Dolls Through the Decades

Materials:

Old fashioned baby dolls (Matryoshka, paper dolls, tea set, etc)

Goals:

Socio-emotional support, engaging the senses, decrease sense of isolation

Intro:

Hello My Baby
There is a special relationship between a child and a doll.

Fact Tidbits:

March 9th, 1959 is the Anniversary of the Barbie Doll. She made her debut at
the American International Toy Fair in New York on this day in 1959.
In Japan, families and communities hold Hina-matsuri, or the Doll Festival, on March 3 every
year to wish good health and future happiness for girls. It’s centered around decorated dolls
and eating good food with family.

Discussion:

Have you ever had a hand-made doll? Hand-made doll clothes?
Sing: Put on Your Old Gray Bonnet
Coat of Many Colors by Dolly Parton

Types of Dolls:

There are so many different kinds of dolls. (Share your examples between the songs.)
Russian Doll: The Matryoshka, is a set of wooden dolls of decreasing size placed one inside
another. The name means, “little matron.”
Dutch Dolls: Or peg wooden dolls, these dolls were from the Netherlands and Germany.
They were sold undressed. Children would then make their clothing from scraps of fabric.
Native American Doll: Corn husk dolls are made out of dried leaves or husk of a corncob.
Traditionally, they don’t have a face.
With the Industrial Era, porcelain dolls and china dolls.

Songs:

I Found a Million Dollar Baby
Pretty Baby
You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby
Dance With a Dolly
Lullaby of Birdland
Baby, It’s Cold Outside Performed by Lady Antebellum
Satin Doll by Duke Ellington
Yes Sir, That’s My Baby by G. Kahn and W. Donaldson
Dungaree Doll by Eddie Fischer

Discussion:

Popular dolls over the decades.

Barbie was introduced in 1959. She was much different than the previous dolls. She was
created by Ruth Handler, who named her after her daughter Barbara.

The Sindy doll was the UK’s version of Barbie. She was a companion girl next door.

The Tiny Tears Doll was created in 1977. She could cry and wet her diaper by squeezing her
stomach.

The Cabbage Patch Kids Dolls were popular in the 1980’s. They came with adoption papers.
Each one is hand-stitched. They are made of a soft-sculptured fabric. No two are alike. The
original Cabbage Patch Kids Dolls were made in Cleveland, Georgia.
Songs Sung to Baby: I Love You Truly, That’s an Irish Lullaby, The Missouri Waltz, Tell Me
Why?, Hush, Little Baby, Brahm’s Lullaby, Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, Rock-a-Bye Baby, Baby
Mine, Are You Sleeping, Somewhere Over the Rainbow, Too-Ra-Loo-Ra-Loo-Ral, Amazing
Grace, Michael Row the Boat Ashore

Activities with Baby:

Having a tea party, Song: Tea for Two
Playing paper dolls (Have example of paper dolls) (See resource at bottom.)
Paper Dolls: During early wartime, paper dolls marched out with flag-waving fervor to
become a favorite wartime plaything. Movies entertained on the home front and stars became
symbols of the wholesome pin-up girl next door, ideal subjects for paper doll fame.
Song: Paper Doll by Mills Brothers

Fact Tidbit:

Did you know there is a Doll Doctor’s Association? It’s a social club created for doll repair
specialists, doll enthusiasts and collectors who are eager to share and learn about doll repair,
restoration, and conservation. In MN, it’s Betty’s Handmade Doll Clothes in Richfield, MN. You
can find a Doll Doctor closest to you at this link:
http://www.dolldoctorsassociation.com/hospital-locator

Resources

http://paperstudiopress.com/
http://www.purplekittyyarns.com/paper-dolls/movie-star
http://www.comicbook-collecting.com/Comics-B/Barbie-and-Ken.php
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matryoshka_doll
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matryoshka_doll#/media/File:Russian-Matroshka.jpg
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peg_wooden_doll#/media/File:Gliederpuppe.jpg
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doll#/media/File:Corn_husk_doll.jpg
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doll#/media/File:Barbie_1959_First_Editions_dolls.jpg
http://www.dolldoctorsassociation.com/
http://www.juniormagazine.co.uk/toys-and-games/dolls-through-the-decades/12292-
7.html#historysub
http://www.cabbagepatchkids.com/