Green Options » dolls

Boys And Girls: As Different as Cats and Dogs?

Cate Nelson — Tue, 05 May 2009 12:35:26 +0000

Are gender differences inborn? Does my son like trucks because he’s as different from girls as cats are from dogs? Boys come out of the womb clutching footballs, girls cuddling dolls?

Probably not, but young kids seem to believe that.

In a U.S. study of 450 kids aged 5-college aged, researchers found that the young ones were more likely to believe that gender differences were nature, not nurture. As in: differences are there because they’re born into you, as species is. The differences are innate, they think.

Interestingly, over time children’s beliefs on gender differences fade, not grow stronger.

Unique Eco-Friendly Dolls and Dress Up Crown for Natural Play

Jennifer Lance — Thu, 22 May 2008 23:03:25 +0000

Beyond simply shopping for eco toys for my children, I also think it is important to support toy companies that support local designers and promote natural play. Natural Pod is a Canadian company that fits this bill, and they have just expanded their line to include the unique toys of two Canadian designers. Natural Pod’s motto is “Natural items for play and daily living that are mindful, creative and inviting for your family.”

Poot & Boogie Eco-Friendly Dolls

Poot & Boogie eco-friendly dolls are individually handcrafted from cotton and wool. The dolls are stuffed with corn-derived fiberfill, and each one is unique. These dolls are made in Aldergrove, BC, and they remind me of Raggedy Ann and the dolls children played with before plastic dominated the toy world.

Barbie Doll Art: 32,000 Boob Jobs a Month

Jennifer Lance — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 01:11:08 +0000

I hate Barbie Dolls. These plastic, large breasted, out of proportion dolls create unrealistic images in children’s minds of a woman’s body. As Empowered Parents explains,

If she were alive, Barbie would be a woman standing 7 feet tall with a waistline of 18 inches and a bustling of 38-40. In fact, she would need to walk on all fours just to support her peculiar proportions. Yet media advertising, television and Hollywood would reinforce her message, influencing what would become the American ideal of beauty.

And what’s up with Ken being an eunuch? Leave it to artists to find a creative use for Barbie and comment on this cultural icon.

Waldorf Kathe Kruse Mermaid Doll

Jennifer Lance — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 15:29:00 +0000

Little girls love mermaids, and I love Waldorf dolls. I have always been drawn to the work of dollmaker Kathe Kruse, the oldest German doll company. “Handwork, simplicity of design, integrity, and an aversion to gimmicks and fads are still very much a part of how the dolls are made. Each doll and item of doll clothing is made by hand and takes from 16 to 36 hours to make. During that time, it will pass through the hands of 8 to 10 craftspeople and artists.”

Magic Cabin offers an affordable, Small Waldorf Mermaid by Kathe Kruse. This doll is made of all natural cotton, wool, and mohair. The tail is removable, allowing the doll to live on land, as well as the sea of your child’s imagination. The detailing on the doll includes beading and shimmering threads. My daughter adores her Small Waldorf Mermaid, which makes the perfect travel companion due to her small size. Kathe Kruse makes natural toys you can feel good about!

Bratz Dolls: Too Sexy and Sweatshop Labor

Jennifer Lance — Fri, 13 Jul 2007 13:57:00 +0000

Thankfully, my daughter has not entered the world of Bratz (with the exception of a toothbrush). Recently, Mothering.com asked readers to take action on this over sexy product. According to Mothering.com, “The Bratz—whose wardrobes include miniskirts, fishnet stockings, and bikinis—were recently singled out the by American Psychological Association for contributing to the sexualization of young girls.” Bratz is marketed in schools through Scholastic via their book fairs and book clubs. If you feel this is inappropriate, please click here to tell Richard Robinson, President and CEO of Scholastic Inc., that commercially- driven, sexualized stereotypes do not belong in our schools.

Furthermore, Bratz dolls are produced in a sweatshop in China. Women are forced to work seven days a week, 94.5 hours a week for $4.13 a day. Furthermore, according to the National Labor Committee, “The factory wants to fire all the workers and then bring them back as temporary workers with contracts of just one to eight months, which would strip them of any legal rights they might have. As it is, the workers are denied sick days as well as work injury and health insurance.” These workers are paid about 17 cents per doll they assemble, bringing the total cost of production to $3.01 per doll. In this country, the dolls are marked up 428 percent for retail sale. More bad news about Bratz from the National Labor Committee:
* Workers denied work injury and health insurance, in direct violation of China’s law.
* Taking a sick day results in loss of three days’ wages.
* Workers failing to meet their production goals must remain working—unpaid—until the target is met.
* Ten workers share a small dorm room, sleeping on metal bunk beds. There is no shower or TV.
* If a worker breaks a doll, she is docked five hours’ wages.

