Dolls and their benefits for Preschoolers

Did you know that dolls are among the first-ever known toys that a child ever played with? Their existence persisted because no other toy offers a personal touch in the way that a doll does. Do you still recall lugging your doll around simply because it was a source of comfort to you? Let your preschooler have one too. Preschoolers seek several benefits from playing with dolls which you may be unable to comprehend. As a parent, you may have many questions when it comes to doll play? What kind of a doll is aptly suited for a preschooler? Is it normal for boys to play with dolls? While it comes to doll play there’s a lot that you could be unaware of. Discover all that you can about doll-play in the discussion that follows.

How does playing with dolls benefit preschoolers?
Is it okay for boys to play with dolls?
How to pick the perfect doll?

How does playing with a doll benefit preschoolers?

Teeny-Weeny preschoolers sometimes feel overwhelmed in the presence of adults. Dolls with their small sizes make a child feel like a doll is a depiction of themselves. Their unthreatening nature makes playing with dolls an agreeable activity for kids. In this ever-changing, world a doll serves as one constant factor in a preschooler’s life. Hence, a doll establishes a sense of trust in a preschooler. Tending to a doll’s needs instills in a child a sense of responsibility at a young age. This in turn helps in establishing loving relationships with their siblings, parents, peers, and pets. Let a child spend time with a doll, and he/she begins to demonstrate the virtues of empathy and kindness.

As a preschooler thinks up and enacts instances with his/her doll it nurtures their power of creative thinking. Conjuring up scenarios in their thoughts makes a preschooler quick-witted. That’s not all, doll play works in favor of enriching your child’s vocabulary. Looking after a doll strengthens hand movements, and works towards the development of motor skills. Time spent playing with a doll, in a way contributes to all-round development in a preschooler. You may be unaware but children also deal with conflicting emotions that weigh them down. Playing with dolls shifts the reigns of control in their hands, making them gain back that sense of self-control which was somewhat ebbing away. Roleplay is inevitable when a child plays with dolls. This brings with it a series of daily routines like feeding, bathing, your doll which cultivates self-independence in a child from a young age.

Is it okay for boys to play with dolls?

Why are parenting preferences guided by the notion that girl’s mollycoddle dolls and boys fire guns? Why are boys playing with dolls frowned upon? Simply racing cars and firing guns is not going to foster emotional or social development.

Living in a world that’s guided by gender biases you might just be encouraging the same by restricting your son from playing with dolls. Wouldn’t you want your son to grow up to be a nurturing gentleman? Simply let him play with a doll. This helps your baby boy blossom into an adult who treats a lady like an equal. It helps break away from the image of the macho man that the society constantly forces upon people. The role of being a caregiver is not just for a woman, playing with dolls instills the same attributes even in boys. Like girls, even boys have pent up emotions and doll play also offers boys rooms for self-expression. The language of love, empathy, and selflessness are easily interpreted and understood through doll play. It encourages free-thinking, creativity, emotional development, and problem-solving. Would you want to rob your preschooler of the benefits of playing with dolls simply because you want to abide by a gender bias? The toy market also has boy dolls. But its best to vest the decision- making authority to your child.

How to pick the perfect doll?

While going doll-hunting, there are a few things that you should bear in mind. It’s important to inquire with the shop-keeper or read the instructions to check and see if your doll is safety-tested. Age also plays a major factor while deciding what sort of a doll to purchase. The doll size should be easy to manage for a preschooler. Soft-bodied dolls are best suited for contact with delicate baby skin. The doll could be clothed in your preschooler’s favorite color, it could be in dearly loved hues of pink or blue and a doll dressed in neutral colors to spark their imagination.