape a child’s understanding of societal norms. The toy industry has marketed gender based toys, which has reinforced stereotypical ideas about the interests and roles of each gender. Have you ever thought about the differences between the “boy aisle” and the…Continue Reading Gender Based Toys

Gallery 202C Side Exhibition

Curated by: Akiva, Yassah, Rahel, Kate-Lynn, and Gabrielle What does the types of toys and how we choose to spend our time playing say about us? According to Holland (2003), “…many girls will absorb themselves with sill and ingenuity equal to the boys in construction activities” (p. 18). Children from an early age are exposed…Continue Reading Gallery 202C Side Exhibition

“Boys VS. Girls” Gallery 202B Side Exhibition

Curated by: Antonina, Cara, Deanna, and Lilyanna Toys and Gender Expectations “We react harshly or impatiently to the extremes of gendered behavior we encounter when it does not match our espoused values” (Holland, 19). Children enjoy the pleasure and freedom of play, it is a natural activity for children to experience starting at young ages….Continue Reading “Boys VS. Girls” Gallery 202B Side Exhibition

“Peer Pressure” & Children’s Consumerism

This side exhibit was put together by Group A: Julia, Carrie, John, Khadyajah, and Lizzie One of the newest crazes in school-age children is the Stanley water bottles. The cups are large and colorful, and they’re popping up all over schools across much of the country. These cups cost about $45. There are many reports…Continue Reading “Peer Pressure” & Children’s Consumerism

Gallery 201C Side Exhibition

Curated By: Yassah, Kate-Lynn, Rahel, Akiva, and Gabrielle Early Conversation with Children about Sexuality Warning: “TEACH YOUR CHILDREN ABOUT SEX OR THE INTERNET WILL” Are you uncomfortable having conversations with your children about sexuality? Yes, it is uncomfortable, but it has to be done. Having age-appropriate topics relating to our relationships, bodies, and feelings can…Continue Reading Gallery 201C Side Exhibition

Gallery 201B Side Exhibition

Curated by: Antonina, Cara, Deanna, and Lilyanna Sexualized Children’s Toys — L.O.L. Surprise! Dolls L.O.L. Surprise! Dolls are toys that are typically played with by young children. The dolls themselves look to be a regular toy that kids can enjoy. On October 7, 2020, these toys became a spotlight on social media and news channels…Continue Reading Gallery 201B Side Exhibition

Gallery 201A Side Exhibition

Changing perspectives on Child Sexuality in the U.S. During and Since the Twentieth Century This side exhibit was put together by Group A: Julia, Carrie, John, Khadyajah, and Lizzie. “Modernism Gone Mad”: Sex Education Comes to Chicago, 1913 Written by Jeffrey P. Moran “Certainly, it is important for the growing child to know his own…Continue Reading Gallery 201A Side Exhibition

Parental Purchases: How Parents Encourage Childhood Consumerism

Advertisers focus on children to sell more products, but parents are also part of the equation as it is often their money that is being spent. Buckingham gives a variety of reasons why parents buy things for their children. “…parents are often complicit in children’s consumption rather than being merely external regulators. Parents buy things for…Continue Reading Parental Purchases: How Parents Encourage Childhood Consumerism

Gallery 106B Side Exhibition: Television Commercial Advertisements Across the Decades

Television advertisements aimed at children consumers started in 1952, with the first ever toy commercial featuring Mr. Potato Head. The original Mr. Potato Head commercial shows a version of the toy that lacks the familiar plastic potato body, as at that time the stick-on accessories were intended to be put on an actual potato! Across…Continue Reading Gallery 106B Side Exhibition: Television Commercial Advertisements Across the Decades

Moral Panics and Consumption

Moral Panic: an instance of public anxiety or alarm in response to a problem regarded as threatening the moral standards of society. Oxford Dictionary According to Buckingham, “the recent wave of concern around childhood obesity” has reached a new wave of ‘moral panic’ (Buckingham, 2004, p. 105). I know that throughout my adult life, I’ve…Continue Reading Moral Panics and Consumption