One of the best parts of having sisters (at least my sisters), is that my childhood was full of playing dolls.
For years, every Saturday morning, all three of us would get our enormous collection of American Girl paper dolls (the ones that hadn’t had their knees bent yet and could still stand up straight were the most prized) and play for hours.
So obviously, I have no choice but to indoctrinate my small child about the wonders of paper dolls.
I got a box of these Rosie Flo paper dolls from Chronicle Books a month or two ago, and we broke them out one afternoon while Bart was home from work.
Ella was intrigued and then enthralled.
I loved these paper dolls because they all were just the kind you pop out (instead of cutting them out) and Ella could do it herself – she managed to do them all and only rip two of them slightly in the process, which delighted me.
Also, the little runway/fashion house? Killed me. It withstood even Ella trying to climb into it.
Here’s to a long happy childhood of paper doll playing for Ella.
Oh, and I’ve got another box, thanks to Chronicle, so if you’d like to win one for your child or grandchild (or, hey, yourself – I won’t judge), leave a comment, and I’ll select a winner at random on April 20th.
I received this box of paper dolls from Chronicle, but I was not compensated for this post, and all the text and images are my own (obviously, unless Chronicle happens to have an identical twin to Ella).
A lovely post. I hope Doll Church gets a post soon 🙂
Those look so cute! I'm crossing my fingers!
I remember playing with paper dolls (I think we had the historical variety?) but I also remember being too neurotic – the paper would crease or rip and I would obsess about that. I'm glad Ella liked them!
Looks adorable! I loved paper dolls as a kid, and I'm hoping my two girls will as well.
Kinley would love these! (Her mom would love them, too!)
This is so sweet. You can tell she is just in heaven. I remember those AG paper dolls, too. I cherished the Samantha one!
I use to love paper dolls! The photos here of you and Ella are precious.
Aww! My mom had a set of really old encyclopedias, and one of them was "Things to Make and Do." It had a section of paper dolls, and so I would spend many afternoons carefully tracing, and then coloring the dolls in the book. I looked at it a few years ago, and it still had the indentations on the pages from where I was pressing so carefully. This would be great.
No need to include me in the contest, but I just wanted to marvel over how beautiful your daughter is! And you made me nostalgic for my own paper-doll playing days. 🙂
So fun! We have a huge regular dollhouse, but I don't think I even knew they had such elaborate paper doll sets. I always imagined just 1 dimensional flat dolls. I hope I win 🙂
How sweet. I have two little girls that would love these!
I remember playing with paper dolls too – and there were a large selection when I was a girl. My granddaughters would enjoy playing with them too.
Pick me pick me!!
Are we SURE your daughter is only a couple months older than mine? I don't think LE is anywhere near doing this yet. Probably cause you're such a rockstar at doing stuff with her and I am just old and tired. (But pick me anyway, cause by her birthday I bet she can!)
How fun! Harper would love these…maybe in a year?? But, hey, I can hold onto them until then!
So much fun! I love paper dolls, and I often send them to the little girl I sponsor in Albania!
I am expecting my third child and I am sure Sofia would love to have one of this to play with her brother while I feed the new baby this October!
I love these pictures! I also had American Girl paper dolls – and possible some Aladdin ones and a Sugar Plum Fairy one. I can't wait to introduce them to my little girl (after I get to meet her myself, of course.)
Also having grown up with lots of sisters, I have great memories of paper dolls. I have yet to try them with my girls and this would be just the thing!
I love the lack of hoops here 🙂 Thx for the tweet. Paper dolls are so great! I tried them with my oldest a while back, but I think she was a little too young. Maybe she'd get the hang of them now. 🙂
My girls would love these! They have not been introduced to paper dolls yet. Thanks for the idea!
Ella is TOO cute. I'd love some for E in the future!
How pretty! I've never seen paper rooms included. I can't wait until E starts playing with dolls rather than eating them. 🙂
Oh, I forgot how much I loved paper dolls as a kid. I would love to share these with Katie sometime!
