how boys play

A recent trip to Family Grounds, a drop-in play space by our house, reminded me of how different boys and girls truly are. Six boys (including my Eddie), ages ranging from 18 months to 3 1/2, huddled around a train table in silence. Well except for the occassional vroom or hum or choo-choo. These boys played with the trains, hardly interacting with each other, other than the occasional shove or snatching of another's train. The girls, there were few that day, were parading around in feather boas and chatting about their babies. Wow. The gender roles are so engrained at such a young age. And the verbalization of the sexes differs so much too. Again yesterday I marveled as my Eddie played alongside of his neighborhood friends - three other boys ages 3, 5 and 7, and they built train tracks on the sidewalk in silence. For a whole hour. Intensity was there though.