With Father’s Day just a few weeks out, what better topic than dolls. Wait, dads and dolls? Absolutely. Any man who’s got a daughter—and wants to connect with her—really needs to know his way around the world of dolls, since that’s where girls spend a lot of their time. It’s an amazing way to say, “I love you.” Here are some of our favorites.

Adora Nursery Time (Adora Dolls)
Adora babies are incredibly lifelike. They’re a little lighter than most babies, but their skin is super soft, their little noses and toes and fingers are irresistible, and they even smell like real babies. Great for dad to show his daughter how tiny and adorable she was as a baby, but also very effective if that little girl is preparing to be a big sister. Nursery Time babies are dressed in a onesie and come with a nice doll carrier. Ages 3 and up. About $79.99.

Dorothy and Toto (Bandai)
In case you hadn’t heard, there’s a new Oz movie coming out. “Legends of Oz,” is based on one of the sequels written by L. Frank Baum, the guy who wrote the original. The first dolls in the series feature Dorothy (alone or with her ever-loyal pup, Toto). Other characters will be along soon. Dad and daughter can go back to Oz to help Dorothy and her friends, and he can even talk about life in the “old” Oz. Ages 3 and up. About $22.99.

Bubbly Mermaid (Lalaloopsy)
Who says you can’t bring a doll into the bathtub?  Ocean Seabreeze and Pearly Seafoam are mermaids, which is more than enough to get most kids interested. But what makes them unique is their hair, which is made of bubbles. Just pour in some shampoo or bubble bath, give your mermaid a squeeze¸ and watch her turn into Rapunzel of the Sea. Both come with their very own water-squirting pet octopus. For a little dry-land fun, use diluted dish soap instead. Ages 3 and up. About $29.99. http://www.lalaloopsy.com/

Barbie Style (Mattel)
Barbie has always been something of a fashionista, but the new Style series takes things up a few notches. Each of these new Barbies is exquisitely dressed in the highest of high fashion, but also comes with a 10-page look book girls and dads can use for inspiration. Ages 3 and up. $29.99.

Locksies (Bandai)
Locksies are refreshingly low tech and don’t come with much in the way of clothing. Instead, each Locksie comes with several piece of fabric and ribbon which the budding designer can use to create her own Project Runway entry. But any fabric scraps you have around the house will do nicely (but be sure to keep your scissors-wielding girl away from your nice clothes). Ages 5 and up. http://www.bandai.com/locksies/

Our Generation Dolls (Battat, Inc.)
From the same people behind B-Toys, Our Generation 18-inch dolls are simply gorgeous. Willow is part of the Read and Play set and comes with several outfits, including some great PJs—which are the perfect tie-in with her book, “The Most Fantabulous Pajama Party Ever.” Phoebe is the Hair Grow doll whose hair grows and retracts—a fantastic thing for dads who want to practice their French braiding before trying it out on a real, live daughter.  The I Think I Canter Doll and Horse set features one doll, a riding outfit, a horse, and a ton of riding and grooming equipment, including a saddle and stirrups, helmet, feedbag, brush, and more. The opportunities for exercising the imagination are endless.  Dolls are $32.99, $29.99, and $84.99, respectively. http://ogdolls.com/

Summer Break is almost here, and for many parents, that means trying to think up some fun ways to pass those long, hot days home and without a schedule. For some creative indoor fun, check out these cute kitchen items for kids- some are pretend, some are functional, all are fun.

Chet the Cat and Friends is a new line of kitchen and cooking sets for kids (ages 3 and up) that can help get kids interested in becoming mom and dad’s little chef helpers. With a wide array of items made just for them, kids will have fun learning and playing with Chet and Friends. The plates, cups, flatware, etc are all dishwasher and food safe, so your little culinary artist in training can really eat what they crate and then the items can be washed with no fuss or worrying that they will be ruined. There is also a set of kitchen gadgets, such as a toaster, blender, and mixer, which “work” and have multiple sets of speeds- while they work with real liquids, the toaster does not truly cook toast. It does however pop up play toast and buzz with a timer- no one wants a burnt kiddo. Complete the look with a chef outfit (of course, all decked out with Chet the Cat and Friends as well- it’s very, very cute) that will thrill your little cook. Items range from $22 to $30 on http://www.educationalinsights.com (One of my personal favorite sites for educational yet fun toys for kids.)

Another toy company we adore for fun and educational kids toys that they really want to play with is Learning Resources. These toys last forever, don’t break the bank, and teach kids the skills we want them to learn in ways they enjoy and want to keep playing with. Many of the toys are low or no tech, which is a great break with today’s kids being so constantly plugged in.
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