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YOUTH PSYCH TOOLS
In this section you will find a variety of tools to
assist
in understanding boys and girls in each of the age
segments as identified
by YMS' research:
Birth through 2, 3 to 7, 8 to 12, 13 to 15 and 16 to 19.
Below you
will find:
AGE SEGMENTATION CHARTS
PLAY PATTERNS
GENDER DIFFERENCES
AGE SEGMENTATION CHARTS
DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES
It's critical
to understand the key triggers that motivate kids based on developmental shifts
that occur at each Age /
Stage of Development
*
Note: Based on the rapid evolution of brain development during these two
early stages, there are greater
differences from year to year than at later stages of development. Certainly a 2
month old is vastly
different than a 30 month old, and a 4 year old is quite less advanced in most
ways than a 7 year old.
We categorize children, tweens and teens into these five age segments, however,
because of key brain
changes and developments which occur as young people evolve from stage to stage.
Brain capabilities
more than anything else determine perception, motivation and ultimately -
behavior.
YMS Developmental Highlights:
Ages 8 to 12
Rule-Role Stage
PLAY PATTERNS
For a listing
of play patterns for all age segments, along with character preferences, please
refer to
What Kids Buy
and Why - The Psychology of Marketing to Kids, available at
Amazon.com.
Below you
will find play patterns for males and females ages 3 to 7 and 8 to 12 as
samples:
FAVORITE PLAY ACTIVITIES:
AGES 3‑7 YEARS : MALES
PLAY PATTERNS and PREFERENCES: As
detailed in our book, What Kids Buy and Why, its very important
to be aware of the dominant play
patterns and preferences including character preferences and context/setting
preferences of males and females at different ages/stages.
|
-
Dramatic play of
store, train, hospital |
‑ Block play,
attempting detailed
constructions, Rigging items |
|
‑ Rides tricycle, climbs, does "tricks" |
‑ Mr. Potato Head
concept |
|
‑ Beginning roller skating |
‑ Plays House |
|
‑ Draws, paints, colors |
‑ Games matching
pictures and forms |
| ‑
Running, skipping, swinging, jumping |
‑
Mechanical and simple electronic toys |
|
‑ Tools, cars, trucks, war games |
‑ Male action figures , Superhero role play |
|
‑ Games of
pretend |
‑ Magnetic drawing boards |
|
‑ Simple carpentry, hammering |
‑
Ball play: tossing, bouncing, throwing, batting,
fielding, kicking |
| ‑
Digging holes and tunnels |
‑ Beginning
collecting (accumulating) |
| ‑ Magic, tricks,
jigsaw puzzles |
‑ Bicycles
|
| ‑ Beginning game
play |
‑ Simple model
building, eg: airplanes |
|
‑ Plays with cars, wagons,
trains, trucks,
airplanes, boats |
‑ Pretend gun
play |
|
‑ Swimming |
‑ Building tree houses, forts, tents |
|
- Watching TV |
- Playing Videogames |
| ‑ Plush animals
|
‑ Color forms,
color books |
|
‑ Ride‑On vehicles |
‑ Hand puppets, other puppets (3‑5) |
| - Learning Software |
‑ Paint sets |
| - Play with Pets |
- Dinosaurs |
|
‑ Copying letters
and numbers |
‑ Basic table
games |
|
- Computer Activity, eg:
Internet, E-Mail,
Personal
sites, Virtual worlds |
|
VORITE PLAY ACTIVITIES:
AGES 3‑7 YEARS: FEMALES
|
‑ Play house,
store, hospital, costume, props |
‑ Drawing,
painting, coloring, cutting, pasting |
|
‑ Dramatic play
with other children |
‑ Beginning roller
skating |
|
‑ Imaginary
companion play |
‑ Play with
Kittens, Puppies |
|
‑ Nurturing doll
play, doll houses |
‑ Dress‑up |
|
‑ Draping of
furniture for house play |
‑ Copying letters
and numbers |
|
‑ Simple table
games |
‑ Hand puppets
(3‑5) |
|
‑ Jewelry play |
‑ "Like Me" doll
play |
|
‑ Play school,
house, library, doctor/nurse |
‑
Imaginative play: Playing horse |
|
‑ Baby and
Fashion doll play |
