A few weeks ago some of the cutest faith based toys I've ever come across arrived on our doorstep. Within seconds of me opening the box my toddler was clamoring to get her hands on a sweet Our Lady of Guadalupe doll from Shining Light Dolls. The four dolls that we received are of our Blessed Mother. We have Our Lady of Guadalupe, who is very much favored by my daughter, Our Lady of Lourdes, Our Lady of Czestochowa and Our Lady of Knock.
My first thought when I saw these adorable little baby friendly dolls was that they were prefect toy to bring to Mass. I don't like to bring regular toys and books to Mass for our little one. I much prefer her to occupy herself with something faith based like a plastic rosary, or a bible story board book. The Shining Light Dolls nicely fit into the appropriate for Mass category and since they're only 3 1/2 inches tall, they easily tuck into a purse or diaper bag.
The first day we had these dolls in our house we brought Our Lady of Guadalupe with us to Mass. Our little one was quite happy to have her with us, but we did realize midway through Mass that since these cute vinyl dolls are nice and lightweight, they can fly a bit when thrown. Eek! Yes, that's right, our toddler had a blast tossing Our Lady of Guadalupe during Mass. So, if you have a child who thinks it's great fun to throw things, you might want to reconsider bringing these dolls to Mass until after the throwing things phase passes. However we did learn that the paint job on the dolls is pretty good. They can skid across a tile floor at church and show no signs of abuse. I love toys that can withstand use and abuse and not show it!
Since that day when we flight tested the toy, Katie has
enjoyed playing with all four of these dolls. She plays with them in her doll house, she carries them around, and she'll even just sit and look at all of the details on the dolls. These dolls are a great way to introduce your child to our Blessed Mother and soon, a bunch of really great saints.
The dolls also come with a nice folded prayer card that tells you about the apparition, and includes a devotional prayer, the Memorare and Hail Mary. Even the prayer card is adorable!
These dolls are great as toys or child friendly statues for little. They meet the highest safety standards so they're safe for even the smallest babies. They'd make great stocking stuffers, or basket fillers if you're looking for faith based goodies for Christmas and Easter. But, they'd also make great gifts for baptisms and first communions. And once the saint dolls are available, they'd make great name day gifts for little ones. In fact, they're so cute I'm sure there are plenty of adults who wouldn't mind having one of these dolls to keep on their desk or a shelf. And I think most of us with little ones in the house would agree that having unbreakable statues, even if they're small, is always a nice thing.
I like how these dolls make learning about the Catholic faith something tangible and relevant for small children. And, because these dolls are so cute and colorful, they attract attention from adults, too. When out and about with one of these dolls in tow we have had people stop to ask about them. So they're a great way to evangelize.
I also like that buying these toys also helps fund a good cause. 10% of all profits on Shining Light Dolls are donated to committed Catholic charities. So when you buy one of these dolls you're also helping to support a worthwhile cause.
I was sent the four dolls you see featured in this post in exchange for my honest review. You can learn more about Shining Light Dolls by visiting their website and liking them on FaceBook. And you can purchase some of these sweet little dolls at Amazon.
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