The Voice of Mom

I was a Barbie and Jem and the Holograms girl. I had probably a dozen dolls collectively from the sets and loved to play, pretending to have dinner parties in the Barbie Townhouse and more. And it still makes me smile to think about.

These days, Jem is a thing of the past and Barbie has some serious competition from other fashion dolls. Among the competition are the Only Hearts Club Dolls. The Only Hearts Club Dolls are a line of soft, positionable dolls that are intended for girls age three and older.

The GOOD: The soft-limbed dolls are pliable and can be posed however you like. The dolls come solo, with animals or with younger siblings (the line I tried), so there are lots of options. Plus there is a variety of add-ons like additional clothes, horses and more to make a complete playset. The dolls have girlish proportions, so they aren’t sending mixed messages to young girls. And since these are soft, it will hurt less when one kids boink another with the doll — which we all know happens.

The BAD: Unlike Barbie, which can be cleaned easily in the skin, the Only Hearts Club Dolls have a fabric exterior, which could be challenging to keep clean. And I was really surprised not to find any instructions on how to handle the dolls when they get dirty. Also, the doll is held in the packaging with strings holding it in. Strings that are sewn into the box and doll … removal is not fun.

MONEY MATTERS: These dolls are available at stores like Target nationwide, and at Amazon online. The prices start at $15.99. The Big Sister, L’il Sister doll is about $20.

The MOM VERDICT

Sarah says: I love that these dolls are soft and can bend whatever which way you want. And as a mom of a young girl, I appreciate that these dolls are cool, without screaming S-E-X-U-A-L-I-T-Y. And with dozens of fashions, accessories and more, this is a series that you can feel good about letting your little girl play with. Two thumbs up here!