From a very early age, children start to explore the world around them and imitate actions and behaviours they have seen, through pretend play. They begin to adopt roles that they have observed and one way of doing this is through doll play.
Imaginative doll play is important for children for the following reasons:
Research has found that children prefer their dolls to look like real babies with anatomically correct features ad moveable arms and legs. Therefore it is essential to offer a range of realistic dolls in your early years setting.
As children become very self-aware at a young age, it is equally important to celebrate diversity. Multi-cultural doll play helps to promote the celebration of cultural differences, similarities and diversity.
Having a cultural variety of dolls in your setting can encourage a child's self-acceptance, self-identification, self-esteem and confidence, all of which are vital for a child's development.
Our ethnic dolls are perfect for reflecting the diverse world we live in. This loveable collection of soft vinyl and soft bodied dolls include Oriental, European, Indian and African dolls, all of which have authentic features.
The inclusion of Dolls with Down's Syndrome in your doll collection can further inspire the celebration of diversity.
Children enjoy having dolls that they can identify with and these dolls allow children with Down's Syndrome to experience the feeling of having a doll "just like me".
By adding dolls with Down's Syndrome to your early years environment, children will gain a better understanding and acceptance of those with disabilities and will encourage them to have a better well rounded view of the world.
Our beautiful soft vinyl dolls with Down's Syndrome are anatomically correct and include moveable arms and legs. They are a fantastic learning resource for any early years setting.
As well as a diverse selection of dolls, we also stock a wide variety of accessories for dolls. These include doll clothing and prams as well as more inclusive resources to further celebrate diversity such as glasses and hearing aids for dolls.
Take a look at our extensive range of dolls and accessories to enrich the collection of imaginative play resources in your school or early years setting.