Becoming a parent comes with its own set of challenges. Parents of kids of color can struggle to find toys that accurately represent them and Caucasian parents can find it hard to find diverse toys to widen their kid’s horizons. In comes Dr. Lisa Williams, a mom, former professor, and founder of World of EPI, the company behind the multicultural doll line The Fresh Dolls.
The Rock The Bells doll line is the newest collection for The Fresh Dolls. Williams created the series with the intention of sharing the wealth of Black culture and diverse play with all kids in collaboration with LL Cool J. The Rock The Bells collection celebrates the hip-hop culture platform of the same name founded by the musical legend. The birth of hip-hop has greatly influenced music today, and fans are gearing up to celebrate its 50th anniversary next year. The dolls themselves, ideal for kids ages 3 and up, are created with custom-blended skin tones and feature a variety of hairstyles and textures representing diversity found in real life.
Each doll includes a hip outfit adorned with graffiti fonts and hip-hop graphics reminiscent of the ‘90s rap scene. The dolls are sold separately and include an outfit and a pair of shoes. There are two characters kids can choose from: Anthony, a boy doll with stylish clothes, a five o’clock shadow, and a bald head; or Ebony, a girl doll with curly space buns, silver stud earrings, and a fabulous outfit. The packaging is full of street-art-inspired graphics with a yellow brick backsplash and phrases like “icons of hip-hop” and “I love classic hip-hop” sprawled in bold colors.
The Rock the Bells dolls have realistic bodies with movable joints, making it easy to include these dolls in any imaginative or role-playing fun. The Fresh Dolls collection at large is packed with diverse characters, trendy styles, and inclusive hair textures — a great addition to any dollhouse or playset. Studies have also shown that the inclusion of diverse dolls and toys can lead to an increase in empathy among kids and provides a healthy and realistic idea of what the world looks like.
Dr. Lisa Williams is not the only toymaker aware of the need for diversity in the toy box. Other toymakers and parents have grown to understand the demand for cultural representation in toys. Research has shown that kids become aware of racial differences as early as 3 years old and often mirror their home and classroom dynamics with their toys. Encouraging diversity through play can help kids honor their differences and ultimately embrace their similarities.
Parents and caregivers seeking to add more diversity to their toy box should look no further than the Black-owned doll manufacturer World of EPI. Not only are their dolls packed with realistic features, but collections like Rock The Bells can also expand kids’ knowledge of cultural movements like street art and the birth of hip-hop. So yes, this is how we do it.
