Hobart’s Sonia Singh recycles, repairs and then upcycles dolls that are no longer played with.

Tree Change Dolls after their makeunder. PIC: treechangedolls.com.au

But instead of brushing their hair and fixing the doll’s existing wardrobe, Sonia removes the glittery make-up and spindly heels and dresses them in miniature handmade clothing and sandals or gumboots for a more natural style.

The results are amazing.

I would buy one of these for Millie in a heartbeat.

After a makeunder they transform into what I’d consider to be the perfect doll. Sonia sells some of her Tree Change Dolls on Etsy.

Before and after. PIC: treechangedolls.com.au

Millie is right into the imaginative play phase and while I’m not anti the Bratz-style dolls completely, I’d much prefer her to play with a doll that’s more realistic – just like her pretend wooden fruit or animal figurines, these recycled toys are recreations of what she sees every day.

Happy feet. PIC: treechangedolls.com.au

Growing up I had Barbie dolls. Lots of Barbie dolls. They lived with the one Ken (lucky guy!) in a double storey house with a fancy kitchen, fluffy dog called Prince and drove around our living room in a pink Corvette.

Each doll wore high heels, had impeccable hair and make-up and a mostly pink wardrobe of dresses and blouses and skirts. I won’t mention Barbie’s perky boobies, tiny waist or thigh gap but her body shape and size went unnoticed by me.

Barbie’s clothing, figure and ‘lifestyle’ makes some women cringe and some refuse to let their daughters play with them for fear of creating unrealistic pressure on their girls to grow up to be just like her.

But I don’t look like Barbie and yet I’m perfectly content with the way I look and can honestly say I didn’t grow up wishing to be just like my tippy-toed plastic friend. Playing with Barbie was pretend.

My Barbies ‘drove to work’, could wear a shiny ballgown for a special occasion and change into a respectable skirt suit with a hat and some gloves. Barbie was not the horrid role model she is sometimes made out to be.

I rarely wear heels, live in jeans, have never starved myself for the perfect figure and my daily make-up routine consists of a swipe of tinted moisturiser and some mascara. I have a career and studied hard to get there.

What I’m trying to say is Barbie didn’t negatively influence my childhood or give me expectation about how a woman should look, dress, live or behave.

But the more realistic the better.

The Bratz dolls are another degree of fake. Their skanky outfits, pumped-up lips and tawdry make-up quite possibly lead young and influential girls down a path their parents would be horrified to see them go down.

I can’t be sure, but I don’t think I would have chosen a Bratz doll over a Tree Change Doll if they were side-by-side on a shelf in a toy shop.

I hope Millie would make the same selection. I’d prefer if she played with dolls that looked and dressed not unlike her and her friends, dolls that gave the impression that their day would be similar to Millie’s. Normal and happy.

On the farm. PIC: treechangedolls.com.au

Sonia – who has a young daughter – said if Tree Change Dolls influences the big toy companies to rethink some of the dolls they are putting on the market it wouldn’t “be a bad thing at all”.

Makeunders in progress. PIC: treechangedolls.com.au

But I’m also loving the idea of giving old dolls a new lease on life. We flippantly buy our children toys for five minutes of entertainment which is little more than a waste of money and the earth’s resources. Why buy new when you could purchase one of these recycled beauties or try to create your own?

The benefits of Tree Change Dolls is twofold.

Tree Change Dolls is also on Facebook and Instagram

I’d love to know your thoughts. Leave me a comment below

The post Tree Change Dolls A Happy Toy Story appeared first on My Blog.

Barbie has 180 career options in the huge range of ever-popular dolls, inspiring little girls and boys that they too can be a vet, athlete, police officer, movie star or astronaut.

Millie the train driver

Millie, not at all influenced by gender stereotypes, pops on a pink tutu and often tells us she wants to be a train driver. Some days it’s a ballerina, others it’s a teacher, sometimes a “supermarket lady”. But we always end up coming back to train driver and I’m quietly chuffed. Surely her career choices will change over the years but I’ll encourage her and remind her that she can be whatever it is she wants to be.

Millie the librarian

Encouraging children to dream big, the new Barbie – You Can Be Anything campaign is giving one lucky child the chance to win a personalised $10,000 experience to help them achieve their dream.

Millie the swimming champion

The ‘you can be anything’ philosophy is demonstrated by three Aussie kids who challenge stereotypes and push the boundaries despite their youth.

There’s Quincy, ‘The Flying Squirrel’, an 8-year-old fearless surfing champion who rides waves twice her size; Cael, a schoolboy humanitarian who has raised $10,000 for charity and YouTube star Grace, who has 54 million views on her video series with Barbie.

Millie the barista

If your child has a dream, enter the comp for the chance to win $10,000 to make it happen. I’m wondering if there’s a train driving school for three-year-olds?

The Barbie – You Can Be Anything competition is open until 23:59 hours AEST on Saturday, October 22, 2016.

