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

I loved dolls. I had one that weed and cried. I used to love Barbie and Ken and made a house for them out of a long sliding cupboard.

I’m quite old so my first dolly was Tiny Tears who didn’t do anything but who went everywhere with me in a dolls oram.

When I was around four my brother was born and my Dad bought me a new dolly called Tippy Tumbles. It had batteries I think and would tip over head over heels. She had a stripy top as I recall..and was my own baby to go along with my new brother. ...around 1970.

I then became a bit of a tomboy and didn’t want dolls.

My DS at age 4 wanted a Baby Annabel dolly but I really didn’t want to spend a fortune on a doll he wouldn’t play with for long. I remember posting about it here and a lovely MNer whose DD had four Baby Annabel dolls (and was after the new one for Xmas) offered to send me a doll. It stayed with us for years and I finally gave it away to a charity shop last year just before DS was 16.

Having been a real tomboy I now love a nice dolly. ..it’s a bit sad really that I’m too old.

i had two dolls as a child that i still have today. cherry and fergie. i always took them where ever i went and if i couldnt then they would be tucked up in their bed waiting for my return. when i was a bit older and no longer played with them i couldnt just shove them in a box or get rid of them so just had them sat at the side of my chair in my room. i never have got rid of them as i felt i wanted to keep them for my own children as they hold many memories.

my eldest daughter was never into dolls and to be honest neither was my younger daughter but last year she asked for a reborn doll. we bought her one for christmas and she loves her like she was her very own baby. shes got her own moses basket, pram and so many clothes. She comes on days out with my little girl too.

I used to love pushing my doll round in her pram. I was very content playing on my own as I had quite the imagination as a kid

Used to love playing with my Barbie's, they all had names and little outfits to wear

I had a Tiny Tears doll I loved feeding and sitting on the potty, and I had 3 other dolls who weren't branded or anything, but we're really my favourites. Polly the Dolly, her older sister Clare and younger one Jenny. My daughters have Clare, but don't really like her, and I've no idea where the others ended up. Clare got personalised with a scar I had also (via the medium of biro) which is sweet to see now with my girls.

DD had a doll that talked and you can feed and wee.
I took the batteries out after a week and never told her you could feed it.
She still loved it.

I was doll mad. I spent my weekly pocket money on collecting Pippa dolls. I loved my tiny tears and Katy copycat. Every birthday or xmas I would ask for a baby doll.

I remember I had a doll which went everywhere with me, I loved changing her clothes Constantly. I still have her today and she is missing an eye but I still love her and have her sitting up on the shelf in our bedroom.

I remember playing for hours with my sindy. I also loved my twin dolls I had but in a fit of anger chopped off all the twin dolls hair and hid the hair!

I didn't really like playing with dolls - I liked animal toys and crafts and cars. I do remember making clothes from scraps of material for a small doll I had though and enjoyed that. I also had a couple of rather fancy dolls bought for me as gifts. They just sat on a chair in the corner of the room!

Mine where taking my dolls on walks in my lovey navy pram with my mum and dad. I used to talk to my dolls when I was nervous about something and began to be more confident.

I remember my sister and I were given 2 dollsa for Christmas, One was a black doll the other a white one. I wanted them both but we agreed to share both, we had little dolls pushchairs and we took them outside for walks every day. We felt really grown up although I was only 6 years old

I had hand-me-downs, but I was the only girl so I got teddies and action men. I think I was 9 when I got my first doll but I wasn't interested by then.

I never had a baby-type doll, never had any interest in them. I did have a couple of Barbies though, mainly as I liked buying the separate clothes for them and dressing them up. My favourite memories are either playing schools with them with me as the teacher (along with a load of plastic/model/stuffed animals), or filling up the bath and using it as a swimming pool!

my memories are of trying to replicate my parents and making happy families with my dolls.

I used to love dolls until I got a talking, crying, drinking Baby Talk doll that scared me. I tried to give it to a neighbour's daughter over our fence but my dps went round to get it and from then it lived on top of my wardrobe, creepy!😆

Cutting their hair and drawing on 'makeup' with felt tips

The only dolls I played with were Barbie dolls.

Ho, this brings back memories! I absolutely detested dolls, and drew moustaches and beards on them with indelible biro. Unsurprisingly became a radical feminist by the time I reached high school...!

My most prominent memory of playing with dolls was my brother ripping their heads off! Also, sometimes making sacrifice circles with them, hahaha

Myself and my 2 sisters always had the same dolls. i remember my favourite was a tiny tears . we used to push them round the green in front of our house in little trolleys

I remember having a Cindy doll in my stocking for Christmas. I had wanted one for a long time and loved dressing her in all the outfits. My brother had an action man and I loved playing with him too.

Giving them a good bath and clean hair on Christmas Eve so that they would look nice when meeting their new sisters in the morning.

I cut the hair off my older sisters barbies if that counts?