There are two types of Grandmas in America:
• Those that have Dolls at their house,
• And those that don’t.
And there are two types of Grandmas that have dolls at their house:
• Grandmas who have their own dolls - dolls they collect or dolls that they make, that they really don’t want the kids messing with,
• And those that keep dolls at their house especially for their grandchildren to play with.
Grandparents buy a lot of dolls from us, and we get lots of calls starting with “I have a grandchild...”
Here is Addie and my official advice to the question: "What’s the best doll for my grandchild?"
1. First of all is doll safety and age appropriateness. ‘Safe for all ages’ is best, but since you’re probably going to be supervising their play, then 18 months and older is next best.
2. Playability. When children play with their dolls at Grandma’s they generally play with Grandma too. So we need something that has great role play, and lots of accessories.
Baby dolls, with multiple outfits available and accessories like sippy sets and ‘play doctor’ medicine kits and baby bathtubs etc. offer so many stories that children and Grandma can share...
PS: Don’t forget, Doll Play is storytelling... Let them tell you the story!
If you want a more specific recommendation, we suggest the Cuddle Me baby dolls. They are twenty inches long and fit into 'real' baby clothes, maybe even your grandchild’s own hand me downs, and certainly clothes you can find at the thrift centers (thrift dress on the doll above.)
If you love to sew or knit, and are looking to pass on your love and skills to the older children, the soft cloth body of the cuddle me dolls are very forgiving, even a child’s first efforts can usually be made to fit!
Click on the links below to view the Cuddle Me Dolls
Cuddle Me White Life sized Baby Doll
Cuddle Me Black Life sized Baby Doll
Cuddle Me Asian Life sized Baby Doll
Cuddle Me Hispanic / Biracial Life sized Baby Doll