Final answer:
Children learn gender roles largely through socialization, involving observation and imitation of family, education systems, peers, and media. This process begins very early in life, with distinct expectations for boys and girls being established through gendered toys and parental feedback.
Step-by-step explanation:
Children learn gender through observation and imitation, as they acquire gender roles through the process of socialization.
This process is influenced by various agents such as family, education, peer groups, and mass media. Parents often provide gender-specific toys and activities that promote motor skills and aggression for boys, and nurturing and social proximity for girls. Positive feedback from parents for gender normative behavior further reinforces these roles, which children are aware of by age two or three, and firmly entrenched in by age four or five.