Growing up, I always enjoyed playing with my baby doll. My daughter also enjoys taking care of her doll, and nurturing characteristics come out of her that are not evident when she plays with her older three brothers. It’s almost like a rehearsal for being a mother.
Top 5 Features of an Ideal Baby Doll
Here are some of my favorite features of an ideal baby doll:
- The eyes need to open and close. When you put your baby to bed, she needs to look like she’s asleep.
- The ability to sit. The doll’s legs need to bend, so that she can sit on a solid surface without falling over. It’s irritating to have to find something for the doll to lean on because she can’t sit by herself.
- The ability to be bathed. Yes, she should be waterproof. None of this soft stuffing material. This way she can have a bubble bath, or even have a separate bath in the sink.
- Clothing needs to be available in her size. If you can’t change outfits, it’s not as fun. Of course, if you enjoy sewing, you can sew your own outfits. Otherwise it’s good if the manufacturer makes different outfits. That way the doll can have a fresh look every once in awhile.
- It’s nice if the doll is big enough to fit into preemie diapers. Then your daughter can learn to change diapers while she is playing. I loved the ability for my favorite doll to drink water from a bottle and wet her diaper. She seemed so much more real to me. Small cloth diapers would be better, because they can just be dried by the air and re-used a bazillion times.
I am disappointed at the majority of dolls at the toy store, as I was looking for a new doll for my daughter this year. The legs don’t bend, the eyes don’t close, and there is nothing fun about the doll at all. Some even have sound effects – yes — an annoying cry, as if any parent in their right mind would buy that doll!
