Dr. Amy Tanner discusses the developmental impact of gender specific toys, and what she’s doing to transform the way girls play.
In a world where women are often overlooked for business opportunities, these 12 female entrepreneurs are making sure they’re heard! From revolutionizing the health and wellness industry to uncovering untapped markets – these powerhouse ladies have been able to turn their vision into reality.
Dr. Amy Tanner
Co-Founder and CEO of ACE and RILEY
Dr. Amy Tanner is a woman on a mission to create a world where girls are encouraged and supported in their STEM career pursuits. As a pediatric behavior consultant, Amy has spent over a decade observing neuro-development in children. Her work led to the discovery that toys for little boys are not made the same as toys for little girls.
Intent on disrupting this finding, Amy launched ACE and RILEY in early 2020 as a toy company providing little girls with the same opportunities for cognitive development that have long been provided to little boys. As a trailblazer in her industry, Amy’s company has taken off over the past year. Her product line consists of various toys ranging from Magic Potion Starter Kits to the ‘Curie’osity Signature Science Set.
Discover how you can be a part of Amy’s creative solution to ending gender inequalities in STEM careers now!
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Just as there are empty calorie foods and nutrient rich foods, there are empty calorie toys and nutrient rich toys, and the nutrient rich toys have not been evenly distributed across genders.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 08, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Just in time for International Women’s Day, a Vancouver based, all women start-up, ACE and RILEY is on a mission to close the gender gap in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) careers, starting in early childhood by leveling up what we consider ‘girls’ toys.
Women currently make up just over 50% of the workforce but only about 22% of STEM careers and less than 10% of engineering careers. The first step in addressing the STEM gender gap is looking at how we have been limiting, socializing and cognitively conditioning our young girls with stereotypical girls toys.
A quick jaunt down the girl’s toy aisle will reveal a sea of pink, largely targeted around all the things necessary to prepare a little one for a life of domestic bliss; caring for babies, cooking in the kitchen, cleaning up afterwards, and looking good while doing it with make-up and nail-polish. Beyond the social messages of what can be inferred by this section lies a much bigger issue, these toys are doing very little to help cognitive development during the most essential neurodevelopment time. Just as there are empty calorie foods and nutrient rich foods, there are empty calorie toys and nutrient rich toys, and the nutrient rich toys have not been evenly distributed across genders.
During the same critical neurodevelopment time period when girls are learning how to keep the perfect home, boys are interacting with toys that are not only conditioning them to imagine wildly ambitious adventures and careers, such as building a space-ship and traveling and setting up inter-planetary space stations, but they are actively engaging with a plethora of toys that develop visual spatial skills.
Research dating back as early as the 70s has supported the notion that preschoolers who engaged in “stereotypical 'boys' play, e.g., trucks, trains, cars, scored higher on spatial ability than those who engaged in stereotypical 'girls' play, e.g., dolls and doll furniture" (Conner & Serbin, 1977) and furthermore, access to stereotypically masculine toys has been a predictor of spatial ability which in turn is predictive of academic success (Serbin, Zelkowitz, Doyle, & Gold, 1990). It’s not that boys are born with a greater aptitude for STEM, it’s that girls have been held back by the lack of cognitively enriching toys marketed towards them at the time when their brain needs them most. We’ve known this for decades and yet very little has been done to rectify the situation and level the playing field for girls.
Enter ACE and RILEY, an all women start-up dedicated to transforming the way girls play by creating toys, activities and experiences that promote curiosity, problem-solving and exposure to foundational STEM skills while embracing and encouraging the fun of being a girl. ACE and RILEY have created innovative and unique play sets that build interest and aptitude in all STEM disciplines. The “Curie’osity Signature Science Set” named after the famous two-time Nobel Prize Scientist, Marie Curie, includes a 50-pc microscope set, a lab-coat with a customizable credential badge, safety goggles, a grow your own Magic Wand Experiment, and, wait for it… a luxurious tutu, all for only $99.
“Adding elements of dress-up to our STEM sets allows for children to engage and explore the activity longer than if the same activity was presented without the role-play component. We know that children retain information up to 20x better when presented in the form of a story rather than facts alone, therefore the lab coat and microscope can support the “I’m a scientist” narrative and the tutu just makes it more fun” says COO and co-founder Chantelle Stewart.
Although there has been a recent push to market toys as gender neutral, this approach doesn’t speak to every child. “There are kids that love wearing frilly princess dresses and glitzy jewellery and they shouldn’t have to choose between being feminine and being a scientist. It’s time to let girls know that these things can co-exist, you can be a ballerina scientist if you want to be” adds Dr. Amy Tanner, CEO and co-founder.
“We often get asked, “well what about the boys? Wouldn’t they benefit from playing with dolls and kitchen sets?” and I respond, of course they would, they could learn that these things are not just “girl things” but would boys playing with kitchen sets lead to more men pursuing culinary positions? Men are already well represented as restaurant owners and chefs internationally. Would playing with dolls lead to more men becoming pediatricians? Again, men are not under-represented in the medical fields, thus, boys toys are not holding them back, hindering their development or limiting their career options in the way girls toys have for decades,” adds Dr. Tanner, who studied neurodevelopment and neuroplasticity in infants and toddlers during her PhD studies.
Careers in STEM remain among some of the highest paying jobs as well as some of the most critical jobs responsible for dictating the future our children will grow up in. We owe it to our girls to make sure they will have an equal hand in what their future will look like, but we won’t get there without acknowledging how stereotypical girls toys are socially and cognitively limiting the ability to create their future. It’s time to re-design, re-think and revolutionize ‘girls’ toys.
