Mumsnet users share their memories of playing with dolls with Baby Annabell

[LucyBMumsnet]

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Most people have some fond memories of playing with dolls in their childhood, from sweetly changing their nappy and rocking them to sleep, to taking them everywhere or ‘customising’ what they look like. Baby Annabell would like to find out more about your memories of playing with dolls, as well as how your children play with their dolls.

What was your doll’s name, and do you still like it now? Did your doll cry real tears, drink real water, burp after feeding, or need its nappy changing? Or did you have to make pretend because the technology wasn’t available yet? What were your favourite games to play with your doll? How does your child play with dolls now? How does it differ from how you played with dolls?

Share your memories on this thread and you will be entered into a prize draw where one lucky MNer will win a £300 voucher for a store of their choice (from a list).

Thanks and good luck!
MNHQ

Standard Insight T&Cs Apply

Had a Tressy doll whose hair grew, I washed the hair and tried to dry it near the open coal fire, it melted. I had just also got a petite typewriter so wrote a letter to Parlitoy the makers of Tressy and explained what I had done. They asked me to send the doll back and by return they sent a brand new doll! I was very pleased and didn't wash or dry this dolls hair.

My first doll that I remember was just n ordinary doll.

Father Christmas have it to me at about the age of three.

My mum gave me one of my old baby grows to put it in and a shawl to wrap it up in.

I had a push chair that I would push it everywhere. I especially liked taking it up the lane to the farm. 😃

I never really liked dolls. My mum bought me a Sindy doll and I cut off all its hair, and I had a baby doll whose eyelids closed when you laid it down - I dismembered that one. I didn't get any more dolls after that, unless you count my Evel Knievel Stunt Cycle, which I wish I still had.

I loved playing with my dolls when I was younger- making camps in my room and pretending I was a teacher teaching the 'children', I would tape animal noises so we felt we were in the jungle.

When I was about 11, I felt I was too old to be playing with my dolls still (although I still wanted to), so I sold them all. I do still keep one prized doll in my bedside cabinet which the children often laugh about! Sadly, I see the same happening with my 11 year old sons and their Lego.

Being brought up on a farm with two brothers, as a child, dolls didn't feature largely in my life! I was more interested in playing outside, climbing trees, chasing my brothers around, and picking fruit and blackberries in the orchard.

However, when my own daughter was born, she loved dolls and had a Baby Tears doll. It did everything, bendy arms and legs, crying at the push of a button. We were both enchanted! She would change its nappy, proudly take her out in her pram, dressed in clothes which I had spent hours knitting and crocheting.

Along with my daughter loving her doll, I gained a second childhood making up for not having many dolls as a child.

I don’t remember having a baby doll but my sister and I had lots of Barbie dolls. My mum made lots of clothes for these.

I had a Tommy Gun who went with me everywhere. He was particularly fond on ziplining down to the front garden from my bedroom window, even after his arm came off in an unprovoked enemy encounter with my sister. Otherwise, I thought dolls were lame. I preferred reading, dressing up, building forts and adventuring on my bike with my friends.

I used to have a hard plastic doll with the hair etched into its head, it was my mums when she was little and we just called it big baby! I loved it, I remember it's little ginger nails so clearly. My best Christmas was when I got a little case full of baby accessories and the case turned into a little lap table! My doll was spoiled rotten with all the pampering and care I gave it with that case!!

We didnt have much growing up being honest, but my only doll was when my nanna took us to the isle of wight for the weekend, so exciting, and she bought me a Sindy type doll, in a nurses outfit, I was overjoyed and looked after her so well...........lovely memories many thanks

I had a dolly that was electronic-less (they had Tiny Tears type dollies but my mum thought they were creepy!) and had a little wooden rocking cradle that my youngest still plays with.
I was more into action toys and lego, though, when I got beyond toddlerdom. My Sindy doll dressed in Army fatigues and went off hiking with my brother’s troop of Action Men!

I had an action man which featured gripping hands! and had a scar across his face. well cool! :)

Was obsessed with baby dolls! Loved tucking them up in their Prams and taking them out, bathing them, dressing them. So many happy memories of doing this. Remember the smell of a new doll straight from the box! Still have some of my dolls from childhood in the loft. Some of them look really spooky now!!

My dad brought me my first doll as I used to like to tap his thumb to get to sleep, so my doll had a thumb I could do this too. She went everywhere with me, on the plane, in the car, days out shopping. Still have her now, sits on the spare bed

I had a baby-sized baby doll which used to wear my old baby clothes. I think I called her Sarah. I also had a doll which I shared with my brothers and was variously called Peter or Charlotte depending on who was playing with it at the time!

Thank you to everyone shared their memories on this thread. The prize draw winner is @Honeypickle - congratulations!

Putting make up on them when I really shouldn’t have!

I loved playing with dolls, and my grandma used to hand make me clothes for them, even their knickers!

I remember my sister being really into dolls. She had this changing station and all the kit! I do remember my first tiny tears doll that I was quite attached to. I also remember the first boy doll we had- that was insightful! We then progressed to the dolls that have make up when you apply water and the dolls that grew teeth and took steps!

I really own had Barbie's. But I loved playing with my brother's action men more. They used to be the ones with the switch at the back to make the eyes move and that was as high advanced as they got back in the day!

I loved my baby dolls as a child. I always wanted twin dolls in the same outfits but never got them sadly! My fave doll was my cabbage patch kid

Just really wanted a Cabbage Patch Kid but was never allowed; my mum said they were ugly. I would tease her about this as I got older, and even right up until she died, she stuck to her guns! I can see her point but it was the doll I really wanted!

I loved playing with dolls when I was a child, I had lots of different baby dolls that I'd put in the dolls pram and pretend to be mummy! Once I was bored with them I loved my Sindy dolls, I'd pretend they were married to my brothers action man and my best friend & I would spend hours getting the dressed in various outfits

I had a tiny tears doll called Kate, I remember getting told off when I cut her hair! My sister had a doll called Sally sad eyes, but she wasnt as cute as Tiny Tears!

Christmas 1980 i got keep fit sindy she was brunette hair in a ponytal and a yellow and blue tracksuit yellow shoes and i loved her i wish i still had her she was great .Sadly in 1983 she was taken from me by our neighbours dog who mauled her so bad she had to be thrown away