Spring Clothes For 18 Inch Dolls

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Are you looking for American Girl Doll clothes that are great for Spring? You have landed in a good spot, if you are. With three Granddaughters to buy for, I went in search of some nice doll clothing that fit the 18 inch dolls like the American Girl dolls. There are some really cute outfits for these wonderful dolls, so let’s see what the fashions are for this Spring…shall we?

Every little girl has her favorite character doll from American Girl and some of us “big” little girls do too. The image to the left is a photo of my very own American Girl Doll. Her name is Kaya and she represents the Native American culture. I don’t know if I will find a Spring outfit for her that stays with her culture, but you can be sure that I will be looking.

Jeans: American Girl Doll Clothes

I think this little set is perfect for us and our American Girl Doll clothing this spring. A sweet little white top decorated with pink and blue butterflies tops a pair of jeans with the same butterfly motif. There is even lace on the hem of the pants. This set only has the two pieces included. You could also get a pair of Pale Pink Doll Sneakers to go with them if you like. The sneakers are sold on Amazon, too.

Jeans Set For American Girl Doll Clothes

About American Girl Dolls

The clothing that I am always on the look out for are for the 18 inch American Girl dolls. The company makes a few different lines in the 18 inch dolls. Of course little girls like to dress up their dolls no matter which line they belong to. The different 18 inch dolls lines are:

Historical Character:
Addy (a black girl from the Civil War Era)
Josefina (a girl from New Mexico in 1824)
Julie & Ivy (best friends in 1974)
Kaya (A Native American Girl from the Nez Perce in 1764)
Kit & Ruthie (best friends in 1934)
Marie-Grace & Cecile (best friends in New Orleans in 1853)
Molly & Emily (best friends in 1944)
Rebecca (a Russian-Jewish girl from 1914)

My American Girl
This line allows a little girl to have the doll made to her specifications. She can choose the skin tone, color of hair, and color of eyes.

Girl Of The Year
2011 brought us Kanani a little Hawaiian Girl and in 2012 the doll of the year was McKenna. Saige was selected as the 2013 doll. For 2014 we are introduced to Isabelle who loves to dance and design her own clothing.

Spring Doll Dress

Made by Carpatina LLC for the 18 inch dolls including American Girl, this little dress was inspired from clothing worn by little girls in the 1950s. The short sleeve dress is adorned with peach and black polka dots and a sweet peach ribbon. Satin lined with a double layer tulle underskirt. The dress is offered below. No shoes are included, however Amazon does offer a pair of White Patent Leather shoes that would look so cute with this little dress.

Vintage Polka Dot Dress – Fits American Girl Dolls

Sweater Set Is Nice For Spring

There are several cute little sweaters and sweater sets to be found. The great thing about them is that usually they come with two or three pieces which adds to the wardrobe with pieces that can be worn with other things. Of course the doll can always slip on a sweater with just about any outfit she has on when the days are cool and she needs something to keep her little arms warm. I think it is a great thing to have for any collection of American Girl Doll clothes.

When looking for clothing for your American Girl Doll, look for ones that fit the 18 inch dolls. Madame Alexander clothing fits the AG dolls and vice versa.

Doll Pajamas

Dress your doll for bed in the Spring or any season from a wonderful selection of Doll Pajamas! There are so many really cute ideas for bedtime no matter which season of the year we are in.

Raincoat For Dolls

A cute little red raincoat with matching umbrella and boots is a must have for doll clothing for Spring. What a fun wardrobe accessory on a rainy day! If red is not your choice of color, you can find other colors, too.

Red Raincoat with Belt and Hat

As you can see there are some really fun selections to be found when it comes to American Girl Doll clothes for Spring. I only just gave a you few samples of what can be found. What I have found with my granddaughters is that they really like to be able to dress their dolls in the same type of clothing that they will be wearing for the day or evening. Having at least one outfit that goes with the season of the year just enhances their playtime. I think it is really fun to see how my oldest granddaughter mixes and matches the pieces of clothing to come up with some really spectacular looks. So, in my opinion, by providing her with different types of doll clothing I am encouraging her to use her imagination and helping her develop her creative skills while she plays with her doll.

