However, crafts are not as personal as dolls; girls rarely name their craft sets or assign personalities to them. Also, many mass-marketed craft sets do not stimulate the imagination as well as dolls because the projects are based on set patterns. Painting by numbers, stained "glass" kts, or even some jewelry-making kits provide the girls with patterns to work with rather than asking them to design their own. Nevertheless, crafts and dolls both offer creative, hands-on play. Craft activities can be shared with friends or family members and can be geared toward specific or all age groups.

Similarly, board games are collective activities that appeal to girls of different ages. Board games may include simple games involving cards or chess, or may be complex like Monopoly. Yet unlike either dolls or crafts, board games cannot be played alone. They are designed to stimulate competition and social interaction. Furthermore, board games...
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