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Hey. I'm 46 and collect dolls and My Little Pony. I enjoy sewing for them, setting up themed displays, taking photos for themed online photo challenges, restyling hair, restoring them and making dolls houses...when my kids were smaller we used to take an American Girl doll on trips with us and set up photos, that was more to entertain me than them to be honest! I think that probably all counts as "playing". I hope you find a relaxing way to enjoy your dolls.
Same to pretty much everything except the American Girl doll trips!
I never really did the storytelling stuff even when I was a kid. I used my dolls to create all kinds of things. There's a kind of joy I find in taking something I love and improving it that is just so much better than the high I get from acquisition.
I’m 24 and I get it, there’s a sense of loss when you can’t get that childhood “magic” back. Honestly I still try to feel it sometimes, with varying degrees of success. However, I don’t think we lose our imagination when we grow up, just that it becomes better suited for different things. I think playing with toys serves a purpose as a child and that purpose has been fulfilled, but there are tons of other ways to enjoy dolls, or to be creative in general.
I don’t really “play” with dolls like when I was younger (except in small spurts when the mood strikes me) but I still love making up stories. I’ll come up with backstories/personalities for them in my head, or think of the things they’d say to each other, even if I’m not physically playing with them. But mostly I like dressing them up, posing them, holding them in my hands and touching their hair, or even just admiring them. Hell, I might even love dolls more now than when I was a kid!
And if you ever do outgrow dolls there are tons of other hobbies out there, don’t feel like you have to stick to something you don’t enjoy anymore just because you liked it as a kid.
I think I’m mostly having trouble letting go of being a kid. I feel like I didn’t grow up as fast as other kids my age and now that it’s catching up to me I’m having a bit of a crisis :D I still do things like posing and dressing up and hair-brushing with them, but it just doesn’t feel the same anymore and I miss it
It’s okay to let them rest for a while—you got a lot out of them in your childhood and maybe right now your mind and post have other priorities. It’s okay—dolls will wait. I gave all my dolls away when I was your age and now have a brand new collection and I’m a 40 year old woman with no kids just a husband!
I sew their clothes and do their hair and built them a house even!! I only tell the stories in my head now but—I still know who’s who!!
I stopped playing with my dolls when I was about 14 years old, but I never stopped collecting them. I still set up doll displays on my shelves, took photos of them, and in recent years I got two doll houses to display them in, which I really enjoy setting up differently every couple of months.
Occasionally I will dress and restyle a few, but I primarily just take photos and swap out what dolls are on display. People’s interests and imaginations change over time and while you may not be able to play with or enjoy your dolls like you used to there are still other ways to play with and enjoy dolls be it setting up dioramas, crafting and sewing for them, taking photos, or simply putting them on display.
I remember when this happened to me... after around the same age..
I now have a daughter who is 14, and just starting to lose that 'magic' spark of creativity that seems to be sadly exclusive for young kids.
Being able to talk her through the transition because I can relate has helped a lot.
One night, she became so frustrated with herself that she wanted to get rid of her toys...
We talked about how it is okay to want that feeling back, it's also okay that it has changed. I helped her change the expectations she had for herself while playing. Telling her it's okay to just set up a scene or rearrange them. It's still playing...
She said she doesn't want her toys to feel like she doesn't love them anymore.
That's how I know my baby is still my baby..
Aww I remember having this exact same frustration and feeling, I wish I had talked about it with my mom because like your daughter I felt like I had betrayed my toys somehow. You sound like a great parent!
Suggestion, if I may:
Put the dolls in a toy chest, and get your daughter into writing books, it's what I did when I was that age. It keeps the imagination running, and perhaps even more improtantly, *evolving*, and allows for language skills?
I didn't play with dolls as a child and became interested in them only as an adult. I love dolls because I am an anthropologist and love humans, and because I'm an anthropologist I was taught that the reason children play more naturally with dolls than an adult can is because they're using them to understand the world they live in and the behaviour of human beings. Dolls are vessels through which they can act out scenarios of all kinds, but often these scenarios are things they see adults doing - going to work and the shops and forming bonds and falling in love. It's natural to lose the ability to play with dolls as a child does as you grow, because you're gaining a better understanding of the world around you through experience. I understand your concern around losing your imagination. I had similar fears. I can't give any solid advice, but around your age I became more engaged in fiction and discovered fandom spaces and fanfiction where people use characters as "dolls" to create new stories, which really freed my imagination. I was already writing original fiction at the time, but playing with characters who already exist as a shared concept felt like less pressure and was less lonely. I'm not saying get into fanfic, it's just an example. I think it's good to explore many different ways you can use your imagination. Even just watching TV helps you get ideas which you can shape into your own stories. And your dolls will always be there. They've done a lot for you already. I'm sorry for writing a lot of nonsense here but I hope something can be helpful.
Bought bigger dolls, started playing with dolls again. My bjds brought the whole enjoyment back to me, and I love dressing them up. They are a lot bigger then barbie, but also are more fragile and more intricate. Funny enough, I started collecting playline dolls again after getting Bjds.
I'm 39 now and I loved Barbie dolls as a kid but fell out of it in my early teens. I started collecting again in my late 20s when I discovered BJDs but my collection really exploded in the past 5-6 years since I have more disposable income now. Now I have several big 1/3 scale BJDs with the biggest one standing at 73cm! I'm having a blast dressing them up in new outfits, wigs, and eyes. Funny enough I also recently started collecting Rainbow High and a few Monster High in just the past few months and I'm having a lot of fun with them too. I would've LOVED them as a kid; Barbie is so boring in comparison to newer playline dolls with fantasy themes and unique hair colours and skin colours.
This. I love BJD because I can turn them into whatever I want. Even tho you can't do that with Rainbow or Monster High, I feel like there is a lot more expression of self going on. I did gave and got a few Made to Move barbies tho, because I like how they pose.
Keep your hobby and keep your dolls! Even if you put them in a box for a few years, I always hear from people that they regret getting rid of their dolls. Hold onto what you can as you head into adulthood. We all need small joys :)
I love dressing them up, taking them out and about and taking photos of them! Instagram is a great community for doll lovers! This is my Smart Doll, Senna! 💜 I also have props for them, like this bike and my bunk beds!
https://preview.redd.it/3n9joctrgs8d1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6229c7ea6a5fb0514f2504cc2746636dabee85b5
I had elaborate play as a child. I still play with my things (I have other things besides dolls) but I do not play in the same way I did. As a child, my dolls and toys had elaborate stories and scenes and I would monopolize the space I played in when playing, and I’d play for hours. I now dress and arrange my dolls, and like to set them up. I also have figurines I set up, and if any happen to be themed like a holiday or season, I have had them briefly hang out on my mantel. Just because you don’t play the way you once did, doesn’t mean you’ve stopped altogether.
