My love for Canada’s National Parks is no secret. I’ve written several articles standing on a soapbox shouting about how amazing our National Parks are, about how  they have some of the most amazing scenery in the world, and that we’re so lucky to have these great places in our own backyard. So when I heard that Maplelea had came out with a doll that was a Parks Ambassador, I HAD to learn more!

Let me introduce you to Taryn!

Taryn is visiting us from her home in Banff. After reading her journal we learned that she absolutely loves living in a National Park. She loves that she’s surrounded by mountains and amazing animals and that people from all around the world come to visit! Her favorite things to do are hike, bike, kayak, and play in the snow in the winter.

She’s pretty cool, right? A doll that inspires Canadian culture, geography AND adventure? I’m in love with this doll. But wait, she get’s better… Her biggest pet peeve? Bad tourists! She wishes she had a super- hero power that would allow her to kick people out who were disrespectful to the environment and the animals!

THIS is the type of toy I want my daughter playing with! Here’s 5 reasons why this doll gets a gold star in our house!

Canadian Through and Through

The dolls come from homes from coast to coast, ranging from places like Salt Spring Island to the east coast!  Each girl comes with a story and they share information and their interests in their journals. Everything from dancing and kayaking to playing music and hockey. The girls also share stories about what’s it’s like where they live, including the people, animals and places that make it so special. Girls playing with the dolls get to learn about our country’s culture, history, and heritage.

Positive role models

I’m tired of seeing dolls whose makeup takes up more space on their face then their smile.  These girls are interesting in more ways than one, from their clothing and gear (Taryn has a hiking backpack) to their journal entries, these girls show that there’s more to life than being a pretty face.

Educational

While I would expect that this doll would educate my children about Banff and the surrounding area, I was surprised that I too was being educated as we were learning about Taryn! Taryn’s journal introduces several different concepts that are relevant to where she lives, in a fun, child-centered format. One of the questions that stuck with me was, “If you could have a super-hero power what would it be?” Her answers included:

• Kicking anyone out of the park who didn’t respect nature
• Stopping all avalanches
• Stopping all forest fires

This started off a conversation with my daughter where she was asking if all forest fires are bad. We know that natural forest fires are actually sometimes okay, but when humans aren’t safe and start fires that it can be very dangerous, so we need to be careful when we’re camping.

Child Centered

Her clothes are well made, super cute (her PJ’s have Owls on them!) and are easy to put on and off. I had a five-year-old take it for the test drive and she passed with flying colours!

Fun!

I liked that this doll wanted to go hiking and get outside. Her interests sparked a different type of imaginative play with the girls, which included campfires, caring for animals, reading her journal, and asking questions like “Where is Banff” (and can we go there?)

Win your own Taryn!

Do you want to win your very own Taryn? Head on over to our Facebook Page and enter to win your very own Taryn and her Camping Collection! Or you can go to Taryn’s website and grab the collection at a special price giving you $68 off! Contest Closes Monday, August 1st and 11:59pm.