Magic Cabin Dollmaking Kits: Make Your Own Waldorf Doll

Jennifer Lance — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 14:22:00 +0000

We have finally done it! After being inspired by my friend Teri’s guest post in February, my daughter and I have finally made our own Waldorf doll from a Magic Cabin Doll Kit. The Magic Cabin Doll Kit comes complete with mohair yarn for hair, wool for stuffing the body, embroidery floss for eyes and mouth, and skin stretch fabric. In addition, you will need matching thread for the skin tone and hair, as well as a long dollmaking needle, a sewing machine, and fabric for clothing.

Making your own doll takes between 6 to 12 hours, depending on your skills and your child’s involvement. Our doll took about 7 hours to make, including the dress. My six-year old daughter’s participation was limited to stuffing the wool into the body and winding the hair around a book, but she was attentive and watched me sew (and bounced around in excitement) during the whole process. Going to the fabric store to pick out the dress was also a fun experience for us.

The directions included in the Magic Cabin Doll Kit are very clear. I was never confused, although I do have lots of quilting and sewing experience, I have never made a doll. The most difficult part was feeding the elastic through the casing on the dress collar, but other than that, I was surprised at how smoothly the process was for our doll. The Magic Cabin Doll Kit does come with patterns to make five different articles of clothing.

Waldorf dolls typically are very simple, allowing your child’s imagination to fill in the details. The natural materials and soft wool stuffing, make this doll far superior to plastic ones. My daughter really appreciates this doll, and it has become her favorite one, replacing other Waldorf dolls we have purchased. She is old enough to appreciate the doll is handmade with love, and she showered me with compliments when I was sewing. She was amazed her mommy could create such a lovable toy, thanks to theMagic Cabin Doll Kit.

Search for Wooden Toys on Ebay

Jennifer Lance — Fri, 06 Jul 2007 13:01:00 +0000

Ebay can be a great place to buy wooden, handmade, vintage, or discount natural toys. Everything from blocks to trains to puzzles is available on Ebay. Some toys are used and some toys are new in their boxes. Ebay is also a great source for handmade Waldorf dolls.

If you are interested in learning how to save money while doing the laundry, please visit Green Options Tip o’ the Day: Clean the Lint Trap on Your Dryer and Save Energy!

Natural, Rubber Wood Toys by Plan Toys

Jennifer Lance — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 14:18:00 +0000

Children today are bombarded with plastic, limiting toys that do not expand their imaginations or aid their development. Not only can plastic toys be harmful to children’s health, but the production of plastic toys further increases our dependence upon petroleum and leaves a greater carbon footprint than natural, wooden toys. There are many companies that produce wooden toys; however, not all of these companies provide information about the kind of wood they use or their sustainability practices. In addition, many of these companies manufacture their toys in China, where constant monitoring is required to ensure dangerous substances, such as lead, do not accidentally enter into production, such as the recent recall of Thomas the Tank Engine wooden railway toys exemplifies. Plan Toys is a company you can trust!

Plan Toys uses chemical-free rubber wood to produce their toys. These trees are at least 25 years old, and thus have stopped producing latex. Rubber wood farmers traditionally fell these trees and burn them to produce charcoal, in order to clear the land for replanting. Plan Toys increases the value of these trees by using them to produce their beautiful line of wooden toys. The wood is kiln-dried to avoid bacteria and pest infestation, thus making the rubber wood naturally preservative free and safe for children. All paints are non-toxic, the glue used is latex-based, and all corners are rounded for safety; however, some toys do contain plywood. Plan Toys insures that their “plywood complies with E1 standards, thus ensuring emissions of urea formaldehyde at levels below those acceptable to the World Health Organization (WHO)”. All packaging materials are recyclable and do not contain PVC.

To read more, please visit Green Options: Green Family Values: Natural, Wooden Toys by Plan Toys.

Don’t forget, only four more days to leave a comment and enter our monthly drawing for a hemp Eco Child’s Play bag!

Magnetic Dolls….Better Than Paper Dolls!

Jennifer Lance — Sun, 24 Jun 2007 14:22:00 +0000

Two years ago, my daughter received a magnetic princess dress up doll similar to Melissa and Doug’s Princess Elise Magnetic Dress-Up Doll. The magnetic parts adhere to the doll easily and are durable, compared to paper doll clothing. Not only are the magnetic backed wooden parts long lasting, but they are much easier for little hands to manipulate and thus do not cause the frustration. I remember being in tears as a child when my paper dolls tore, and these paper dolls required adult assistance to play with at a young age.

