Do children prefer gender-specific toys?

Yes, children do tend to prefer gender-specific toys, and this is supported by substantial evidence from various fields of study.

Dr. Gad Saad explains that this preference is observed even in children too young to be socialized, indicating it is not taught by parents. Research shows that presocialization children already exhibit these preferences, such as boys preferring trucks and girls preferring dolls. Similar preferences are also observed across species, in vervet monkeys, rhesus monkeys, and chimps, suggesting a biological basis rather than social influence. Moreover, pediatric studies on girls with congenital adrenal hyperplasia, a disorder causing masculinized behaviors, reveal these girls exhibit toy preferences similar to boys. These findings collectively refute the idea that toy preferences are merely socially constructed 1.

Additionally, studies in evolutionary psychology support that boys tend to gravitate toward things, while girls are more interested in people or dolls. These tendencies reflect inherent evolutionary behaviors observed not only in humans but also in primates 2.