Toddlers love their baby dolls. Be it because they feel like they can relate to them, look like them, or are able to practice socio-emotional development with them, there is no denying that toddlers have a desire to be around or have their baby dolls near more often than not. This is true for both little girls and little boys. Being around baby dolls allows toddlers to work on how they interact with others, begin to participate in imaginative play, and even provide affection for their dolls.

These are all things that help toddlers to mentally develop and understand feelings of others. Making it clear why playing with baby dolls is something toddlers enjoy.

Dolls allow toddlers to act out what they see happen in their daily lives, according to Playgroup WA. Doing so helps them make sense of the world around them. It is because of this that toddlers can build an attachment with their dolls or even one doll in particular. And in doing so, toddlers and their dolls can navigate the world together with the dolls providing a sense of security for little ones in the process.

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Here is why toddlers love baby dolls.

Toddlers Get To Practice Their Communication Skills

The way that babies begin to communicate with their parents is through their babbling, cooing, and at times even screaming excitedly. As these skills progress, toddlers begin to say simple words to their parents. And while there is no substitute to speaking with toddlers consistently to help build their vocabulary, having baby dolls allows little ones to practice language or even make up words. Both of which helps to strengthen toddlers communication skills.

According to Healthline, by the time toddlers reach the age of two years old, they should be able to say up to 100 words. Part of making that happen is through talking to toddlers, reading with them, or singing songs. But being able to have a vocabulary this size and understand simple commands also comes from practicing the words and the sounds letters make on their baby dolls.

And with no interruption coming from baby dolls, toddlers are always right with what they say. Which may just be why they hold the conversations they do with their baby dolls.

Pretend Play Is Practiced With Baby Dolls

Playing with baby dolls allows toddlers to begin their foray into imaginative play. A place, according to ChildVentures Early Learning Academy, where toddlers are able to develop and formulate scenarios that help them to understand more about themselves, their peers' emotions, and why the world around them works the way it does.

Imaginative play is a safe place for toddlers to work out their emotions, determine how they should treat others, and see how they want to be treated in return. All of this helps with empathy, per the publication. That will benefit toddlers as they age. But all that little ones are focused on with imaginative play with their baby dolls is how much fun they are having.

Toddlers Get To Provide Affection For Their Dolls

Giving affection to baby dolls helps toddlers to deal with big emotions in their lives, according to VeryWell Family. And given that toddlers are in their prime of needing to be assured, given compassion, and given explanation for those feelings, practicing the same on their baby dolls will help them to understand those emotions on a different level.

Providing affection for dolls not only teaches toddlers about different emotions their peers have and the emotions they have, but, per the publication, helps them to self-regulate their emotions as well. A skill that can be hard to learn, which is why learning it sooner rather than later is so important.

Dolls Allow Toddlers To Be Caregivers

So many times, toddlers are the ones who receive the caregiving from their parents. But when they play with their baby dolls, they are able to provide that same level of caregiving to someone smaller than themselves.

Which, according to Mama OT can make toddlers feel "powerful and in control." Something they may be craving with their lives being a constant barrage of what they are and are not allowed to do.

Taking care of others is a skill that will be important for toddlers to have acquired later in life. This also allows them to have compassion for their peers, their siblings, or even pets in their lives. All as a result of toddlers having fun being caregivers to their baby dolls.

Source: Playgroup WA, Healthline, ChildVentures Early Learning Academy, Mama OT, VeryWell Family