Hearts for Hearts Girls

Hearts for Hearts Girls is a charitable doll line and fashion collection from Playmates Toys that seeks to empower girls to become agents of change in their communities, their countries and around the world. The line features eight dolls inspired by real girls from real places all over the world. Each authentically dressed and lifelike doll has her own story to share and is working to change her community in ways unique to her home country.

I was privileged to be able to hold a Hearts for Hearts Girls party with my daughters and their friends. For one of the activities with the girls we made Clean Water Banks. I’ve included the instructions below for this activity because I think this would be a fun thing for all kids to do. The girls loved being able to use their creativity to decorate their own bottles as they saw fit and were excited about the idea of collecting change to help other kids have clean water. I think they were especially touched by the idea that if everyone donated enough water these kids would be able to go to school, just like them! We also shared in a little bit of other cultures with different kinds of food. The girls loved the Laotian Banana Rice Pudding (recipe included in this post) and excitedly chatted about what other countries outside of the USA they might like to visit someday.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Playing outdoor games to help build friendship with our special friendship circle.

Clean Water Banks

 

Worldwide, 884 million people lack access to safe drinking water. World Vision, a Hearts for Hearts Girls partner, helps bring clean water, sanitation, and hygiene to communities through their Clean Water Fund. The gift of clean water will help save children the suffering caused by parasites, worms, dysentery, and diarrhea. Plus they’ll be able to attend school, because they won’t have to spend their days sick in bed or walking long distances to collect water. This teaches the importance of clean water and giving to others.

 

Supplies:

• Decorating supplies: markers, glitter, glue, construction paper, etc.

• Spare change (optional)

• 1 glass of drinking water per guest

• 1 empty plastic water bottle per guest

Instructions:

1. Before the party, cut a coin-sized hole near the top of each empty water bottle.

2. Start a conversation about water with your party guests. Ask them to name all the ways they use water in their daily lives (showers, brushing teeth, drinking, doing dishes, etc.)

3. Pass out glasses of water and empty water bottles to each guest.

4. Share some information about lack of safe drinking water in other parts of the world. Explain to your guests that other children their age aren’t always able to attend school, because of having to collect water for their families, or because they’ve been sick from their water.

5. Pass out the decorating supplies and explain to your guests that they’re going to make a bank to keep in their homes to collect spare change to donate to  children in other parts of the world so they can have clean water.

6. Once everyone has decorated their bank, you can get their donations started by giving each child a few coins to add to their bank. (Optional)

7. When parents come to pick up their party guests, be sure to tell them about the water  bank and let them know they can donate the money to World Vision’s Clean Water Fund once the bank is full. Donations are accepted at http://donate.worldvision.org.

Laotian Banana Rice Pudding

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice
• 1 cup nonfat milk
• 1 ripe medium banana, cut into  slices
• 1 can mixed fruit, cut into slices
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 tbs honey
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

Instructions:

1. In a medium saucepan, combine banana, fruit slices, water, honey, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
2. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 10 minutes, or until tender, but not mushy.
3. Add rice and milk and mix thoroughly.
4. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes.
5. Serve warm.

We were also privileged to have the dolls Lauryce from USA New Orleans and Nahji from India at our party with us.

Head south to celebrate the Creole heart of New Orleans. Lauryce, a girl who rises above the storm is a Hurricane Katrina survivor who shares her story of how she learned an important lesson about reaching out to help people- and animals- in need.

 

Nahji, the girl who wants a different life! Nahji is a smart and brave ten-year-old from Assam, India. In her part of the country, girls go to work and get married very early in their lives. But Nahji is determined to get an education and find a new way for her family to thrive. The girls loved Nahji’s Mehndi temporary tattoo a part of the Indian culture, that means good luck.

And of course the most exciting part of the party- the girls got to take home a special Hearts for Hearts bracelet- one for themselves and one to give to a special friend. Two of our party guests were even more lucky and got to take home Lauryce and Nahji!

If you’d like to purchase any one of the Hearts 4 Hearts Dolls click HERE they retail for $27.99.

Disclaimer: I was selected to be a MommyParties host as part of a promotional program with MomSelect. All opinions are my own.