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How American Girl Helps Keep Girlhood Fun and Wholesome

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This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Childhood ends too quickly. We believe that girls and boys shouldn’t be rushed through these precious years where their imaginations are at their peak.

This is Janice here today to share a look into how American Girl helps keep girlhood fun and wholesome. Thanks to American Girl for providing an awesome giveaway prize of an American Girl doll with a girl’s matching outfit for one lucky US or Canadian reader.

American Girl Dolls


 

My niece Julia is in no hurry to grow up.

She turns eleven next month, but she would rather stay ten forever. She loves to get lost in imaginative play with her eight year old sister, Sophia, and my eight year old daughter, Olivia.

Together the girls will play for hours — creating stories, making plays, building worlds.

And while my Olivia pushes forward, rushing to get to the next stage of life, Julia holds back.

Somehow Julia can sense that this is a magical part of life — when her imagination is at it’s freest.

With the majority of media and marketing exposing our children to a world they aren’t yet ready for, young girls need encouragement to delight in who they are today. They need to be given the chance to be young and playful and creative, without the pressures of looking like a scantily clad, plasticized pop star.

So Susan and I are thrilled that our girls love to play with their American Girl dolls.

American Girl Dolls

American Girl has such a vast offering of products and experiences that allow girls to have fun with age appropriate dolls, books, movies, clothes, and more.

Everything that American Girl creates encourages girls to grow up healthier, with better self esteem and self expression.

These last years before our daughters leave childhood behind are so precious. Susan and I want them to last forever — or at least as long as possible.

We are so grateful when companies like American Girl offer ways for our girls to enjoy their childhood and be proud of who they are and who they are becoming.

Lea Clark, American Girl’s 2016 Girl of the Year

If your girls haven’t already introduced you to Lea Clark, American Girl’s 2016 Girl of the Year, meet Lea…

American Girl_0043

When I heard that Lea was a photographer who loved animals, I think I wanted to get her for my Olivia almost as much as Olivia wanted her.

Lea is perfect for my Olivia, who also loves animals and shares Lea’s adventurous spirit and desire to live life to the fullest. And what is extra great is that Lea even looks quite a bit like Olivia too — especially in their matching dresses.

American Girl_0039

Available for only this year, Lea’s collection includes three books that tell her story, an 18-inch Lea doll, and a variety of Brazilian-inspired outfits and accessories.

As well, since Lea is committed to protecting animals, American Girl has created Wild at Art — a year-long fund-raising initiative in support of World Wildlife Fund (WWF) to show girls that, together, they can help protect animals and their habitats.

American Girl’s Truly Me™ is Truly Special

In a world where girls often feel less than perfect, constantly comparing themselves to celebrities and fabricated photographs, American Girl’s Truly Me™ is truly special.

Girls get to design dolls that share their hair color, eye color, and skin tone. They can even buy clothes and accessories to match with their American Girl’s Truly Me dolls.

American Girl_0028

Susan’s girls, Julia and Sophia, barely look like sisters. They are the exact opposite of each other.

They are beyond thrilled to have American Girls that look like them!

Julia’s doll has light red hair, pale skin, blue eyes, and she even has her hair curled like Julia wears her hair on special occasions.

American Girl Truly Me with Red Hair

American Girl Truly Me

And you should have seen Sophia beam with joy when she received her American Girl Truly Me™ doll who has BANGS just like Sophia’s.

Truly Me American Girl Doll

Sophia has worn bangs since she was a toddler and it is such a part of her identity. To have a doll that looks so much like Sophia is incredible.

American Girl_0048

American Girl_0050

American Girl Giveaway

Would you like to win an American Girl doll and a matching dress for your daughter, niece or granddaughter?

Use the form below to enter to win your choice of either a Truly Me doll with a matching girl’s outfit or Lea Clark, American Girl’s 2016 Girl of the Year doll and a matching girl’s dress.

