Article: Meet Lottie: The Story Behind the First Doll in Space
Meet Lottie: The Story Behind the First Doll in Space
We're so excited to welcome Lottie dolls to Arlo's Place. They're small, sturdy and full of adventure, and they look like real children. Lottie goes fossil hunting, walks the dog and turns up to ballet class, just like the kids who play with her.
Behind every Lottie there's a lovely story, so here's a little about where she came from, and the five dolls we're starting with.
A doll that lets kids be kids
Lottie was launched in August 2012 by Arklu, a small toy company started by Ian Harkin and Lucie Follett. They wanted to make an alternative to the grown-up fashion dolls on toy shop shelves, and spent 18 months on research before Lottie was born. The business began on their kitchen tables in London and later moved to Donegal in Ireland.
Lottie's proportions are based on an average nine-year-old child, and she was developed with academics in child psychology and nutrition. So there's no make-up and no high heels, just a childlike body, practical clothes and plenty of things to do.
Several Lottie dolls were designed from real children's ideas, and the range is all about curiosity: science, nature, sport, creativity and getting outdoors.
The first doll in space
One of our favourite toy stories ever. Six-year-old Abigail loved astronomy and wrote to Arklu with an idea for a stargazing doll. Working with the European Space Agency, her idea became Stargazer Lottie.
Stargazer Lottie became the first doll in space, travelling to the International Space Station with British astronaut Tim Peake on his Principia mission, which launched in December 2015.
She spent months on board while Tim worked in orbit, and inspired children all over the world to look up at the stars. We love that it all started with one little girl's idea.
Our favourites
We're starting with five dolls. Each one is 18cm tall, the perfect size for little hands, and comes in a colourful gift box with a handle, so they're ready to give.
Lottie Doll - Fossil Hunter (£23.99)
Lottie is off to the beach to hunt for fossils, with a geology hammer, trowel, magnifying glass and four ammonite fossils. She also comes with collector cards about Mary Anning, the famous British fossil hunter. Perfect for little dinosaur fans and budding scientists.
Lottie Doll - Walk in the Park (£23.99)
Lottie loves autumn and kicking through the leaves. She's wrapped up in a cosy coat, fox blouse, jeans and boots, and she's brought her new dog along for the walk. A sweet gift for animal lovers.
Lottie Doll - Skate Park (£23.99)
Zooming down the halfpipe, Lottie is perfecting her kickflip in a leopard-print helmet, elbow and knee pads, a rainbow t-shirt, pink skirt and chequered trainers. She comes with a glittery purple skateboard with foot straps, ready for all sorts of tricks.
Lottie Doll - Ballet Class (£19.99)
Lottie is off to ballet with her best friend Meg, in a pink tutu, wraparound cardigan, sparkly headband, leg warmers and ballet shoes. Ready to twirl, and lovely for any little dancer.
Lottie Doll - Swan Lake (£19.99)
Lottie is ready to take to the stage for Swan Lake at her ballet school, twirling in her sparkly gold outfit, silver tiara and silver ballet slippers. A gorgeous gift for little dancers.
Why Lottie makes a great gift
- Made for play. Ball-jointed with bendable knees, so she can sit, climb and pose.
- A story in every box. Each doll has her own adventure to spark imaginative play.
- Childlike and confident. A doll that looks like a real child and celebrates what kids love doing.
- Easy to collect. Small enough to take everywhere, and lovely to add to for birthdays and special occasions.
Explore our full dolls collection, or read why we love STEM toys and our inclusive doll collection.