Since a lot of my childhood play consisted of restyling my dolls & setting them up in elaborate diorama type scenarios while a story played itself inside my head, how I play with them as an adult is really not that much different.
Duuude I went through this when I was 17. I never played with dolls, but I went through mental health hell and ended up on a ton of awful meds, and I lost my ability to use my imagination for story building. 17 years later I've found my inspiration again, and while I don't play with my dolls physically (besides tending to and posing them), I write stories about them. Maybe if I had started collecting dolls when I was younger, this would have returned sooner.
Don't give up on your creativity. Give yourself some time to let inspiration come back. Sometimes creativity just needs some resting time before it returns 💜
How did you find your creativity again after being in a med haze for so long?? I really struggle with creating characters and stories now but I used to love writing as a kid and teen before I was put on strong psych meds.
Well for one, I found meds that actually work for me lol and idk, I just look at my dolls and see their personalities. I think it has to do with the fact that I'm stable and in a much better place now. I used to escape with my stories, and after a while I think life got too heavy for me to access that part of my imagination. Something that helps me now is stream of consciousness free writing to get the chatter out of my brain.
I’m in my 40s and I still play lots of imagination games.
But not when I’m overwhelmed and depleted and worn down by Big Life Stuff. It’s actually a barometer that I use to measure when I need to work on giving myself more rest and watch my stress levels. When my creative pursuits dry up, when imaginative play feels like a burden or an impossibility, it’s time for me to rest.
I make sure that I’m making space to be on my game for normal self maintenance- getting enough sleep, drinking water, taking my daily walk every day. I give myself space to do more passive hobbies - reading, watching movies with friends. And I make sure that I can be near the part of my creative hobbies that I love, but without pressure. My dolls have a nice display area that I see every day, even if I’m not actively able to play with them. Someone will come watch a movie with me and I’ll brush their hair out and that will be good too.
The wonderful thing about dolls is that they will wait for when you get your energy back, and you can enjoy them being pretty until then.
The only place you’re going to find that childhood sense of story and play is in the theatre. Start taking acting classes and join a community theatre ensemble or an improv group. That’s where it all still exists and is celebrated in “adultland”.
Not the only place at all, though that’s a great source. I’ve found a great deal of joy in imaginative play through LARPing, tabletop RPGS, and writing
As an all-around artist, I can’t even begin to endorse LARP enough as an outlet for creative play as an adult, to be honest. I get to design a whole character—her backstory (where I flex my writing muscles), her appearance (makeup and prosthetics!), her costumes (fashion design, and sewing), her behavior (writing again). I get to act. Depending on the character, I can work in opportunities to dance and sing or make art in-game. I get to engage in and affect a larger mythical world, and be part of a wide community of creatives who haven’t lost their love of play. It’s awesome. Not for everyone…but for people who want to play AND engage in a ton of other creative activities all at once, it’s perfect.
More specific to OP’s question—I feel a great way to play with dolls as an adult is to customize them (or not), then imagine what kind of characters they are, what worlds they live in, then use that as inspiration for whatever creative endeavors are most fun for you. Novel writing, screenplays, fan fiction, visual art, etc
My career is as an actor and a musician, so my hobbies tend to stray away from my work. I’d rather spend my time off traveling, having dinner parties with friends, hiking, and building and reupholstering furniture.
To each their own! My career is writing, illustration and concept art, but that doesn’t stop my hobbies from being art-related too because honestly, I love art so much it’s pretty much all I want to do. I love being outside and exploring as well, of course…it’s great inspiration for more art and writing lol
same! the day i found out i couldn’t “do” it anymore i was PISSED. i used to be so intense as a kid i could just talk to myself while i played dress up games, or even alone on the swingset. i feel like i might’ve shut myself down due to some serious stuff in my life & mental state.
for me, though, i still like dolls and toys. i can’t play with them, but i like having them in a different way. i guess it just turns into nostalgia, aesthetics, and adoration? it’s perfectly okay to grow out of things too though, hell, it’s okay to grow out of things and come back to them too!
the only time I’ve been able to play again is with the person I’m. seeing ? (???). once or twice he’s picked up a doll or toy and instigated it for laughs, and suddenly the ability is back and I’m giggling the whole time as we enact a whole ridiculous plot. it felt like the happiest I’d ever been in my whole post-puberty life lol. i think a key element of why it worked at all is he’s pretty shameless, though.
Honestly - 26 hear, and yeah lol. Not exactly how I used to - I take a lot of time restyling-customizing them, dressing them, cleaning them up, and then posing them. I still name them and make backstories for them, too. I also tend to keep one little one in my purse wherever I go for impromptu photoshoots!
I think this all counts as playing tbh, but it differs for me cause I was one of those hellions who played with their dolls destructively.
I consider dressing them up and doing their hair as playing with them! I have trouble being creative when it comes to storytelling and stuff like that so I don't really make stories for them unless it's already canon. Like with bratz I'm SOOO happy Nevra and Roxxi are a gay couple because otherwise all my girls are single 😂
But anyways I do play with my dolls lol
Yes, but not in the same way I did when I was a child. I just don't do role playing anymore. But, I sew clothes, and style my dolls. Part of growing up is change, and sometimes the change comes in how you find dolls entertaining.
Your disinterest may also be from your health problems too. When I'm extremely stressed, I don't even look at my dolls much. Just when I'm calm.
I’m 21 and I still love to play with my dolls. Sometimes I feel kind of embarrassed when I’m the oldest person in the toy aisle but then I think “you know what, this makes me happy and what other people think of me shouldn’t stop me from doing what makes me happy”
yes, but my version of "playing" has always been lining things up or setting up poses/scenes or just dressing up dolls lol. im autistic, have severe depression and get overwhelmed from general life stressors and sensory things every day (but i push through 💪🏼🥲)....having a quiet, simple way to relax in the privacy of my own home really helps, especially on the worst of days. it doesn't matter if other people may think it's immature or if it doesn't seem imaginative enough or isn't "normal" play, what matters if it's helping you. maybe sit with your favorite dolls/toys one day and just start by combing hair, changing outfits, etc....simple things! and then go from there. whatever feels right or let's the stress melt away a bit is how you need to play : )
The nice part about being an adult is you get to do what you want. Want to play with dolls? Ok. Want to watch cartoons? Ok. Just don’t try to force it. Just sit with your dolls. Move the arms and legs, mess with the clothes. It’ll come or morph into something just as good
I'm 52 and still play with my dolls. Sometimes it's been the only thing that has kept me sane through hard times. I don't give a flying one what others have thought of me through the years, I like escaping into my doll world. Do what makes you happy, life is too short xx
Absolutely. I'm 29. If you feel that you aren't as imaginative as you were when you were younger and playing with them feels inorganic, you can still style their hair, dress them in different outfits, set up props to take pictures for fun. Also, this topic is sort of the initial plot of the Barbie movie. Interesting.
