Miniland Dolls: Teaching Your Child Important Life Lessons Through Play

It seems like every day there’s a new high tech toy on the market. However, no matter how interesting these electronic toys may appear to children, studies have shown that they can never replace the benefits of playing with traditional toys. And when it comes to traditional toys that are crucial for children’s social and emotional development, one toy stands out the most – dolls.

Even though they are usually considered as a toy for little girls, dolls can be a valuable educational tool for all toddlers. They give toddlers a way to act out scenes from everyday life, allowing them to create whatever scenario they want at that moment – no batteries required. While any doll can be fun to play with, some dolls, like Miniland, are specifically designed to help parents and educators teach important skills and provide answers to tricky questions surrounding gender, anatomy and racial diversity.

Source: Thelaneandco.com

What Makes Miniland Dolls Stand Out?

Miniland dolls are anatomically correct and designed to be as realistic as possible, right down to the tiniest details. They are made from the softest vinyl that almost feels like real skin to the touch. Their eyes are painted in a way that gives them a life-like sparkle. They even have cute little dimples on their knees, arm and leg folds, and bumps on their back from their spine. The head, arms and legs on a Miniland doll can be adjusted so that kids can lay it down, make it sit or mimic any kind of movement like walking or hugging. Its realistic hair can be brushed, braided or put up in a ponytail if your little boy or girl wants to play hairdresser. (But try to hide the scissors away). Miniland dolls come in real-life sizes and are vanilla scented to smell like a newborn baby.

Miniland dolls are very popular in families about to have a baby. Expecting an addition to your family can be a confusing and emotionally complex time for the older child. You may be worried about how she/he will cope with the arrival of a sibling. Will they feel left out or experience slight jealousy? In a worst-case scenario, the child may start to exhibit signs of sibling rivalry which can have many harmful effects on their emotional development and social skills. Early sibling rivalry can also ruin the foundation of a future harmonious and healthy bond between siblings.

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A good way to help your child deal with the arrival of a brother or sister in a healthy way is to gradually get them used to a new addition to the house. And a Miniland doll is perfect for that. With a life-like Miniland doll you can introduce the idea of a new baby to your child gradually. This way, he/she will like having an important role in the baby’s arrival. Your child will learn in a safe way about the needs that a newborn baby has, and when the time comes, he/she will be more understanding when the baby needs attention.

A great thing about these dolls is that they come in only their underwear – just like a newborn baby does. So, you can get your child to feel more involved by allowing him/her to pick out cute Miniland doll accessories and clothes. And when the doll comes, you can give it to your child so that he/she can have an idea of how it feels to hold a new baby. You can encourage him/her to feed the doll or rock it when it “cries” and praise him/her for doing an excellent job. This way, you can get the child excited for the new arrival as this can mean that he/she will get a new role and extra responsibilities.

Unlike most dolls which have European features, Miniland dolls are racially diverse. They have well-defined ethnic features which help little children normalize the fact that there are different races. You can choose from a range of all races and colours to help your child foster a feeling of belonging and awareness of racial diversity and inclusion.

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Where Can You Find Miniland Doll Accessories?

Since these dolls come without clothes or other extras, you will need to shop separately for accessories. Miniland doll accessories are as versatile and life-like as the dolls themselves. Clothes and shoes for these dolls come with details like regular clothing and footwear does. This way, little kids can become familiar with the different types of zippers, buttons and laces. In fact, you can find clothes for Miniland dolls at some children’s clothing stores like for instance, The Lane & Co. Many children’s toys stores also sell clothing and accessories for these dolls too. And if you can’t find what you’re looking for, there are always sites like Amazon and eBay to shop from. You can even come across some handmade clothes for these popular dolls.