About Cabbage Patch Dolls
Cabbage Patch Kids are popular with children and collectors alike. Born in a genuine make-believe cabbage patch in Georgia, each doll comes with its own birth certificate and unique name. Collectors adopt these little cloth people at Babyland General Hospital. As varied as real folk, Cabbage Patch Dolls come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Collectors can choose from newborns, toddlers, or even school-age children. Older kids remained treasured friends, but new models are continually appearing. The world of the Cabbage Patch Kid is as real as your imagination.
History
The legend of the Cabbage Patch Kids began when a boy named Xavier Roberts discovered an enchanted cabbage patch hidden behind a waterfall. Cabbages watered by magic crystals produced unique babies. In 1978, a now grown up Xavier Roberts began marketing Little People Originals at craft fairs. By 1981, he had been profiled by Newsweek, The Wall Street Journal and the Atlanta Weekly. Two years later, three million Cabbage Patch Kids flew off toy store shelves, and the supply was still not enough to meet the demands of what was becoming the doll craze of the 1980s.
Significance
With over 65 million adopted by 1990, Cabbage Patch Dolls reached icon status. The Cabbage Patch Kid revolutionized the toy industry. Xavier Roberts' concept was unique---an individual doll that could be adopted like a real child. People flocked to Cabbage Patch headquarters in Cleveland, Georgia to tour the state-of-the art facilities of Babyland General Hospital. The hospital offers visitors a glimpse of the Cabbage Patch world from birth through school. Nurses deliver and examine newborns, placing them in incubators while they await the arrival of loving parents.
Identification
Cabbage Patch Kids are cloth dolls with large eyes and round faces. Their arms are usually extended as if to reach out to their adoptive parents. Lips are usually a bit puckered. Hair can come in any color that you can find yarn, and may be straight or curly. Babies are often bald. Kids' legs can bend to sit on benches and chairs, or on the Babyland school bus.
Considerations
Adoptive parents might want to hold on to their "older" children. Early Cabbage Patch Kids have become quite valuable. Originals have been re-adopted for as much as $20,000. Adoptive parents can also join a Cabbage Patch Kids Collectors Club. And, starting this year, new parents can actually design the look of their kids. "my Kind of Kid" allows prospective parents to choose eye and hair color, skin tone, hairstyle, and even individual facial features.
Potential
Cabbage Patch Dolls offer the potential for real time interaction on many levels. The official Cabbage Patch Kid site features games and activities for all those adoptive sisters and brothers. For those who can't get to Babyland, a game can be a way of sharing in the actual birth experience, or taking care of a young Cabbage Patch Kid. Children can also dress up their virtual creations and watch videos. The Cabbage Patch Kid is part of a complete world that can be tailored to suit the tastes of almost anyone.
Tags: Cabbage Patch, Cabbage Patch Kids, Patch Kids, Cabbage Patch Dolls, Patch Dolls, Xavier Roberts