The dolls are back! (Update)

Back in 2005, I wrote a post about how I used to play with dolls ... 

They have followed me throughout my early childhood career, as a teacher of preschool and kindergarten and also as a teacher educator. Lately, my concern about playless classrooms in the early grades has me digging out my old presentations and writings about using dolls as a socio-emotional, and cognitive learning experience in early childhood classrooms. I am back on the road again! Some teachers in Pennsylvania have already taken on the project.

In December, Teaching Young Children will be publishing an article that I wrote together with my friend, Donna, about this very topic. And, we will be presenting about it in New Jersey and Washington DC in October and November.

But ... here's the thing! How exciting! Donna has created a website about the dolls with a link to a blog about them! 

Ooh, I am jumping up and down with glee ...

Update:

Here are some shared dolls stories I received from Facebook friends in response to this post:

i loved my dolls as a young girl and have several of them here with me now, all dressed beautifully and all very special. my favorite "baby" doll is about 50 years old and looks almost as good now as she did when she was new. she is newborn size and is wearing an antique christening gown i bought for her 15 years ago and sleeping in a wicker cradle, covered with a baby afghan i crocheted. i have the teddy bear bought for me the day i was born and several others given as gifts later, all resting on the arms of a child-sized, wicker rocker where my huge raggedy ann sits. our home office holds a combination of technology equipment and books, and is a gathering place for my dolls!

I had a much beloved doll called Catherine, who had only one arm...now I have a teddy bear called marmaduke but I Pretend he is for young visitors. I love him VERY dearly as he is now 45 years old.

I always preferred stuffed animals to dolls - and here I is all middle aged w lots of animals and no babies LOL I guess we are who are from birth.

Comments

[Donna]

I am jumping up and down with you, and you know me, crying a little bit too...!

[Marion Barnett]

That is very exciting to hear. The new dimension of a blog and website for teachers may disseminate this much more widely, and quickly! Kudos Kids!