Battat recently unveiled 6 new Our Generation Dolls just in time for the 2009 holiday season. I loved dolls with fun accessories when I was growing up. Especially the dolls that transported you to another world. These dolls do just that for a new generation of little girls today.
Children can read the story about their favorite doll, then transport themselves into the dolls world to help her solve a mystery, or just have fun. Then they can make up their own doll adventure to go on. It can be a wonderful exercise of the imagination.

Here’s the scoop on the 6 …read more

The latest Baby Alive isn’t feeling well, and she needs her mommy to make it all better. Your little girl can play “Dr. Mom,” and use her mothering skills to nurse Baby Alive Better Now Baby back to health.
The Baby Alive Better Now Baby set includes an aspirator to clear her nose, a sippy cup to make sure she gets plenty of fluids. Your child can check Baby Alive’s temperature with her teddy bear thermometer. Give her medicine with her magic spoon, and don’t forget to change her diaper!

When Baby Alive is feeling better the teddy bear on her thermometer …read more

And in the battle of Barbie versus Bratz, it’s Barbie by a nose!!!! Or, more realistically, a really long leg.
Here are the results:
{democracy:8}
I wonder if the results would be the same if we were comparing Bratz to the new My Scene line of Barbies (like the one pictured above), which are described as “fun ‘n flirty dolls”. They do look creepily like the Bratz dolls, I think. I’ll stick to traditional Barbie, or maybe none at all. Strawberry Shortcake is looking better and better! How long can I keep her cool in our …read more

Here are the results of our latest poll which asked the question, “Do you buy dolls/toys of different races/ethnicities?”

Yes: 50% (10)
No: 10% (2)
Haven’t yet but it’s a good idea: 20% (4)
Never thought about it: 20% (4)
Total Votes : 20

I was in the “Haven’t yet, but it’s a good idea” category. Of course, I don’t buy most of the toys my kids receive! Maybe I’ll have to keep that in mind when people are asking what to get them.
Don’t forget to vote in the new poll in the right sidebar!

I don’t think I’ve told you my age yet. No, no I haven’t. Good. But I can admit that I was one of those crazy kids hoping against hope for a Cabbage Patch Kid that frenzied Christmas in the mid-80’s. Yes, I am that young.
I remember seeing them in the store in about October of that year. This was before most people even knew what they were. I told my mom, “This doll is so cute!” She said something to the effect of it being the ugliest doll she’d ever seen …read more

Does Barbie still rule or do newcomers like the Bratz dolls have a chance at ascending the throne? A Google Fight’s been staged, click the image below to find out who emerges the victor – Barbie or the Bratz.

Business Week Online has published an article questioning the longevity of Barbie as an American toy icon:
Sales for the iconic Barbie fell 1% worldwide, the 11th consecutive quarter of decline for the franchise. Indeed, it’s a worrying sign that kids like Katayan are starting to eschew Barbie for other, more interactive toys.
It is a question raised as the girls of the next generation have so many playtime options available to them. Are dolls and dress up being completely replaced by on-line games and other hi-tech toys?
I don’t think so. Yes, my five year old daughter has …read more

This is Anna, a Russian-speaking doll made by Language Littles. She and her multicultural, multilingual sisters come highly recommended by Dr. Sophy, an expert on the health and mental health of children. They can all speak both English and Russian, German, Chinese, Japanese, or Spanish.
Dr. Sophy also gives the following tips on his blog for dealing with the consumer monster this holiday season:

Self Awareness: Be clear about your motivations to purchase.
Know: Messages that come from your gift-giving.
Communicate: To your child the reasons and messages discovered above, and allow them to share their feelings. …read more

The New York Times has a story about Amazing Amanda, A Doll That Can Recognize Voices, Identify Objects and Show Emotion.
Radio frequency tags in Amanda’s accessories – including toy food, potty and clothing – wirelessly inform the doll of what it is interacting with. For instance, if the doll asks for a spoon of peas and it is given its plastic cookie, it will gently admonish its caregiver, telling her that a cookie is not peas.
*****
One prerelease model of Amazing Amanda, once it was activated (by flipping the toy’s only visible switch hidden high on its back and beneath its …read more

I just discovered Polly Pocket for my three-year-old daughter and she loves it! I bought her a little set for our recent seven-hour drive to Tucson and she had a blast. The clothes are a lot easier to put on than Barbie dolls, and they are nice and portable. She enjoyed pretending with the dolls, having them talk to each other, and did a good amount of imagination play.
The only problem I see is that the shoes and accessories are VERY small, and not condusive to my eighteen-month old. I plan on getting future sets, but …read more