 

Pin it for Later

How American Girl Helps Keep Girlhood Fun and Wholesome

 

Disclosure: American Girl provided samples and giveaway prizing.
Written by Janice Croze, co-founder of 5 Minutes for Mom
Talk with me: @5minutesformom and Facebook.com/5minutesformom
Pin with me at pinterest.com/5minutesformom

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314 Comments

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  5. My grand daughter has very curly hair so I would choose the Truly Me™ Doll: Medium Skin, Curly Dark Brown Hair, Hazel Eyes + Love to Layer Accessories

    Reply

  10. I think the Truly Me™ Doll: Light Skin, Blond Hair with Bangs, Blue Eyes would be the best fit! So cute. I wish I had one of these when I was little!

    Reply

  12. My little girl needs the Medium Skin, Short Brown Hair, Brown Eyes doll. She is perfect. We have lots of stuffed animals & a few attempts at getting her to bond with a doll, but she hasn’t found the right one yet. An American Girl doll will definitely be her BFF.

    Reply

  20. i like the “Truly Me™ Doll: Light Skin with Freckles, Curly Blond Hair, Blue Eyes + Love to Layer Accessories”.i like that its eyes that open and close

    Reply

  21. I would pick the Truly Me Doll: Light Skin, Caramel Hair, Blue Eyes + Love to Layer Accessories for my daughter. I saved up & bought her one for Christmas and her friend took it & she never got it back unfortunately!

    Reply

  22. I would pick the medium skin tone, short brown hair doll with brown eyes for my 5 year old granddaughter.

    Reply

  24. When choosing a doll for my daughter, I would get one that was similar to her so I would choose the Truly Me Doll with Medium Skin, Textured Dark Brown Hair, Brown Eyes. Thank you for the chance to win. 😀

    Reply

  28. For both of my girls it would be medium skin and brown curly hair. For DD9 it would be hazel eyes and DD6 brown eyes.

    Reply

  30. I would choose the Truly Me™ Doll with Light Skin, long light Blond Hair, and Blue Eyes. My daughter has a curly haired doll and has said she wished she had one with hair like hers (straight and very light blond)

    Reply

  31. I would choose the Medium Skin, Curly Dark Brown Hair, Brown Eyes Truly Me doll for my youngest granddaughter, as she is closest to resembling her.

    Reply

  39. I would choose the Doll: Light Skin, Layered Black-Brown Hair, Blue Eyes + Love to Layer Accessories Doll: Light Skin, Layered Black-Brown Hair, Blue Eyes + Love to Layer Accessories! Thanks!

    Reply

  46. We’d pick the Truly Me™ Doll: Light Skin, Wavy Red Hair, Green Eyes as our choice. The clothing and accessories would be tough s there are sooooooo many choices to make.

    Reply

  50. I would choose the Truly Me Doll with light skin, curly blonde hair, hazel eyes and love to layer accessories! My little girl would love her!

    Reply

  56. Medium Skin, Textured Dark Brown Hair, Brown Eyes + Love to Layer Accessories
    My daughter’s hair is just a bit lighter, but she loves throwing on as many clothes as possible

    Reply

  57. I would choose the Truly Me doll just like Sophia’s, because it looks like my daughter! Truly love AG dolls; wonderful post and giveaway!

    Reply

  60. I would love to win the Truly Me™ Doll: Light Skin, Light Red Hair, Brown Eyes + Love to Layer Accessories

    for my granddaughter

    Reply

  70. I would get the blonde hair blue eyed one. My two other daughters would be jealous. I couldn’t afford American Girl when they wanted them. So, should I keep her for me? 🙂

    Reply

  71. I would love the Truly Me Doll: Light Skin, Caramel Hair, Blue Eyes + Love to Layer Accessories because she looks like my daughter.

    Reply

  74. I think the one with the : Medium Skin, Textured Dark Brown Hair, Brown Eyes would match my daughter the most.

    Reply

  75. I would choose the light skinned, layered brown hair and brown eyed doll. She looks like my granddaughter!

    Reply

  77. I’d love to get the doll with dark brown curly hair and hazel eyes for my daughter. She would love to have a doll with her same features!

