Doll play is important for all children, regardless of gender or ability. When a child is playing with a doll, they are developing the skills that will impact all areas of their lives for years to come. 

(Scroll to the bottom to see our favorite dolls and accessories.) 

When you observe a child playing with a doll, you will notice them repeating phrases and actions that are a part of the child’s own life. The child is using the doll to help process her own life experiences. While acting out feeding, cuddling, or diapering, he is making sense of his own everyday life experience.  

Have you ever walked past your child’s room while they were playing and heard your own phrases and tones come out of your child’s mouth? 

“Jilly, come on, one more bite…,” your child says to her dolly as she pretends to feed her breakfast. 

Or, “Come here, right this minute!” in a strong, parental-like voice.

When children play this way, they are making sense of their own life in a way that they can control.

If you have a new baby sibling in the house, doll play can provide a release-valve for all of the new and intense emotions that the big sibling is experiencing. Doll play offers the sibling a place to test out the sibling relationship within his own control. Doll play allows him to experiment with feelings about the new baby that might not be acceptable otherwise. 

When your child is playing with dolls, it is not just about social-emotional learning. They are also strengthening those little fingers and hands (a precursor to writing, shoe-tying, etc.) They are working on language development as they put their feelings and actions into words. Doll play offers learning across all areas for children.

How to Encourage Doll Play: 

Evaluate your child’s play space. Is it cluttered and filled with too many dolls and accessories? Less is more. 

Try this: Take out one baby doll, one blanket, and two or three simple doll items. You could put a bottle and a spoon or diaper.  Just leave it in the center of the room. 

Set up a simple baby doll washing station: 

Put down a large absorbent towel on the shower or bathtub floor. 

Lay down a shallow bin of water and a bar of soap, or a pump bottle filled with a small amount of shampoo and the rest water. Add a washcloth. Allow your child to practice bathing his dolls.  

Set up doll furniture with blocks:

Set up some blocks, a few small blankets, and a favorite doll. Invite your child to build a bed or a crib for her doll and tuck her in. No blocks or doll furniture? No problem. A shoebox makes a perfect bed or crib for a baby doll. 

Shop dolls by clicking the images below:

Miniland Dolls / Doll Crib / Doll Chair / Play Kitchen / Rug / Bin / Sink Strainer / Bath Fizzies

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