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Best Ideas For Girls Who Swim For Sport

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Our oldest little grand-daughter has started swimming competitively so I have been looking at gift ideas that will help her in her new sport and take a little stress off of Mom when it comes to buying the swimwear that our little swimmer needs. It can get a little expensive but it is such a wonderful sport for her to be involved in. Whether she continues with swimming in competitions or not, the activity is a very healthy one and she can do it for the rest of her life. I guess you could say, “Grandma approves of her choice” and I am so very proud of her! Anyway, back to the suggestion at hand. Swimsuits that are best for wearing for competition or even practice are different than just a plain old swimsuit.

Materials or Fabrics to look for in a competition style swimsuit

The materials or fabrics that are used for competitive swimming are ones that are made to reduce drag in the water. They hug the skin tightly making them feel almost like a second skin. Normal swimsuits start to sag away from the body after they absorb the water and this causes a slowness in the swimming. They cause a resistance or drag that isn’t so great if speed is what you are looking for. Normal suits could be worn over the top of a competition suit if you wanted to work on endurance in the water over speed. So, what are the fabrics you should look for?

Lycra

Lycra is the industry standard providing excellent stretch and a comfortable fit. Suits made with lycra which is also sometimes referred to as spandex are good for the swim meet competition. They do not last as long as suits made with other materials, however. The lycra suits are best purchased with the thought that it will be the suit that she swims in at the swim meets and she will have a different suit to practice and train in. An example of a lycra suit is:

Speedo Big Girls’ Youth Superpro

Polyseter

An alternative to an expensive lycra suit is one that is made from polyester fibers. These suits last longer and are good for practice and training sessions. They are typically not as soft as a lycra suit and are not as stretchy. They can be used in competition if you want to; there is nothing wrong with making that choice. If you have the option of buying an expensive one for the meets and a lesser costing one for practice, the polyester is the best choice for practice and a suit that will be used often. An example of a polyester suit is:

Tyr Sport Girl’s Suit

Nylon

Personally, I wouldn’t get a nylon suit for competitive swimming. Sure, they are lightweight and they do not absorb the water as quickly as other materials. The thing is that they do not have the elasticity of the other types of suits which could begin to cause a bit of a drag when swimming because they are looser. The colors do not hold well with the nylon suits, either. Swimming very much with a nylon suit and the colors will fade quickly. These types of suits are great for recreational swimming but not, in my humble opinion, of the quality that a competitive swimmer will need.

So, now you know what to look for when your little girl decides that she wants to join the swim team. My suggestion is to start with a polyester blend suit because they are the least expensive when it comes to athletic swimsuits. If she sticks with it and shows promise, then consider splurging for a lycra swimsuit for her to wear during the competitions.

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American Girl Doll Clothing For The Winter Months

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Have you been searching for winter clothes for American Girl dolls? Well, you have landed in a good place to find some delightful selections! Because our little girls love their American Girl Dolls and they want them to be dressed in more than one outfit, we are always on the look out for clothing that will fit our 18 inch dolls.

I think it is fun to have at least one outfit for each season of the year; so, that is why I am addressing the winter clothing available for the American Girl dolls in this article. They make wonderful holiday gifts and birthday gifts for the little girls in our lives.

Image Credit: Hot Pink Fleece Jacket For American Girl Doll product page.

Winter calls for a coat doesn’t every doll need one?

Most little girls want to take their American Girl Doll with them when they are out and about. Having a winter coat as a choice in her American Girl doll clothing makes some sense. I remember when one of my daughters was small, I had to have an argument with her each time we started to leave the house in the winter. She did not want to put on a coat. If I had only had a winter coat for her doll, she might have been easier to convince. I have selected two coats for you to look at, but there are many others available.

Winter Doll Clothes 4 Pc set

Doll Dress Coat fits American Girls Dolls, 4 Pc set

Winter Boots

You might know that if you can find a winter coat for your American Girl doll, then winter boots are available too! There are so many cute styles and colors to choose from. I’m sure you can find a pair that matches or at least coordinates with her coat if the coat did not come with a pair. Besides, a girl (er doll) can never have too many pairs of boots and shoes!

