Why Doll Play is Good for Children
“What do you want for Christmas present?” Probably kids will never miss out the chance to clarify the things they want if you ask this question. As a parent, you should identify what your kid’s interests and hobbies before you make your decision on what to buy for them. If you do not have any idea, why not get a doll for your children. In fact, doll play is a part of pretend play that helps to improve your kids’ imagination and take on a role as an adult when they contact with everyday basic objects in the doll house play.
Social Skills + Creating Intimacy
You can instill basic human instinct through doll play by caring, nurturing and feeding activities. Children can practice their language and social skills including sharing, cooperation, helping, and problem solving. Doll play brings all their warmth, empathy and the ability to give care to others helps you to raise your child to become a more caring adult in the future. According to the child development psychologists Dorothy and Jerome Singer of Yale University note, “Early opportunity to play with doll provides children the chance of practicing the vital human capacity for nurturance and selflessly to others.
Imagination and Creativity
Doll play promotes self-reliance by encouraging children to use their imagination and creativity. Kids will make up the doll as an actor in the play. As they age, you will start notice that they are using doll to create a real life scenario base on adult’s life styles. Doll play is important in helping children explore on how to grow up and take on the role as the future adult. You will be able to see their improvement in creativity and problem solving skills during the play. Currently there are varieties of doll play themes which are available for sales such as doll in army costumes, doll in rainforest, Eskimo, Native population and other world cultures, which they can portray different story base on their imagination and creativity in the play.
Emotional development
In addition to the fun and joy brings to children, doll play also serves beneficial developmental purposes by allowing children to work out their emotions in a safe context. According to Hallie Speranza, who teaches at the Priscilla Pond Flawn Child and Family Laboratory, the University of Texas at Austin, says doll play can be therapeutic. Scolding their baby doll or stuffed animal allows your children work out and release their feelings or tension without involving other kids.
Dolls for Babies
It is recommended to choose dolls that are soft and cuddly yet washable and sturdy for babies. Babies love to put everything into their little drippy mouths; you might need to wash at least every day or two to make sure the cleanliness of the dolls. Before giving a doll to baby, make sure that there is no small part of the dolls that can be removed or fall off easily. For children age 3 to 5 year old and up, they prefer to own dolls with movable hands and legs in different position.
Tips on storage
Most of the dolls and doll house play is made of vinyl, flexible plastic as well as rubber. It is important for you to store in places where toys do not expose to direct sunlight. If you plan to place it near to the window, make sure that it is protected from exposure to sunlight. You can pack the doll and doll play furniture separately in paper to avoid touching with one another. After each play, clean up if necessary before you put back to the storage.
Every child has their own interest and strength to learn in an optimal way on what they experience in their daily life. Doll play is a fun and also one of the favorite toys especially for girls. Getting a doll with complete set of doll house play is always a great choice for children.
About the Author
Shirley Kok is the founder of GiftGuideForBuddy.com. She strives to provide the best gift ideas and recommendations for children gift which help kid to develop at the early childhood. For more ideas about toys for children, visit www.GiftGuideForBuddy.com/toys/
