Month 12: Meet our Organic Cotton Baby Doll, a timeless doll for everyone
Dolls are a timeless toy. Most children, at some point, go through a stage of being fascinated by dolls, which give them a chance to take care of something smaller than them—to play family and be the nurturer for a change. Perhaps what’s most important about a doll, though, is that children can see themselves in them; dolls offer an immediate human connection that few other playthings can provide.
A doll can be a mirror, but it can take a while for your child to connect to one. They may start offering simple care for a doll as early as 11-12 months; at this age, your child’s doll play will mimic what they see and experience directly. You may notice them putting a blanket over their baby doll to put it to sleep, strolling it around the house if they’ve started walking, and “feeding” it with a toy bottle. They also may chew on it 🙃 For a doll to appeal to a child, it has to reflect in some way how that child sees themselves.
Two critical aspects of identity development begin to take shape early on: race and gender. Our Organic Cotton Baby Doll comes in three skin tones, so you can either give your baby a doll that looks like them, or a chance to play with a pretend pal who looks different. Both options have value to babies, who are already developing a social understanding of race.
The Organic Cotton Baby Doll is also gender-neutral. It has neither a name nor any stereotypically male or female features, so it can be a boy, girl, both, or neither. It’s a blank canvas by design: when we give children the chance to play with toys that intentionally fall outside the norm, we free up their play.
What I sincerely hope for children who play with our doll is that they know they’re supported and loved no matter who they are. When we give children the chance to play with toys that they can connect with, we honor who they are and who they’re becoming ❤️
Cofounder + CEO
@jessicarolph
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The Thinker Play Kit
At almost a year, your baby begins making deeper connections and starts solving problems.
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Posted in: 11 - 12 Months, Social Emotional, Identity, Pretend Play, Child Development
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