Did you know that, according to a new study(1), playing with dolls allows children to enhance soft skills such as empathy and creative thinking? In this article, we explore what happens when four dolls… come alive and discuss!
“It’s bedtime!” whispers Anastasia’s mom. Quickly, the young girl gathers all her favorite dolls into the dollhouse. Nancy heads for the bathroom to brush her shiny hair. Sadie, the fashion lover, picks the bedroom with the enormous closet, while Miraculous Ladybug and the super baby, Sisi, who love action, go straight to the gym. Anastasia falls asleep content but… as soon as the night falls, everything changes.
Suddenly the dolls come alive! They all gather in the dollhouse living room. Miraculous Ladybug and Sisi bring their yoga mats, while Nancy keeps brushing her hair. After having chosen her favorite outfit, Sadie calls for the monthly meeting: “Time for Anastasia’s progress check! Did we succeed in helping her develop her soft skills through play? What do you think?”
Sisi takes the floor, after sipping some milk from her feeding bottle: “Anastasia took care of me when I was sick. She gave me hot milk and covered me with her blanket. She showed empathy and understood my pain, needs, and emotions. She made all the right decisions for me to get better”. Decision-making(2), an umbrella soft skill, can be defined as the process of selecting the right and effective course of action among alternatives for the purpose of achieving the desired result.
The rest of the dolls nod in agreement. It’s Nancy’s turn: “Do you remember when she helped us improve our relationship when we argued for the most outstanding style? I am sure she cultivated her communication skills, which is the process by which information is exchanged between individuals through a common system of symbols, signs, or behavior. At the same time, she learned how to manage her relationships(3) better, keeping them functional through us, didn’t she?”
Miraculous Ladybug gets up from her yoga mat and adds: “Let us not forget that time when she was so creative that she organized an original doll city for us!”. “What does it mean to organize?” Sisi asks. “Organizational skills are the ability to use time, energy, and resources in an effective way so that you achieve your goals”, Miraculous Ladybug explains while adding: “One of the most important soft skills Anastasia has concurred is inclusive thinking, the skill of including all types of people, things or ideas and treating them all fairly and equally. Just look at us! We are so different, yet she managed to form a real family”.
The dolls take some time to think and soon realize that their goal was actually achieved. They managed not only to entertain Anastasia but also to help her enhance a series of soft skills that will make her a better friend, a better peer, a better human being!
References
1) Hashmi, S., Vanderwert, R. E., Price, H. A., & Gerson, S. A. (2020). Exploring the Benefits of Doll Play Through Neuroscience. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 14. doi:10.3389/fnhum.2020.560176 https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2020.560176/full
2) https://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/management/decision-making-management/decision-making-definition-importance-and-principles-management/70038
3) https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2020/03/31/relationship-management-the-key-to-achieving-it-all/?sh=370f8f52da2c
