Why children should play with dolls

We hope that every child (yes, even boys!) can possess and play with the dolls during their toddler years. It is because dolls for girls teach youngsters a lot about themselves and the world around them.

Cognitive, fine motor, & self-help skills

• Children generally begin to act as if their doll can see and communicate with them around the age of two to three. They relate to the actions such as feeding, washing, and finally putting them to bed. Pretend play is a highly crucial aspect of their cognitive development.
• Though some doll clothing is simpler to remove than others, children frequently benefit from practising on a doll before doing so on themselves. For example, removing items like the hat, socks, shoes, shirt, using a pincer grasp to unzip, pulling down pants, and unbuttoning large buttons are done frequently before putting them on.
• Wearing clothes on is challenging, and it is usually easier if you practise on a doll first. Placing a hat on the doll's head, zipping, putting doll shoes on, pulling pants up, wearing a shirt are basic things that children can practise on dolls and themselves.
• Grooming and cleanliness skills, such as brushing hair, cleaning teeth, and washing hands, are practised with dolls.

Speech-language skills

• Dolls are excellent for teaching different body parts such as the eyes, nose, mouth, ears, hands, fingers, tummy, feet, toes, knees, elbows, etc. Yes, you can teach them without using a doll, but having an additional opportunity to practise identifying this terminology helps them generalise it to other people. For example, it helps children understand that nose applies to the feature of one's face.
• Baby dolls are an excellent tool for teaching appropriate social and pragmatic skills. For example, children can take turns playing with dolls, and they learn by asking questions about the doll and what they are doing with language.
• Teach them names of clothing items like shirts, pants, shoes, socks, and pyjamas using the doll and its attire. Putting on and taking off clothes is a great way to improve fine motor skills.

Social-emotional skills

These talents, regardless of a child's gender, are important life lessons. Children practise being caring to others by carrying, cradling, nursing, and rocking a doll. They mimic how they were cared for as a child or how they perceive adults in their world caring for youngsters.

Through these ordinary happenings, youngsters learn to understand and begin to create their world. Therefore, ensure to buy a doll that helps your child develop the skills mentioned. However, do check the doll rate as there are costly ones available too