Black Fur Button Boots for American Girl Dolls and Most 18 Inch Dolls

A Wardrobe For Your Doll Clothing

Teaching our little girls to take care of their own clothing can be assisted by making sure that they always properly hang up the clothes that their doll isn’t wearing at the moment. This little wardrobe is perfect to store 18 inch doll clothing in.

KidKraft Littile Doll Armoire

Be Sure The Size Fits: When shopping for winter clothes for an American Girl Doll, make sure it will fit an 18 inch doll.

Winter Pajamas

A nice thought would be to have a set of winter pajamas as a part of the clothing for your American Girl doll, or should I say your little doll? Sometimes I think us Grandmas and Moms have just as much fun with these doll clothes as our little ones do. There are several options for winter style PJs for your 18 inch doll clothing. I have selected one for you to consider.

18 Inch Doll Clothes Pajama Set & Doll Slippers

Doll Sweaters For Winter

Oh my goodness aren’t these little winter sweaters just adorable? Perfect to wear with a skirt or pants! I can not imagine knitting these small little doll sweaters! You can find other options for your American Girl doll. I just wanted to showcase one that I thought was cute. Some will come with other clothing as a set which makes it fun to mix and match with other clothes already in the wardrobe.

Irish Cable Knit Doll Sweater

A Company That Continues To Grow

Back in 1986 when the company first began about the only way you could get one of the dolls was through their catalog sales department and the line was limited to Historical dolls which happen to represent 9 year old girls from different eras of history.

Eventually a magazine dedicated to the dolls and their stories was published and then the website was developed so that customers could order the dolls online.

In 2010 the first retail stores began to open around the country. My grand-daughter just visited the Chicago store and she thought it was pretty awesome. I wish you could have heard her bubbling with excitement as she told me all that she saw. The stores have a hospital for any dolls that may have sustained an injury during playtime. There is a beauty salon for girls to take their doll in for fixing up their hair (especially nice if the hair has been mussed from little hands). Of course there are dolls, clothing and accessories to be found, too. Oh, there is also a restaurant for a girl and her doll to dine in, too.

Mattel (who owns the company) has been progressive in growing the company, I think.

Doll Clothing For Winter

fits your American Girl Doll

Oh there are so many cute little winter outfits being made to fit the American Girl doll. Our little girls will have some treasured fun dressing their doll in an outfit to keep them warm. Here is one of my favorites.

Wild Cat – Faux fur vest and boots matched with a chocolate pants and ivory blouse

Clothes For American Girl Dolls: Winter Choices

After having invested more than just a few dollars in the American Girl Dolls themselves, it is nice to know that there are such varieties available to dress them in. I am really glad that we do have options to purchase cute American Girl doll clothes made by seamstresses who sell them individually. You do not have to only purchase from the Doll company. I think that if you shop around a little you will find that these handmade doll clothes are less expensive which means you can have more than one outfit for your little girl’s doll.

Thank you so much for stopping by today to view the winter clothes for American Girl dolls that I have found. I hope you enjoyed your visit! Please do feel free to leave a comment. Do you plan to shop for doll clothing for a gift? Let me know which outfit you liked the best.

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Have Your Children Met The Monsters That Deal With Emotions?

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At about the age of 2 or 3 our little children sometimes go into emotional overdrive. The WorryWoo Monsters can help them with learning to deal with different emotions that they do not quite know how to cope with yet. They may fell frustrated, confused, lonely or worried causing them to act out in all sorts of undesirable ways.

Enter some special little stuffed animals called the WorryWoo Monsters that basically are the monsters in their little heads. The stuffed toys can be purchased alone or in sets with an accompanying book about the emotion and how the monster learned to deal with it. You can also purchase the books separately, if you like.

Plush & Book Combo WorryWoo Twitch, the Very Frustrated Monster

Twitch, the curly horned monster in many a child’s head gets frustrated very easily. He tries so hard to do things the right way but when things don’t go his way he stomps, yells, acts badly and just plain gives up. The book and toy help children to learn that proper way to deal with frustration and that giving up is not a good solution.

