On 6th February 2022, Queen Elizabeth II became the first ever monarch to reach a platinum jubilee after 70 years of service. This calls for celebration! Alongside being a whole lot of fun, princess play can help bring an extra touch of magic to this momentous occasion, committing it to your little one’s memory as a time they’ll treasure forever.
Here, we highlight the benefits of princess doll play and how it can aid development in children. And of course, suggest ways to celebrate with Baby Annabell Little Sweet Princess!
Pony parade
On Thursday 2nd June, members of the royal family will join the Trooping the Colour Parade on horseback and in carriages to celebrate the Queen’s official birthday. With more than 1,400 parading soldiers, 200 horses and 400 musicians coming together, your little one will love to ride along with Baby Annabell Little Sweet Pony!
After sitting Baby Annabell Little Sweet Princess atop her horse using the saddle and bright pink bridle, your little one can pretend they’re part of the parade! Encourage them to lead their pony and princess around, and immerse themself in the experience with Little Sweet Pony’s sound effects. By putting themselves in someone else’s shoes (in this case, those of our royal family!), this kind of pretend play enables learning by observation and allows children to replicate it in a safe environment.
Giving thanks
Held at St. Paul’s Cathedral on Friday 3rd June, the service of thanksgiving will show appreciation for the Queen’s reign. Why not use this opportunity to encourage your little one to consider all they’re thankful for? Studies show that grateful children tend to be happier, more optimistic, and have better social support as well as reporting more satisfaction with their schools, families, communities, friends and themselves. Plus, grateful children tend to give more social support to others and are said to grow into happier adults.
By using the jubilee weekend as an initial prompt, you can encourage your child to share the things they’re grateful for with Baby Annabell Little Sweet Annabell. Over time, this will instil a sense of gratitude in your little one for both ‘the big things’ (like these exciting celebrations) and ‘the little things’, giving them a gift that – when practiced frequently – will enhance their daily life.
Party at the palace
To celebrate the most significant moments of the Queen’s reign, the BBC will stage and broadcast a concert featuring world-famous stars on Saturday 4th June. Time for a party dress! Encourage your little one to help their favourite doll into the super elegant Baby Annabell Little Sweet Dress featuring a sparkly bodice and flowing pink skirt, before adorning their own party outfit. Then, your little one will be ready to sing and dance the night away in a concert performance especially for their own royal V.I.P – Little Sweet Princess. This is the perfect opportunity for children to enjoy their favourite songs, work on their music and performance skills and importantly, learn to express themselves.
Princess picnic
Sunday 5th June is all about fabulous food and a patriotic atmosphere! Street parties will be held up and down the country for The Big Jubilee Lunch, while The Windsor Big Lunch on the Long Walk will be a quintessentially British spectacle.
Replicate it at home by putting up decorations, digging out your Union Jacks and of course – making delicious picnic food. By getting your little one and Baby Annabell involved in the food prep, you can expose them to different foods in a fun and interesting way, and may even persuade them to try something new! Why not teach your little one a simple new skill such as buttering bread with a butter knife, or get them squeezing fresh orange juice? Then, they can reinforce their newfound skills by hosting a masterclass for Baby Annabell.
Once everything is prepared, all that’s left for your little one to do is dress their baby doll in the super soft Baby Annabell Little Sweet Dress before spreading out a picnic blanket and tucking in!
Platinum jubilee pageant
Featuring more than 5,000 people from across the UK and the Commonwealth with street arts, theatre, music, circus, carnival and costume, the platinum jubilee pageant on Sunday 5th June calls for party frocks and finery! Whether children are brushing and styling the long, flowing hair of Little Sweet Princess and putting on the dress and shoes from the Baby Annabell Little Sweet Set, doll play can help your child perfect their newfound fine motor and physical skills… and have lots of fun doing so.
From parading on horseback to performing in a concert, snacking on picnic food or dressing in their finery, the Queen’s platinum jubilee presents so many opportunities for your little one and Baby Annabell to revel in imaginative play together. However you choose to celebrate this momentous occasion, we’d love to see – share your snaps with us on Facebook and Instagram.