If you’re a regular reader of my blog you will already know that a number of things annoy me.

It’s the little things that make me happy…  But it’s also little things that infuriate me!

So one of the things that has irritated me beyond belief is the toy stores I’ve been to in Dubai over the last week.

I’ve been thinking about what presents to buy for V from LagosDad and I for his third birthday (next month).  After much discussion with LagosDad, we decided to buy him a toy kitchen (you know what I mean, right?), amongst other smaller gifts.  Is it a bit girly?  Is it not a boyish gift?  Does it matter, as long as he’s happy?

V loves pretending to cook.  He’s forever pouring cups of tea or frying eggs with the little tea set I bought him last year (which he chose!).

Anyway, I went to a toy store at the Dubai Mall.  It wasn’t there when I was here in April, so it’s obviously new.

The first thing I noticed was that half the store was blue, and the other half pink!  The blue half was clearly labelled ‘Boys’ Toys’ and the pink half was labelled ‘Girls’ Toys’.

This alone was enough to irritate me.

Then I noticed that ALL the arts and crafts, playdough and those types of things were ALL on the Girls’ side!

The kitchens were also on the Girls’ side.  Even though they had blue ones.

This is the same for Hamleys.

In Hamleys in London (love it) – everything is divided on floors.  All the dolls are on one floor.  All the art and craft stuff is on another floor.  Games and puzzles on yet another floor.  Cars, trucks, trains on another.

But it does not say ANYWHERE which toys are meant for girls or boys.

Shouldn’t it be up to the children to decide what they want to buy?  Must they choose their toys depending on whether they are male or female?  Surely they can make those choices for themselves?

If my son wanted a doll – I would buy it for him.  It doesn’t bother me.  Is that wrong?

So based on this – I did not buy V’s birthday kitchen from the new toy store in the basement or from Hamleys.

I went to the Early Learning Centre and bought it there as there were no signs telling me that it was for a girl or a boy!