Children start to have a deep interest in baby dolls around 18 month mark, give or take, of course. The simple toy has been around for generations and many adults experience a fond nonstalgia for their beloved childhood companions. Believe it or not, some parents are opposed to dolls, but they offer a variety of benefits to children of both genders. Here are a few benefits of dolls, as well as a few suggestions to find the right doll for your child.
Imaginative Play
Imaginative play helps children to learn and grow in countless ways, and dolls are one of the simplest toys to facilitate this type of play. By assuming roles and interacting with dolls, children practice language and social skills, including sharing, cooperation, helping, and problem solving. They learn the different roles people play and begin to see their own place in the world. Children love to copy the actions of adults, who attentively care for babies all the time. Having a baby doll around the house is also a great way to prepare an older child for the arrival of a new baby.
Boys and Dolls
The idea of little boys playing with baby dolls is still a controversial one in many families. Chances are, if a child attends day care, they are exposed to the toys traditionally associated with both genders. Boys play with baby and child-like dolls until about age 4 or 5 when they may switch to “boy dolls” like G.I. Joe. Dolls do not have to be pink or girly, explore male and gender-neutral dolls currently on the market. And boys don’t have to dote over a doll like a parent does a baby; they can make patients for a doctor, passengers in a taxi, students or a variety of other participants in imaginary play scenarios. For parents and teachers concerned about the stigma of a boy playing with a doll, books like William’s Doll and Oliver Button Is a Sissy can help children and adults understand the situation.
Other Benefits
Additionally, many dolls that have removable clothes help teach children fine motor skills. Sure, there are stuffed animals and activity boards that can teach buttons, snaps, zippers and putting on shoes, but it’s easier for children to identify with a human doll that looks like they do. It can also be a great way to teach about body parts. Doll play allows children to work through strong emotions and feel empathy.
Picking the Right Doll
Younger children (18 to 36 months) are probably best suited for a very basic doll that simply looks like a baby and has clothes and a bottle, but don’t really need dolls with eating, crying or bodily function capabilities. Corolle makes some great simple baby dolls that are perfect for younger children. Most Corolle dolls can be taken into the bath tub and include simple accessories.
Older children will probably appreciate a more detailed doll with fancy battery-powered actions. A plain old doll is still just fine, and children can really get creative with their doll’s behaviors and needs without the doll making a sound. Other children may see a doll simply as a companion, so you may want to seek out the most durable doll you can find so it can keep (and clean) up with your child.
Items featured in this post (top to bottom): Tidoo Strawberry Baby Doll by Corolle ($29.49); Babipouce Pink Striped Baby Doll by Corolle ($23.49); Emma Drink and Wet Bath Baby by Corolle ($43.99)
