Kids have many interests, and now there’s a doll line that embraces that.
One of this holiday season’s newest brands blends classic play patterns with a fresh twist that’s a direct reflection of the way kids exist. It’s All Me! from the Madame Alexander Doll Co. is a collection of six new dolls that mash up kids’ favorite interests and activities.
Madame Alexander will celebrate its 100th anniversary next year. The company is known for its beautiful baby dolls, high-end collector pieces, and tapping in to current play trends. It’s All Me! is a new, 8-inch scale that brings the look of an 18-inch doll down to a more manageable size while adding the type of articulation that you’d normally find in an action figure.
Since the dolls feature movable joints at the neck, shoulders, elbows, hips, and knees, kids can pose them or make them stand or sit on their own.
Each set includes a doll that comes with an outfit and accessories built around two distinct interests and activities. The collection includes Artist + Cheerleader, Camping + Chess, Yoga + Baker, Dance + Swim, Basketball + Paddleboard, and Ice Cream + Tennis. The dolls come in different skin tones and hairstyles, and kids can further mix and match their favorite activities by swapping accessories and outfits between the dolls.
Officially, It’s All Me! dolls are recommended for kids ages 3 and up, but I see the potential for kids in the 5-7 range to enjoy these as well. Even tweens and teens may enjoy them as a collectible, as my own 13-year-old daughter took interest in the Artist + Cheerleader set. The included art sack accessory says “SLEEP PAINT CHEER” on it, which sounds an awful lot like what I’m seeing in my own house on a daily basis.
If I were to offer one bit of constructive criticism here, it’s not about the dolls — they’re fantastic — but their packaging. While the toy industry as a whole is moving in a sustainable direction with less waste, these sets still have quite a few plastic fasteners and other bits in their packaging that a grownup will have to deal with. I recommend having scissors handy to free each adorable doll and its accessories from its box.
Overall, Madame Alexander’s It’s All Me! dolls are a great gift idea with a ton of appeal that should inspire many imaginative adventures and spark a desire for kids to collect them all!
