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The nice thing is that they are appropriately shaped and lend themselves to imaginative play. There are some clothing choices that parents may object to, but most of the clothes are what a girl this age would adorn. My girls own 4 of these dolls and I love how easy the outfits can be interchanged. The Velcro makes it easy for even little sisters to engage in the fashion show!

3. American Girls. These dolls are probably the hallmark of tween fashion dolls. They are also realistic in their body image, have a full range of clothes, and have hair the girls can comb. These dolls are at the higher price range beginning at $85 so would definitely be a gift for a responsible tween girl.

The dolls can only be purchased at the American Girl Store in Chicago, through catalog, or online at http://www.americangirl.com. Like the Only Hearts Club dolls, these dolls represent the full array of American ethnicities. There are the historical dolls that include a period-specific book, clothes, and accessories. The girls can also make a doll "just like them" by choosing skin tone, hair texture, and eye color. The choices for ethnic dolls, however, are somewhat limited.

Another selection in the American Girl collection is the Bitty Baby, but I've found the tween girls outgrow this doll by age 7.

I've introduced you to some of my favorite tween dolls. The ones I've mentioned are also appropriate for their aspirational little sisters. I've purchased all of these dolls for my girls, ages 6 and almost 4. They love the dress up and the play time. I also teach them to be little girls and to seek dolls that look like them. The dolls I've listed are all age appropriate and showcase positive body image as they look like girls ages 8-10.

Girls this age still crave time with their parents and are dependent on their parents purse strings. They don't have to be exposed to the sexually charged media and images that they don't understand. They are too young to process sexual content and this is one reason I do not purchase Bratz and have packed away the Barbies.

The holiday season is upon us and retailers will bombard us with more toys that our daughters can play with. This year, take a moment to step back, let your little girls be little girls, and perhaps introduce them to a new friend who is just like them!

Learn more about this author, Taye Foster Bradshaw.
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