Inter-Gender Play

Similarities between Girls and Boys

Boys and girls engage in many of the same activities. They both enjoy dramatic play, playing with objects, and playing socially with others. When selecting roles to play, both boys and girls tend to select roles of the same gender; for example, girls prefer to play moms and boys tend to play brothers or fathers. Boys and girls tend to develop at similar rates and follow similar patterns of play development from infancy to early childhood to adolescence.

Although differences in play based on gender have been found across many play contexts, gender separation is less common among smaller groups of children and in more intimate settings, such as with siblings.

Differences in Play Based on Gender

Gender differences in play activity have been found in a number of areas. Boys' and girls' play differs physically, socially, and in their preference for play objects and play activities. Boys and girls also differ in the types of play themes they prefer.

Physically, boys' play tends to be more vigorous and involves using more space. Boys are also more likely to engage in rough-and-tumble play, which involves play fighting and wrestling. These differences in motor play begin to appear around 4 years of age. Another physical difference is in play space preference—boys tend to prefer to play outdoors when given the choice, while girls tend to prefer to play indoors. As boys' play is more active, they are also more likely to take physical risks during play such as jumping from playground equipment or accessing higher points. Their increased risk taking also leads to more physical injuries for boys during play.

Boys' and girls' social groups differ as well. Boys' play tends to be more argumentative especially in playing games; their play also more likely involves competition. Boys are more likely to be involved in organized sports and team play especially, as they get older. They tend to prefer more competitive sports and activities. Boy groups tend to be larger and more open, while girl groups tend to be smaller and more intimate. Girls tend to prefer more cooperative play and are more likely to use polite language in play. They are also more likely to be more conciliatory during play. Although they are seen as conciliatory, there is as much conflict in girls' play as in boys' play; however, this conflict is focused on social relations rather than the activity. According to Brian Sutton-Smith, girls' play is about inclusion in that girls use inclusion and exclusion as power tactics for play, while boys use physicality and aggression.

...