Online Dress Up Dolls for Kids

Types of Online Dress Up Dolls for Kids

Standard dress up dolls have a body that kids can exchange outfits for, add accessories to, and even alter hair, eye, or skin color. But the virtually limitless resources of the Internet give kids many more online dress up doll variations, including:

• Real Celebrities: Music, television, and movie stars to dress in trendy outfits.
• Cartoon Characters: Kids’ favorite cartoons can be dressed up in wacky clothes.
• Holiday Themes: Elves, reindeer, bunnies, and other holiday figures can be manipulated online.
• Fantasy Characters: Fairies, dragons, aliens, mermaids, robots, and monsters can be dressed up.
• Historical Figures: Knights, southern belles, and Roman gladiators can be dressed in period or modern attire.
• Animals: Different accessories can be given to dogs, cats, ponies, and other popular animals.
• Book Characters: Designing a Hogwarts’ student and accessorizing Nancy Drew are just two examples of book characters kids can interact with.
• Formal Attire: Designing a wedding dress and picking prom clothing and accessories are fantasies for young girls who dream about special events.

What Online Dress Up Dolls can Teach

While online dress up dolls for kids may seem like simple games, they can actually teach valuable hand-eye coordination skills as well as computer skills that are becoming increasingly important in today’s technological society. Depending on the specific game, kids can also learn about color coordination and appropriate clothing. Sophisticated dress up programs even have different skill levels requiring players to imitate certain outfits, which helps teach recognition, matching, and problem-solving skills, particularly with timed games or other competitive arrangements.

Parental Warnings for Online Dress Up Dolls

Parents should always monitor their child's online activities.

Before permitting kids to play with online dress up dolls, parents should preview the program and games to be sure they are appropriate. Some dress up figures may be able to be completely disrobed, or their clothing may be what parents would consider inappropriate, particularly for young children. Furthermore, some programs may offer defacing opportunities (scribbling on celebrities’ faces, for example) that are poor role models for children. Parents should also investigate advertising on game sites, off-site links, and other internet safety issues including privacy policies, chat rooms, and instant messages to be sure they are safe for children.

Dress Up Variations

Online dress up dolls for kids are not limited to clothes and figures. Many variations on dress up themes are available, such as:

• Carving Halloween jack-o-lanterns by choosing different facial features and pumpkin shapes.
• Decorating holiday gingerbread cookies or other treats.
• Arranging room scenes for different scenarios.
• Designing holiday scenes for Christmas, Halloween, or other events.
• Building characters from scratch, including body parts, skin color, and facial expression.
• Creating virtual pets that can then be played with and cared for.

As with dress up doll sites, parents should carefully preview any variation to be sure the site and content is appropriate for their children.

Finding Online Dress Up Dolls for Kids

Finding online dress up dolls is easy, but finding quality programs that offer a range of different fun activities can be a challenge. LoveToKnow Kids recommends the following resources:

• Paper Doll Heaven: An extensive site with both free and paid memberships to dress celebrity dolls or create unique virtual dolls.
• Stitch in Master of Disguise: This loveable Disney character imitates other characters’ clothes to elude capture in various levels with different difficulty levels.
• A Kid’s Heart: This site offers an assortment of different dress up dolls, including a wide array of holiday options for Christmas, Easter, July 4th, and birthdays.
• Dress Up Games: This site features an extensive list of online dress up dolls conveniently categorized into more than two dozen varieties. Parents should note that the list leads to different sites and each one should be previewed, but it gives parents a great resource to find unusual selections.

Before using different online dress up programs, be sure to check the technical requirements of each site. Some use simple java applets while others use more demanding computer coding and may not run well on different browsers or slower modems.

Online dress up dolls for kids are more than simple computer games; they can teach valuable skills both on and off the computers. Parents should carefully consider which games to let their children play, however, but with such a tremendous range available, there is sure to be an online dress up doll suitable for every child.

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