Liddle Kiddles

Don’t you just love it when you run across something from your childhood that brings back great memories?  My sweet sister who was born in 1968 was just diagnosed with cancer today so I covet your prayers for her and have been thinking of all the great times we had playing together as little girls.  She probably doesn’t remember Liddle Kiddles by Mattel but the tiny poseable dolls came out in 1966 and were produced until 1970. 

The little dolls had soft vinyl bodies with wire “skeletons” that made them poseable.  They had rooted hair you could brush and brightly colored adorable faces.  The series of ten dolls were made to look like neighborhood children at play and were at first only available through the Sears and Roebuck catalog.  Mattel doll artist Martha Armstrong-Hand designed the first set of dolls that consisted of four different head molds but ten different face paintings and hair styles.

These little dolls were manufactured overseas and were around three inches tall.  Tinier versions were produced for a line called Locket Kiddles and Jewelry Kiddles that you could wear as a necklace and take the little doll out to play with and then put her back safely in her locket.  My personal favorite was the Kologne Kiddles.  They came in clear plastic perfume shaped bottles and were of course scented.  I can almost smell the Tutti Frutti doll!  A similar line was the Kola Kiddles that were scented like different sodas and came in a clear soda shaped bottle.

Probably one of the most collectible series of this doll was the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Kiddles, the only one that resembled a celebrity, in this case, Dick Van Dyke.  Two other series of Kiddles were the Animiddles that featured the dolls in little animal outfits and the Skediddle Kiddles that featured a little attachment that you pushed and the dolls arms, head and legs moved as you pushed it.  Those were the last series produced because petroleum costs were rising in 1970 and vinyl is a petroleum product.  Mattel decided to end production and focus on their Barbie doll series which was more popular and profitable.

These little dolls are very collectible, especially if you have original accessories or packaging and they surely don’t take up much room!  Happy Collecting!