Last updated on September 14th, 2022 at 11:31 pm
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Last updated on September 14th, 2022 at 11:31 pm
Baby dolls are one of the simplest yet finest toys ever enjoyed by kids. Baby dolls usage has been reported from as early as 100 AD. But despite being around for centuries that doesn’t really tell us if Baby dolls are actually popular.
Baby dolls are still very popular and are often one of the first toys given to a child. Most children will have multiple dolls that they play with regularly and some will even have a specific doll that goes with them everywhere.
Dolls are still popular around the world and are likely to stay that way for many years to come.
There is a solid justification for why baby dolls are so popular and have such a lengthy history. Among the multiple benefits of baby dolls usage, the primary one is that they give children an excellent opportunity to learn and develop behavioral and cognitive abilities.
They symbolize the kids themselves and assist youngsters in obtaining more knowledge of themselves and their surroundings.
Although traditional gender stereotypes imply that traditionally girls are given this toy, playing with dolls can give children significant growth irrespective of their gender.
Baby dolls are such an amazing toy that scientists and psychotherapists strongly advise that all youngsters (yes, including boys) have the chance to possess and play with dolls during their early years.
3 Ways Baby Dolls Can Help Children
Baby dolls have the potential to teach youngsters about themselves and the world around them. Below are three distinct ways that baby dolls can assist your kids in developing necessary skills.
1. Enhancing Cognitive And Motor Skills
Baby dolls provide children with plenty of possibilities to build their cognitive and fine motor skills. Children typically find it simpler to use these talents on someone else before using them for themselves.
And because boys frequently develop fine motor and self-dressing abilities later than girls, more practical chances are necessary for them.
Examples include:
Pretend Playing
Typically, children aged between two and three begin to act as if their dolls could see them and engage with them. They may pretend to play and connect multiple actions to the doll to feed the doll, bathe the doll, and put the doll on the bed.
All of these help enhance their cognitive skills.
Clothing the Doll
While some clothes are simpler to remove than others, children often benefit from trying to clothe a doll before doing so for themselves, like those baby’s socks that are never on their feet.
Children are typically supposed to learn how to take off their clothes before learning how to put them on.
On a doll it will usually include removing accessories like removing the socks from the top instead of the toe area, taking off the hat without messing up their hair, unbuttoning the shirt, taking off shoes without throwing them in the air, and pulling down pants.
Similarly, after mastering the skills for removing the clothes on a doll, children will eventually learn how to put on their own clothes by dressing their baby dolls.
Playing with baby dolls can help children improve their dressing skills and keep themselves presentable while also being more independent.
Bathing the Doll
Children can try bathing their dolls, which is fantastic in developing sequencing skills. For example, they can learn stepwise to first fill up the bathtub, pour on some shampoo, and then rinse their hair, etc.
Child psychotherapists also have used baby dolls to help children overcome bath phobia by assisting them to bathe the baby doll using all the supplies they needed.
This also allows them to become accustomed to using and feeling the water, shampoo, etc., without any fear. Parents get thrilled when their child ends up going to the bathroom alone after trying for a long time with the doll!
2. Developing Speech Skills
Children learn plenty of language skills by playing with dolls, and it also allows them the chance to use and utilize their language skills.
Let’s take a look at certain language principles that a baby doll can teach and encourage:
Learning the Labels
The baby dolls are beneficial for training and educating various bodily components: eyes, ear, nose, head, hands, fingers, etc. Yes, you can do it without the baby doll.
However, it helps to generalize the language for others by offering an opportunity to practice labeling.
It allows children to learn that “nose” does mean the thing on their faces and all faces. You can also teach children about the colors, shapes, sizes of things, and the names for other daily routine items such as clothing items, toys, animals, silverware, etc.
Communication
Children get to experience and perceive new conditions in their games while playing with baby dolls, along with their friends. By filling up their vocabulary with functional language, they can enhance communication.
By this method, youngsters understand each other’s home routines and how it is different for everyone by communicating with their friends. They also get to perceive and express their thoughts with others.
3. Social and Emotional Skills
Baby dolls offer children the opportunity to explore their feelings, express them in a healthy way, and remain social. Baby dolls strengthen social skills acquired in early childhood.
Children learn to be friendly and cooperate when they are playing at home. Another social skill that youngsters acquire when playing with dolls is how emotions like empathy and compassion are processed.
By caring for their doll, kids learn to be kind and care for people. It educates them to be more responsible.
Caring For Others
Whatever the gender of a child, all these talents are essential lessons of life. Children practice the love of others when carrying, holding, nursing, and rocking baby dolls.
You can mimic how you recall being treated like a baby or how you see adults caring for youngsters in your world.
Just like kids copy parents talking on their telephone, working in the kitchen, vacuuming, etc., this is a method for children to understand and begin to make the world their own through these daily happenings.
Adjusting With A New Sibling
Baby dolls also help children learn an excellent approach to adjusting in the family with a new sibling and staying compassionate towards their new sibling. Parents can teach the baby how to carefully touch the baby or simply be around the infant so they do not harm them accidentally.
It will also help the child develop a habit of having a baby around so he feels involved and not left out later on. This can be advantageous since the older sibling will not be getting the same amount of attention once the infant arrives.
Being able to do your own job but still feeling connected with your parents and family can help a youngster feel more comfortable with having an extra family member.
Final Thoughts
Are baby dolls popular? You don’t even need to ask anymore. Yes, they are! And why not?
They promote children’s mental, behavioral, social, and emotional development. Who doesn’t want that? So, get a baby doll for your child and get them started on their fun learning journey!
Last updated on September 14th, 2022 at 11:31 pm