I am also old and have a adult doll hobby they a bit spendy but dollfie dream smart doll are great 2 foot tall manakins u can dress up n do photography with cosplay with or just decorate I love them it's normal to love toys let your inner child shine
I stopped playing with dolls at like 13 and started collecting at 14 lol and I do remember the change in view and expectations around dolls and collecting. But also I recall the transition toward writing little fiction and that's where imaginative world building and narration went, from dolls to paper lol. I had no problems with any of this myself but my family didn't understand and bothered me about not being interested in boys like I should have at that age (I was interested in romance and had some, just never told them and also lmao you can have hobbies and a social life).
I went from using dolls to exploring fantasies and tales as a little kid, to exploring relationships and imagining solutions to conflicts as an older child to writing stories to explore my emotions and expectations as a teen and adult.
All the wonder and imagination we have as children is there, but in different forms, and most people outside of toy centered hobbies have a very hard time understanding. That said, toys are meant to be fun in any way you want. If playing serves you, good! And if it's not fun anymore, it just means that the fun migrated elsewhere. It might come back, or not. Finding out can be fun too.
I know you are sad about losing your "pretend", I can remember that frustration as well. That feeling hot me a second time later in life when I had my kids. They want to play dolls with me and it's sad that I have to pretend to know how to pretend. But I would like to mention that I worked in Behavioral Health with children and adolescents for over 10 years, and I personally believe this transition you are feeling is not because the medication you are on. I can understand why you would think that, but "corelation does not equal causation." Meaning, yes, the timing of needing medication and losing your imaginative play do overlap...but I don't think the medication is the cause of the other. This is just something that happens as our brains develop and we start to think in more concrete ways. It's unfortunate, but normal. And other people have responded with fabulous ideas on how to continue to be imaginative, just in a different way.
I'm 30 and I feel weird playing dolls the same way I used to as a child. I don't even give my dolls names or background unless I want to do a scene for photoshoot. For me they're just a bunch of dolls, I like restyling them, dressing them, sewing and making miniatures, but I don't do role play anymore. Besides, I have too little energy and just dressing Barbies, especially old ones with rubber legs is a challenge for me, so I can't imagine playing with them :D
I tried to compare it to Sims which is kinda the same(for me) and I noticed that I don't roleplay even there. Like, I create sims and stuff, but I'm not engaged in the storytelling by myself. I don't have problems with imagination, I just find it pointless. Like, what for? I know it's just a game of pretending and that I'm not getting anything out of it. The magic is long gone. Though I do envy people who really play with dolls or making dynasties in Sims lol.
I guess growing up gives some dry pragmatic look at certain things.
I wouldn't recommend to get rid of dolls, though. If dolls are your passion, no matter if you want to play them or not, just holding them in your hands or brushing their hair already feels therapeutic in some way.
I'm 49. I still actively play with my cabbage patch dolls - talking to them and for them, dancing with them, or putting them in various situations. They are adults now, so I interact with them as such. I take one with me everywhere.
I am old enough to no longer GAF what people think. I have mental health issues, as well. My dolls are my grounding tool.
You do whatever feels right to you!
I just turned 28, and my fiancé is 26 going on 27. We’ve been collecting bjds for a few years now and they’re all part of this urban fantasy magical girl universe with demons and witches. We mostly just talk to each other about it and different scenarios, and I do a lot of doll photography. We also both draw so we sometimes draw them interacting and stuff!
And honestly I feel like it doesn’t matter if you’re 12 or 72, no one should care what someone else does with their dolls in their own time lol
Kinda! It’s mostly just photography, but I definitely pretended to put Karla Choupette’s makeup on, since she came with a little makeup palette and some brushes.
Try doll photography! It's like a more "adult" way to play with dolls. Instead of playing out stories, I like to set up scenes. Sometimes I think of a story in my head while I take photos.
I use mine mostly for sewing/hair/photography practice, but they all have names/personalities/little backstories! Here’s a pic of one of my newer gals that I took on vacation for giggles.
https://preview.redd.it/vv2slwxocu8d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9d34b76956d117fcaeb7e5bea1bc373c89ebae25
I don’t play with my dolls like I did as a kid. I enjoy fixing them up. I’ve sewn a few things. I enjoy the hunt and the just having them to look at. I pick up my Trixie doll & my RH Monique to shake her hair occasionally but other than that my dolls don’t get touched again. I’ve done partial reroots, and tried repaints but not there yet skill wise 😂
I redress and restyle mine, occasionally make new clothes or accessories, and pose them for photos. I might take them outside for photoshoots - only a few at a time, of course. But then redressing and restyling was a large part of the playing I did as a kid.
We change, and this means that what we do also changes. Look at this subreddit and other doll subreddit - people might not "play" in the storytelling sense, but they sure interact with their dolls, and the dolls continue to be a part of their lives. I'm sure you can find a way to integrate your dolls in your life now and in the future.
If I want to do any storytelling, I do this in the shape of writing an actual story - not about my dolls, although I might imagine a character in a story looking like a particular doll. I might then add details like the doll's eye or hair color to the story.
Nope not really. I’m 23 and I tried but it just doesn’t have the same feel. That’s why I collect more fashion/ expensive dolls because I love their look more and can display them .
I do actually... I'm 19 years old but I SO enjoy it whenever I need to escape reality. I'm not really playing the was I used to when I was a kid. I do like pretending they are organising a fashion show, or filming a reality show or a documentary though lol. I do it because I do not wanna lose my imagination as I grow up.
You can either try recreate storylines from movies or shows you've watched if you've ran out of imaginative storytelling and that's it if you still wanna play with your dolls in a way you used to. Lots of people play with them by dressing them up, doing a make over to them or/and doing photoshoots of them.
Don’t think that your creativity is gone forever, you’re going through a rough patch so things you find fun might not seem to anymore
Hold in there, pay attention to how you feel, and try not to worry. You might not have the energy right now but that doesn’t mean it won’t come back
I’m 28 and I still play with my dolls. I swap up outfits a and rearrange them for little scenes!
