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Original poster

Dolls for boys?

27 replies

Rubineski · 27/07/2005 13:17

Hi, it's DS's second birthday at end of august. I'm getting him a mixture of stuff but I'm wondering about whether to get him a doll. All his female friends his age have them and I like the way they look after them. I'd like to encourage his nurturing side. But am I just going against nature here? Anyone else had experience of this?

OP posts:

Blackduck · 27/07/2005 13:19

Ds currently has an old doll of mine ('baby doll' as he calls her...) Can't say he 'looks after it' but then he doesn't 'look after' soft toys either...

WigWamBam · 27/07/2005 13:19

Has he ever shown any sign of being interested in playing with them? I'd treat it like any other toy - if you think he'd play with it then buy it, if not then don't. Lots of boys at this age like dolls.

Kayleigh · 27/07/2005 13:21

Ds1 had a doll in a buggy for his 2nd birthday. He loved it and played with it a lot. It got passed down to ds2 who is now 4 and who still plays with it. It is alternatively his baby, a pupil to his teacher and occasionally a football !
Also found it good to have something for girls to play with when I had friends children over.

My dad was the only one who thought it was strange.

Blackduck · 27/07/2005 13:21

Said what I wanted to say WWB! I gave it to ds cos he showed interest and for no other reason...

Original poster

Rubineski · 27/07/2005 13:22

He has 'looked after' some of his soft toys - putting them to sleep under a toy blanket and that kind of thing.

One of my friends made a comment the other how her little girl has only got into Thomas the Tank Engine because she hangs around with other little girls. And something about her friend's son getting into dressing like a fairy because he spent time with girls.

i suppose it's all made me think a bit about how much is nature and how much nurture.

OP posts:

Original poster

Rubineski · 27/07/2005 13:23

Oops, should have been the girl hung round with boys, who got into thomas.
sorry, knackered!

OP posts:

motherinferior · 27/07/2005 13:32

Oh, get him a doll, go on, with a little buggy. And especially, if he's not got one, a plastic teaset. Fabulous things, teasets. My nephews love theirs.

Fimbo · 27/07/2005 13:33

There is a boy doll, like Baby Annabell - Baby Benjamin

Original poster

Rubineski · 27/07/2005 13:36

Ahhh, how cute! Thanks for this. I will think about buying it.

Yes, teasets - he loves his one so much that I've now bought a little picnic hamper with a teddy bear's teaset in it.

Buggy sounds a good idea too. And like someone said - it's always good for other children who come round.

thanks for all the suggestions.

OP posts:

edam · 27/07/2005 13:53

Ds has a baby doll which he calls 'baby' (he's two, I'll let him off the lack of imagination) and got a pink toy buggy for his birthday. Loves pushing the buggy - whatever his current 'most prized possession is' gets stuck in the shopping basket, from birthday cake to play-doh and books... dh nearly didn't get him the buggy as the only one left was pink. But fellow shopper pointed out the doll is a girl so it made sense.

Ds also likes putting his doll and teddies to bed - insists it is done properly with a very neat blanket. And likes pretending to wipe baby's bum (very thoroughly).

I think he's just acting out stuff that's around him like pushing the buggy and changing nappies. He also has 'masculine' toys like a garage, cars and lorries and plays with either "boy" or "girl" toys as the mood takes him.

Blackduck · 27/07/2005 13:54

Ds plays with a buggy at MIL's - loves it (I think they like pushing things at this age...). WIth 'baby doll' he loves naming all the bits of her body....

triceratops · 27/07/2005 14:02

ds (3) has one which he occasionally rescues with his powerrangers. He has never babied it or pushed it in a pushchair, but he does say he wants to be a daddy when he grows up. They are useful for role play.

Skribble · 28/07/2005 00:09

DS 8yrs had a doll when younger, still kidnaps his sisters dolls and dresses them in boys clothes. He seems more comfortable with teddies now and likes to buy outfits for them from charity shops.

He also sneaks his sister into his room dresses her in boys clothes and anounces he has a brother .

jabberwocky · 28/07/2005 01:06

I got this one for ds!

Skribble · 28/07/2005 01:12

That ones a bit scary, I like the einstein one.

jabberwocky · 28/07/2005 01:14

Heehee, I know. She's got that unibrow thing going on...
We sit and read books with Frieda sometimes, but I haven't seen ds develop any particular attachment to her. This particular doll was chosen as a compromise for dh.

Skribble · 28/07/2005 01:14

Excuse my ignorance but who was she?

jabberwocky · 28/07/2005 01:18

She was a very colorful (no pun intended) Mexican painter in the early 1900's. Actually, I wouldn't have known either except that dh is an artist and we watched an artsy movie about her a while back.

Skribble · 28/07/2005 01:21

Thanks for that I can drop that into conversations now and impress everyone .

jabberwocky · 28/07/2005 01:23

Isn't MN the greatest?

BosworthBear · 28/07/2005 08:20

My DS is just 2 and his sister is nearly 4. I'ne noticed that for about the last month once he is dressed he will go into her room and "look after" the dolls and get them out of the cot whilst she is getting ready. Will be off to the shops when he trys to take them into his room because I don't think that she will be that keen on sharing them permanently!!!

Blackduck · 28/07/2005 08:50

I love the Buddha one!

frannyf · 28/07/2005 11:00

Oh, do get a doll, you can get quite cheap but nice ones from the Co-op or similar. I found a small one dressed in blue for my son and he doesn't play with it loads, but it is sweet to watch him carrying it around and once even breastfeeding it (from his belly button!)

Original poster

Rubineski · 28/07/2005 12:23

Jabberwocky, thanks so much for directing me to this site! It is fabulous!!! I think DH will be torn between Marx and Che. There's loads of other great stuff to buy for friends too. THANK YOU!!!1

OP posts:

jabberwocky · 28/07/2005 15:25

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