A few blogs ago, we were so stoked to have chanced upon Indigo Dolls who believes in sustainable and ethical play and recycles unwanted and broken dolls. This time we are so excited to have found Tracey Rosewall, a passionate home sewer who has been making doll clothes as a hobby for the past twenty years. When her creations became so popular with her own kids, family and friends, Tracey decided to up it one notch and start a home business called Sew Nice Dolls Clothes and Accessories. We catch up with Tracey to have a chat on why dolls are such an important part of one’s childhood.
Tracey starts off by saying that she has always been keen to break the traditional notion that ‘dolls’ are something that only girls play with. “Dolls come in all shapes, forms and sizes. Many boys have a superhero type doll, a film character doll like Woody or Buzz from Toy Story, or they have a soft Teddy bear and they are very attached to them and use them in different ways depending on their mood.”
“They use them in rough play, throwing and bumping and kicking them about in super hero role play scenarios or as a comfort during quiet times and for sleeping with. Many baby boys will also be exposed to these in a kinder or childcare environment where it is very natural to have role play type situations.”
Some controversy doesn’t go past unnoticed when you see fathers of sons frown on their sons taking to dolls but Tracey reminds us that in nearly every situation, the child has still had some type of stuffed animal or toy that has fulfilled the need of a doll – role play, comfort and attachment and it was often these frowning fathers that panicked when these items went missing and their child was in distress.
Tracey quotes heritage and ancestry as key factors on why dolls to this day are still so important. “Ever since evolution, dolls have been an important part of our history; they have provided a record of yesteryear in the way they were made and dressed, used as story tellers and teaching tools.”
When we asked Tracey how parents should choose dolls for their children, Tracey was quick to say this has to be a child-led decision. “There are alot of dolls on the market today. The best way to choose a doll for your child is letting them choose themselves so they can feel a connection.”
For parents who have over-stressed about when the child will eventually let go of their dolls, Tracey reassures that children will have less of an urgent need for a cherished doll or security items as they reach certain development milestones.
Many parents are well educated enough on the ages and stages of childhood to know that playing with dolls is a very natural part of growing up and assimilating information from the outside world. “Dolls are so useful in all facets of development – imaginative, physical, mental and emotional. Dolls still to this day are a great teaching tool for pretend play and as a way of soothing a distressed child.”
“Dolls have been used for a long, long time by children as a way of understanding their world and reality and parents are fully aware they will not think their doll is real forever. It is a beautiful and magical time in a child’s life and should be nurtured and encouraged.
Tracey’s doll clothes creations can be shopped online at Sew Nice Doll Clothes