dolls

[alison]

Our dd has very few toys. We knew the entire past year that we'd only live in our fellowship location for one year, so we really kept toys at a bare minimum. Now, I'm finding that dd is really starting to get interested in the toys we have, and has started role playing a bit. When she finds a stuffed animal, she snuggles it as if it's a baby. She gives it hugs and kisses, and will pat it.

I've been avoiding getting a doll for her for whatever reason. Why...? I think she would enjoy one -- she could carry it around, play with it, learn body parts, etc.

Is it so bad for girls to play with dolls? Do you know of any good dolls that aren't going to turn dd into an evil girly girl who will insist on wearing a tutu everywhere?

[L.Jane]

Its expensive, but what about an American Girl Doll... It teaches history along with having a doll. You can get the book along with it. I just checked out the website and its saying they are about to retire Felicity, the Colonial Girl Doll. I grew up loving Samantha and my sister had Molly.

[MrsK]

I was (am) an evil girly girl and I really want a tutu. I loved each and every one of my baby dolls. Hated Barbie -- It's impossible to get those little tiny clothes on and she's boring. My best girlfriend majored in Women's Studies and dressed her daughter in boy's clothes until she was 2. Her daughter is 3 now. She loves purple, carries a purse, and wears her tiera everywhere. I don't think you can force her to be a tomboy if she's a girly girl and I don't think a doll is going to define or impair her gender development.

[alison]

Its expensive, but what about an American Girl Doll... It teaches history along with having a doll. You can get the book along with it. I just checked out the website and its saying they are about to retire Felicity, the Colonial Girl Doll. I grew up loving Samantha and my sister had Molly.

I had Samantha.
I'll look into the American Girl Dolls, because I think they may have something for little kids (dd is only 12 months old). She would rip the hair out of my Samantha doll (I still have her somewhere!). I'm looking around online, and hope I can find something that approximates the coloring dd has. Is that creepy? Be honest.

[scrub-jay]

I would agree with MrsK, M will show her own personality sooner or later! My vote (and I'll do this with A when she gets older) is to just let her choose one doll based on her choices. I would also offer her tonka trucks and typically "boy" toys when in the store. I was a tom boy for a while, but still painted my room pink - all depended on the age and stage!

Good luck! I don't think you can completely determine who she'll choose to be.

ETA: I don't think that it is creepy to choose a doll that matches her skin tone, I think that it is thoughtful!

Is it so bad for girls to play with dolls? Do you know of any good dolls that aren't going to turn dd into an evil girly girl who will insist on wearing a tutu everywhere?

The more you try to resist it, the more she'll do it. My friend is the biggest tomboy on the block, and her daughter loved pink and all things girly for a good, long while. Now she's 14 and is a tomboy herself. While I will resist Polly Pockets, and outright refuse a Barbie, I assume that Mattie will have an American Girl doll at some point (I still think she's too young). I think all (well, most) things in moderation is fine.

[alison]

I agree with you guys. I just want to expose her to different things: dolls included. Not particularly liking dolls is my own thing, I guess. We have a really great toy store close to where we live now, and I took dd in there to have a look around and to pick out a new toy.

I showed her a doll, and she took to it like... a girl to a doll. She thought it was really truly THE MOST AWESOME thing I've ever shown her. And then she took it by the leg and flung it across the aisle. She likes tools and cars at this point, but I'd like dd to learn to be a little less rough with things (including our floors!!). I'm teaching her how to be gentle with her stuffed animals - and with me and my hair(!) - so I thought a doll might help in the learning process.

I had Samantha.
I'm looking around online, and hope I can find something that approximates the coloring dd has. Is that creepy? Be honest.

I don't think it is. I try to get things that kind of match my kids.

[Pollyanna]

Go with Bitty Baby dolls from American girl http://store.americangirl.com/agshop.../id/129/uid/95 They are super cute and have fun accessories. That said, simply because she likes to cuddle her animals does not mean she will like baby dolls. Our oldest two girls LOVE stuffed animals but were not at all interested in a baby doll. They used their animals when playing with the doll accessories, lol! Let her pick her toys as she gets older. Not giving her dolls won't keep her from exploring her maternal instinct, just like not giving boys toy guns won't dissuade them from making everything they see into a gun. .

A bitty baby would be a super Christmas gift.

[alison]

Go with Bitty Baby dolls from American girl http://store.americangirl.com/agshop.../id/129/uid/95 They are super cute and have fun accessories. That said, simply because she likes to cuddle her animals does not mean she will like baby dolls. Our oldest two girls LOVE stuffed animals but were not at all interested in a baby doll. They used their animals when playing with the doll accessories, lol! Let her pick her toys as she gets older. Not giving her dolls won't keep her from exploring her maternal instinct, just like not giving boys toy guns won't dissuade them from making everything they see into a gun. .

A bitty baby would be a super Christmas gift.

HA! I just looked at the Bitty Baby dolls from American Girl before you posted, Tara, and I kind of want one for myself.
Ayaiyai.

Dammit, Tara! I did NOT need to know that they had something for Mattie's age group (yes, this is now all about me.). And ... just my "luck": they just opened an American Girl store at our local mall.

Both my girls love baby dolls. I think it is sweet to see them nurture their dolls and take care of them. I was a huge doll lover as a child and still am. I'm not sure how much you were wanting to spend, but when my DD was a young toddler, this is the one we got (with blonde hair):

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index...ductId=2666320 (they have them at Walmart and Target too)

For DD's third bday, she wanted a Corolle doll- Bebe Do. She loves it very much. It was pricey, but it was all she wanted. If you go to their website, they have some for all ages and it seems like they had a few with differetn skin color. http://www.corolle.com/
Amazon seems to have the cheapest prices on them.

Hope that helps!

[alison]

Dammit, Tara! I did NOT need to know that they had something for Mattie's age group (yes, this is now all about me.). And ... just my "luck": they just opened an American Girl store at our local mall.

[madeintaiwan]

Corolle makes dolls for M's age. A was given her first Corolle doll on her bday. This one:

http://www.amazon.com/Corolle-Premie...405624&sr=8-15

Though, we got a her a different outfit. I hated the one she comes in. Eó has claimed it for his own and plays with her. Feeding and nurturing "dolls" is a developmental milestone around that age [12m to 36m]. And we have 3 more Corolle dolls, different versions. I'm not a Barbie person.

We have Asian dolls, white dolls [we have an Irish rag doll], and black dolls.

[Pollyanna]

Dammit, Tara! I did NOT need to know that they had something for Mattie's age group (yes, this is now all about me.). And ... just my "luck": they just opened an American Girl store at our local mall.

Heehee, glad I could add some extra fun to your day. Wait till you see the dolls in person, Mattie will be getting one very soon.

Alison, she is very young for the AG dolls. We have several from the older girls and Evangeline just drags them around by their hair.