Keep following MillieMummyMelbourne on Instagram for the chance to win a Barbie – You Can Be Anything doll pack worth $200.

The post Reach For The Stars With Barbie’S Career Advice appeared first on My Blog.

You see, the kids have been busy playing with their LEGO Duplo every chance they get for some weeks now. Not unusual because they often play with their Duplo, except now there’s an exciting new element that’s added another dimension to their play time and they are crazy about it! I’m not really sure what the jolly man in red is going to deliver on December 25 that would top this?

LEGO has teamed up with Amazon’s Alexa to release LEGO Duplo Stories, a new way to elevate creative play with Duplo.

LEGO Duplo Stories helps preschool kids to develop constructive, exploratory and role-play skills using just their voice and an Alexa-enabled device.

Millie, 5, and Finn, 2, are within the age bracket that the game is best suited to and they both love it equally. And they play together! Can I get a hallelujah?

LEGO Duplo Stories covers 10 themes based on new and existing Duplo sets.

The kids have two decent sized boxes of Duplo and have been able to play along with all the stories using their collection.

Together with my help, they decide the way the story goes while guided by Alexa. It’s a digital ‘choose your own adventure’ and is heaps of fun.

The different stories, told through any Alexa-enabled device, help advance constructive, exploratory and role-play skills with tasks ranging from numeric exercises to colour recognition and creative building challenges.

We have the Echo Spot (rrp $200), a compact device that sits neatly out of sight when not being used, but flashes into action when the kids call out that they are ready to play “LEGO Duplo Stories”.

There are stories that every preschooler will love, helping them to play along with a simple tale and use Duplo to recreate the story they hear.

There’s truck, plane, car, boat and plane stories and a range of stories for the animal lovers too (rabbit, cow, cat, bird and dog).

Millie had no trouble answering the voice and Alexa had no trouble understanding her instructions. It was a bit trickier for Finn to know when to answer Alexa and verbalise what way he wanted the story to go, but at two years old he did well (and it will only get easier as he grows). I only had to prompt him every time he needed to speak to keep the story flowing.

Finn did love digging through his Duplo to find the associated pieces for the story and his little face lit up when the story corresponded to the piece he was holding. I think he thought it was magic.

As a mother, I love that their playtime is the perfect mix of digital technology and physical play and not once have they had to look at a screen.

*MillieMummyMelbourne was gifted an Amazon Eco Spot and the LEGO Duplo Town Steam Train set for the purposes of a review.

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We’re excited about the launch of two new Springfree trampolines and are giving you the chance to win a Springfree Compact Oval Trampoline and Australia-wide delivery valued up to $1584.

The new models are built for beginner bouncers and are perfect for urban backyards – plus they come with a 10 year warranty on the entire trampoline.

Win a Springfree trampoline and jump for joy!

Want to envisage how a fantastic new trampoline will fit into your yard? Check out the trampoline you could win by clicking here

Win a new model Springfree Compact Oval Trampoline just like this one, including delivery.

No springs, no hard edges, a hidden frame and a flexible enclosure – hands up who wants to give Santa the best head-start on Christmas shopping this year?

Enter now via my Instagram page PLUS for additional bonus entries you can do one or more of the following:

This giveaway is open Australia-wide and closes in 10 days at 9pm, Thursday, November 14, 2019.

Good luck! x

Springfree giveaway terms & conditions:

1. By participating in this competition, entrants agree to be bound by these terms and conditions.

2. All entrants via the blog or Facebook must ensure they have entered on Instagram first for their bonus entries to be valid.

3. The prize is one (1) Springfree Compact Oval Trampoline including Australia-wide delivery. The total prize value is up to $1,584 including delivery.

4. Prize does not include upgrades, accessories or additional services, but these can be purchased separately directly through Springfree Trampoline.

5. Entrants must be over the age of 18 years of age and provide all information to be considered eligible for entry.

6. The prize will only be delivered within Australia and the prize will be delivered during the month of November 2019.

7. Prize is neither redeemable nor transferable for cash.

8. Springfree Trampoline does not accept responsibility for any unclaimed prize.

9. Springfree Trampoline and associated agencies accept no responsibility for any loss, damage, accident, death or injury resulting from the promotion.

10. Springfree Trampoline’s limitation of liability: Springfree Trampoline is not responsible for the loss of prize due to incorrect or imprecise delivery details provided by a winner. Springfree Trampoline also take no responsibility for prizes lost or stolen after they have been released for delivery via postage or courier. To the extent permitted by law, Springfree Trampoline is not liable for any loss suffered or sustained to personal property and including, but not limited to consequential (including economic) loss by reason of any act or omission, deliberate or negligent, by Springfree Trampoline, or their servants or agents, in connection with the arrangement for supply, or the supply, of any goods or services by any person to the prize winner and, where applicable, to any persons accompanying the winner.

11. Tablets are not included with any Smart Trampoline purchase or prize.

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