Ace & Riley is a Vancouver-based toy company tired of seeing gendered toys persist on toy shelves and is actively producing toys to disrupt this through offering little girls the same opportunities to develop their brains that have long been afforded to little boys.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, March 08, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Just in time for International Women’s Day, a Vancouver based, all women start-up, ACE and RILEY is on a mission to close the gender gap in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) careers, starting in early childhood by leveling up what we consider ‘girls’ toys.
Women currently make up just over 50% of the workforce but only about 22% of STEM careers and less than 10% of engineering careers. The first step in addressing the STEM gender gap is looking at how we have been limiting, socializing and cognitively conditioning our young girls with stereotypical girls toys.
A quick jaunt down the girl’s toy aisle will reveal a sea of pink, largely targeted around all the things necessary to prepare a little one for a life of domestic bliss; caring for babies, cooking in the kitchen, cleaning up afterwards, and looking good while doing it with make-up and nail-polish. Beyond the social messages of what can be inferred by this section lies a much bigger issue, these toys are doing very little to help cognitive development during the most essential neurodevelopment time. Just as there are empty calorie foods and nutrient rich foods, there are empty calorie toys and nutrient rich toys, and the nutrient rich toys have not been evenly distributed across genders.
During the same critical neurodevelopment time period when girls are learning how to keep the perfect home, boys are interacting with toys that are not only conditioning them to imagine wildly ambitious adventures and careers, such as building a space-ship and traveling and setting up inter-planetary space stations, but they are actively engaging with a plethora of toys that develop visual spatial skills.
Research dating back as early as the 70s has supported the notion that preschoolers who engaged in “stereotypical 'boys' play, e.g., trucks, trains, cars, scored higher on spatial ability than those who engaged in stereotypical 'girls' play, e.g., dolls and doll furniture" (Conner & Serbin, 1977) and furthermore, access to stereotypically masculine toys has been a predictor of spatial ability which in turn is predictive of academic success (Serbin, Zelkowitz, Doyle, & Gold, 1990). It’s not that boys are born with a greater aptitude for STEM, it’s that girls have been held back by the lack of cognitively enriching toys marketed towards them at the time when their brain needs them most. We’ve known this for decades and yet very little has been done to rectify the situation and level the playing field for girls.
Enter ACE and RILEY, an all women start-up dedicated to transforming the way girls play by creating toys, activities and experiences that promote curiosity, problem-solving and exposure to foundational STEM skills while embracing and encouraging the fun of being a girl. ACE and RILEY have created innovative and unique play sets that build interest and aptitude in all STEM disciplines. The “Curie’osity Signature Science Set” named after the famous two-time Nobel Prize Scientist, Marie Curie, includes a 50-pc microscope set, a lab-coat with a customizable credential badge, safety goggles, a grow your own Magic Wand Experiment, and, wait for it… a luxurious tutu, all for only $99.
“Adding elements of dress-up to our STEM sets allows for children to engage and explore the activity longer than if the same activity was presented without the role-play component. We know that children retain information up to 20x better when presented in the form of a story rather than facts alone, therefore the lab coat and microscope can support the “I’m a scientist” narrative and the tutu just makes it more fun” says COO and co-founder Chantelle Stewart.
Although there has been a recent push to market toys as gender neutral, this approach doesn’t speak to every child. “There are kids that love wearing frilly princess dresses and glitzy jewellery and they shouldn’t have to choose between being feminine and being a scientist. It’s time to let girls know that these things can co-exist, you can be a ballerina scientist if you want to be” adds Dr. Amy Tanner, CEO and co-founder.
“We often get asked, “well what about the boys? Wouldn’t they benefit from playing with dolls and kitchen sets?” and I respond, of course they would, they could learn that these things are not just “girl things” but would boys playing with kitchen sets lead to more men pursuing culinary positions? Men are already well represented as restaurant owners and chefs internationally. Would playing with dolls lead to more men becoming pediatricians? Again, men are not under-represented in the medical fields, thus, boys toys are not holding them back, hindering their development or limiting their career options in the way girls toys have for decades,” adds Dr. Tanner, who studied neurodevelopment and neuroplasticity in infants and toddlers during her PhD studies.
Careers in STEM remain among some of the highest paying jobs as well as some of the most critical jobs responsible for dictating the future our children will grow up in. We owe it to our girls to make sure they will have an equal hand in what their future will look like, but we won’t get there without acknowledging how stereotypical girls toys are socially and cognitively limiting the ability to create their future. It’s time to re-design, re-think and revolutionize ‘girls’ toys.
Ace & Riley is a Vancouver-based toy company tired of seeing gendered toys persist on toy shelves and is actively producing toys to disrupt this through offering little girls the same opportunities to develop their brains that have long been afforded to little boys.
]]>
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Jan. 14, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --
Ace & Riley is a Vancouver-based toy company tired of seeing gendered toys persist on toy shelves and is actively producing toys to disrupt this through offering little girls the same opportunities to develop their brains that have long been afforded to little boys.
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1952d75c-6c79-49d2-bfb8-fd8634ef2492
“When we’re looking at the big picture, women make up more than 50% of the workforce, however, they only make up 20% of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) careers, occupying only 9% of engineering roles,” remarked Dr. Amy Tanner, Founder and CEO of Ace & Riley, a toy company intent on disrupting this pattern.
For Dr. Tanner, a Pediatric Behaviour Consultant who has spent her career working with children in understanding brain development, these statistics are not only shocking, but avoidable.
How, one might ask, can we seek to avoid such gender disparities within STEM fields?
The answer to this lies in offering little girls the same opportunities to develop their brains that have long been provided to little boys through play.
Based on this principle, Dr. Tanner founded Ace & Riley in early 2020 as a toy making company specializing in “STEM for the modern day girl.” The women-run Vancouver based startup was founded as a solution to transform the way girls play. Through recognizing that the massive gender gap in post-secondary STEM programs and STEM careers can be traced back to a child’s cognitive development in their primitive years, Ace & Riley is creating cognitively enriching toys that are marketed towards girls.
