Beyond FUN: Real Kidz

Courtney Helm, a Brooklyn mom with a biracial nephew, designs dolls that reflect the unique qualities of children of mixed-race heritage. Her Real Kidz line currently features five biracial characters, including some with Asian or Hispanic backgrounds. All retail for $15.99 and are available directly through the Real Kidz site. And all have a message that resonates with children of any color or combination of colors: “My parents created me out of love and I am a perfect mixture of both.”

Real Kidz dolls, designed “to accurately reflect the real world,” fill a real need.