Rue, The Monster of Insecurity & Book: The Nose That Didn’t Fit

Little Rue feels very insecure about how he looks so he hides a lot. He thinks his nose doesn’t fit his other features and is afraid people will laugh at him. The stuffed toy and book help children to feel better about themselves, their appearance and the insecurities they feel.

There are other little monsters that can help children with their emotions including:

• Nola and her loneliness
• Fuddle who deals with confusion
• Wince who worries a lot
• Squeek who is shy and innocent

I love this idea as a tool for parents and grandparents to help the little ones learn to cope with the emotions that they are feeling. Every child, well many adults too, feels these emotions on a regular basis. Sometimes it is difficult for us to explain coping skills to a small child in a manner that they can understand. The books offer a fun solution to us grown-ups to help the kids a little and the toys, well, they are just so lovable and will help the child remember the story.

Grandma Bev thinks these little toys and the stories that go with them are perfect gifts for a birthday or Christmas. They are also nice for just a little “I love you” gift to be given when we see that our children or grandchildren are struggling with an emotion.

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Are you looking for a baby bathtub with a shower feature as a possible gift for a new baby? When our family welcomed a brand new baby girl about 5 years ago she received one as a gift and I can highly recommend this very nice bathtub for baby that has a shower head and whirlpool action.

Manufacturer’s Product Image

When little McKenna was the new baby in the family, she received the Summer Infant Lil’ Luxuries Whirlpool Bubbling Spa and Shower Tub (paid link) as a gift and let me tell you it is a marvelous baby bathtub!

I love the features on this little bathtub that will grow with baby. For using with a newborn  there is a nice sling type seat to hold the baby up while you bathe them.  It is made from a terrycloth type material so baby doesn’t slip once she or he is wet.

There is a shower type nozzle that allows you to rinse baby off faster and particularly nice for rinsing shampoo out of baby’s hair.

The box says that the bathtub can be used from newborn to about 2 years old. It is pretty spacious but I do wonder about a two year old. It might depend on the size of the toddler. We found that it was good until about 12 to 15 months.

You can turn the motorized jet system on to create bubble and a vibration to soothe baby while he/she bathes but you do not have to have this feature turned on if you don’t want to use it.

When I was visiting after little McKenna was born, I was really impressed with this tub for baby. I remember all too well the bathtubs that were available when my girls were babies and frankly I didn’t feel comfortable using them. The design of the Lil’ Luxuries Tub is safe and easy to use. It is small enough that you can put it on a kitchen counter top near the sink if your counter has enough space. You can also use it in your shower or tub as long as you can reach baby comfortably. Another great feature is the drain plug on the bottom. When baby’s bath time is over, just pull the plug and the water empties into the sink, tub, or shower.

So, if you are looking for a safe and easy to use baby bathtub with a shower feature, I can highly recommend the Lil’ Luxuries Whirlpool Bubbly Spa for your baby. It comes in blue, pink and violet.

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Grandma, if you are crafty at all, one of the greatest gifts that you can give to a new grandchild is a baby afghan that you created yourself. You can crochet or knit one in a relatively short amount of time.

When I was invited to attend a baby shower given for my daughter who was expecting her first daughter in August of 2011; I did that very thing.  I crocheted an afghan sized for baby in the ripple pattern. It only took me about 1 month to complete it and that was because I only had a few hours a night to work on it. It was a labor of joy! It was also quite a hit with my daughter when she opened it. The picture of it can be seen above this paragraph.

There are several variations to the ripple pattern that can be used. I took a couple that I had worked before and designed a pattern of my own. If you are experienced in working with crochet, you can do that too or you can rely on a book like Leisure Arts Baby Afghans  (paid link) for your project.  Of course, if you prefer to knit there are also great books with patterns to knit a baby afghan.

What I like about making something like an afghan as a gift from Grandma is that, hopefully, it becomes a family heirloom. Something that will be passed down and treasured. A little added touch that I did was write a letter to my little granddaughter that she can read someday and think about her Grandma. It is one of those memory things that I feel is so important in the bonding of a Grandmother and her Grandchild. I know I have wonderful memories of my Grandmother and I’m sure you do too.