And with her years of experience working with the neuro-development of the childhood brain, Dr. Tanner is well aware that the best way to maximize learning is through role-play and storytelling. By simply including these elements into teaching practices, it is proven to be 20 times easier for children to remember and accurately retain information.
With this in mind, Ace & Riley scientists can find the essential materials to create their own personal lab within the “Curie”osity Signature Science Set. Named after renowned scientist Marie Curie, who was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize after obtaining her Doctor of Science degree in 1903, the kit is equipped with the essential pieces to combine play with learning. This includes 1 Lab Coat with an official name badge, 1 Pair of Safety Goggles, a 52 Piece Microscope Set, and an epic grey Tutu.
“I want to bridge the gap that you can love to be girly and do pretend play, while working on the brain at the same time,” commented Dr. Tanner in regard to her choice to include dress up items within the “Curie”osity set.
With a functioning lab set up, STEM brainchilds in the making can tackle a variety of experiments, including Fizzle my Bizzle: DIY Bath Bombs, and Intro to Electronics: 2 Shocking Experiments.
The company’s website states that they are, “...committed to leveling the playing field for girls by creating toys, activities and experiences that promote curiosity, problem-solving and exposure to foundational STEM skills while embracing and encouraging a lot of SASS.” This mission is made abundantly clear when perusing Ace & Riley’s collection of creative kits that appeal to little girls (and adults who are wondering if that grey tutu can be made in their size…).
Toy’s: The OG Influencers
For many parents, life can be busy, and toys are often employed to distract little ones while dinner is being cooked or an important phone call is being had. In these scenarios, it is more than fair for burnt out parents to wonder, “they’re just toys… is it really that big of a deal?”
The answer to this question is, yes, it is actually a huge deal.
Between the ages of 0-6, a child's brain is rapidly developing and incredibly impressionable. It is during this time that children are most exposed to toys and play. Given this, the toys that are marketed towards children of this age are incredibly impactful on their cognitive development.
Despite the significance that toys play during these primitive years, gendered toys remain more prevalent than ever.
“When we walk down the toy aisle and we see gender assigned to toys, it keeps reinforcing that these things are for girls and these things are for boys,” explained Dr. Tanner in a recent interview with Global TV.
“That in itself isn’t awful,” Dr. Tanner continued, “but it reinforces that we haven’t created boys and girls toys equally.”
To this, Dr. Tanner is referring to the fact that the ‘boys’ toy aisle is filled with construction sets, interconnecting blocks, train tracks, rocket-ships, robots, and much more. Toys of this nature develop STEM skills through promoting innovation, creativity, and exploration.
In contrast, girls toys promote domestic bliss.
“What you’ll see when you walk down the girls’ aisle are a ton of toys largely around domestic roles,” Dr. Tanner commented. “You’re going to see a ton of babies, lots of kitchen sets teaching girls how to cook with every cooking utensil… you’re even going to see cleaning items like mops, brooms, and dustpans marketed as toys. Then you’ll see a whole section all around self-enhancement with makeup and nails and hair.”
The unfortunate reality is that few to none the typical “girls” toys target STEM development, creating a barrier to entry for careers in this field before little girls have even turned 7 years old.
Childs Play or Marketing Tactics?
If you’re saying to yourself, “I get it, but every time my daughter and I go to the toy store, all she cares about are Polly Pocket’s and Frozen Dress-Up outfits, I think she is just more interested in those toys than science experiments,” you’re not alone.
Society has done a wonderful job branding what is deemed as “toys for boys” and “toys for girls,” and this has distorted the selection process of children when they wander down a toy aisle.
“The data is showing clearly that marketers are still segmenting children into highly-stereotypical categories by gender,” commented Rebecca Hains, an advertising and media studies professor at Salem State University who is very familiar with the subtle tactics that global toy making companies use to market their products towards girls or boys.
Were it not for such targeted advertising tactics, data indicates that little girls wouldn’t necessarily gravitate towards pink baking sets and little boys wouldn’t race towards a tonka truck.
This was proven in the BBC documentary, No More Boys and Girls, where Dr. Javid Abdelmoneim had toddlers dressed in clothing opposite of what their gender would typically wear, and explored how adults interacted with them in play. What the study found was that subconsciously, adults encouraged the toddlers to play with toys that “matched” the gender they appeared to be, providing girls with more dolls and fluffy toys, and boys with more rough-housing and bikes.
Though this study attracted controversy, it was successful in demonstrating that the toys that children choose to play with are far less the product of their own volition and much more the product of their environment and exposure.
For the many parents who struggle to encourage their little girls to play with toys that have long been stereotyped as “boys toys,” Ace & Riley is providing a solution.
As an aunt to two little girls herself, Dr. Tanner is aware of the allure that feminine dress up items create. “My nieces absolutely love Frozen, and they wake up every morning wanting to dress up like Elsa,” she recalled. “I want Ace & Riley to embrace the feminine side of play, while also developing the cognitive pathways that are required for success in STEM fields.”
What Ace & Riley is providing to little girls is opportunity. Given the disturbingly low numbers of women occupying careers in STEM fields, it is evident that equal opportunity has not been provided in the past. A combination of gendered toys and marketing tactics are unfairly providing little boys with the opportunity to develop their STEM skills at a rate far beyond what is available to little girls, and it is due time to make a change. The Ace & Riley Science Collection kits come equipped with all the essentials to help little girls embrace this opportunity, while making it exhaustion free for busy moms and dads.