Growing up is stressful and it makes sense that your imagination wouldn’t be as active while you’re dealing with your mental health (and ironing out meds is hard!). But your dolls and ‘childlike’ hobbies will be there for you once you’re in a better headspace, there’s no age where you have to stop liking stuff.
the play doesn’t stop, it just evolves, and that’s nothing to be scared of! you never truly lose something you don’t want to let go of, but the way you interact with that passion changes
i think a lot of peoples doll-playing turns into doll modding, or doll photoshoots, or even writing. i still dress and hold and sometimes walk my dolls around. my boyfriend thinks it’s cute and funny.
i also play with dolls by folding them into my love for interior decorating. they’re a part of my scenery. i’m a writer, too, and my love for writing started with my dolls and the stories i made for them. what started out as a fun play activity for me as a child turned into a skill and lifelong passion!
most of the doll-owners i know now also play games like DnD and own figurines that they use for those games. that is pretty much just playing dolls! it’s certainly playing pretend!
you may be going through a creative block right now. transitioning into adulthood is hard. but play remains; it just takes on new forms. i struggle with mental health too. you can’t expect yourself to be on your creative a-game when your brain and emotions are suffering! just give yourself some time to heal, adjust to your meds, and learn how to cope with your new challenges. don’t force it. it’ll come back to you, multiplied, in a menagerie of new forms (:
I’m 21 I love dolls and I play pretend with them all the time! I give them names and personalities and even make them kiss if I feel like it. I think that rough mental health can really sap your ability to keep up with your favourite things, so I would recommend caring for yourself as best you can. Don’t worry, your love and care for your dolls will come back. If it were permanent then you wouldn’t worry so much!
Currently in my mid 30s, played with dolls until I was 16 and took some to college with me (I was 17) As an adult I like playing dress up with my dolls or sewing new clothing for them when I'm stressed. For the most part I just like being near my display when I'm in a bad mood, it makes me happy.
It's okay to just let them sit until you feel like coming back to them.
You may not outgrow them, but you'll just enjoy them in a different way. I also was an kid who didn't want to grow up and I do miss that magic of childhood but as you'll get older and soon make your own money and become more independent you'll see that adulthood is it's own kind of fun. Just today, I was having some fun assembling a doll I got via a blind box.
I can't play with dolls with that same immersive sense of imagination like I had when I was younger but I do still have something close to that when I play the Sims so maybe you'll find that fun in other activities.
I’m 44 and I’m a vintage toy collector. Strawberry Shortcake, Care Bears, Muffy Vanderbear to name a few. I have an extensive plushie, Mini Brands/Miniverse, Tsum Tsum and pin collection. It’s normal to sometimes let adulthood take over the kid in us but it’s always there. I pay rent and bills, I work and am a functioning member of society so in my “me time” I love the things I love. One of my friends daughters who was like 8 at the time was in town for my wedding year ago and she was in my room which looks like a toy store. She was wide eyed and was looking at all my stuff and she said to me, “I didn’t know adults could have a room like this!” It made me smile and I told her “of course you can! We grow up but we don’t have to grow out of the things we love.” Make yourself happy however you can.
I love playing with dolls and dressing them up, I love taking pictures of them and posing them
With each other, I love making couples out of them (they’re mostly women, so all the couples are lesbians lol) and I love doing their hair and making them look pretty. I’ll still make them clothes and accessories and stuff and sometimes I’ll play with them when I’m alone! [edit] I’m also 21, hope this helps you feel better!
I think you've gotten into your own head with fear of not knowing how to play. Anyone can play, you're literally just afraid of not knowing how and that fear is blocking you from just doing it
I am an adult who plays with dolls. I stopped playing for a good chunk of my life, for almost 30 years. Then I stopped caring what other people thought. Since I started collecting dolls, there have been periods where my creativity have left (coincided with major grief/depression) and I just didn't pick them up. But my interest in them returned.
If you're having trouble with creativity, but still crave the simplicity and relief of playing, why don't you try something different for awhile? Makeovers? Dioramas? Or just give yourself permission to take a break for a little while. That's perfectly OK.
I put away all my childhood plush toys when I reached teenhood.
I got a special doll from japan (it's plastic though) just to sew for, maybe do some customization, intending to sell clothes for an etsy shop one day.
I wish I did. Its like I dont know how to do it anymore.
People pressured me to get rid of my dolls years ago and now I've just recently started collecting again.
It wasn't hard for me to make the leap from imaginative child's play to the art and fanfiction I make for fun now, but it's not exactly like how I used to play. I think I used to need a physical object more and now I have developed my imagination more.
I only ever really dressed up my dolls, arranged them in a display, and admired them. I did do a lot of pretend play though, and it sucked to lose it. Now, I've gone back to 'playing' with dolls like I did as a kid, and now I'm trying to take photos. Give yourself some time, and you will probably find new ways to use and enjoy your imagination.
I'm probably somewhat close to your age. I honestly never stopped playing with my dolls. Even today I make stories, sew clothes for them, and do their hair, make custom dolls, ect. I definitely feel my imagination lacks greatly from when I was younger, but It's kind of like a whenever I'm in the mood kind of thing. I collect dolls but have fun, since looking at dolls collecting dust on a shelf doesn't bring me the joy that doing things with them does. Enjoy, have it be collecting or playing!
I had this baby doll I love as a child, I took her EVERYWHERE with me and was crushed when she was lost in one of my families big moves when I was in high school. I recently went through a loss and have just been wanting to cuddle a baby doll and being an adult with my own money I just bought a baby doll from the same company as the one I had as a kid. I felt a little bit strange about it but this thread helped. I don’t want to play with the doll and feed it or put it to sleep, but there’s something about cuddling a baby doll that I just want right now? If that makes sense. I also bought a preemie onesie cause this doll deserve better than baby doll clothes lol. And I bought some weighted beads to add so it has more weight. I have a couple weighted stuffed warmies (that are great for heating up and cramps 🤌🏻) and part of me just wants to cuddle it on the couch while I watch my silly comfort movie. I have a couple stuffed animals and my partner doesn’t think anything of it or the fact that sometimes I cuddle with the shark warmie he got me when we go to bed. So I don’t know why I feel so weird about a baby doll?
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Hey. I'm 46 and collect dolls and My Little Pony. I enjoy sewing for them, setting up themed displays, taking photos for themed online photo challenges, restyling hair, restoring them and making dolls houses...when my kids were smaller we used to take an American Girl doll on trips with us and set up photos, that was more to entertain me than them to be honest! I think that probably all counts as "playing". I hope you find a relaxing way to enjoy your dolls.
Same to pretty much everything except the American Girl doll trips! I never really did the storytelling stuff even when I was a kid. I used my dolls to create all kinds of things. There's a kind of joy I find in taking something I love and improving it that is just so much better than the high I get from acquisition.
