A doll is not just a plaything even for the child who owns one. Babies find comfort by snuggling with soft stuffed dolls in their cribs. Often children identify with their favorite dolls and, in imitation of their own parents, scold or praise, spank or cuddle them. Older youngsters, who can dress their dolls themselves to suit their fantasies, may play school or stage battles or give parties. No one is ever too old for dolls.
Many parents enjoy helping their children act out life situations with a new generation of dolls.
Members of the Doll Collectors of America, founded in 1935, study a different kind of doll, dollmaker, or dollmaking process each month. Schools and museums also collect dolls for their educational value. By examining the costumes of dolls from other countries and other times, students learn something about other people's lives and cultures. Dolls from Guatemala, for example, are usually garbed in cotton or wool. Those wearing cotton represent the Indians who live in the steaming coastal lowlands.