Kids and Dolls in the Digital Age

Sometimes I feel like I’m living in a rather large toy box with a roof and wifi! I’m an average kind of mom, living in an average kind of home with four kids. I’m pretty sure that if a time traveler from fifty years ago came to visit us today, he or she would notice two things:

1. Boy, do these people have a lot of TVs!
2. Whoa…toys…everywhere!

They would be amazed at all the gizmos and gadgets lying around. Tablets, game systems, smart phones and of course TVs in every room; we have a lot going on when it comes to entertainment.

With all of these modern forms of entertainment available at their fingertips, our time traveler would wonder if the children living in this home had any time for playing with the myriad toys that are strewn around the house.

It’s true that my children spend a tad more than the "recommended" amount of screen time (oops!) engaged with their gadgets, but it’s also heartwarming to know that they willingly unplug themselves from their devices on a regular basis to play with their “old fashioned” toys. They actually get bored of all the digital goings on and put them down to go play with their dolls!

Some of my daughters’ favorite toys include dolls and a dollhouse. We have so many dolls that it’s hard to keep track, but the list includes Barbies (and a whole host of Barbie-esque dolls like Monster High, Ever After High and Equestria Girls), American Girls, Baby Dolls and the tiny dolls that live in the doll house as well as a few mermaids and various other random characters. I love it that even though the girls are not very far away from the teenage years, they are still happy playing with dolls.

To me as a parent, dolls and dollhouses are one of the best toys out there because:

• They are sociable - my daughters play with dolls together as well as on their own and with friends

• They’re learning life skills without realizing
o from simple things like getting dressed and picking outfits
o to more complex ideas like how to get along with friends and how different people within the family play different roles

• They act out social situations with their dolls, so they’re basically role-playing or practicing for real life situations like family disputes/resolutions, vacations, mealtimes etc.

• They are relatively portable and not messy – the girls are allowed to pack a few special dolls when we go on vacation.

At the end of a day with us, our new time traveling friend would see that my children love their dolls and their dollhouses in spite of the fact that we are surrounded by enticing digital devices. Most of our dolls have names and many of them are precious friends. Dolls and their houses and here to stay!


Disclosure: This is a sponsored post.