Is My Child Too Young For Their First Dolls Pram
A child’s first dolls pram is a huge deal. For a parent, it conjures many happy, nostalgic memories. For a child, it’s the beginning of many happy years of play. It’s hard to know when the right time is to offer such a gift. With this blog, we will look into stages of development, and when we believe is the best age for a child’s first dolls pram.
Developmental Milestones
In a child’s early life, every day can feel like a new milestone has been achieved. From first blinks, to first sounds, to laughs, words and steps, every moment is one to savour. The toys a child plays with links closely to how they develop. The design, sounds, colours, themes (and so on) of toys align with a child’s comprehensive capabilities, so they can get the most out playtime.
While there are many charts which determine typical milestones met by children at certain ages, we know this is not the case for all. All children are unique and develop at their own rate. It is important to note, what may be a ‘suitable age’ for one child does not necessarily apply to all.
To track child development, milestones are typically divided into four categories-
- Social/Emotional Milestones
- Language/Communication Milestones
- Movement/Physical Milestones
- Cognitive Milestones
Follow this link to read more on tracking a child’s milestones.
Learning Through Play
New-borns will not really be able to distinguish a toy from any other object, everything is new and interesting. It is at this stage; babies will often find the most fun in just about anything you give them! A TV remove, a cardboard box, any inanimate object will conjure a similar response… a beautiful, wide-eyed stare.
Typically, at around 3 to 6 months, babies will start to explore objects. This usually consists of mouthing, banging, shaking and waving toys. At this stage, a baby is developing their preferences about how they like to use their toys based on sounds and textures.
Fast-forwarding ahead to 10-15 months, babies are now starting to use objects for their intended purpose. Toy cars roll, spoon goes with the bowl, Teddy gets a big hug, and so on. This play is expanding their comprehension of how things function.
Roughly around 15-18 months, babies are now imitating life, showing the first signs of symbolic play. Interactions with toys get more sophisticated as they are now aligning actions with specific props.
If you would like to know more, we have written a separate blog about everything you need to know for when your baby starts playing with toys.
When To Buy My Child Their First Dolls Pram
In accordance with child development, we advise the best time to buy a first dolls pram is around 18 months. This is so they can participate in symbolic play, which is a typical milestone at this age.
However, as we know, children develop at their own rate. You know your child best. If they are younger than 18 months and are already showing signs of complex imaginative play, then you need not hold back! When it comes to answering, ‘when to buy my child their first dolls pram’, it is much more about their readiness rather than solely relying on age as an indicator.
It is important that at whatever developmental stage or age, your child’s pram matches their height and is lightweight enough for them to manoeuvre. There are a number of important considerations before purchasing your child’s first dolls pram. Luckily, we have covered this in another blog post- How to Choose the First Dolls Pushchair For Your Child.
Introducing A Dolls Pram To Playtime
Children love to imitate what they see. So, it is no surprise they get immense joy from copying their parent or carers by pushing around a pram. When introducing a dolls pram to playtime, there are developmental benefits to consider, and ways you can assist learning through play.
A dolls pram allows a child to broaden their imagination. As parents, we can maximise this aspect of play, by helping build a story, contribute to scenarios and take part in role-playing. It is worth considering at this stage, your child may also be developing their language, and so play time is a prime opportunity to encourage speech.
The mechanics of a pram encourages movement. At around 15 months, children become more active, and a dolls pram is the perfect motivator to encourage this development. By pushing around a dolls pram, a child is building their balance, physical strength and gross motor skills. It is important to monitor your child’s movement at this stage.
First Dolls Pram With Play Like Mum
At Play Like Mum, we specialise in designing dolls prams and accessories which will create lifelong memories with you and your child. We never miss a detail, and consider every aspect for safe, engaging, and fun play time. We have a range of prams designed for 18 months, which you can shop here.
Our Daisy Chain Little Zipp Dolls Pushchair is ideal for toddlers, as it is lightweight, compact and durable. Don’t just take it from us, follow the link to the items page where you’ll find reviews from happy parents!
If you are still unsure if your child is ready for their first dolls pram, why not gift them with accessories to see how it goes. We at Play Like Mum offer a wide range of accessories for dolls, just take a look for yourself.