Our magnetic doll has been repeatedly played with and hardly rests on a shelf at all. Melissa and Doug’s Princess Elise Magnetic Dress-Up Dollcomes with 24 pieces and is low priced ($7.50). There is a stand for the doll; however, we mostly play with our doll lying flat. The stand is useful when you have more than one doll to interact with each other in dramatic play. Melissa and Doug’s Princess Elise Magnetic Dress-Up Dollis recommended for children three-years old and older; however, with close supervision, younger children can enjoy this wooden toy. Some of the pieces, such as the shoes and crowns, pose choking hazards, but a parent could remove these items to allow a younger child to play with the doll independently.

A Little Wooden Dollhouse

Jennifer Lance — Sun, 10 Jun 2007 13:51:00 +0000

For my daughter’s first birthday, we gave her Melissa and Doug’s Deluxe Wooden Fold and Go Dollhouse. The recommended age rating is three years old, but we felt we could watch her closely and hide away small parts until she was older. Five years later, she still plays with her Melissa and Doug’s Deluxe Wooden Fold and Go Dollhouse, although she does wish for a bigger dollhouse. Melissa and Doug’s Deluxe Wooden Fold and Go Dollhouseis perfect for little spaces like our cabin. It is compact, yet it comes with ample wooden furniture and two wooden figurines.

Over time, we added Melissa and Doug’s Family Doll Setto extend the pretend play, as well as more wooden doll house furniture. I still remember my daughter in the early stages of talking and toilet learning playing with the dolls on the wooden potty. She would say, “Peepee in potty,” then wash the doll’s hands. She did this over and over again. Now that she is almost six, she has painted the rooms, finger knitted rugs and blankets, etc.

Parents often think of dollhouses as gender specific toys; however, I have noticed that boys love dollhouses too. Our Melissa and Doug’s Deluxe Wooden Fold and Go Dollhouse was the first toy one of my daughter’s little male friends would play with at our house. My son also enjoys our dollhouse. The large doll house at our preschool is very popular with the male students too. Melissa and Doug’s Deluxe Wooden Fold and Go Dollhouseis affordable, at about $30.00, and compact, allowing every little child a chance to have a dollhouse.

Finally, a Use for Plastic Baby Dolls

Jennifer Lance — Sun, 03 Jun 2007 13:48:00 +0000

While stumbling around the web, I discovered these surreal images by Phillip Toledano. Mr. Toledano has been taking odd pictures since he as 11 years old, and he believes, “a photograph should be like an unfinished sentence. There should be space for questions.”

I loathe plastic baby dolls, as you probably already know (see “The Search for a Natural Baby Doll”). Not only do I believe these dolls may be made of toxic materials, are aesthetically displeasing, smell, etc., but they seem to be able to be fruitful and multiply! If your experiences are like mine, plastic baby dolls enter your life repeatedly as a gift for your little girl. I have even had one of my daughter’s friends give her plastic baby doll two years in a row for her birthday! Why would any one need so many plastic baby dolls, unless of course you are Mr. Toledano.

Oompa Toys offers many great natural and organic dolls sure to please any little girl and her crunchy mama. As my daughter’s birthday approaches, I will steer well meaning, doll giving friends and family to Oompa Toys. Oompa Toys is one of my favorite, natural toy stores!

Woodkins: Better Than Paper Dolls

Jennifer Lance — Sat, 26 May 2007 13:35:00 +0000

For my daughter’s second birthday, a friend gave her a Woodkinsplay set. These wooden die cut dolls are designed for children four to seven years old; however, my daughter has enjoyed hers at a younger age and still plays with it today. Woodkinsoffers a great alternative to paper dolls, which are difficult for little hands to manipulate and are not durable. By lifting the wooden cover, children change the clothes, faces, etc. on the doll. Little swatches of cloth are placed below the cover, and when it is closed, the doll is dressed in a new outfit. You can layer the cloth swatches and easily add to the collection with scraps of cloth from home. This “sandwich” design is perfect for little hands developing fine motor skills.

There are over 73 Woodkinsproducts, so you will certainly find one to suit your child’s imagination. Woodkinshas won many awards, and this collection of wooden collection of wooden “dressable” dolls provides children with endless opportunities for imaginative play. According to the product description, “With a closet full of colorful fabrics and interchangeable magnetic faces, kids can let their imaginations run wild—creating new looks, new moods and new stories for their dolls every time they play!”

