Which leads which, the toys lead the way they play or the way they play inspires the toys? Obviously the latter. My nephew (when a toddler) used to take his sisters’ barbies, point the leg and shoot. They were weapons and nothing more.
When my son was a toddler and his slightly older sisters played dress up in “pretty” high heels, he would always grab a pair to wear as his “hammer shoes” that he pounded around the house in yelling bang, bang bang, bang. Boys and Girls live in the same world but most often see things differently. lol