    Reply

  83. I am entering for my little sister. She likes the #47 Truly Me Doll: Dark Skin, Dark Brown Hair, Brown Eyes doll, She said she is going to name her India.

    Reply

  85. i would love theTruly Me doll medium skin one with the bangs that sophia has . This would be perfect for my grandaughter and it would be her first american girl doll. I wish they had this when my daughter was small

    Reply

  86. I would pick the Truly Me™ Doll: Light Skin, Blond Hair, Blue Eyes + Love to Layer Accessories because she looks a lot like my oldest daughter.

    Reply

  88. My Granddaughter is deciding between the Truly Me Doll: Light Skin, Layered Black-Brown Hair, Blue Eyes #60 or the Truly Me Doll: Light Skin, Wavy Red Hair, Green Eyes #61. She loves them both!

    Reply

  90. I would choose the light skin with freckles and light brown hair with blue eyes. It reminds me of daughter!

    Reply

  91. I would have a really hard time picking a Truly Me doll. I have 4 daughters and, though they all have similar eye colour (hazel-ish), they all have different hair! My 8 year old has long, straight, blonde hair, my 5 year old has brown, medium length wavy hair, my 3 year old has medium length blonde ringlets and my fourth daughter is only 3 months old so we aren’t sure what her hair will be like. Maybe I would get one that looks like me; light skin, blue eyes, layered blonde hair…

    Reply

  93. love the truly me doll light skin with freckles-shes adorable-have features like my grandaughter-blue eyes

    Reply

  94. I like the Truly Me™ Doll: Light Skin with Freckles, Brown Hair, Blue Eyes. She looks soo much like my little girl.

    Reply

  96. I would get the one with Light Skin with Freckles, Short Light Red Hair–too bad she doesn’t have blue eyes–would then match my granddaughter pretty well.

    Reply

  100. The doll I would choose would be for my niece so I tried to pick one that would match her features. The one I chose was Truly Me™ Doll: Light Skin with Freckles, Short Light Red Hair, Green Eyes + Love to Layer Accessories. I love how they have an array of dolls to choose from so your little girl can choose just the right doll for her.

    Reply

  101. Such a great giveaway thankyou for the chance i would choose brown 💇 i tgunk she would bw happy with any color light tan look

    Reply

  103. I would choose the Truly Me™ Doll: Light Skin, Dark Brown Hair with Bangs, Brown Eyes. Most like my grand daughter.

    Reply

  108. I would go with light skin, caramel hair and blue eyes, that would be so close to what my daughter look like. I had Kirsten doll growing up and would have LOVED to have one that looked like me.

    Reply

  110. For my youngest daughter I would pick a Truly Me doll with these characteristics: Light Skin, Short Brown Hair, Brown Eyes.

    Reply

  111. I would choose the “Truly Me™ Doll: Light Skin with Freckles, Dark Brown Hair, Hazel Eyes + Love to Layer Accessories”. Thanks!

    Reply

  112. My daughter is 10 years old and she has light skin, dark brown hair and eyes, and wears bangs, so the Truly Me girl like her!

    Reply

  114. For my little girl Lula I’d choose a Truly Me Doll with a light tan skin tone that has long straight brown hair with matching brown eyes to match my girl.

    Reply

  116. I would choose the Truly Me™ Doll: Medium Skin, Brown Hair with Bangs, Hazel Eyes + Love to Layer Accessories

    Reply

  117. I would choose the light skin, caramel hair and blue eyes doll for my daughter, Marlee 🙂 Thank you very much for this amazing opportunity!!! What a blessing this will be to the winner!

    Reply

  118. Such cute dolls. The Truly Me Doll: Light Skin, Layered Black-Brown Hair, Blue Eyes one would look great in the arms of a friend’s daughter.

    Reply

  120. The light skin, curly blonde haired doll with hazel eyes most looks like my older daughter. They don’t have a combination that resembles my younger daughter. She would be straight blonde hair with hazel eyes.