Great Girl Fun

Jennifer Lance — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 16:06:00 +0000

My daughter purchased the Easy-to-do Ballerina Doll Making Kit at a museum gift shop. Over the weekend, we assembled her doll. This was a great activity for us to do together. The doll making kit comes with everything you need to assemble your doll, and the directions are easy to follow. The doll body is made of unbleached muslin fabric; however, I am sure the inside filling is polyester. The other materials are a combination of synthetic and natural fibers, so I am not sure if the Easy-to-do Ballerina Doll Making Kit fully qualifies as a natural toy. The kit is rated for children five and above; however, the fine motor skills required to assemble the doll would be difficult for a kindergartner to do alone. The two-sided tape was especially difficult to peel. My daughter did apply glue, wrap the yarn for the hair, and peel the tape. Even though she was unable to do more of the construction, it was still a great experience. The doll is highly cherished.

A Handmade Doll

Jennifer Lance — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 15:48:00 +0000

My friend Teri Elfrink (wife of the infamous Web Savant)has once again graciously written a guest post for Ecochildsplay. Teri writes:

Doll Kit from Magic Cabin
I’ve made one of these dolls for each of my children and I love them! I looked everywhere for Waldorf-style dolls but couldn’t find one in my price range. This kit is very inexpensive and the doll turned out great! It feels like so much more than a toy when it’s made by hand. Plus you can add your own special touch to each one. The materials are all natural and the kit includes patterns for clothes.

Thank you Teri! You have inspired me to order a dollmaking kit. If Teri can find the time with three little ones to make a doll,I should be able to do it too! My daughter is very excited about having a doll made by mother’s loving hands. Please read my previous post on “The Search For a Natural Baby Doll“

Back From the City With the Sweetest Natural Doll

Jennifer Lance — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 16:30:00 +0000

While we were in San Francisco, we went out for sushi with one of my dearest, oldest friends Viktoria Ruchkan. Once upon a time, Viki and I shared a life in Boulder and on Grateful Dead Tour. During lunch, Viki gave the sweetest, simple doll to my daughter and a great kaleidoscope for my son. The doll is made by Israeli artist Merav Flem. According to 972 Club, “Manuella was established in 2001 by Ms. Merav Flam, a graduate of The Bezalel School of Art and Design in Jerusalem. Her designs reflect a longing for a more innocent world, before the age of electronic and digital games. Today, Manuella’s products can be found in most kids’ boutiques in Israel.” The Yasmina Doll by Manuella is available at Piccolini. The doll comes with a simple dress that is easy for little hands to take on and off without buttons or zippers. Our doll came with her beautifully plaited, unlike the one in this picture. The thick pieces of fabric used for the hair are perfect for a doll, as they won’t tangle and tear. The hair is ideal for little hands to style, unlike the horrible hair on plastic dolls. Check out the other great toys made by Manuella at Cute Little Me. The red elephant is especially cute and would make a great Valentine’s gift. Thank you Viki!

The search for a natural baby doll

Jennifer Lance — Wed, 03 Jan 2007 17:19:00 +0000

While I was pregnant with my second child, my mother wanted to buy my daughter her own baby doll. I spent countless hours searching the internet for the perfect, natural baby doll. I wanted a doll that was about the size of a newborn baby, in order that it could share clothes with the real baby in our family. Eventually, we ordered a doll from a local dollmaker. The doll was very expensive. When it arrived, we were sorely disappointed. The doll was only about eight inches long and looked like it had a blonde afro. The face was very strange looking too. We returned the doll to the doll maker, and the search began again. I found a doll maker on the east coast who made beautiful dolls. When I contacted her, she was no longer able to make dolls due to arthritis. Our frustration level was growing, so my mother ended up ordering Baby Annabell.
Baby Anabell
Baby Annabell has plastic limbs and face, but the body is made of cloth. She cries and says, “Mama”, etc. She comes with a pacifier, bottle, rattle, etc. Once the baby doll arrived, I anxiously awaited for the batteries to die and my daughter’s imagination to take over. You can turn the doll off, but my daughter quickly figured out how to turn it back on. With one real baby crying in the house, why did I need a doll that cried too? Since then, we have been given 3 more plastic baby dolls by various friends and family. After the initial fascination wore off, these other dolls were given to more needy families (one was sacrificed by our puppy!). Even though she had Baby Annabell, I still wanted my daughter to have a more natural doll. I kept searching the internet. Eventually, I found two dolls that I like very much. One is an organic Waldorf style doll available from Waldorf Treasures. This doll is smaller than Baby Annabell, but it comes with several organic cotton outfits that are really cute. The other cloth doll I found was at Pottery Barn kids. This doll comes with a cloth diaper and outfit. It is not quite the size of a normal newborn baby, but it can wear real baby clothes. Now, all three of the baby dolls play together, while my daughter plays mommy.