The GoldieBlox toy set takes the intimidation factor out of engineering and makes the field seem much more fun and accessible to young girls.
GoldieBlox is a new toy company founded in 2012 by Debbie Sterling, a Stanford engineer who says her mission is to “Inspire girls the way Legos and Erector Sets have inspired boys, for over 100 years, to develop an early interest and skill set in engineering. Goldie is the role model our girls have been waiting for to open their minds beyond the pink aisle at the toy store.”
Knowing just how difficult it can be to make math, science, and engineering appeal to girls, Sterling wanted girls to gain access to the wonders, excitement and power of building something and with GoldieBlox she is rethinking pink and introducing a new character to the mix. Goldie and her dog side kick Nacho go on adventures that require innovating things to save the day. Sterling created a toy that combines a book about a girl inventor who loves to build things with a construction set. It’s designed for girls aged 5 to 9, a time before they begin to lose interest or internalize the message that certain things and activities aren’t for girls. As a result, the GoldieBlox set is mixed media toy that involves reading, problem solving and hands-on inventing with a creative toy tool set
Sterling points out that although engineers solve some of the biggest challenges our society faces, women only represent 11% of all engineers in the U.S. today. Sterling says engineers are critical to the world economy, they earn higher salaries and have greater job security, and since they are overwhelmingly male, she believes they can’t responsibly build our world’s future without the female perspective, and the purpose of GoldieBlox is to bring the female voice into the field of engineering at an earlier age.
Sterling points out that boys love construction toys because they have strong spatial skills, and girls have superior verbal skills and love reading, stories, and characters. GoldieBlox combines both reading and building, and appeals to girls because Goldie's stories relate to girls' lives. The machines Goldie builds solve problems and help her friends, and as young girls read the stories, they may want to be more like Goldie and do what she does. The toy tool kit in the toy set was inspired by common household objects and craft items so that they would be things that young girls are already familiar with. The set also features soft textures, curved edges and attractive colors to appeal to girls. But what really sets the GoldieBlox set apart is its lighthearted and humorous approach that takes much of the intimidation factor out of engineering and makes the field seem much more fun and accessible to young girls.
Sterling say that she eventually intends to create an entire series of GoldieBlox building stories where girls learns about all kinds of engineering concepts including gears, pulleys, circuits, and even coding. Sterling says she wants “To equip girls at each age level to challenge themselves and build their dreams.” Given that information, it looks like GoldieBlox will not be a one-off product and that this toy series is just getting started.
