| Many children spend hours playing with dollhouse | | | | an historic context, so each building - plus |
| toys, carefully arranging and dramatizing scenarios. | | | | accompanying dollhouse toys - portrays a |
| Not only are kids enthusiastic about it, but there | | | | particular time. Dolls can wear appropriate clothing |
| are numerous educational benefits to playing with | | | | and use period furniture. It is an excellent way for |
| a miniature dollhouse: | | | | children to learn about the past and how people |
| 1. Imaginative Play: Dolls promote imaginative play, | | | | lived. They can reenact a favorite historical event |
| which is developmentally important for children. | | | | or scene from a story. Alternatively, open-ended |
| Adults often discount pretend play since it | | | | play is always possible. |
| appears to have no purpose. However, it is a key | | | | 3. Coordination: Playing with a miniature dollhouse |
| component of learning for children of all ages. | | | | requires fine motor skills - the same ones that are |
| Research has found connections between | | | | important for writing, playing musical instruments, |
| imaginative play and cognition, social abilities, and | | | | and other life activities. Dressing small dolls and |
| language skills. This type of play allows children to | | | | organizing dollhouse toys also develops hand-eye |
| practice their social skills, work through any | | | | coordination and encourages concentration. |
| troubling or upsetting events, develop their | | | | 4. Creativity: Dollhouse toys come in every |
| conversational vocabularies, learn empathy, and | | | | possible shape, from tiny stained glass windows |
| stretch their creativity. | | | | and paintings to cars. A miniature dollhouse could |
| Some parents are troubled by pretending when | | | | have an elegant garden, with a rocking horse in |
| children seem to reject the "real" world. However, | | | | the nursery along with a dining table laden with |
| a child who insists he is a superhero or she is a | | | | real dishes and intricate foods. Some children go |
| princess is not denying reality. For a child, it's an | | | | on to make their own clothing or furnishings, |
| intricate experiment to discover the limits of | | | | further increasing their use of imagination, |
| imagination and reality, along with exploring how | | | | creativity, fine motor skills, and concentration. |
| someone else might see, think, and feel. Logical | | | | They may decide to collect pieces and develop a |
| rules still apply, and kids often think of elaborate | | | | rewarding hobby. |
| solutions to problems. | | | | When playing with miniature dollhouse toys, |
| When children play together with miniature | | | | younger children will use just a few figures and |
| dollhouse toys, skills like having self-control, taking | | | | simple pieces of furniture and let their imagination |
| turns, sharing, listening, and improvisation are | | | | take care of the rest. Older children become |
| further developed. Don't assume games are | | | | enthusiastic about more detailed accessories and |
| limited by gender. Girls and boys both enjoy | | | | more realistic settings. As kids get older, they gain |
| playing with realistic figures and houses, since | | | | greater appreciation for the open-ended |
| these reflect their own life experiences of the | | | | possibilities offered by a miniature dollhouse with |
| world. | | | | detailed, realistic dollhouse toys and figurines. |
| 2. History Lesson: Miniature dollhouses often have | | | | |