Whether your child is eagerly or anxiously anticipating the first day of school, doll play is a perfect way to work through these emotions.
My daughter adores her collection of dolls, caring for each as if it were a real baby. Now that she is a preschooler, Corolle sent her Annabelle (re-Christened “Calliope” by my daughter), the latest addition to the Miss Corolle collection. Miss Corolle dolls are perfect pals for preschoolers, kindergartners, and school aged children.
Like many preschoolers, my daughter is learning self-care and hygiene. She already learned her potty skills from Corolle’s Emma toilet training doll, and now she is practicing brushing hair, wearing seasonally-appropriate clothing, and remembering her jacket with her Miss Corolle doll.
She adores Annabelle and is thrilled that her new doll looks just like her, with brown hair and blue eyes. Annabelle accompanies us on all of our errands and my daughter narrates her adventures. Every day, we comb the doll’s rooted, style-able hair and choose new color hair clips to match Annabelle’s outfit. Already I’ve noticed less resistance when I comb my daughter’s curly hair.
We talk about the weather and decide if Annabelle will need her jacket or hat. When my daughter plays ballerina, she dresses Annabelle up in the Corolle tutu accessories.
And because my daughter is very excited about preschool starting next month, she chatters away about how Annabelle’s mommy is dropping her off at school with the teachers–but will come back to pick her up soon. Role playing with Annabelle helps my daughter rehearse new situations and become more comfortable with changes.
Another gorgeous Corolle doll with brush-able hair is the Poupette collection. Poupette dolls have painted-on eyes, a fun little bobbed-hair style, and a brightly-colored cloth body–so they look cute even when your child inevitably takes off all the doll’s clothing.
Velcro closures make it easy for young children to take Poupette’s clothing on and off, including an adorable “rainy day” rain jacket and hat set that will compliment a lesson in weather and climate.
Extend play with a Poupette snack set and a pajama party set–ideal for preparing for visits to the grandparents’ house.
These beautiful, heirloom-quality Corolle dolls are sure to give generations of girls years of fun play possibilities. My cute baby is transforming into a sweet little girl and her doll is growing and learning with her.
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WANT IT: Find Miss Corolle dolls (14″ dolls $35-65; 17″ dolls $70-80), including Annabelle ($85), at Kazoo Toys and Amazon. Corolle Poupette dolls (an affordable $24 at Amazon) also have rooted hair and make great preschooler companions.