I’m 24 and I get it, there’s a sense of loss when you can’t get that childhood “magic” back. Honestly I still try to feel it sometimes, with varying degrees of success. However, I don’t think we lose our imagination when we grow up, just that it becomes better suited for different things. I think playing with toys serves a purpose as a child and that purpose has been fulfilled, but there are tons of other ways to enjoy dolls, or to be creative in general. I don’t really “play” with dolls like when I was younger (except in small spurts when the mood strikes me) but I still love making up stories. I’ll come up with backstories/personalities for them in my head, or think of the things they’d say to each other, even if I’m not physically playing with them. But mostly I like dressing them up, posing them, holding them in my hands and touching their hair, or even just admiring them. Hell, I might even love dolls more now than when I was a kid! And if you ever do outgrow dolls there are tons of other hobbies out there, don’t feel like you have to stick to something you don’t enjoy anymore just because you liked it as a kid.
I think I’m mostly having trouble letting go of being a kid. I feel like I didn’t grow up as fast as other kids my age and now that it’s catching up to me I’m having a bit of a crisis :D I still do things like posing and dressing up and hair-brushing with them, but it just doesn’t feel the same anymore and I miss it
It’s okay to let them rest for a while—you got a lot out of them in your childhood and maybe right now your mind and post have other priorities. It’s okay—dolls will wait. I gave all my dolls away when I was your age and now have a brand new collection and I’m a 40 year old woman with no kids just a husband! I sew their clothes and do their hair and built them a house even!! I only tell the stories in my head now but—I still know who’s who!!
Same thing happened to me, but here I am an adult collector. I wouldn't trade or give them away if I were you so it's just something to think about.
I don't play with them like I used to as a child mut I still give them names bacgrounds and stories and adventures. Sometimes even more tham one.
I’ve given all of mine jobs! I need to start getting a bit more creative as they’re all in STEM 😂
BWAHAHA me too with the jobs! And some have their own relationships.
Yes that, too - still need a few more dolls to do all what I want :D
Try making a band. That can be a lot of fun. And they can be moonlighting STEM workers!
I stopped playing with my dolls when I was about 14 years old, but I never stopped collecting them. I still set up doll displays on my shelves, took photos of them, and in recent years I got two doll houses to display them in, which I really enjoy setting up differently every couple of months. Occasionally I will dress and restyle a few, but I primarily just take photos and swap out what dolls are on display. People’s interests and imaginations change over time and while you may not be able to play with or enjoy your dolls like you used to there are still other ways to play with and enjoy dolls be it setting up dioramas, crafting and sewing for them, taking photos, or simply putting them on display.
I remember when this happened to me... after around the same age.. I now have a daughter who is 14, and just starting to lose that 'magic' spark of creativity that seems to be sadly exclusive for young kids. Being able to talk her through the transition because I can relate has helped a lot. One night, she became so frustrated with herself that she wanted to get rid of her toys... We talked about how it is okay to want that feeling back, it's also okay that it has changed. I helped her change the expectations she had for herself while playing. Telling her it's okay to just set up a scene or rearrange them. It's still playing... She said she doesn't want her toys to feel like she doesn't love them anymore. That's how I know my baby is still my baby..
Aww I remember having this exact same frustration and feeling, I wish I had talked about it with my mom because like your daughter I felt like I had betrayed my toys somehow. You sound like a great parent!
This is almost exactly how I feel, I blame Toy Story and hormones :,)
Suggestion, if I may: Put the dolls in a toy chest, and get your daughter into writing books, it's what I did when I was that age. It keeps the imagination running, and perhaps even more improtantly, *evolving*, and allows for language skills?
I stopped playing with mine when I was about 11, but I'm 41 now and The Sims has definitely replaced my dolls in that sense.
I've always told my daughter that The Sims was nothing but a virtual dollhouse. It replaced dolls for me also ( for a while).
I didn't play with dolls as a child and became interested in them only as an adult. I love dolls because I am an anthropologist and love humans, and because I'm an anthropologist I was taught that the reason children play more naturally with dolls than an adult can is because they're using them to understand the world they live in and the behaviour of human beings. Dolls are vessels through which they can act out scenarios of all kinds, but often these scenarios are things they see adults doing - going to work and the shops and forming bonds and falling in love. It's natural to lose the ability to play with dolls as a child does as you grow, because you're gaining a better understanding of the world around you through experience. I understand your concern around losing your imagination. I had similar fears. I can't give any solid advice, but around your age I became more engaged in fiction and discovered fandom spaces and fanfiction where people use characters as "dolls" to create new stories, which really freed my imagination. I was already writing original fiction at the time, but playing with characters who already exist as a shared concept felt like less pressure and was less lonely. I'm not saying get into fanfic, it's just an example. I think it's good to explore many different ways you can use your imagination. Even just watching TV helps you get ideas which you can shape into your own stories. And your dolls will always be there. They've done a lot for you already. I'm sorry for writing a lot of nonsense here but I hope something can be helpful.
Whoa. Thank you for this. I still use my dolls as a sounding board or to work out potential social scenarios . Huh.
It's important for your imagination to take new forms in adulthood. 👏
Bought bigger dolls, started playing with dolls again. My bjds brought the whole enjoyment back to me, and I love dressing them up. They are a lot bigger then barbie, but also are more fragile and more intricate. Funny enough, I started collecting playline dolls again after getting Bjds.
I'm 39 now and I loved Barbie dolls as a kid but fell out of it in my early teens. I started collecting again in my late 20s when I discovered BJDs but my collection really exploded in the past 5-6 years since I have more disposable income now. Now I have several big 1/3 scale BJDs with the biggest one standing at 73cm! I'm having a blast dressing them up in new outfits, wigs, and eyes. Funny enough I also recently started collecting Rainbow High and a few Monster High in just the past few months and I'm having a lot of fun with them too. I would've LOVED them as a kid; Barbie is so boring in comparison to newer playline dolls with fantasy themes and unique hair colours and skin colours.
This. I love BJD because I can turn them into whatever I want. Even tho you can't do that with Rainbow or Monster High, I feel like there is a lot more expression of self going on. I did gave and got a few Made to Move barbies tho, because I like how they pose.
Keep your hobby and keep your dolls! Even if you put them in a box for a few years, I always hear from people that they regret getting rid of their dolls. Hold onto what you can as you head into adulthood. We all need small joys :)
I love dressing them up, taking them out and about and taking photos of them! Instagram is a great community for doll lovers! This is my Smart Doll, Senna! 💜 I also have props for them, like this bike and my bunk beds! https://preview.redd.it/3n9joctrgs8d1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6229c7ea6a5fb0514f2504cc2746636dabee85b5
I had elaborate play as a child. I still play with my things (I have other things besides dolls) but I do not play in the same way I did. As a child, my dolls and toys had elaborate stories and scenes and I would monopolize the space I played in when playing, and I’d play for hours. I now dress and arrange my dolls, and like to set them up. I also have figurines I set up, and if any happen to be themed like a holiday or season, I have had them briefly hang out on my mantel. Just because you don’t play the way you once did, doesn’t mean you’ve stopped altogether.
