Archive for the ‘rag dolls’ tag
Rag Dolls Make the Perfect Playmates
It might be hard to believe, but not too long ago, the most popular toys didn't take batteries, didn't giggle when tickled, or light up, or make noises. Favorite toys were handmade ones, like the rag doll.
Rag dolls were first made from scraps of fabric left over from when clothing and bedding were made. They weren't color coordinated, and rather than having long, luxurious, brush-able hair, they had a little mop of yarn, stitched on buttons for eyes, and a yarn smile. And they were cuddly and soft. The best thing about having one was that if she got flat or torn, mom (or whomever) could just cut open a seam, add more rags for stuffing and stitch up again…she was good as new. Now, they can be purchased, complete with rag doll clothes, but still have the benefit of being easily repairable and wonderfully unique.
A rag doll could hear all of a child's night time secrets, and during the day still have time to attend a fancy tea party in the back yard. This simple play is something today's children don't really have to do. Their dolls typically come with some type of play set, with their back story already created. Just pop in new batteries, and the toy will speak, so there is no reason for a child to animate it and create a voice just for that doll. This type of imagination play is almost becoming a lost art. Sure, most children are able to create their own stories and games with their toys, whether or not the toys are preprogrammed, but a lot of kids don't do that as much as they used to.
Something simple and classic like a rag doll opens up play universes of all types, and they last longer and be lower maintenance than their plastic counterparts. A plastic doll with a cracked hand will always have a cracked hand. A rag doll with a torn hand can just get sewn back up. They are pretty hard to destroy. It won't be the toy that breaks Christmas afternoon, just a few hours after the wrapping paper is torn off.
Perhaps the best thing about a rag doll is that it is timeless. A child who loves a rag doll will have that her forever, eventually storing it safely and lovingly for the time when she has her own child who needs a doll to love. Every adventure that a prepackaged molded doll can have is one that a rag doll can have too. However, instead of a mechanical voice crying "mommy" over and over, their voice can alter with her mistress' whim, and can say anything that the day's adventure calls for.
The technologically advanced toys of today are great and they have their place in every playroom. However, the simple, imagination fueled rag dolls of yesterday will always have a place in a child’s arms.
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