Based on videodata of play situations between children and professionals, a qualitative analysis of gender socialisation of boys in German EEC (Early Education and Care) institutions has been conducted. The theoretical and methodological framework of this research is an attempt to describe gender identity as an interactional phenomenon, which is situationally flexible but at the same time affected by structural persistence. Coming from this conceptual basis, qualitative video analysis was used to examine and interpret the data. The results can be understood as a rationale for male childcare workers as promoters of diversity. Emphasising the micro-level of sociality in theory and research allows diverse interpretations of gender, instead of describing dichotomous polarities.