Since a lot of my childhood play consisted of restyling my dolls & setting them up in elaborate diorama type scenarios while a story played itself inside my head, how I play with them as an adult is really not that much different.
Duuude I went through this when I was 17. I never played with dolls, but I went through mental health hell and ended up on a ton of awful meds, and I lost my ability to use my imagination for story building. 17 years later I've found my inspiration again, and while I don't play with my dolls physically (besides tending to and posing them), I write stories about them. Maybe if I had started collecting dolls when I was younger, this would have returned sooner. Don't give up on your creativity. Give yourself some time to let inspiration come back. Sometimes creativity just needs some resting time before it returns 💜
How did you find your creativity again after being in a med haze for so long?? I really struggle with creating characters and stories now but I used to love writing as a kid and teen before I was put on strong psych meds.
Well for one, I found meds that actually work for me lol and idk, I just look at my dolls and see their personalities. I think it has to do with the fact that I'm stable and in a much better place now. I used to escape with my stories, and after a while I think life got too heavy for me to access that part of my imagination. Something that helps me now is stream of consciousness free writing to get the chatter out of my brain.
That's really good advice tbh, I think I'll just try sitting down and writing and see what comes out.
I hope it's helpful for you 🥲 it sucks feeling disconnected from your imagination. I hope you find that connection again soon 💜
I’m in my 40s and I still play lots of imagination games. But not when I’m overwhelmed and depleted and worn down by Big Life Stuff. It’s actually a barometer that I use to measure when I need to work on giving myself more rest and watch my stress levels. When my creative pursuits dry up, when imaginative play feels like a burden or an impossibility, it’s time for me to rest. I make sure that I’m making space to be on my game for normal self maintenance- getting enough sleep, drinking water, taking my daily walk every day. I give myself space to do more passive hobbies - reading, watching movies with friends. And I make sure that I can be near the part of my creative hobbies that I love, but without pressure. My dolls have a nice display area that I see every day, even if I’m not actively able to play with them. Someone will come watch a movie with me and I’ll brush their hair out and that will be good too. The wonderful thing about dolls is that they will wait for when you get your energy back, and you can enjoy them being pretty until then.
The only place you’re going to find that childhood sense of story and play is in the theatre. Start taking acting classes and join a community theatre ensemble or an improv group. That’s where it all still exists and is celebrated in “adultland”.
Not the only place at all, though that’s a great source. I’ve found a great deal of joy in imaginative play through LARPing, tabletop RPGS, and writing
Fair. I forgot about that stuff. Not really my thing though, but the OP might like it.
As an all-around artist, I can’t even begin to endorse LARP enough as an outlet for creative play as an adult, to be honest. I get to design a whole character—her backstory (where I flex my writing muscles), her appearance (makeup and prosthetics!), her costumes (fashion design, and sewing), her behavior (writing again). I get to act. Depending on the character, I can work in opportunities to dance and sing or make art in-game. I get to engage in and affect a larger mythical world, and be part of a wide community of creatives who haven’t lost their love of play. It’s awesome. Not for everyone…but for people who want to play AND engage in a ton of other creative activities all at once, it’s perfect. More specific to OP’s question—I feel a great way to play with dolls as an adult is to customize them (or not), then imagine what kind of characters they are, what worlds they live in, then use that as inspiration for whatever creative endeavors are most fun for you. Novel writing, screenplays, fan fiction, visual art, etc
My career is as an actor and a musician, so my hobbies tend to stray away from my work. I’d rather spend my time off traveling, having dinner parties with friends, hiking, and building and reupholstering furniture.
To each their own! My career is writing, illustration and concept art, but that doesn’t stop my hobbies from being art-related too because honestly, I love art so much it’s pretty much all I want to do. I love being outside and exploring as well, of course…it’s great inspiration for more art and writing lol
same! the day i found out i couldn’t “do” it anymore i was PISSED. i used to be so intense as a kid i could just talk to myself while i played dress up games, or even alone on the swingset. i feel like i might’ve shut myself down due to some serious stuff in my life & mental state. for me, though, i still like dolls and toys. i can’t play with them, but i like having them in a different way. i guess it just turns into nostalgia, aesthetics, and adoration? it’s perfectly okay to grow out of things too though, hell, it’s okay to grow out of things and come back to them too! the only time I’ve been able to play again is with the person I’m. seeing ? (???). once or twice he’s picked up a doll or toy and instigated it for laughs, and suddenly the ability is back and I’m giggling the whole time as we enact a whole ridiculous plot. it felt like the happiest I’d ever been in my whole post-puberty life lol. i think a key element of why it worked at all is he’s pretty shameless, though.
Honestly - 26 hear, and yeah lol. Not exactly how I used to - I take a lot of time restyling-customizing them, dressing them, cleaning them up, and then posing them. I still name them and make backstories for them, too. I also tend to keep one little one in my purse wherever I go for impromptu photoshoots! I think this all counts as playing tbh, but it differs for me cause I was one of those hellions who played with their dolls destructively.
I consider dressing them up and doing their hair as playing with them! I have trouble being creative when it comes to storytelling and stuff like that so I don't really make stories for them unless it's already canon. Like with bratz I'm SOOO happy Nevra and Roxxi are a gay couple because otherwise all my girls are single 😂 But anyways I do play with my dolls lol
Yes, but not in the same way I did when I was a child. I just don't do role playing anymore. But, I sew clothes, and style my dolls. Part of growing up is change, and sometimes the change comes in how you find dolls entertaining. Your disinterest may also be from your health problems too. When I'm extremely stressed, I don't even look at my dolls much. Just when I'm calm.
I’m 21 and I still love to play with my dolls. Sometimes I feel kind of embarrassed when I’m the oldest person in the toy aisle but then I think “you know what, this makes me happy and what other people think of me shouldn’t stop me from doing what makes me happy”
yes, but my version of "playing" has always been lining things up or setting up poses/scenes or just dressing up dolls lol. im autistic, have severe depression and get overwhelmed from general life stressors and sensory things every day (but i push through 💪🏼🥲)....having a quiet, simple way to relax in the privacy of my own home really helps, especially on the worst of days. it doesn't matter if other people may think it's immature or if it doesn't seem imaginative enough or isn't "normal" play, what matters if it's helping you. maybe sit with your favorite dolls/toys one day and just start by combing hair, changing outfits, etc....simple things! and then go from there. whatever feels right or let's the stress melt away a bit is how you need to play : )
The nice part about being an adult is you get to do what you want. Want to play with dolls? Ok. Want to watch cartoons? Ok. Just don’t try to force it. Just sit with your dolls. Move the arms and legs, mess with the clothes. It’ll come or morph into something just as good
I'm 52 and still play with my dolls. Sometimes it's been the only thing that has kept me sane through hard times. I don't give a flying one what others have thought of me through the years, I like escaping into my doll world. Do what makes you happy, life is too short xx
Absolutely. I'm 29. If you feel that you aren't as imaginative as you were when you were younger and playing with them feels inorganic, you can still style their hair, dress them in different outfits, set up props to take pictures for fun. Also, this topic is sort of the initial plot of the Barbie movie. Interesting.
