Today, I want to talk about two different types of Doctor Dolls.
A doctor doll can refer to a doll that looks like a doctor, but it can also describe a doll who enables a child to be the doctor by being a patient. The latter often comes with extra accessories for your child to diagnose and heal their little friend. Still, any toddler parent will tell you that it’s not just the doll – but everyone in the room – that becomes the patient.
Both of these types of dolls are ideal for helping bring out the healer in your child by promoting a recognized style of imaginary play called “Medical Play.” This type of play allows children to role-play or pretend their way through medical events, which will enable them to process these events.
I’ve included a selection of both doctor dolls and patient dolls here in hopes that you might find one suitable for your little girl.
Doc McStuffins Get Better Baby Cece
Just Play
Time for a checkup! Doc McStuffins’ baby doll Cece isn’t feeling well, and it’s up to your little girl to find out why. In popular Disney Junior show, Doc McStuffins received this doll to help her prepare for the arrival of her new baby sister. That doll is Cece!
Baby Cece comes with everything to help you make her feel better, including a pacifier thermometer that can clip on to Cece’s outfit, a bottle, an otoscope, and stickers.
It also comes with a stethoscope, which is what makes this doll interactive. The stethoscope lights up and makes noises like Cece crying and Doc making notes on Cece’s condition. It comes with 3 LR44 demo batteries, which should be changed out as soon as possible.
What’s Hot
Fans of the show will love to channel their own Doc McStuffins when giving Baby Cece a checkup. This is a great way to role-play the fear out of regular checkups for kids who may have some anxiety over such trips.
What’s Not
The pacifier is a little tough to get into Cece’s mouth, and while the arms and legs are jointed, they can be difficult for little hands to move.
Bottom Line
Whether or not Doc McStuffins is a well-known character, any child would be happy to help Baby Cece feel better. She’s another great example of a doll created to help nurture a healthy, caring, and compassionate view of the world.
Rosi the Little Patient
Sigikid
Do you want your kids to learn more about human anatomy? Rosi might be just the teaching tool you’re looking for. This soft plush doll has a torso compartment that opens up her body to reveal all of her plush organs, which all can be pulled out, studied, and replaced.
Rosi the Little Patient comes with her hospital gown. Her torso compartment contains her heart, kidneys, bladder, lungs, liver, stomach with intestines, and spleen. She has fuzzy orange hair, embroidered features, and is machine washable.
What’s Hot
Rosi is actually a very educational doll! Her organs have velcro color-coding to help kids learn how to place Rosi’s organs back in her torso again. Underneath all of those organs is an embroidered depiction of Rosi’s skeleton.
What’s Not
While there have been some instances the doll frightening small children, they seem to be few. Most people who introduce Rosi the Little Patient to their child find that she’s a brilliant tool to open a health-themed dialogue with their child.
Some user reviews share the disappointment that Rosi doesn’t have any reproductive organs. While I can understand why some feel it makes her incomplete, I think it is a matter of personal preference.
Bottom Line
Whether you need a way to help a child understand complex medical issues or want to inspire a future medical career, Rosi is an excellent choice. She’s the only STEM doll on our list, and she’s a great one at that.
Baby Alive Mix My Medicine
Hasbro
I hesitated to put the Baby Alive Mix My Medicine doll on this list because I wasn’t sure if it really fits into our doctor doll theme. It then occurred to me that a lot of illnesses start and end with home care. By allowing little girls to play the role of doctor, they can check the doll’s temperature, mix and dispense medicine, and apply bandages.
There are three versions of the Mix My Medicine doll. There is a brown-haired version with pink dinosaur pajamas, a black-haired doll with red and blue llama pajamas, and the blonde doll whose blue pajamas are kitty-themed.
What’s Hot
This Baby Alive doll is a drink-and-wet-style doll, which is very popular among preschool children. I find them to be very sturdy dolls, even more so when their price is concerned. She makes a beautiful gift on her own, or for a more extravagant gift, consider a Baby Alive themed high chair or pram.
What’s Not
Though the doll is inexpensive, the extras can add up. Only a single diaper and two medicine mix packs are included with the doll. Though they may not be entirely necessary for everyday play, parents will probably hear frequent requests for replacement packs. At the time of publication of this article, I could not find any medicine packs. I would suggest using the regular liquid food packs, such as the one included in this refill pack.
Bottom Line
This isn’t the best patient or doctor-themed doll on our list today, but it is from one of the most famous (or infamous?) doll lines out there. If you want a toy that will impart a little more nurturing, Baby Alive Mix My Medicine is a worthy pick.
Minimargaret the Doctor
Nici Wonderland
Minimargaret the Doctor is here to take those boo-boos away! Like all other Nici Wonderland dolls, Minimargaret’s body, hair, hair ties, and shoes are all made of an extraordinarily soft, velour-like material. She is a quality made doll designed by a German toy company. Her scrubs, mask, and doctor’s coat are all removable, though her pink hair ties and shoes are not. She stands just short of a foot tall and is outrageously cuddly. If your little girl becomes tired of playing with her doctor doll, Minimargaret has many more outfits available separately.
What’s Hot
Though she is an excellent doll for children of any age, Minimargaret is my favorite doctor doll for toddlers. Not only is she entirely safe to machine wash, but she’s also okay to throw in the dryer, too! If you’ve ever had a toddler, you know that their toys end up in the strangest (read: dirtiest) of places.
What’s Not
The only issue I have found with the Nici Wonderland dolls is that some people find their velour hair off-putting.
Bottom Line
Minimargaret is the perfect doll to give to a child who is experiencing a lengthy hospital stay or going through any medical ordeal. She’s the cuddliest of doctor dolls and will brighten those gray days with her sweet, soothing face.
