Possibly the oldest toys of human children are dolls , They are available in many different ways today functional dolls, Artist dolls, hand puppets or reborn dolls, meanwhile they bring along an extensive accessories.

The many benefits of dolls

Why do children really love theirs? dolls so much? Well, these embody a beloved person, for example an even smaller child, but also a family. They stimulate the imagination and help the children to process their impressions, as well as strongly promoting social behavior, language development and motor skills. For a child his doll is a trusting companion. Younger children up to the age of three should get a very soft doll to cuddle, then functional dolls serve the game, in which the little girl may be the doll mum – the modern functional doll can be fed and may even need to be diapered. In addition, the child can dress his doll, bathing and hairdressing, and the doll can easily bear the coarser treatment, which does not fail. For smaller tea parties or at the family table many may dolls also take a seat. Sometimes the doll speaks or cries with real tears. Of course, there are also very stylish dolls like the Barbie models by Mattel.

Historic and modern dolls

Dolls have always been crafted from a variety of materials to match the age of a child and their game needs. The little kid needs an incredibly soft cuddly doll, the bigger kid needs a sturdy doll that can stand something. This was made of wood for a long time, today plastics are used, which are durable, but softer (and therefore safer) than wood. When purchasing parents should only make sure that the plastic used is absolutely free of all harmful substances. For this, it pays off to buy German or European or American branded dolls, while the models from the Far East are notorious for possible dangers. The commercial production of dolls has a very long tradition, which can be traced back to the 15th century. The long-standing reliability of European or American premium manufacturers, but also the versatility of doll production, opens up this long tradition. Artist dolls have been around for a long time and have been used in the theater and circus for centuries, but it was Käthe Kruse who created copies in the 20th century that children could play with. In 1959, Mattel introduced the first Barbie doll at the New York American Toy Fair. Since the early 1980s, the importance of dolls as objects of art has increased and since then they have been exhibited worldwide. There are competitions and doll congresses. Of course, the normal consumers are most interested in the toy dolls: baby dolls and functional dolls.

functional dolls

Dolls that can talk and cry are the hit in the nursery. The children invent stories for the experiences in the dollhouseMothering her doll and seeing her as a faithful companion, they can also entrust secrets. Puppets with function greatly enrich the children’s everyday life. Once they go in, which can happen with the complex functions, they come to a doll clinic, where the doll doctor makes them safe again. Many of the functional dolls are so well modeled on real babies that they can also bathe, feed and nappy the child. They do not just sleep in the Puppenbettand can be performed in a doll carriage, they also move their mouths when talking and sucking, take liquid and porridge and excrete them again – like a baby.

Hand puppets, artist dolls and reborn dolls

Hand puppets are used by the puppeteer in the puppet theater, which is also available for the nursery. The children also like to play with them and try themselves as a ventriloquist. This stimulates the imagination of children from about the age of four quite uncommon. Artist dolls are more likely to be exhibited, they were known, among other things by teleshopping. They are made by hand, wear doll clothes made of very high quality material, are often unique and are acquired by collectors. Famous models came from Käthe Kruse, the turtle dolls are cheap. However, these fall back against real artist dolls. Reborn dolls look real, they can be composed of individual parts. This is a special art. There are also finished models from about 100 euros.