    Reply

  123. I would choose the Truly Me™ Doll: Light Skin with Freckles, Short Light Red Hair, Green Eyes + Love to Layer Accessories

    Reply

  124. I would choose the Truly Me™ Doll: Dark Skin, Curly Dark Brown Hair, Brown Eyes doll for my niece!! I know she’d love it!

    Reply

  132. I would want the one with the blondest hair as my granddaughter’s hair is very blonde. She would love one of these dolls. Also long hair on the doll too.

    Reply

  139. These are so sweet! I loved my AG doll as a child , they were new then! Id love a doll with green eyes and short light red hair for my daughter!

    Reply

  140. Truly Me™ Doll: Light Skin, Caramel Hair, Blue Eyes + Love to Layer Accessories because the doll looks like my grand daughter.

    Reply

  144. I’d get one with blonde hair and gray eyes since that’s what the little girl who would receive the doll has.

    Reply

  147. Josefina Montoya has warm brown eyes that open and close, golden hoop earrings, and long, shiny mahogany-colored hair.

    Reply

  150. I would pick the Truly Me™ Doll: Light Skin with Freckles, Dark Brown Hair, Hazel Eyes for my granddaughter

    Reply

  160. The one with shoulder length light brown hair parted on the side and brown eyes, cuz that’s what my daughter looks like.

    Reply

  163. I would pick one with light brown hair, dark brown eyes and no bangs. It would be for my youngest daughter who loves to play with her dolls.

    Reply

  172. I’d choose Kit. She has those cute freckles and her short blond hair and blue eyes remind me of my baby girl.

    Reply

  179. To pick a doll like my daughter, she would be light skin, caramel color hair, blue eyes, pierced ears and glasses.

    Reply

  187. I love the Truly Me™ Doll: Light Skin, Curly BlackBrown Hair, Green Eyes + Love to Layer Accessories! Accessories to mix and match, a huggable cloth body, eyes that open and close! Lots of fun with these beautiful dolls!

    Reply

  192. I would want a short brown, straight hair doll with hazel eyes and medium skin. Unfortunately, they only have her in long hair right now now that wouldn’t look like my granddaughter, but I guess that one would do.

    Reply

  203. They actually don’t have the one I would need…maybe it will come out soon? I would like light skin, light brown hair, hazel eyes. They only have 2 hazel eyes – one dark brown hair and one curly blond hair. She would probably one with pick blue eyes and light brown or caramel hair instead!

    Reply

  208. I’d pick the light skin, dark hair and brown eyes for my daughter! I love that these come with craft ideas, recipes and activities for girls and the doll to play together with!

    Reply

  209. The light skinned, layered brown and black haired one with blue eyes looks a lot like my daughter. I would pick that one!

    Reply

  216. She would be fair skinned blue eyes and caramel hair as that is closest to what my littlest granddaughter looks like.

    Reply

  220. I would pick the Lea doll with warm hazel eyes that open and close, and long, light-brown wavy hair with sun-kissed highlights.

    Reply

  221. in the Truly Me collection I would choose for my precious granddaughter the Caramel Hair, Light Skinned, hazel or light Brown eyes, or as close as possible. This would be such a blessing to my granddaughter! American Girl dolls are so beautiful!

    Cathy B

    Reply

  224. I would choose the Light Skin, Caramel Hair, Blue Eyes doll. She looks like my daughter. Thanks so much.

    Reply

  226. Truly Me™ Doll: Light Skin with Freckles, Brown Hair, Blue Eyes + Love to Layer Accessories Thats my girl

    Reply

  227. My daughter has had a TrulyMe Doll picked out for some time. She looks a bit like my daughter, but her hair is a slightly lighter shade of blonde. My daughter has dirty blonde hair that is more blonde in the summer and darker in the winter. The TMDoll would have blue eyes, hair past her shoulders that is mostly straight, light skin and no freckles. We love to browse the catalogs and visit our local store! I grew up reading the series’, beginning with Molly, so my enthusiasm runs deep, too 🙂

    Reply

  230. I follow you & the sponsor on Instagram as Angelasnoozy which is different than my username on the giveaway form, but there is no box to leave my username for Instagram.