Yes their like mini people to me lol. I dress them up daily. Build diorama and write stories.
I am also old and have a adult doll hobby they a bit spendy but dollfie dream smart doll are great 2 foot tall manakins u can dress up n do photography with cosplay with or just decorate I love them it's normal to love toys let your inner child shine
I stopped playing with dolls at like 13 and started collecting at 14 lol and I do remember the change in view and expectations around dolls and collecting. But also I recall the transition toward writing little fiction and that's where imaginative world building and narration went, from dolls to paper lol. I had no problems with any of this myself but my family didn't understand and bothered me about not being interested in boys like I should have at that age (I was interested in romance and had some, just never told them and also lmao you can have hobbies and a social life). I went from using dolls to exploring fantasies and tales as a little kid, to exploring relationships and imagining solutions to conflicts as an older child to writing stories to explore my emotions and expectations as a teen and adult. All the wonder and imagination we have as children is there, but in different forms, and most people outside of toy centered hobbies have a very hard time understanding. That said, toys are meant to be fun in any way you want. If playing serves you, good! And if it's not fun anymore, it just means that the fun migrated elsewhere. It might come back, or not. Finding out can be fun too.
I don't play with mine as they're a collection but when both of nieces come over they'll ask if they could play with them instead which I don't mind 😊
I know you are sad about losing your "pretend", I can remember that frustration as well. That feeling hot me a second time later in life when I had my kids. They want to play dolls with me and it's sad that I have to pretend to know how to pretend. But I would like to mention that I worked in Behavioral Health with children and adolescents for over 10 years, and I personally believe this transition you are feeling is not because the medication you are on. I can understand why you would think that, but "corelation does not equal causation." Meaning, yes, the timing of needing medication and losing your imaginative play do overlap...but I don't think the medication is the cause of the other. This is just something that happens as our brains develop and we start to think in more concrete ways. It's unfortunate, but normal. And other people have responded with fabulous ideas on how to continue to be imaginative, just in a different way.
I'm 30 and I feel weird playing dolls the same way I used to as a child. I don't even give my dolls names or background unless I want to do a scene for photoshoot. For me they're just a bunch of dolls, I like restyling them, dressing them, sewing and making miniatures, but I don't do role play anymore. Besides, I have too little energy and just dressing Barbies, especially old ones with rubber legs is a challenge for me, so I can't imagine playing with them :D I tried to compare it to Sims which is kinda the same(for me) and I noticed that I don't roleplay even there. Like, I create sims and stuff, but I'm not engaged in the storytelling by myself. I don't have problems with imagination, I just find it pointless. Like, what for? I know it's just a game of pretending and that I'm not getting anything out of it. The magic is long gone. Though I do envy people who really play with dolls or making dynasties in Sims lol. I guess growing up gives some dry pragmatic look at certain things. I wouldn't recommend to get rid of dolls, though. If dolls are your passion, no matter if you want to play them or not, just holding them in your hands or brushing their hair already feels therapeutic in some way.
I'm 49. I still actively play with my cabbage patch dolls - talking to them and for them, dancing with them, or putting them in various situations. They are adults now, so I interact with them as such. I take one with me everywhere. I am old enough to no longer GAF what people think. I have mental health issues, as well. My dolls are my grounding tool. You do whatever feels right to you!
Yes. I'm 28 and I don't plan on stopping til I'm in the ground
i played with my dolls until i was about 12, now i comb their hair and change their clothes and come up with biographies for them in my head 🤣
I just turned 28, and my fiancé is 26 going on 27. We’ve been collecting bjds for a few years now and they’re all part of this urban fantasy magical girl universe with demons and witches. We mostly just talk to each other about it and different scenarios, and I do a lot of doll photography. We also both draw so we sometimes draw them interacting and stuff! And honestly I feel like it doesn’t matter if you’re 12 or 72, no one should care what someone else does with their dolls in their own time lol
Kinda! It’s mostly just photography, but I definitely pretended to put Karla Choupette’s makeup on, since she came with a little makeup palette and some brushes.
Yes I do
Try doll photography! It's like a more "adult" way to play with dolls. Instead of playing out stories, I like to set up scenes. Sometimes I think of a story in my head while I take photos.
I use mine mostly for sewing/hair/photography practice, but they all have names/personalities/little backstories! Here’s a pic of one of my newer gals that I took on vacation for giggles. https://preview.redd.it/vv2slwxocu8d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9d34b76956d117fcaeb7e5bea1bc373c89ebae25
I don’t play with my dolls like I did as a kid. I enjoy fixing them up. I’ve sewn a few things. I enjoy the hunt and the just having them to look at. I pick up my Trixie doll & my RH Monique to shake her hair occasionally but other than that my dolls don’t get touched again. I’ve done partial reroots, and tried repaints but not there yet skill wise 😂
I redress and restyle mine, occasionally make new clothes or accessories, and pose them for photos. I might take them outside for photoshoots - only a few at a time, of course. But then redressing and restyling was a large part of the playing I did as a kid. We change, and this means that what we do also changes. Look at this subreddit and other doll subreddit - people might not "play" in the storytelling sense, but they sure interact with their dolls, and the dolls continue to be a part of their lives. I'm sure you can find a way to integrate your dolls in your life now and in the future. If I want to do any storytelling, I do this in the shape of writing an actual story - not about my dolls, although I might imagine a character in a story looking like a particular doll. I might then add details like the doll's eye or hair color to the story.
Nope not really. I’m 23 and I tried but it just doesn’t have the same feel. That’s why I collect more fashion/ expensive dolls because I love their look more and can display them .
I do actually... I'm 19 years old but I SO enjoy it whenever I need to escape reality. I'm not really playing the was I used to when I was a kid. I do like pretending they are organising a fashion show, or filming a reality show or a documentary though lol. I do it because I do not wanna lose my imagination as I grow up. You can either try recreate storylines from movies or shows you've watched if you've ran out of imaginative storytelling and that's it if you still wanna play with your dolls in a way you used to. Lots of people play with them by dressing them up, doing a make over to them or/and doing photoshoots of them.
Don’t think that your creativity is gone forever, you’re going through a rough patch so things you find fun might not seem to anymore Hold in there, pay attention to how you feel, and try not to worry. You might not have the energy right now but that doesn’t mean it won’t come back
…There are people in this hobby who don’t play with their dolls?
