SOCS185N: Culture and Society

Discussion: The Games Children Play

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Required Resources

Read/review the following resources for this activity:

• Textbook: Chapter 2, 3, 4


• Lesson


• Link (library article): Games Children Play: An Exercise Illustrating Agents of Socialization (Links to an external site.)


• Minimum of 1 outside scholarly source (in addition to the textbook)

Initial Post Instructions

In the article noted in this activity, the authors point out that most introductory sociology textbooks identify the main socialization agents as family, peers, schools, media, work, and religion. "...[W]hat is far less often acknowledged is the contribution that children's toys and games play in representing and reinforcing dominant conceptions of 'appropriate' social identities found in social discourse and in institutional arrangements" (para. 1). Toys and games can allow us to experience the subtleties of race, class, gender, and political socialization that are embedded in play. Sometimes players may challenge and subvert these images and messages at the delight or disgust of other players.

For the initial post, respond to one of the following options, and label the beginning of your post indicating either Option 1 or Option 2:

• Option 1: What toys did you have as a child that you think of as agents of socialization and how did you use the toys to understand relationships, or prepare for new ones?

• Option 2: What specific theoretical perspectives on socialization from this week's reading (symbolic interactionist, functionalist and/or conflict theoretical perspectives) best help you understand your childhood toys as agents of socialization and why?

Writing Requirements

• Minimum of 3 posts (1 initial )


• APA format for in-text citations and list of references


• Include citations from at least the assigned textbook/lesson reading and one additional outside scholarly source to support your response.