Media Contact
Courtney James
Company Name: Mindful Media PR
City: West Vancouver
State: BC
Country: Canada
Website: www.mindfulmediapr.com
Email: info@mindfulmediapr.com
Phone: 672-999-8882
SOURCE: Mindful Media PR
]]>Vancouver, British Columbia, January 14, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) –
Ace & Riley is a Vancouver-based toy company tired of seeing gender toys left on toy shelves, giving little girls the same opportunity to develop the brain that has long been given to boys. By providing, we are actively producing toys that confuse this.Photos accompanying this announcement are available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1952d75c-6c79-49d2-bfb8-fd8634ef2492.“Overall, women make up more than 50% of the workforce, but only 20% of STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) careers and only 9% of engineering. Dr. Amy Tanner, founder and CEO of “Hmm. Role,” said: Ace & Riley, A toy company that aims to destroy this pattern.For Dr. Tanner, a pediatric behavior consultant who has worked with children to understand brain development, these statistics are not only shocking, but can be avoided.How can we avoid such gender disparities in the STEM field?The answer to this is to provide little girls with the same opportunity to develop the brain that has long been offered to little boys through play.Based on this principle, Dr. Tanner founded Ace & Riley In early 2020, as a toy manufacturing company specializing in “STEM for modern girls”. A women-owned Vancouver-based startup was founded as a solution to transform the way girls play. Ace & Riley recognizes that the large gender gap in post-higher education STEM programs and STEM careers can be traced back to the cognitive development of primitive children, creating cognitive-enhancing toys for girls. I am.And, with years of experience working on neurodevelopment of the brain in childhood, Dr. Tanner is well aware that the best way to maximize learning is through role-playing and storytelling. Including these factors in educational practice proves that: 20 times It makes it easier for children to remember and retain information accurately.With this in mind, Ace & Riley scientists can find the essential resources within to create their own personal lab. “Curie” osity signature science set.. Named after the famous Nobel Prize-winning scientist Marie Curie for the first time after her PhD in Science in 1903, this kit contains the essential elements to combine play and learning. This includes a lab coat with a formal name tag, a pair of safety goggles, a 52-piece microscope set, and a magnificent gray tutu.“I want to fill the gap of being girly and at the same time working on my brain while pretending to be playful,” Dr. Tanner commented on her choice to include dress-up items in “Curie” Ocity. set.With a working lab set up, the STEM brains you are creating can work on a variety of experiments, including: Fizzle my Bizzle: DIY bath bomb,and Introduction to Electronics: Two Shocking Experiments..Company’s website “… Leveling the competition for girls by creating toys, activities and experiences that promote curiosity, problem-solving and exposure to basic STEM skills while embracing and encouraging many SASSs. We are working on it. “This mission is fully clarified when perusing Ace & Riley’s collection A creative kit that appeals to little girls (and adults wondering if they can make that gray tutu in their own size).Toys: OG influencersFor many parents, life can be busy, and toys are often used to distract small children while a supper is being cooked or an important phone call is being made. In these scenarios, it’s more than fair for parents with burnout to wonder, “They’re just toys … is that really a big deal?”The answer to this question is yes, it’s actually a big deal.Between the ages of 0 and 6, the child’s brain develops rapidly and is incredibly impressive. It is during this time that children are most exposed to toys and play. Given this, toys sold to children of this age have an incredible impact on their cognitive development.Gender toys, despite the importance of toys playing during these primitive years Remain It’s more popular than ever.“When you walk down the toy aisle and see the toys assigned gender, it continues to be emphasized that they are for girls and for boys,” Dr. Tanner recently explained. .. interview On Global TV.“It’s not terrible in itself,” continued Dr. Tanner. “But it emphasizes that we are not making boys and girls toys equally.”In contrast, Dr. Tanner mentions the fact that the “boy” toy corridor is full of construction sets, interconnect blocks, railroad tracks, rocket ships, robots, and more. This kind of toy develops STEM skills by facilitating innovation, creativity and quest.In contrast, girls’ toys promote domestic bliss.“When I walk down the girls’ aisles, I see a lot of toys that are mostly housework,” commented Dr. Tanner. “You’ll see lots of babies and lots of kitchen sets teaching girls how to cook with all the utensils … see also cleaning supplies such as mops, brooms and dustpans sold as toys. Let’s do that and you’ll see the entire section on self-assessment with makeup, nails and hair. “Unfortunately, typical “girl” toys target STEM development, creating barriers to entry for careers in this area before girls turn seven.Child’s play or marketing tactics?“Okay, every time I go to a toy store with my daughter, she only cares about Polly Pocket and Anna and the Snow Queen dress-up outfit. She’s more interested in those toys. I think you are more than just a scientific experiment. “Society has done a great job of branding what are called “boys’toys” and “girl’s toys”. This distorts the selection process when children are wandering the toy corridor.“The data clearly show that marketers still categorize their children into very stereotypical categories by gender.” comment Rebecca Haynes, a professor of advertising and media studies at Salem State University, is familiar with the subtle tactics used by toy makers around the world to sell products to girls and boys.Without such targeted advertising tactics, the data show that little girls aren’t always drawn to the pink baking set, and little boys won’t compete for the tonka truck. ..This was proved in the BBC documentary. No more boys and girls, Dr. JavidAbdelmoneim took infants dressed in the opposite gender to what they normally wear and investigated how adults interact with them in play. According to the survey, adults unknowingly encouraged toddlers to play with toys of the same gender as they looked, providing girls with dolls and fluffy toys, and boys with rough housings and bicycles.Although this study was controversial, it succeeded in demonstrating that the toys children choose to play are not the product of their own will, but the product of their environment and exposure. Ace & Riley offers a solution for many parents who are struggling to encourage little girls to play with toys that have long been stereotyped as “boys’ toys.”As the aunts of the two girls themselves, Dr. Tanner is aware of the appeal of feminine dress-up items. “My niece loves freezing and wakes up every morning wanting to dress up like Elsa,” she recalled. “I want Ace & Riley to embrace the feminine play aspect while developing the cognitive pathways needed to succeed in the STEM field.”It’s an opportunity that Ace & Riley offers to little girls. Given the disturbingly low number of women in the STEM field, it is clear that equal opportunity has not been offered in the past. The combination of gender toys and marketing tactics unfairly provides little boys with the opportunity to develop STEM skills at speeds well beyond those available to little girls, and it’s time to make changes. The Ace & Riley Science Collection Kit is equipped with all the essentials to help little girls embrace this opportunity, so busy moms and dads won’t get tired.Media contacts
Courtney James
Company name: Mindful Media PR
City: West Vancouver
State: BC
Country: Canada
Website: www.mindfulmediapr.com
Email: info@mindfulmediapr.com
Phone number: 672-999-8882Source: Mindful Media PR
CBJ News Maker
Ace & Riley combines microscopes, lab coats and tutu with STEM skills and playtime to get the start right for a girl, Canadian Business Journal
https://timesnowcanada.com/ace-riley-combines-microscopes-lab-coats-and-tutu-with-stem-skills-and-playtime-to-get-the-start-right-for-a-girl-canadian-business-journal/51814/
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VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Jan. 14, 2021 —
Ace & Riley is a Vancouver-based toy company tired of seeing gendered toys persist on toy shelves and is actively producing toys to disrupt this through offering little girls the same opportunities to develop their brains that have long been afforded to little boys.
