Although this is a diversion from my usual Fashion Doll related posts I think that this doll will be of interest to many of you. Especially those of you who have young children. Her name is Matilda and she is the brainchild of a British designer in response to the lack of, to her mind, educational and suitable dolls for her daughter.

She is very much in the same vein as the American Girl dolls and as such is a historical doll, taking her place in the court of Henry VIII with a thoughtfully designed period costume and backstory.

Toy maker Frances Cain believes the fashion and music industries are stealing little girls’ childhood forcing them to grow up too quickly. This means there are no toys for the tween age group. As an antidote, Frances Cain has created a doll specifically for eight to twelve-year-olds.

Matilda is the first in a series of tween dolls being launched by Frances’ boutique toy company Daughters Of History. Themed to Tudor times, she comes complete with a range of period clothing and accessories. The aim being to allow girls to play intelligently and femininely without feeling pressured to be skinny and fashion conscious.

Frances takes up the story:

“It was impossible to find a doll for my daughter when she reached the age of ten so I decided to create one. Matilda has a young teenage figure to deliberately challenge aspirational fashion dolls like Bratz and Barbie.

The doll is not just about play. As well as introducing history to young girls, Matilda helps children to get to grips with some real life issues such as coping with loss”.

Standing 16 inches high, Matilda is beautifully crafted out of high-quality vinyl. Whilst looking like a porcelain doll, she has been made with play in mind and has fully-jointed arms and legs. Her extra-long hair will withstand endless brushing and styling.

Frances Cain has also extended the range with other Matilda products. As well as costumes, there’s also a keepsake book brimming with unique ideas such as a Tudor sleepover or making a pre-execution wish list. Matilda’s Secret is the accompanying novel which tells the story of her role as lady-in-waiting to Katherine Howard at the court of Henry VIIIth.

Matilda comes in her own sturdy carry case and costs £89.99 from www.agirlforalltime.com