Shopping for memorable Easter gifts? This year, toy company Aurora celebrates the 100th anniversary of the Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls. Both dolls were gifts for my daughter’s fifth birthday. I have such vivid memories of always wanting to play with my older sister’s dolls when I was a child. To my husband, the dolls have a different meaning, while they also remind him of his childhood. Because these dolls have been passed down in families for generations, they evoke great memories for so many people.

Raggedy Ann and Andy Review

One of the awesome things  about the dolls was that they were made with special features for the anniversary. On Raggedy Ann, the doll has 100th anniversary Raggedy Ann 1915 – 2015 stitched on its apron. Raggedy Andy has 100th anniversary Raggedy Andy stitched on his hat. Because of the special stitching, my daughter will always know how special her dolls are. The stitching impressed me a lot as it showed how meaningful the gift was.

100th Anniversary Raggedy Ann and Andy Toys

While holding the dolls, I found that they had great quality. The fabric felt strong and durable. Both dolls were soft enough for cuddling. Samantha slept with the dolls several nights. I noticed that the stitching held tight as my daughter played, even when her younger sister joined in and held the dolls.

Since the dolls have such a rich history, I used the opportunity to teach my daughter about time. We talked about what was happening 100 years ago. Recently, my daughter asked whether her father lived with candlelight and black and white television. Now, using the dolls, I explained events happening in the early 1900s. We made a connection to the characters she had read about in books who lived in the early 1900s, driving different types of automobiles, and fighting against child labor in factories. We talked about the amount of years later that her parents were born to help her understand how much time actually passed in almost 100 years. The special 100 year anniversary dolls had great educational value.

Most people have some connection to the dolls. My memories were what made the dolls so special to me. I’m sure for my daughter, her memory of playing with the dolls was have some impact on her too when she’s older. If you ever would plan on having an heirloom Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy set, now is an awesome time to get a really special pair to keep for future generations. Visit Aurora Toys to learn more.

Disclosure

I received a free item to help inform my writing.