If you would like to use the pattern that I created, you are welcome to. My Ripple Crochet Baby Afghan Pattern is free to print out. You can use whatever color combination will work for your grandchild’s nursery and adapt it easily to my pattern. Happy stitching!

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Durable Toy Castle For Imaginative Playtime

I think that a toy wooden castle is a great gift from Grandma for the little boys in her life.  Little boys need to be encouraged to use their imaginations and to embrace pretend play at every opportunity we can give them. Why not encourage that type of educational play with a medieval castle?

Manufacture Image

Melissa and Doug offers a Wooden Medieval Castle (paid link) that folds up for easy storage and will provide hours of educational and entertaining playtime for a boy.

Hinges allow this toy wooden castle to be completely open to reveal a working drawbridge and a dungeon. Our little boys will have towers to place lookout guards in and balconies for a King, Queen, or Prince to address the pretend crowds from.  There is even a trap door for pretend hiding or surprising a pretend enemy invader. No matter how a little boy decides to use his toy castle, he will most likely enjoy hours of imaginative playtime.

One of the features that caught my eye was that this medieval castle comes already assembled. That is a huge plus for me when I’m giving a gift to a child! Who wants to spend hours putting a toy together?

I also like that this toy castle can be folded up compactly for when it is not being played with. It does not have to be out and in the way all of the time which is another big plus in the features column for this Grandma. I’m sure Mom and Dad will like it too.

product image

You can purchase a set of figures for an additional gift from Grandma but you do not have to. A little boy can use Lego figures or any figures that he already has to play with his toy wooden castle. Then again, he can just use his superb imagination to create all sorts of people that live in and protect the castle.

In a time where too many little boys spend too many hours in front of a game module or the television, a toy castle encourages movement and time away from less stimulating types of play. This particular toy castle is recommended for boys ages three years and up. Perfect for a birthday or Christmas present, I don’t think you would ever regret choosing a toy wooden castle as a gift for your little boy grandchild to spend time playing with. He can be the King of his Castle, a brave Knight, or whatever he chooses to be.

Starting our toddlers out with playing with the magnetic paper dolls just might start a life long appreciation of paper dolls in general or even fashion. I have found several manufacturers of the magnetic paper dolls and they all have an appeal. For the young girl, as a gift from Grandma, I particularly like the ones made by Melissa and Doug. The magnetic dolls are geared for the 3 year old and older. The pieces are larger and help develop dexterity in their little hands along with providing hours of pretend play.

My three granddaughters have reached the age where they can play with the more detailed paper dolls, but at age 3 they would have really done well with these wooden magnetic dolls. Little Isabel has a real love for ballerinas so if I were to pick one for her it would be the Nina Ballerina as shown below.

Melissa & Doug Deluxe 27-Piece Nina Ballerina Magnetic Dress-Up (paid link)

Little Samantha would be more apt to like Maggie Leigh for her magnetic paper doll. At least when she was 3. Actually even at 10, I think she would prefer a doll that looked more like her and was just a regular type of girl.

Melissa And Doug Maggie Leigh Magnetic Dress-Up (paid link)

Little McKenna is really into the Disney Princesses so I think the one dressed like a princess is perfect for her. She will be 5 soon and even though her dexterity is better than when she was three, the magnetic dolls are still the best choice for her.

Princess Olivia Magnetic Doll (paid link)

What I love about starting at a young age with the magnetic paper dolls is that when the girls get a little older they will be better prepared to play with the more delicate and detailed real paper dolls. I don’t think we can start too early in encouraging dexterity and eye hand coordination in our little girls and boys. Using a toy like a paper doll that has larger pieces is a good place to promote developmental playtime and it also inspires pretending and develops a good imagination.  Grandma, do you remember the hours of fun playing with paper dolls? I’m sure you do and that is why I think these magnetic dolls are perfect gifts from Grandma, Mom, or Auntie for birthdays, holidays, or a just because day.

~In the toy box of life…Grandma has the best toys~

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