Children generally love to play with dolls with which they identify with the role of mom, dad or little brother and sister. There is a particular type of empathy dolls used not only for playing but also for real therapies. Let's find out what they are and why to choose them.
Don't store avocado like this: it's dangerous
Children generally love to play with dolls with which they identify with the role of mom, dad or little brother and sister. There is a particular type of dolls called empathic (Empathy Dolls) used not only for playing but also for real therapies. Let's find out what they are and why to choose them.
In all toy shops many shelves are dedicated to the display of dolls of all kinds, generally rigid and plastic, with accessories to remove and put on, which emit particular sounds, etc. Often, however, children, after the enthusiasm of the first moments, get tired of this type of games which among other things often do not even offer great educational or emotional stimuli.
Of a completely different kind are the empathic dolls, whose name refers precisely to the ability that these tools have to develop understanding and communication with the other, precisely empathy.
Index
Empathic dolls, what are they
These are dolls designed by the Swedish therapist and mother Britt-Marie Egedius-Jakobsson that in 1996 he thought of this type of game to help his son, who is terminally ill, to better express his emotions and to comfort him in the hardest moments.
The bond that is created with these dolls is due in particular to their consistency and the details with which they are made that allow, once picked up, to develop empathy. They are in fact dolls soft and light, with a sweet look and smile that help create a strong emotional bond. They are easy to carry and can be used to play in many ways as well as for real therapies and not just for children.
What is Therapy dolls
The so-called "doll therapy"It is used not only for children but also for the elderly with Alzheimer's or senile dementia as a complementary support to pharmacological support and other types of interventions (various researches have confirmed its effectiveness). Thanks to their symbolic meaning and the fact of being able to take care of them, these dolls are able to improve the well-being of older people while also serving as an emotional compensation. They then help to modulate states of anxiety, aggression, insomnia and can also help develop some motor skills.
Of course I am one psychotherapeutic tool perfect also for the little ones who are helped by these dolls to express their emotions more easily by developing affectivity. A friend who watches their games, sleep and helps overcome fear In play and therapy, empathic dolls take on the role of a loved one. Thanks to their softness, to the nose that resembles the real one and to the other details such as weight studied, smile just hinted at, they arouse affection, trust and a natural instinct to care.
Empathic dolls, which ones to choose
There are various types of empathic dolls suitable for different ages of children: from 0 to 3 years and from 3 years upwards. They also vary depending on the size, there are small (from 33 to 38 cm), medium and large (can reach over 50 cm).
Dolls can also represent different stages of growth and there are group versions that depict, for example, a whole family: mom, dad, grandparents, children or animals.
Those representing newborns can be useful for example to discover the differences between males and females, for when a little brother or sister arrives, to play at changing nappies with the little ones but they are also used in courses prepared to simulate breastfeeding or the birth itself.
With dolls of larger sizes it is possible simulate any activity sit up (e.g. on the potty), lie down, stand and walk with some help. Among the "big" there are also some with differences between male and female.
There are empathic dolls of different brands the best known are those of Rubens Barn and Joyk dolls.
Rubens Barn
These dolls are divided into Kids, Original, Baby and Ecobuds:
- Kids: they have a size of about 36 cm and a weight of about 350 g. They are suitable for all ages.
- Original: they have more elaborate faces and realistic expressions. The dolls have no sexual characteristics and can wear real baby clothes as they measure around 50cm (weight is around 1kg).
- Infant: these represent babies of approximately 3 months of age, have realistic sexual characteristics and can suck their thumbs. They have a size of about 45 cm and a weight of about 700 g. They are suitable for all ages.
- Ecobuds: The skin, hair and clothes of these dolls are made from 100% certified organic cotton. It measures approximately 35 cm in height and has a weight of approximately 150 grams. It is suitable for all ages.
Joyk dolls
There are also several versions of Joyk:
- Small: they measure 38 cm and are very light and suitable for play. We recommend starting from 12 months
- Babies: they represent infants and have more or less the length at birth (about 50 cm). They have differences in the genitals.
- Average: they measure between 52 and 55 cm and have the similarities of children between 2 and 3 years even if they have no gender differences.
- Large: they measure approximately 65 centimeters and represent older children (3-6 years), this time also with their differences in terms of genitals. Given their size, they are suitable for ages 4 and up.
- Generation dolls: they are dolls that represent a family in a realistic way: there are children, parents and grandparents (they can be useful in therapies to overcome family problems).
Where to find empathic dolls
Since these are particular dolls, it may not be easy to find them to buy in stores, if not very specialized and "alternative". A good option is to buy them online directly on the Rubens Barn site or through sites, often foreign, that deal with the trade of these dolls that come from Sweden. This is the case of the German online shop Empathiepuppen.
For other particular dolls read also:
- WALDORF DOLLS: WHAT THEY ARE, HOW TO CHOOSE THEM AND TUTORIALS FOR THE DO-IT-YOURSELF
- MATRIOSKA: THE ORIGINS, THE HISTORY AND THE SYMBOLIC MEANING
Have you ever experienced the sweetness of holding one of these dolls in your hand? Do your children enjoy playing with them?