Those are great pictures! I am not sure what my nieces would think of paper dolls, but I have to admit I would love to be the cool aunt who gave them some!!
My daughter would LOVE this!
I've never played with paper dolls before and you make it seem like a lovely way to pass an afternoon with my girls. I'm crossing my fingers that we win!
We do not own paper dolls…weird, right…with 2 3/4 little girls in my house. But these look adorable!!
My little girl would love these! Have you ever seen the magnetic paper dolls? They're made with thick wood and are perfect for little fingers. My three year old loves her set.
I am a huge paper doll fan and I have a 3 year old daughter, so I'd love to win, thanks!
shannonhowl (at) yahoo (dot) com
I spent hours cutting out those American Girl paper dolls for my sister. I was a little too old to want to truly play with them, but with all their darling clothes and accessories what girl could resist their charms entirely?
I'd love for my little girls to have some paper dolls.
Oh my little girl would love this.
That close up of Ella is beautiful, she is just so sweet. And careful! Good for her not ripping any.
I have two little girls who would love this!
Glad she could play so well with the dolls even though she is still so young!
Those are so cute! My almost two-year old is already into Barbies so I'm sure she would love paper dolls!
Cute! I've never really done paper dolls with Anna, but I bet she would love it.
April 20th is may birthday… maybe i'll get lucky? My girls, especially Eleanor, would love these.
Normally, I try to leave give-ways to others, but this is too cool. (My mom and I played with paper dolls.) The pictures of Ella are delightful. Made me smile.
I loved paper dolls! I played with them all the time when I was little too. Isn't so fun growing up with sisters to play with?
I LOVE paper dolls! I have 2 sisters and we were so into paper dolls, barbies, playing house– all the girly-girl stuff. But Gabby never really was. I think I didn't indoctrinate her soon enough. Way to start early! I want to win them for my niece who is two years old and is very girly. Crossing my fingers! X X
Those are darling pics of you two! I would be thrilled if I won!
That last comment was supposed to be me, not Peter. HaHa.
I know a little girl who would love this!
She is adorable Janssen. Any of my nieces would love this 🙂
Love that she was so delicate with the dolls! She's adorable! Loved playing with paper dolls
I adore nostalgic toys like paper dolls! We don't have kids yet but they would make the loveliest birthday surprise for a sweet three year old I am close to, or maybe a lovely toy for when all the little ones come over to visit! Your little one is so darling, and I am impressed that she is so into dolls already and able to punch these out!
Oh the girls would just LOVE those. Before your post I thought paper dolls would be a bit further down the road for us. But if Ella can do it so well, my 5 year olds would probably have a complete ball! What a great idea.
She can get them out herself without ripping them to shreds? SOLD! 🙂
I have a whole cartload of paper dolls too! I laminated all of mine and put velcro on the clothes. Good times.
Those look so fun, I'm sure my daughter would love them just as much as Ella!
I loved paper dolls as a child. When I was little, McCalls magazine published Betsy McCall paper dolls monthly. I also had paper dolls of the Lennon Sisters.
Although my daughter had many dolls, including American Girl dolls, I don't recall her ever having much interest in paper dolls.
I loved seeing the pictures of Ella playing with them, especially the close-up where she is handing you one of them.
So nice that all of the old-fashioned toys have not disappeared.
Oh, my goodness, I just looked up the Lennon Sisters and they have reproductions of the paper dolls available! http://store.lennonsisters.com/lesipado.html
That is so sweet and her little hands holding those dolls? Priceless! I should introduce my 3 girls to paper dolls – I bet they would have a blast!
I think my daughter would love some paper dolls and her birthday is next week!
Those paper dolls are adorable! I know just the girl who'd love those!
My kids love to see pictures of your sweet girl. It makes me excited to have another little tiny girl around.
I remember going to my great grandmothers house to play with paper dolls. They were dolls from the 1940s. So delicate and amazing. I spent hours playing with them. Have been looking for something like this for a while!
My sisters & I loved playing paper dolls! Now I'm wondering if we still have our old ones around here anywhere…