Play-Based Artefact Analysis: Gender Theory and Childhood Development

This essay explores the use of dolls as play-based artefacts and their connection to gender theory and feminism. It discusses how dolls, often associated with girls, can shape children's perceptions of gender roles, particularly concerning domestic responsibilities versus professional aspirations. The analysis connects the use of dolls in play to the reinforcement of traditional gender stereotypes, where girls are conditioned to prioritize housework while boys are steered towards careers. The essay argues that this early conditioning can create a mindset that limits opportunities and reinforces societal expectations, despite modern advancements in gender equality. The essay also touches upon the doll's connection to the child's environment, such as dollhouses and parks, and how these settings influence the child's play and understanding of daily life activities.

Playbased Artefact

Table of Contents
Introduction to Play based artefact..............................................................................................3
Connection to the place................................................................................................................3
Analysis using Gender theory/feminism philosophical lens-300................................................3
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................5

Introduction to Play based artefact
The doll is a character that is created so that the children can play with it in various ways
that can help the children in understanding the various aspects of normal day to day operations
that a normal human being performs. The children play with a doll because it motivates them in
expressing their thoughts and emotion (Danniels and Pyle, 2018). The doll can be seen as an
effective play artefact that can help in developing the social skills of the child. There are various
potential uses of the doll as it can help the educators in helping the child in better learning and
understanding.
Connection to the place
The doll has a connection with the doll house as the child uses the dolls and considers it
as a character that lives in the doll house. The child understands the ability of better
understanding of the daily activities and the tasks that the normal human being performs. The
doll can be connected to the parks as the child loves to play in the parks which makes them to
bring their toys to the park (Fjørtoft, Sudo and Ito, 2021). The child uses the park as the area in
which they create the various types of things such as the problem solving or building games in
which they use their dolls as the characters.
Analysis using Gender theory/feminism philosophical lens-300
The analysis can be made with the help of the gender theory/feminism as there is the
clear connection between the doll that is being used as a play artefact and this philosophical lens

as the dolls are mostly considered as a toy for girls. This creates a mindset of the child at an early
age that there are the various types of activities and tasks such as the profession of doctors and
other highly reputed positions are only for the men. This is because in the childhood the dolls
that is being used by the girls to play is only used in the activities such as cleaning the house and
cooking food which creates a mindset of the girls that they are created for mostly staying in the
house (Hoskin and Blair, 2022). It is the perspective in the child and their parents that the work
that is required to be handled in the house is the responsibility of the women and the external
work that can be considered as the work that brings financial support is only the responsibility of
the men.
This is the perspective that can be seen in the play artefact which can challenge the
mindset and the perspective of the child when they grow up to an age in which they are required
to be performing the activities that they have been thinking that is not their responsibility. The
mindset is created that the activities and the operations in the adult age is specially divided
according to the gender which is not true to an extent as in the modern times both the women and
men are provided with equal opportunities at every place.
REFERENCES
Books and journals

Danniels, E. and Pyle, A., 2018. Defining play-based learning. Encyclopedia on early childhood
development. pp.1-5.
Fjørtoft, I., Sudo, T. and Ito, K., 2021. Nature in the Cities: Places for Play and Learning.
In Urban Biodiversity and Ecological Design for Sustainable Cities (pp. 125-141).
Springer, Tokyo.
Hoskin, R.A. and Blair, K.L., 2022. Critical femininities: a ‘new’approach to gender
theory. Psychology & Sexuality. 13(1). pp.1-8.