Magazine — SONSHINE

Boys and Reading

Kirstie Beaven takes a look at the myths and realities around boys and reading

Issue 4, FeaturesKirstie Beaven Hayley GroveNovember 10, 2018reading, stereotypes, schoolComment

The Book Bag Test

Rebecca Fortey explores what messages come home in a five-year-old’s school reading book

Features, Issue 4Kirstie Beaven Hayley GroveNovember 10, 2018books, reading, school, bechdel test, Maisy testComment

Picture Books with Power

Books can impact on us in ways we don’t expect. We take a few that have made their mark on readers as children and as adults.

Issue 4, FeaturesKirstie Beaven Hayley GroveNovember 10, 2018books, children books, readingComment

Re-reading stories

Hayley Grove finds that revisiting childhood favourites can sometimes be a surprise

Features, Issue 4Kirstie Beaven Hayley GroveNovember 10, 2018reading, books, children books, stories, Issue 4, k, l, m, n, o, p, q, r, s, t, u, vComment

Why Elsa is a superhero

Even a three-year-old can pick out Elsa’s super-qualities. We walk you through it.

Features, Issue 3Kirstie Beaven Hayley GroveSeptember 21, 2018clothes, dressing up, equality, emotions, feelings, Issue 3Comment

Learning to play: how to be outside

When Caroline Brimmer moved her family to the Lake District, she assumed outdoor play would come easily. But with only 21% of kids playing outside every day, turns out we all have a lot to learn.

Issue 3, FeaturesKirstie Beaven Hayley GroveSeptember 21, 2018play, outdoors, Hackney, screen time, tips, Caroline Brimmer Comments

Are we giving our kids equal play?

Kids’ toy preferences do seem to split down gender lines. But where does it come from? And even when we think we are combatting gender divisions, are our own prejudices getting in the way?

Issue 3, FeaturesKirstie Beaven Hayley GroveSeptember 18, 2018play, toys, opinion, stereotypes, Issue 3, babies, gender equality, shopping, role model, equalityComment

Why Boys Need Dolls

Co-founder of GenNeu, Roanna Mottershead, explains why every boy needs a doll to play with.

Issue 3, FeaturesKirstie Beaven Hayley GroveJune 27, 2018play, toys, stereotypes, shoppingComment

5 great (and ungendered) clothing brands

Sonshine Magazine’s pick of clothes that don’t discriminate

Issue 2, FeaturesKirstie Beaven Hayley GroveMay 22, 2018features, equality, links, clothes, fashion Comment

Animals, aggression and entitlement: Boys' clothes on the High Street

Aisle after aisle in the shops tell the boys they are toxic, predators, that they can’t express any feeling except anger. They tell them that this is their value, not their caring nature, not their kindness, not their innate lovableness. Their aggression is their value. And alongside this, they tell them they are cleverer, more important, worth more. That they deserve more. That they are entitled to more.

5 things you can do to change the world for boys and girls

We hope 2018 will be the year that pushes us all to make a contribution to gender equality. Here are 5 positive actions we can all take to start a change.

Features, Issue 2Kirstie Beaven Hayley GroveJanuary 9, 2018How To, features, gender equality, equality, #metoo, role model, schoolComment

That time we phoned Woman's Hour

Have a listen. I think the programme as a whole all goes to show that we need to do MORE work on exploring what gender equality really looks like. What it is and what it isn't, and how we make these crucial attitude changes.