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1952d75c-6c79-49d2-bfb8-fd8634ef2492
“When we’re looking at the big picture, women make up more than 50% of the workforce, however, they only make up 20% of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) careers, occupying only 9% of engineering roles,” remarked Dr. Amy Tanner, Founder and CEO of Ace & Riley, a toy company intent on disrupting this pattern.
For Dr. Tanner, a Pediatric Behaviour Consultant who has spent her career working with children in understanding brain development, these statistics are not only shocking, but avoidable.
How, one might ask, can we seek to avoid such gender disparities within STEM fields?
The answer to this lies in offering little girls the same opportunities to develop their brains that have long been provided to little boys through play.
Based on this principle, Dr. Tanner founded Ace & Riley in early 2020 as a toy making company specializing in “STEM for the modern day girl.” The women-run Vancouver based startup was founded as a solution to transform the way girls play. Through recognizing that the massive gender gap in post-secondary STEM programs and STEM careers can be traced back to a child’s cognitive development in their primitive years, Ace & Riley is creating cognitively enriching toys that are marketed towards girls.
And with her years of experience working with the neuro-development of the childhood brain, Dr. Tanner is well aware that the best way to maximize learning is through role-play and storytelling. By simply including these elements into teaching practices, it is proven to be 20 times easier for children to remember and accurately retain information.
With this in mind, Ace & Riley scientists can find the essential materials to create their own personal lab within the “Curie”osity Signature Science Set. Named after renowned scientist Marie Curie, who was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize after obtaining her Doctor of Science degree in 1903, the kit is equipped with the essential pieces to combine play with learning. This includes 1 Lab Coat with an official name badge, 1 Pair of Safety Goggles, a 52 Piece Microscope Set, and an epic grey Tutu.
“I want to bridge the gap that you can love to be girly and do pretend play, while working on the brain at the same time,” commented Dr. Tanner in regard to her choice to include dress up items within the “Curie”osity set.
With a functioning lab set up, STEM brainchilds in the making can tackle a variety of experiments, including Fizzle my Bizzle: DIY Bath Bombs, and Intro to Electronics: 2 Shocking Experiments.
The company’s website states that they are, “…committed to leveling the playing field for girls by creating toys, activities and experiences that promote curiosity, problem-solving and exposure to foundational STEM skills while embracing and encouraging a lot of SASS.” This mission is made abundantly clear when perusing Ace & Riley’s collection of creative kits that appeal to little girls (and adults who are wondering if that grey tutu can be made in their size…).
Toy’s: The OG Influencers
For many parents, life can be busy, and toys are often employed to distract little ones while dinner is being cooked or an important phone call is being had. In these scenarios, it is more than fair for burnt out parents to wonder, “they’re just toys… is it really that big of a deal?”
The answer to this question is, yes, it is actually a huge deal.
Between the ages of 0-6, a child’s brain is rapidly developing and incredibly impressionable. It is during this time that children are most exposed to toys and play. Given this, the toys that are marketed towards children of this age are incredibly impactful on their cognitive development.
Despite the significance that toys play during these primitive years, gendered toys remain more prevalent than ever.
“When we walk down the toy aisle and we see gender assigned to toys, it keeps reinforcing that these things are for girls and these things are for boys,” explained Dr. Tanner in a recent interview with Global TV.
“That in itself isn’t awful,” Dr. Tanner continued, “but it reinforces that we haven’t created boys and girls toys equally.”
To this, Dr. Tanner is referring to the fact that the ‘boys’ toy aisle is filled with construction sets, interconnecting blocks, train tracks, rocket-ships, robots, and much more. Toys of this nature develop STEM skills through promoting innovation, creativity, and exploration.
In contrast, girls toys promote domestic bliss.
“What you’ll see when you walk down the girls’ aisle are a ton of toys largely around domestic roles,” Dr. Tanner commented. “You’re going to see a ton of babies, lots of kitchen sets teaching girls how to cook with every cooking utensil… you’re even going to see cleaning items like mops, brooms, and dustpans marketed as toys. Then you’ll see a whole section all around self-enhancement with makeup and nails and hair.”
The unfortunate reality is that few to none the typical “girls” toys target STEM development, creating a barrier to entry for careers in this field before little girls have even turned 7 years old.
Childs Play or Marketing Tactics?
