It’s no secret that kids love to play; but for kids, playtime is about more than just having fun. It’s about learning new concepts and discovering the world around them. When playing independently or with others, children learn to solve problems, build relationships, and develop their motor skills. According to the Canadian Child Care Federation, play:
- Nurtures creativity
- Promotes physical and emotional health
- Stimulates brain development
- Provides the context for adults to teach children how to behave and treat others, as well as community social conventions
- Teaches social skills such as sharing and cooperating
- Develops interpersonal skills and friendships
- Teaches self-respect and respect for others
One-way children can learn through play is by role-playing or pretending to be someone or something else. In his article, The Need for Pretend Play in Child Development, cognitive psychologist Dr. Scott Kaufman emphasizes the value of pretend or make-believe play as a critical component of a child’s cognitive and social development. Evidence suggests that role-playing is important for forms of self-regulation including reduced aggression, delayed gratification, civility, and empathy. When children use toys to introduce possible scenarios or characters, they naturally represent multiple perspectives. This form of play is especially helpful for children to grasp new and complex concepts.
Knowing the benefits of imaginative role-playing, it’s important to ask, what environment promotes early and frequent imaginative play in children? According to Dr. Kaufman’s research, parents who regularly talk to their children and explain features about nature and social issues are most likely to foster this form of learning. At MamAmor, we believe this type of relationship is critical for educating children on topics such as childbirth. Our dolls foster storytelling, comfort, and healing by helping parents tell their child’s birth story through play.
How can parents use MamAmor dolls to teach?
We encourage parents to use our hand-crafted dolls as a tool to educate their children about human anatomy, pregnancy, labor, and sibling preparation. Parents can do this by using the dolls to demonstrate these concepts to their children. Mother dolls come equipped with a chest that allows for smaller baby dolls to be attached, mimicking breastfeeding. They also have child birthing features including openings to demonstrate natural birth and some have additional cesarean openings. The baby dolls come with detachable placentas, as well as a diaper and a blanket to demonstrate after birth care. Our dolls are also designed to help parents prepare their children for the arrival of siblings by acting as a tool for answering their childbirth questions and teaching them how to care for their new siblings.
If you’re looking for an engaging and effective way to teach your child about pregnancy, childbirth, and baby care, customized MamAmor dolls are a great way to start the conversation. As a parent, you can use our dolls to actively teach your children and even let them play and learn independently. So, help your children discover the world around them by encouraging them to play, and you might even surprise yourself by learning a thing or two.
