When cuddled, a wool stuffed doll takes on the warmth of the child, a warmth that makes the doll come alive."As the child nurtures & mothers the doll, he is - not simply metaphorically but also in reality - caring for himself. It is important therefore, that we offer a doll that closely resembles him/her, not so much in features but rather in proportion. The child's "felt experience" of the doll will remain with him/her. So let's keep the doll simple, proportional & tactilely truthful."
Shariffa Oppenheimer in regards to Waldorf dolls
The appearance of a Waldorf Doll is intentionally simple with minimal facial features in order to allow the child playing with it to improve and strengthen imagination and creativity.
The beauty of simplicity is stimulating creative learning by drawing on the child’s imagination.
"When they are fashioned simply, they make the entire range of human appearance possible through the child's imagination."Jaffke Freya, Toymaking With Children
The origins of this type of doll come from a strong European tradition of doll making. Many dolls were made by mamas at home during long winter months from materials that were at hand, like sheep's wool and cloth scraps, instantly giving life to those simple materials.