Baby Born Mommy Make Me Better
MGA Entertainment
Our first baby doctor doll set on the list is one of the newer dolls to the scene, and I can imagine that it’ll be one of the hottest toys of this Holiday season. BABY Born’s Mommy Make Me Better baby doll is an adorable interactive baby doll that will keep kids enthralled.
This 18″ doll has a soft body with vinyl head, arms, and feet. She has sleepy eyes lined with thick eyelashes that close when she’s placed on her back. She’s wearing a lovely one-piece jumper with full-length sleeves and legs. Cute tulle ruffles top the shoulders, and the material has a silver glitter crown print. Her sweet, bald head has a matching satin ribbon tied around it.
What’s Hot
Like Baby Born dolls, this doll is incredibly popular with children.
She’s interactive, as are the rest of the other doctor baby dolls on this list. When this little baby feels sick, your wee doctor can make her all better. Press her back, and she’ll cry as her cheeks glow red. Do you want to check her heart or her temperature? Listen to her heartbeat through the stethoscope, and check for a fever with the pacifier-style thermometer. If she has a fever, give her some medicine in her little spoon, and her fever will break. Press on her tummy, and she’ll laugh because she feels so much better! The medicine bottle, spoon, thermometer, and stethoscope are all included.
She’s also is available in 3 skin tones, each with different colors of eyes and outfits.
What’s Not
You will need to pick up some extra AAA batteries because the three she comes with are demo cells and will run out quickly. I can’t speak to how long these batteries last, but in my mind, a doll that can have its power turned off is not a bad thing.
Bottom Line
The Baby Born Mommy Make Me Better doll is a sure bet. These dolls are known to be well made and super cuddly. She promotes nurturing play.
Barbie Baby Doctor Playset
Mattel
There is a Barbie for every season, celebration, or fad, and this Barbie Careers Baby Doctor Playset is just what the doctor ordered for our theme today. Though we could still consider her to be a fashion doll, the real purpose of the Barbie Careers dolls is to inspire young girls to be whatever they want.
What’s Hot
This complete Barbie baby doctor set includes Barbie, baby twins, care station that turns into an exam table, and plenty of accessories. It encourages role play, pretend-play, and of course, medical play. Because Dr. Barbie looking after these twin babies, this set could also be used to introduce soon-to-be big sisters to the concept of new siblings joining the family.
What’s Not
Barbie’s right arm is permanently bent, but the left is permanently straight, which makes it a bit awkward to change clothes, but not impossible. All of the tiny accessory pieces may be difficult to look after, but again, not impossible.
Bottom Line
The Barbie Careers Baby Doctor Playset is not for small children because of all the little pieces. It’s also not a high-end Barbie playset, but it is an excellent choice for a child’s pretend play. The accessories make this set better than just the doll and babies on their own
Doctor Nicola
Our Generation
If you’re looking for a bigger doctor doll that comes sharply dressed, Doctor Nicola is on the case, studying X-Ray charts and looking for a diagnosis.
This 18″ doctor doll from Our Generation Dolls has a full outfit that is entirely removable, including underwear. She has a soft body and articulates at the shoulders and hips. She comes with several accessories, such as a collection of x-ray charts, a toy pen and a prescription pad, an anatomy chart, a blood pressure cuff, a stethoscope, and an otoscope.
What’s Hot
I love Dr. Nicola’s outfit. Her little white lab coat is, of course, what defines her as a doctor doll, but underneath she is wearing a lovely pink shirt with coral leggings. Her adorable sneakers have real laces, which gives children an extra opportunity to practice their shoe-tying skills.
Other great features include long hair that is perfect for brushing and pulling up as well as an otoscope that lights up.
What’s Not
All of that luxurious brown hair can easily tangle if mistreated or washed. I have heard of suggestions involving fabric softener or detangling products to restore damaged doll hair, but I’ve never tried it personally. Please use caution when using products not meant for doll hair.
Bottom Line
OG’s Dr. Nicola is a delightful doctor doll set. She is a popular choice of gift among parents of kids who have expressed an interest in becoming a doctor when they grow up.
How do doctor dolls help my child learn and develop?
Comfort:Unlike many other toys, these dolls can be used particularly well to benefit children who are easily frightened by a visit to the hospital or doctor’s office by allowing them to engage and work through their fears.
Pretend Play: This really encompasses so many skills, from language development, social interaction, development of the imagination, and problem-solving skills, just to name a few.
More Benefits: When a child has a doll that looks like a doctor, they have a buddy that can both patient and doctor can use to communicate and relate to one another. Dolls that allow kids to fill the role of a doctor in pretend-play help to process feelings associated with those scary examinations.
Doctor Dolls Make An Ideal Gift For Any Child
Parents and friends could consider a doctor doll as an excellent choice of gift for a child in the hospital, but don’t overlook them for other children, either. Most children experience some stress when visiting the doctor’s office for even minor checkups.
Also, if we set aside their ability to help kids with their concerns with medical professionals, they can promote nurturing and a desire to heal in their pretend play.
Lastly, some parents might want to encourage their little ones to consider career paths in medicine early on by introducing them to inspiring dolls.
Recommended Reading
- How To Make The Very Most Out of Pretend Play In The Toddler Years, Renee Peters, Postive Parenting Connection.
- Medical play: Helping kids face fears of the doctor’s office, Sherry Polise, MS, CCLS & Rachael Szewczyk, CCLS for Philly.com.
- Helping children through medical procedures, Amanda Smith, Australian Broadcasting Corporation.