ORLANDO, FLORIDA - A recent study authored by John A. Barry of Institute for Women's Health at University College London found that children overwhelmingly chose to play with toys typed to their gender. Boys played with male-typical toys more than girls did, and girls played with female-typical toys more than boys did.
The study, "Sex differences in children's toy preferences: A systematic review, meta-regression, and meta-analysis," which was published in Infant and Child Development, reviewed 16 studies, from 1980 to 2016, of 787 boys and 813 girls ranging in age from one to eight years.