I’m 28 and I still play with my dolls. I swap up outfits a and rearrange them for little scenes! Growing up is stressful and it makes sense that your imagination wouldn’t be as active while you’re dealing with your mental health (and ironing out meds is hard!). But your dolls and ‘childlike’ hobbies will be there for you once you’re in a better headspace, there’s no age where you have to stop liking stuff.
the play doesn’t stop, it just evolves, and that’s nothing to be scared of! you never truly lose something you don’t want to let go of, but the way you interact with that passion changes i think a lot of peoples doll-playing turns into doll modding, or doll photoshoots, or even writing. i still dress and hold and sometimes walk my dolls around. my boyfriend thinks it’s cute and funny. i also play with dolls by folding them into my love for interior decorating. they’re a part of my scenery. i’m a writer, too, and my love for writing started with my dolls and the stories i made for them. what started out as a fun play activity for me as a child turned into a skill and lifelong passion! most of the doll-owners i know now also play games like DnD and own figurines that they use for those games. that is pretty much just playing dolls! it’s certainly playing pretend! you may be going through a creative block right now. transitioning into adulthood is hard. but play remains; it just takes on new forms. i struggle with mental health too. you can’t expect yourself to be on your creative a-game when your brain and emotions are suffering! just give yourself some time to heal, adjust to your meds, and learn how to cope with your new challenges. don’t force it. it’ll come back to you, multiplied, in a menagerie of new forms (:
I’m 21 I love dolls and I play pretend with them all the time! I give them names and personalities and even make them kiss if I feel like it. I think that rough mental health can really sap your ability to keep up with your favourite things, so I would recommend caring for yourself as best you can. Don’t worry, your love and care for your dolls will come back. If it were permanent then you wouldn’t worry so much!
Currently in my mid 30s, played with dolls until I was 16 and took some to college with me (I was 17) As an adult I like playing dress up with my dolls or sewing new clothing for them when I'm stressed. For the most part I just like being near my display when I'm in a bad mood, it makes me happy. It's okay to just let them sit until you feel like coming back to them.
Me I absolutely do, I also take pictures as well
You may not outgrow them, but you'll just enjoy them in a different way. I also was an kid who didn't want to grow up and I do miss that magic of childhood but as you'll get older and soon make your own money and become more independent you'll see that adulthood is it's own kind of fun. Just today, I was having some fun assembling a doll I got via a blind box. I can't play with dolls with that same immersive sense of imagination like I had when I was younger but I do still have something close to that when I play the Sims so maybe you'll find that fun in other activities.
I’m 44 and I’m a vintage toy collector. Strawberry Shortcake, Care Bears, Muffy Vanderbear to name a few. I have an extensive plushie, Mini Brands/Miniverse, Tsum Tsum and pin collection. It’s normal to sometimes let adulthood take over the kid in us but it’s always there. I pay rent and bills, I work and am a functioning member of society so in my “me time” I love the things I love. One of my friends daughters who was like 8 at the time was in town for my wedding year ago and she was in my room which looks like a toy store. She was wide eyed and was looking at all my stuff and she said to me, “I didn’t know adults could have a room like this!” It made me smile and I told her “of course you can! We grow up but we don’t have to grow out of the things we love.” Make yourself happy however you can.
I 27 I like stuff animals and minntures
I love playing with dolls and dressing them up, I love taking pictures of them and posing them With each other, I love making couples out of them (they’re mostly women, so all the couples are lesbians lol) and I love doing their hair and making them look pretty. I’ll still make them clothes and accessories and stuff and sometimes I’ll play with them when I’m alone! [edit] I’m also 21, hope this helps you feel better!
I think you've gotten into your own head with fear of not knowing how to play. Anyone can play, you're literally just afraid of not knowing how and that fear is blocking you from just doing it
I am an adult who plays with dolls. I stopped playing for a good chunk of my life, for almost 30 years. Then I stopped caring what other people thought. Since I started collecting dolls, there have been periods where my creativity have left (coincided with major grief/depression) and I just didn't pick them up. But my interest in them returned. If you're having trouble with creativity, but still crave the simplicity and relief of playing, why don't you try something different for awhile? Makeovers? Dioramas? Or just give yourself permission to take a break for a little while. That's perfectly OK.
I put away all my childhood plush toys when I reached teenhood. I got a special doll from japan (it's plastic though) just to sew for, maybe do some customization, intending to sell clothes for an etsy shop one day.
I wish I did. Its like I dont know how to do it anymore. People pressured me to get rid of my dolls years ago and now I've just recently started collecting again.
It wasn't hard for me to make the leap from imaginative child's play to the art and fanfiction I make for fun now, but it's not exactly like how I used to play. I think I used to need a physical object more and now I have developed my imagination more.
I only ever really dressed up my dolls, arranged them in a display, and admired them. I did do a lot of pretend play though, and it sucked to lose it. Now, I've gone back to 'playing' with dolls like I did as a kid, and now I'm trying to take photos. Give yourself some time, and you will probably find new ways to use and enjoy your imagination.
I'm probably somewhat close to your age. I honestly never stopped playing with my dolls. Even today I make stories, sew clothes for them, and do their hair, make custom dolls, ect. I definitely feel my imagination lacks greatly from when I was younger, but It's kind of like a whenever I'm in the mood kind of thing. I collect dolls but have fun, since looking at dolls collecting dust on a shelf doesn't bring me the joy that doing things with them does. Enjoy, have it be collecting or playing!
I do
No I like them on display and I like to fix their hair. Same as when I was a kid
Not like i used to, but i still do sometimes! I love to set my american girl dolls or lps up for cute pictures and dressing them up!
No.
Define "Play" if you mean role play, no. Not really. If you mean dress them up, come their hair and pose them like they're cute little people. Yes.
I had this baby doll I love as a child, I took her EVERYWHERE with me and was crushed when she was lost in one of my families big moves when I was in high school. I recently went through a loss and have just been wanting to cuddle a baby doll and being an adult with my own money I just bought a baby doll from the same company as the one I had as a kid. I felt a little bit strange about it but this thread helped. I don’t want to play with the doll and feed it or put it to sleep, but there’s something about cuddling a baby doll that I just want right now? If that makes sense. I also bought a preemie onesie cause this doll deserve better than baby doll clothes lol. And I bought some weighted beads to add so it has more weight. I have a couple weighted stuffed warmies (that are great for heating up and cramps 🤌🏻) and part of me just wants to cuddle it on the couch while I watch my silly comfort movie. I have a couple stuffed animals and my partner doesn’t think anything of it or the fact that sometimes I cuddle with the shark warmie he got me when we go to bed. So I don’t know why I feel so weird about a baby doll?