‑
Hopscotch, ball bouncing, Jacks |
|
‑ Ponies, horses |
‑
Fancy goods: Hello Kitty |
|
‑ Printing letters
to spell "real" words |
‑
Lite Brite concepts |
|
‑ Color forms,
Color books |
‑
Stuffed animals |
| ‑
Sewing |
‑ Transitional
object play: plush, blankets, etc. |
|
‑ Elaboration of
doll play, ie: with
accessories:
clothes, suitcase. |
- Watching TV
|
|
‑ Cooking sets,
kitchen play |
‑
"Secret" activities |
| - Computer Activity, eg: Internet, E-Mail, Personal
sites, Virtual worlds |
|
FAVORITE PLAY ACTIVITIES:
AGES 8 to 12 MALES
|
-
Play, communicate with friends |
- Gadget interest |
|
-
Videogames, computer games |
- Complex construction |
|
- TV
viewing -e.g.: sitcoms, cartoons |
-
Numbering, classifying, counting money |
|
- Music,
I-Pod phenom |
-
Pets-play & care |
|
-
Sports: baseball, football, tennis, basketball,
soccer, volleyball, etc. |
-
Collecting |
|
- Computer use: web surfing, blogging,
homework, e-mail, Personal sites,
Virtual worlds |
- Joining clubs |
|
-
Going to the movies, video/DVD rentals |
-
Hiking, exploring, camping |
|
-
Challenge games, e.g.: Battleship, Uno,
Monopoly, Clue, Pictionary, chess |
-
Rollerblading, skateboarding, skating
|
|
-
Tools, fixing, rigging items |
- Hanging out with friends |
|
-
Cellphones |
- Amusement parks |
|
-
Magic tricks |
- Going to beach, parks, outings
|
|
-
Trading cards |
-
Model making |
|
-
Martial arts |
- Puzzles, more complex board games |
|
-
Advanced toy vehicle play, e.g.: remote
racers,
model airplanes |
- Swimming |
|
- Shopping, hanging at malls |
- Bike
Riding |
|
-
Chemistry Sets |
-
Ecology, conservation, nature |
|
- Advanced construction
sets |
- Drawing, designing, painting, creating,
inventing |
|
-
Seasonal Activities, e.g.: flying Kites,sSledding |
- Magazines |
|
- Reading,
books, magazines |
- Writing |
|
-
Comic books |
- Walkie-talkies |
FAVORITE PLAY ACTIVITIES:
AGES 8 to 12 FEMALES
|
-
Play, communicate with friends |
- Some Gadget interest |
|
-
Videogames, computer games |
|
|
- TV
viewing -e.g.: sitcoms, cartoons |
-
Numbering, classifying, counting money |
|
- Music,
I-Pod phenom |
-
Pets-play & care |
|
-
Sports: tennis, , basketball, softball,
soccer, volleyball, etc. |
-
Collecting |
|
- Computer use: web surfing, blogging,
homework, e-mail, Personal sites,
Virtual worlds |
- Joining clubs |
|
-
Going to the movies, video/DVD rentals |
-
Hiking, exploring, camping |
|
-
Board and card games, e.g.: Uno,
Monopoly, Clue, Pictionary |
-
Rollerblading, roller and ice skating
|
- Drawing, designing, painting, creating,
inventing
|
- Hanging out with friends |
|
-
Cellphones |
- Amusement parks |
|
- Shopping, hanging at malls |
- Going to beach, parks, outings
|
|
- Reading,
books, magazines |
- Horses, riding |
|
- Dramatic play, staging
productions |
- Puzzles, more complex board games |
|
- Fashion doll play and fashion design |
- Swimming |
|
- Sewing |
- Bike
Riding |
|
- Cooking |
-
Ecology, conservation, nature |
|
- Writing |
- Makeup |
|
-
Seasonal activities, e.g.: flying kites, sledding |
- Clothes |
|
‑ Jump rope |
|
GENDER DIFFERENCES
There are of
course many products and programs that are "Gender free" in that they appeal
equally to
both males
and females. There are many also that are "Gender Biased" in that they skew more
toward
one sex than
the other. Finally there are those products and programs which are almost
exclusively for
males or
females.
For
marketers, differences between girls and boys as they develop are very important
to understand. Beginning with the biological (nature) males and females are
strikingly different. Then when social conditioning is taken into account
(nurture), these differences are magnified.
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