If you’re saying to yourself, “I get it, but every time my daughter and I go to the toy store, all she cares about are Polly Pocket’s and Frozen Dress-Up outfits, I think she is just more interested in those toys than science experiments,” you’re not alone.
Society has done a wonderful job branding what is deemed as “toys for boys” and “toys for girls,” and this has distorted the selection process of children when they wander down a toy aisle.
“The data is showing clearly that marketers are still segmenting children into highly-stereotypical categories by gender,” commented Rebecca Hains, an advertising and media studies professor at Salem State University who is very familiar with the subtle tactics that global toy making companies use to market their products towards girls or boys.
Were it not for such targeted advertising tactics, data indicates that little girls wouldn’t necessarily gravitate towards pink baking sets and little boys wouldn’t race towards a tonka truck.
This was proven in the BBC documentary, No More Boys and Girls, where Dr. Javid Abdelmoneim had toddlers dressed in clothing opposite of what their gender would typically wear, and explored how adults interacted with them in play. What the study found was that subconsciously, adults encouraged the toddlers to play with toys that “matched” the gender they appeared to be, providing girls with more dolls and fluffy toys, and boys with more rough-housing and bikes.
Though this study attracted controversy, it was successful in demonstrating that the toys that children choose to play with are far less the product of their own volition and much more the product of their environment and exposure.
For the many parents who struggle to encourage their little girls to play with toys that have long been stereotyped as “boys toys,” Ace & Riley is providing a solution.
As an aunt to two little girls herself, Dr. Tanner is aware of the allure that feminine dress up items create. “My nieces absolutely love Frozen, and they wake up every morning wanting to dress up like Elsa,” she recalled. “I want Ace & Riley to embrace the feminine side of play, while also developing the cognitive pathways that are required for success in STEM fields.”
What Ace & Riley is providing to little girls is opportunity. Given the disturbingly low numbers of women occupying careers in STEM fields, it is evident that equal opportunity has not been provided in the past. A combination of gendered toys and marketing tactics are unfairly providing little boys with the opportunity to develop their STEM skills at a rate far beyond what is available to little girls, and it is due time to make a change. The Ace & Riley Science Collection kits come equipped with all the essentials to help little girls embrace this opportunity, while making it exhaustion free for busy moms and dads.
Media Contact Courtney James Company Name: Mindful Media PR City: West Vancouver State: BC Country: Canada Website: www.mindfulmediapr.com Email: info@mindfulmediapr.com Phone: 672-999-8882
SOURCE: Mindful Media PR
]]>
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Jan. 14, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) –
Ace & Riley is a Vancouver-based toy company tired of seeing gendered toys persist on toy shelves and is actively producing toys to disrupt this through offering little girls the same opportunities to develop their brains that have long been afforded to little boys.A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1952d75c-6c79-49d2-bfb8-fd8634ef2492“
When we’re looking at the big picture, women make up more than 50% of the workforce, however, they only make up 20% of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) careers, occupying only 9% of engineering roles,” remarked Dr. Amy Tanner, Founder and CEO of Ace & Riley, a toy company intent on disrupting this pattern.For Dr. Tanner, a Pediatric Behaviour Consultant who has spent her career working with children in understanding brain development, these statistics are not only shocking, but avoidable.How, one might ask, can we seek to avoid such gender disparities within STEM fields?The answer to this lies in offering little girls the same opportunities to develop their brains that have long been provided to little boys through play.Based on this principle, Dr. Tanner founded Ace & Riley in early 2020 as a toy making company specializing in “STEM for the modern day girl.” The women-run Vancouver based startup was founded as a solution to transform the way girls play. Through recognizing that the massive gender gap in post-secondary STEM programs and STEM careers can be traced back to a child’s cognitive development in their primitive years, Ace & Riley is creating cognitively enriching toys that are marketed towards girls.And with her years of experience working with the neuro-development of the childhood brain, Dr. Tanner is well aware that the best way to maximize learning is through role-play and storytelling. By simply including these elements into teaching practices, it is proven to be 20 times easier for children to remember and accurately retain information.With this in mind, Ace & Riley scientists can find the essential materials to create their own personal lab within the “Curie”osity Signature Science Set. Named after renowned scientist Marie Curie, who was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize after obtaining her Doctor of Science degree in 1903, the kit is equipped with the essential pieces to combine play with learning. This includes 1 Lab Coat with an official name badge, 1 Pair of Safety Goggles, a 52 Piece Microscope Set, and an epic grey Tutu.“I want to bridge the gap that you can love to be girly and do pretend play, while working on the brain at the same time,” commented Dr. Tanner in regard to her choice to include dress up items within the “Curie”osity set.With a functioning lab set up, STEM brainchilds in the making can tackle a variety of experiments, including Fizzle my Bizzle: DIY Bath Bombs, and Intro to Electronics: 2 Shocking Experiments.The company’s website states that they are, “…committed to leveling the playing field for girls by creating toys, activities and experiences that promote curiosity, problem-solving and exposure to foundational STEM skills while embracing and encouraging a lot of SASS.” This mission is made abundantly clear when perusing Ace & Riley’s collection of creative kits that appeal to little girls (and adults who are wondering if that grey tutu can be made in their size…).Toy’s: The OG InfluencersFor many parents, life can be busy, and toys are often employed to distract little ones while dinner is being cooked or an important phone call is being had. In these scenarios, it is more than fair for burnt out parents to wonder, “they’re just toys… is it really that big of a deal?”The answer to this question is, yes, it is actually a huge deal.Between the ages of 0-6, a child’s brain is rapidly developing and incredibly impressionable. It is during this time that children are most exposed to toys and play. Given this, the toys that are marketed towards children of this age are incredibly impactful on their cognitive development.Despite the significance that toys play during these primitive years, gendered toys remain more prevalent than ever.