The benefits of playing with dolls

According to new findings, playing with dolls can help your kids with important social development skills, like empathy. In other words, they can help them understand how people think and how they interact with each other. In the study, published in the journal Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, the researchers used neuroimaging technology to monitor the brain activity of 42 girls and boys, aged between four and eight, as they played with Barbie dolls and playsets. What they found was that even when they played with the dolls on their own, kids’ brains are active in similar ways to when they interact with other people. And even more so than when they were playing on an electronic tablet.

Playing with dolls develops key skills

To highlight the relevance of these scientific findings, Barbie commissioned an independent poll with 15 000 parents across 22 countries, including South Africa. Like parents in other countries, it was clear that parents are increasingly worried about how social distancing and isolation is affecting their kids’ social development skills, but uncertain about what to do in the face of the pandemic. When 500 SA parents with kids between the ages of 3 and 10 were questioned, 79% indicated that empathy was a “key social skill” they’d like their kids to develop. However, only 24% were aware that simple doll-play could help to develop this important skill. Many still believe that sporting activities (44%), outdoor play (41%), and puzzles (46%) help kids to build their social skills and empathy. Of the respondents, 55% confirmed that they would be more likely to encourage their kids to play with a toy if it was proven it can help their kids develop social and emotional skills like empathy.

The bottom line

According to Lisa McKnight, SVP, and Global Head of Barbie and Dolls, Mattel, the company always knew doll play has a positive impact on kids, but they never had the evidence. “The findings of this research highlight that playing with dolls, such as Barbie, offers positive benefits in preparing children for the future through nurturing social skills like empathy,” she said in a press statement.