    Reply

  232. What an amazing giveaway! My daughter really wants one for her birthday ( coming up in june).
    Features are – Brown short hair (but trying to grow it out 😉 Brown eyes – Light skin
    Thank you so much for the chance!

    Reply

  234. I’d get the doll that looks the most like my daughter, Light Skin with Freckles, Brown Hair, Blue Eyes. I think I could figure out how to curl the doll’s hair to match my little girl too. 🙂

    Reply

  236. I would pick a Truly Me doll with tan skin, straight blond hair, and brown eyes for my daughter Sophia.

    Reply

  245. My girls bought their first American Girl dolls with their Christmas money. It has opened a whole new World for my cuties. I especially love the matching outfits! The quality is remarkable! Thank you for the opportunity for us to win one.

    Cheers! Jen ❤️

    Reply

  246. My daughter would love the Truly Me Doll with light skin, layered brown hair and brown eyes. Wonderful giveaway! Thank you.

    Reply

  248. I’d love to win my daughter the Truly Me doll with Short Brown Hair, Brown Eyes, and Medium Skin tone. She’d love it.

    Reply

  252. I would have one customized to look like my granddaughter with curly brown hair, light skin and blue eyes.

    Reply

  254. I am not sure which doll my daughter would pick, either one that looks like her with brown wavy hair or the new doll of the year.

    Reply

  255. Oh I would pick Truly Me™ Doll: Light Skin with Freckles, Short Light Red Hair, Green Eyes! Oh these are so neat that they look like them! What a great idea!! She would go nuts!

    Reply

  259. The high quality of your record is incredibly essential,
    but thhe dimension of your list generally is a powerful multiplier to your visibility,
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  266. I would love to get a light skinned, blue eyed and blonde, curly haired doll for my niece. She recently got glasses and has been insecure while wearing them, and I think if her doll had glasses, it would help her to embrace this new stage in her life!

    Reply

  268. I would get the Truly Me Doll: Light Skin, Layered Blond Hair, Blue Eyes.
    I love her blue shoes and denim jacket.
    thank you

    Reply

  273. My daughter would choose a blonde hair, blue eyes and bangs truly me doll. She wants one that looks just like her!

    Reply

  278. I would pick the Truly Me doll with light skin, blond hair and blue eyes for my daughter. One of them looks just like her!

    Reply

  279. i would pick Truly Me™ Doll: Light Skin, Layered Brown Hair, Brown Eyes + Love to Layer Accessories for boss’s daughter she love this.

    Reply

  280. I would get Truly Me™ Doll: Light Skin with Freckles, Brown Hair, Blue Eyes + Love to Layer Accessorie

    Reply

  282. I would choose the short straight red hair doll with freckles and green eyes. She looks like my youngest daughter.

    Reply

  294. I would get one with light brown hair, green eyes, and freckles. One that kind of looks like my niece.

    Reply

  297. I would choose the Truly Me doll with black-brown hair and brown eyes – she looks most like my middle daughter.

    Reply

  299. I would choose Truly Me Doll: Light Skin, Black Hair, Brown Eyes + Love to Layer Accessories. She resembles my granddaughter the most.

    Reply

  300. I think she is most like Truly Me™ Doll: Medium Skin, Brown Hair with Bangs, Hazel Eyes + Love to Layer Accessories. She has the hazel eyes and think her hair will be brown with red in it!

    Reply

  301. I would love to have the Truly Me™ Doll: Light Skin, Caramel Hair, Blue Eyes + Love to Layer Accessories. My granddaughter would really love it.

    Reply

  308. I’d choose the truly me doll with light skin & freckles, light brown hair & blue eyes! My daughter loves these dolls so much 🙂

    Reply