I have never liked the plastic dolls that are available on the market for children. In fact I despise them, mainly because they seem to all fit into a very gender stereotypical role. They all seem to look and dress the same, there is no diversity and uniqueness. Their facial expressions are so ingrained that it leaves no room for a child to use their imagination and honestly quite often they look stunned, almost like they themselves have had too much plastic surgery! lol
Quite simply the dolls children play with are a reflection of themselves as they often play out roles and solve problems through role play. Look at all the princess dolls out there? They all seem to have light hair, light skin tone and wear pretty pink frocks. Yes, well that is the fairytale story you say but really think about the message this is sending to your child? All princesses are white and wear beautiful pink dresses. What about the rest of the population? Does your child really relate to these dolls or are they sending them the clear message that to be a princess you must be A, B & C and anyone else just simply doesn’ t fit in that role?
There has actually been quite a bit of research done in this area and studies show that during doll play children will not only aspire to be like their princess dolls but they will exclude children from diverse cultural backgrounds because they do not fit into their ideal of a princess. So why isn’t there more diverse dolls from various cultural backgrounds on the market (sorry but those Bratz dolls DON”T count!)? Only now in 2009 is Disney releasing its first ever black doll princess! I actually think an Arabic princess is much more exotic and beautiful than Cinderella.
So if you are like me and don’t like the plastic baby dolls then I have an alternative . . .
I would like to introduce Suzie, Whoopie & Girly Red organic cotton rag dolls. These 3 gorgeous dolls are sure to put a smile on any child’s face! The organic cotton & pure wool stuffing makes them extremely soft and cuddly, perfect to take to bed, better for children with allergies and better for our environment. They have simple sewn in facial features which makes them completely safe for babies and allows your child to explore different feelings and use their imagination.
But the thing that I love the most is that these dolls represent us, our community and our world. They are diverse and they tell children its ok to be you no matter where you come from. These dolls can be used to teach children about cultural diversity and respecting our differences. I’m really excited about these dolls and browsing through their catalogue today I came across a gorgeous blonde/red haired doll they have just released which I will be adding to our collection!
As the company Keptin-Jr states on their website “big, small, blond or black, everyone is welcome in the Keptin-Jr tiny dolls family”.
If you are looking for an organic cotton boy doll we have our beloved Lenny. He is made Brazil by Natural Fashion, a socially and environmentally responsible company, that invests in local businesses, employs local people and supports small farmers that grow organic cotton. Lenny is made using the off cuts from the clothing range so is truly an environmentally friendly doll and he is on special this month for only $28! He also comes in a light & dark skin tone.
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oooh they are gorgeous! They don’t happen to do a boy doll do they?? Though don’t think anything is replacing ‘Cow Cow’ in a hurry!
They do have a gorgeous boy doll but we have our beloved Lenny doll that I just posted about. Of course I’m always happy to get it in for you but like you said don’t know if it could replace the “cow cow!”.