Dolly Dingle teaches kids Cultural Awareness

So I had this amazing infatuation with paper dolls when I was little.  My grandmother gave me my first set (originals from the 1930s that I tragically cut up and played with until they fell apart.)  I collected them like they were going out of style.  I think this eventually fed into (or created?) my obsession with historical costuming.  In my college years, I was still collecting them - but not cutting them up.  A few years ago I found a few of my Dolly Dingle books and Renton and Emily both asked if they could have a book each.  I was happy to pass them on and didn't mind if they cut them up to play with them (they were NOT originals). 

Renton, of course, was instantly sorting and resorting them (see my pediatric OCD post) and Emily played with them just to "be like her older brother."  But it never fails to amaze me the kinds of things Renton learns just from playing with these dolls.  Each time he pulls them all out to go through and sort them he makes some fairly amazing fashion revelation.  Pointing out the long, lean styles of the adult dolls from the 20s.  The fact that the little boys look almost exactly like the little girls except for hair parts (yep, he figured this out himself!) 

Last night, Renton was sorting his Dolly Dingle Travels dolls again (which happens to be very historically/culturally accurate), and all their costumes and when I came in to tell him good night, he leaned over the top rail of his bunk and announced, "Mommy, I know the difference between Japanese and Chinese clothing!"

"Really?" I said, intrigued.

"Yep.  Chinese clothing uses a lot of darker, solid colors, especially dark red.  Japanese clothing uses more light colors, like pink, and more florals."  Then proudly help up his Dolly Dingle Dolls fully outfitted in their Japanese and Chinese costumes.