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

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I had a doll with a bottle with pretend milk in it. I always wanted to get into the milk, I was fascinated with it, more than the doll I think.

What was your doll’s name, and do you still like it now?

She was called Jane - it's of it's time, she'd probably be a Miley or Olivia now, She is battered and kept in a cupboard, but after spending time with me on holiday, a make believe friend, yes I still like her now.

Did your doll cry real tears, drink real water, burp after feeding, or need its nappy changing?

She cried (if you squeezed her really hard) and she weed (through a tiny hole in her bottom) she drank water through a bottle, but I also had one of those magic milk bottles where the milk disappeared as though drinking)

Or did you have to make pretend because the technology wasn’t available yet?

I used to make crying noises and tried to make her crawl, but she was make of hard plastic so she looked more like a zombie

What were your favourite games to play with your doll?

Tea parties, but just simply looking after her by feeding, changing clothes and taking her out in my pram.

How does your child play with dolls now? How does it differ from how you played with dolls?

Not so much as I did, but yes she does play with her baby Annabell, cuddling, interacting and caring for her, children have a lot more toys to play with one toy like we used to do as children.

My doll had batteries in and cried when you took its dummy out. I still have it but the dummy broke so can't use it with batteries anymore! My DD plays with it and has several of her own dolls too, all called Baby. She sets up games with them, like playing nurseries, tea parties, outings etc. I am forever tying a sling for her!

My sindy house was very important to me. I was particularly proud of the cooker that made different noiseswhen you put pans on the hob - sizzling frying pan, whistling kettle etc

I remember I had a doll that I called Katy. She had a soft, fabric body and plastic head and limbs. I remember I used to dress her up and put her in a pram. I also remember playing with Barbie and Sindy dolls and I used to try and make them clothes with my mom's sewing kit.

I played with Sindy dolls and absolutely loved playing with them I coveted all the accessories they came with and would look through my mums argos cataglogue and dream of owning all the fabulous outfits they had.

I remember playing with my dolls and changing their clothes and bathing them. One had blonde hair and one had brown, I would brush and put little plastic slides in .

My abiding memory is being furious when my friend got a Baby Alive one Xmas and I got a Tiny Tears, I really wanted mine to be able to eat
I loved dolls of all kind, I had Sindy rather than barbie

my first doll was a Sindy and I loved her so much and she went everywhere with me, had her for about 8 years until she fell apart. Happy memories

My little one pretends to feed dolls but isn't otherwise too bothered but neither was I - I enjoyed feeding and doing their hair from time to time

I inherited an old doll from my auntie - still got her - I called her Stephanie as it was the poshest name I knew. Considering she was made of some sort of china she stayed intact - I loved her but when I look at her now her glassy eyes are quite scary. Scared my little grand daughter as she was so cold to the touch.

I got a "floppy doll" an early soft bodied doll for my 7th birthday. She was 6 months size and I dressed her in baby clothes. She flopped onto your shoulder like a real doll. I was so excited when I got her, and I had a lovely dolls pram she could do in, with a "toddler seat" that clipped onto the outside.

When dd1 was little we were visiting dm and she (aged 2.5yo) was carrying her round the shops and a lady stopped me and told me off for letting such a small child carry my baby.

I hated playing with dolls at that age.

I took my baby Poppy everywhere, now my daughter has a doll called Poppy too!

I loved playing with my barbie dolls
used to talk to them all day long

My absolute favourite doll growing up was called Shirley. I loved that doll so much! I remember I used to tell her all my secrets and she went with me pretty much wherever I went :)

I remember taking my doll everywhere with me when I was about 3 or 4. I literally wouldn't leave the house without her and I credit her with helping me with my imagination and I used to reenact so many scenarios with her. I do think kids today have it lucky with all the toys and technology they have but to be honest I wouldn't have given up my doll for all the games consoles in the world.

When I was younger I got a second hand barbies dream house and I absolutely loved it. It was one of my favourite things to play with

One of my first dolls was a small yellow tinged rubber baby doll given to me by a 'big girl' who lived next to my aunt. That would be around 1966, I called her Baby Anne and my mum knit her some lovely outfits. I still have her.
I had a big baby doll dressed in a knitted pink outfit including white knitted knickers and vest that my grandma won at bingo. Yes I have her too.
Later in the 1960's I had Lucy dolls which were about 6 inches tall, one brunette and one blonde my mum made clothes for them too and my parents bought a set of tiny bunk beds for them and guess what my mum made bedding. I have the dolls but no bunk beds.
I never had a real Sindy or Barbie as my mum said they were too expensive but I had fake ones which, you guessed it, my mum made clothes for and I was happy to play with the Barbies my neighbour had which had everything possible.

I don't have a memory of playing with baby dolls, but the fun started when one Christmas I asked for Tressy, and my sister asked for Sindy. We used to swap clothes for them and share Sindy's wardrobe space. I never did get to make Tressy's hair short!

I used to spend hours playing with my dolls

I remember getting my first doll, I walked into toys r us and fell in love with a doll I called Emily. She had long brown hair and you could press her tummy and she could talk! I was amazed. Now my daughter who is 7, is Doll mad. She has 4. Which she has named Millie, Fillie, Oliver and Jack. She washes them, feeds them, changes them and treats them like her actual babies. She puts one of them to bed in my childhood wooden cot. It's heart warming and reminds me everyday of my childhood love of dolls.

I adored my Tiny Tears doll. Would spend hours washing and dressing her and taking her out in her pram. My 5 year old now is the exact same with her dolls and it always makes me smile watching her and seeing the similarities between us.

I loved dolls pippa and her friends were my favourites until my sister cut all there hair off!

My first memories are getting Baby Penny Puppy Walker I loved her. Penny taking the little white puppy for a walk was brilliant I played with her loads.