“When we walk down the toy aisle and we see gender assigned to toys, it keeps reinforcing that these things are for girls and these things are for boys,” explained Dr. Tanner in a recent interview with Global TV.“That in itself isn’t awful,” Dr. Tanner continued, “but it reinforces that we haven’t created boys and girls toys equally.”To this, Dr. Tanner is referring to the fact that the ‘boys’ toy aisle is filled with construction sets, interconnecting blocks, train tracks, rocket-ships, robots, and much more. Toys of this nature develop STEM skills through promoting innovation, creativity, and exploration.In contrast, girls toys promote domestic bliss.“What you’ll see when you walk down the girls’ aisle are a ton of toys largely around domestic roles,” Dr. Tanner commented. “You’re going to see a ton of babies, lots of kitchen sets teaching girls how to cook with every cooking utensil… you’re even going to see cleaning items like mops, brooms, and dustpans marketed as toys. Then you’ll see a whole section all around self-enhancement with makeup and nails and hair.”The unfortunate reality is that few to none the typical “girls” toys target STEM development, creating a barrier to entry for careers in this field before little girls have even turned 7 years old.Childs Play or Marketing Tactics?If you’re saying to yourself, “I get it, but every time my daughter and I go to the toy store, all she cares about are Polly Pocket’s and Frozen Dress-Up outfits, I think she is just more interested in those toys than science experiments,” you’re not alone.Society has done a wonderful job branding what is deemed as “toys for boys” and “toys for girls,” and this has distorted the selection process of children when they wander down a toy aisle.“The data is showing clearly that marketers are still segmenting children into highly-stereotypical categories by gender,” commented Rebecca Hains, an advertising and media studies professor at Salem State University who is very familiar with the subtle tactics that global toy making companies use to market their products towards girls or boys.Were it not for such targeted advertising tactics, data indicates that little girls wouldn’t necessarily gravitate towards pink baking sets and little boys wouldn’t race towards a tonka truck.This was proven in the BBC documentary, No More Boys and Girls, where Dr. Javid Abdelmoneim had toddlers dressed in clothing opposite of what their gender would typically wear, and explored how adults interacted with them in play. What the study found was that subconsciously, adults encouraged the toddlers to play with toys that “matched” the gender they appeared to be, providing girls with more dolls and fluffy toys, and boys with more rough-housing and bikes.Though this study attracted controversy, it was successful in demonstrating that the toys that children choose to play with are far less the product of their own volition and much more the product of their environment and exposure.For the many parents who struggle to encourage their little girls to play with toys that have long been stereotyped as “boys toys,” Ace & Riley is providing a solution.As an aunt to two little girls herself, Dr. Tanner is aware of the allure that feminine dress up items create. “My nieces absolutely love Frozen, and they wake up every morning wanting to dress up like Elsa,” she recalled. “I want Ace & Riley to embrace the feminine side of play, while also developing the cognitive pathways that are required for success in STEM fields.”What Ace & Riley is providing to little girls is opportunity. Given the disturbingly low numbers of women occupying careers in STEM fields, it is evident that equal opportunity has not been provided in the past. A combination of gendered toys and marketing tactics are unfairly providing little boys with the opportunity to develop their STEM skills at a rate far beyond what is available to little girls, and it is due time to make a change. The Ace & Riley Science Collection kits come equipped with all the essentials to help little girls embrace this opportunity, while making it exhaustion free for busy moms and dads.Media Contact
Courtney James
Company Name: Mindful Media PR
City: West Vancouver
State: BC
Country: Canada
Website: www.mindfulmediapr.com
Email: info@mindfulmediapr.com
Phone: 672-999-8882SOURCE: Mindful Media PR
https://www.cbj.ca/ace-riley-blends-microscopes-lab-coats-and-tutus-with-stem-skills-and-playtime-to-give-girls-the-start-they-deserve/
Tutus & Microscopes
Ace & Riley is a Vancouver-based toy company tired of seeing gendered toys persist on toy shelves and is actively producing toys to disrupt this through offering little girls the same opportunities to develop their brains that have long been afforded to little boys.
“When we’re looking at the big picture, women make up more than 50% of the workforce, however, they only make up 20% of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) careers, occupying only 9% of engineering roles,” remarked Dr. Amy Tanner, Founder and CEO of Ace & Riley, a toy company intent on disrupting this pattern.
]]>VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Jan. 14, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --
Ace & Riley is a Vancouver-based toy company tired of seeing gendered toys persist on toy shelves and is actively producing toys to disrupt this through offering little girls the same opportunities to develop their brains that have long been afforded to little boys.
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/1952d75c-6c79-49d2-bfb8-fd8634ef2492
“When we’re looking at the big picture, women make up more than 50% of the workforce, however, they only make up 20% of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) careers, occupying only 9% of engineering roles,” remarked Dr. Amy Tanner, Founder and CEO of Ace & Riley, a toy company intent on disrupting this pattern.
For Dr. Tanner, a Pediatric Behaviour Consultant who has spent her career working with children in understanding brain development, these statistics are not only shocking, but avoidable.
How, one might ask, can we seek to avoid such gender disparities within STEM fields?
The answer to this lies in offering little girls the same opportunities to develop their brains that have long been provided to little boys through play.
Based on this principle, Dr. Tanner founded Ace & Riley in early 2020 as a toy making company specializing in “STEM for the modern day girl.” The women-run Vancouver based startup was founded as a solution to transform the way girls play. Through recognizing that the massive gender gap in post-secondary STEM programs and STEM careers can be traced back to a child’s cognitive development in their primitive years, Ace & Riley is creating cognitively enriching toys that are marketed towards girls.
And with her years of experience working with the neuro-development of the childhood brain, Dr. Tanner is well aware that the best way to maximize learning is through role-play and storytelling. By simply including these elements into teaching practices, it is proven to be 20 times easier for children to remember and accurately retain information.
