Valencian Dolls in The Guardian
It’s not often that the Valencian town of Onil in the province of Alicante appears in the international media, but in February 2021 the town’s toy industry was featured in the Guardian newspaper, which even spelt the town’s name correctly!
The reason for this international recognition was a doll; a doll that won the Spanish Best Toy Award in 2020.
The company Miniland aims through its doll collection, to help little ones understand the values of inclusivity and coexistence through play, by promoting empathy and accepting people of any race, gender or condition.
Their anatomically correct dolls are designed to learn SEL (Social Emotional Learning), to enhance social abilities and creativity by free playing in the classroom or even at home.
Every single one of their dolls is handmade in Europe. They are made of soft vinyl and they meet all the European an American safety standards and regulations.
The incongruity of black children playing with white dolls many years ago forced the toy industry to think again, and a castrated Ken, Barbie’s boyfriend was also a painful experience for many parents (especially fathers); and so Miniland dolls confront reality as they find it, hoping to make it better. Or, as they say, ‘growing up together enjoying life so that each child can grow up in his or her own light’.
The doll which won the award portrayed a child with Down’s Syndrome.
Recent Comments