How to take advantage of dolls to strengthen the family bond

Nowadays, where the world is fast-paced and most of society is immersed in the daily routine, spending quality time with family can be complicated. However, there are small habits that can help strengthen this type of bond and improve the relationship. And, believe it or not, or it may seem strange, Playing with dolls helps improve family relationships.

Yes, as you read it, playing with a doll baby offers more benefits than you think and can help create healthier and more special relationships. From Marina&Pau, as artisanal manufacturers of Spanish dolls, we tell you all about this. I’m sure you’ll be surprised!

The Role of Symbolic Play in Family Relationships

Symbolic games, in this case with dolls, allow children and adults to develop their imagination, pose hypothetical situations, imitate real-life situations, perform everyday tasks… All this from a different point of view where it is the individual himself who chooses at all times. In this way, emotional development, empathy and connection between the different people involved in the game are promoted.

Who hasn’t played as a child, or even as an adult, with dolls inventing a life and family? Well, this game unites more than you think and It generates real situations where they learn how to resolve conflicts, express feelings, set limits, establish rules or internalize certain routines in a respectful, playful, safe and fun way.

And, from a parent’s point of view, it’s a perfect time to get to know your little one better. It allows you to understand their feelings, their opinion, their way of understanding certain ruins of everyday life… Thus, they can create specific conversations and promote a creative learning method while feeling accompanied and listened to.

Emotional benefits of playing with dolls as a family

So, what are the emotional benefits of playing with dolls?? Although a priori you think it’s just another game, it’s not. It is one of the most used in specific therapies and with the elderly due to the advantages it provides and the learning possibilities it offers.

• It encourages the development of emotional, social and cultural skills.

• It improves communication and empathy between different family members.

• It helps to understand specific behaviors or specific behaviors.

• It helps to be present in the “here and now” when you spend time together.

• It is an ideal tool for expressing feelings and emotions.

• It reinforces self-esteem and understanding, because it helps to feel accompanied, listened to and validated.

Now you know… It’s not about playing and hanging out! It is a much more intense activity, experience and that will unite you much more.

Practical Strategies for Integrating Dolls into Family Activities

But is anything goes? The answer is no. Playing with dolls as a family to develop healthy behaviors and understand each other better should be something natural and not forced. Otherwise, it will generate the opposite impact and become a problem. For example, working on certain situations must come out in an improvised way. To do this, we give you Some ideas and strategies to make this technique work:

• Themed games. You can propose symbolic or imaginary games on specific themes, such as: a story night, a day at the beach, a spa day, picnic in the park, etc.

• Daily routines. Including the doll in the daily routine that the child has to learn, for example, will help him understand how he has to do it.

• Artisan workshops. You can develop creativity by creating clothes for the dolls, making team crafts, etc.

• Let your imagination run wild. You can adapt to what the child is proposing at that moment and improvise.

Games and dynamics recommended for different age ranges

As we have explained, this is a highly recommended and fun educational game for families. So, depending on the age of the children or the people with whom to play, you can adapt it to one type of dynamic or another.

Children between two and four years old They tend to play more repetitively, since they are learning to get by. Therefore, it can be interesting to encourage and reinforce very simple tasks or actions such as walking the doll, saying basic words, etc.

If your little one is between five or eight years old, this idea can be more creative. You can now create an imaginary story with different roles. This will open up a wide world of possibilities that will allow you to reinforce certain routines or behaviors, learn hobbies… For example, you can play doctors, go to school, and anything else you can think of.

If they are over nine years old, it can become a more complex game where they give way to specific emotions or specific conflicts. This will serve as an excuse to change certain behaviors, reinforce healthy habits, etc.

In the case of the elderly or people in therapy, it is also a fundamental option. Simply, the fact of dressing them, giving them a name, taking care of the doll, etc., generates special memories and experiences.

How Dolls Encourage Communication and Empathy

Family doll games encourage communication, empathy, creativity and strengthen bonds, while reinforcing specific behaviors and skills. It allows children to carry out routine tasks from a much more fun point of view, and it allows parents to understand how they feel or what their thoughts are about a specific event.

Therefore, promoting this type of activity with children helps to create safe and warm spaces to talk about emotions, feelings and conflicts from a respectful and non-judgmental place. Plus, it’s a perfect opportunity to learn from each other. At Marina & Pau, as doll manufacturers, we know how important they are to create respectful and beautiful educational environments.