With this in mind, Ace & Riley scientists can find the essential materials to create their own personal lab within the “Curie”osity Signature Science Set. Named after renowned scientist Marie Curie, who was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize after obtaining her Doctor of Science degree in 1903, the kit is equipped with the essential pieces to combine play with learning. This includes 1 Lab Coat with an official name badge, 1 Pair of Safety Goggles, a 52 Piece Microscope Set, and an epic grey Tutu.
“I want to bridge the gap that you can love to be girly and do pretend play, while working on the brain at the same time,” commented Dr. Tanner in regard to her choice to include dress up items within the “Curie”osity set.
With a functioning lab set up, STEM brainchilds in the making can tackle a variety of experiments, including Fizzle my Bizzle: DIY Bath Bombs, and Intro to Electronics: 2 Shocking Experiments.
The company’s website states that they are, “...committed to leveling the playing field for girls by creating toys, activities and experiences that promote curiosity, problem-solving and exposure to foundational STEM skills while embracing and encouraging a lot of SASS.” This mission is made abundantly clear when perusing Ace & Riley’s collection of creative kits that appeal to little girls (and adults who are wondering if that grey tutu can be made in their size…).
Toy’s: The OG Influencers
For many parents, life can be busy, and toys are often employed to distract little ones while dinner is being cooked or an important phone call is being had. In these scenarios, it is more than fair for burnt out parents to wonder, “they’re just toys… is it really that big of a deal?”
The answer to this question is, yes, it is actually a huge deal.
Between the ages of 0-6, a child's brain is rapidly developing and incredibly impressionable. It is during this time that children are most exposed to toys and play. Given this, the toys that are marketed towards children of this age are incredibly impactful on their cognitive development.
Despite the significance that toys play during these primitive years, gendered toys remain more prevalent than ever.
“When we walk down the toy aisle and we see gender assigned to toys, it keeps reinforcing that these things are for girls and these things are for boys,” explained Dr. Tanner in a recent interview with Global TV.
“That in itself isn’t awful,” Dr. Tanner continued, “but it reinforces that we haven’t created boys and girls toys equally.”
To this, Dr. Tanner is referring to the fact that the ‘boys’ toy aisle is filled with construction sets, interconnecting blocks, train tracks, rocket-ships, robots, and much more. Toys of this nature develop STEM skills through promoting innovation, creativity, and exploration.
In contrast, girls toys promote domestic bliss.
“What you’ll see when you walk down the girls’ aisle are a ton of toys largely around domestic roles,” Dr. Tanner commented. “You’re going to see a ton of babies, lots of kitchen sets teaching girls how to cook with every cooking utensil… you’re even going to see cleaning items like mops, brooms, and dustpans marketed as toys. Then you’ll see a whole section all around self-enhancement with makeup and nails and hair.”
The unfortunate reality is that few to none the typical “girls” toys target STEM development, creating a barrier to entry for careers in this field before little girls have even turned 7 years old.
Childs Play or Marketing Tactics?
If you’re saying to yourself, “I get it, but every time my daughter and I go to the toy store, all she cares about are Polly Pocket’s and Frozen Dress-Up outfits, I think she is just more interested in those toys than science experiments,” you’re not alone.
Society has done a wonderful job branding what is deemed as “toys for boys” and “toys for girls,” and this has distorted the selection process of children when they wander down a toy aisle.
“The data is showing clearly that marketers are still segmenting children into highly-stereotypical categories by gender,” commented Rebecca Hains, an advertising and media studies professor at Salem State University who is very familiar with the subtle tactics that global toy making companies use to market their products towards girls or boys.
Were it not for such targeted advertising tactics, data indicates that little girls wouldn’t necessarily gravitate towards pink baking sets and little boys wouldn’t race towards a tonka truck.
This was proven in the BBC documentary, No More Boys and Girls, where Dr. Javid Abdelmoneim had toddlers dressed in clothing opposite of what their gender would typically wear, and explored how adults interacted with them in play. What the study found was that subconsciously, adults encouraged the toddlers to play with toys that “matched” the gender they appeared to be, providing girls with more dolls and fluffy toys, and boys with more rough-housing and bikes.
Though this study attracted controversy, it was successful in demonstrating that the toys that children choose to play with are far less the product of their own volition and much more the product of their environment and exposure.
For the many parents who struggle to encourage their little girls to play with toys that have long been stereotyped as “boys toys,” Ace & Riley is providing a solution.
As an aunt to two little girls herself, Dr. Tanner is aware of the allure that feminine dress up items create. “My nieces absolutely love Frozen, and they wake up every morning wanting to dress up like Elsa,” she recalled. “I want Ace & Riley to embrace the feminine side of play, while also developing the cognitive pathways that are required for success in STEM fields.”
What Ace & Riley is providing to little girls is opportunity. Given the disturbingly low numbers of women occupying careers in STEM fields, it is evident that equal opportunity has not been provided in the past. A combination of gendered toys and marketing tactics are unfairly providing little boys with the opportunity to develop their STEM skills at a rate far beyond what is available to little girls, and it is due time to make a change. The Ace & Riley Science Collection kits come equipped with all the essentials to help little girls embrace this opportunity, while making it exhaustion free for busy moms and dads.
Media Contact
Courtney James
Company Name: Mindful Media PR
City: West Vancouver
State: BC
Country: Canada
Website: www.mindfulmediapr.com
Email: info@mindfulmediapr.com
Phone: 672-999-8882
SOURCE: Mindful Media PR
https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/ace-riley-blends-microscopes-lab-213000431.html
https://in.finance.yahoo.com/news/ace-riley-blends-microscopes-lab-213000431.html
Dr. Amy Tanner discusses the developmental impact of gender specific toys, and what she’s doing to transform the way girls play.