For years, dolls have been a beloved toy for children worldwide. From the simplest rag dolls to the most sophisticated digital toys, they continue to fascinate kids and adults alike.

However, doll manufacturers have been criticized for presenting an unrealistically thin and unrealistic image of the human body to children. Fortunately, some manufacturers and designers have recognized the need for better representation and have started producing dolls with more realistic body types.

What Makes a Realistic Body Doll?

Realistic body dolls are an attempt by the toy industry to promote body positivity and inclusivity in the younger generation.

These dolls are designed to reflect a variety of shapes, sizes, and skin tones, in an effort to represent and celebrate the diversity of real people. Dolls with realistic body types aim to provide a more accurate representation of the human form, including more body fat, natural curves, and realistic body proportions.

Advantages of Realistic Body Dolls

The use of realistic body dolls in the toy industry brings about several advantages, especially concerning child development:.

: Increased Body Positivity and Confidence

Dolls with realistic body types can help boost confidence in children and help cultivate a positive body image.

Children can see themselves reflected in their playthings, which can help promote self-esteem, self-acceptance, and a positive body image at a young age.

: Encourages Inclusivity and Diversity

When children have toys that represent different types of people, including body shapes and sizes, it fosters inclusivity and acceptance of diversity from an early age.

By playing with realistic body dolls, children can learn to appreciate differences in others, preventing negative attitudes towards other body types.

: Helps Children to Learn About Real Body Shapes and Sizes

Realistic body dolls provide an opportunity for children to learn about real body shapes and sizes. It helps promote self-awareness, understanding of others, and learning about society’s diverse shape and size norms.

Types of Realistic Body Dolls

Toy manufacturing companies have designed various doll models with realistic bodies, some of which includes:.

: Barbie Curvy Fashionista

Around 2016, Mattel unveiled the “Barbie Curvy Fashionista,” a curvy doll that acknowledges that not everyone has the body of a supermodel.

The new curvy Barbies come in several race variations, which adds to the inclusivity factor they have. The dolls also have different hair and skin tones, reflecting the various people they represent.

: American Girl Julie Albright

Introduced in 2007, Julie Albright was the first American Girl Dolls with a realistic body. She’s a Caucasian doll with an average height and waistline with long straight dark-hair in a centre-part style.

She comes with a paisley-patterned dress with matching bell-bottoms that fit her realistic curves.

: Lottie Doll

The Lottie Doll set offers a break from the highly-stylized dolls usually marketed towards little girls, instead offering a compact, age appropriate doll that reflects the asset of a typical nine-year-old girl.

She has a kid-like body, and the clothes and accessories that come with a particular set are also a reasonable representation of what a young girl would wear and use.

: Journey Girls Collectible Dolls

Unlike other dolls, the Journey Girls represent actual young women from around the world, highlighting the diversity of people’s experiences and how their bodies may differ from each other.

The Journey Girls collection is not only inclusive of varying skin tones, hair colours, and eye colours, but it also recognizes that different body shapes and sizes exist.

: Bella Doll

Naturally Perfect Dolls was created by a father who wanted his daughter to appreciate the distinct features that made her unique.

The Bella Doll, has a full nose, full lips, and the natural, gravity-defying poof that is characteristic of many black women’s hair. Her golden complexion is a beautiful reflection of what many black girls see in the mirror.

Conclusion

For children, playing with dolls is an essential part of their development and learning journey. As such, it’s vital that these toys represent the diverse world we live in.

Realistic body dolls represent a new frontier in toy designing, promoting a positive self-image, confidence, and inclusivity from an early age. Moreover, it’s time to start doing away with dolls that promote unattainable and unrealistic beauty standards.