MOOKS: Dollhouses

[holly116]

So in true MMM form, I couldn't wait to give my DD a gift she was probably too young to appreciate and gave her a huge kidkraft dollhouse when she was maybe 3. She's nearly 6 now and while a beautiful addition to her room, the dollhouse in usually full of random crap she stuffs in there while "cleaning up" and she doesn't actually use it to play with barbies.

I'm tempted to just sell it and get rid of it, but I remember playing with babies with my kindergarten and first grade friends A LOT. So, I dunno, is it something that she's going to really like here soon?

I think a large part of the problem is we have waaay too many random toys and so I guess I'm wondering if get rid of the noise of all the other stuff, does the dollhouse have the potential to be cool to her soon?

I know I'm projecting, I would have died for a dollhouse like his when I was her age but I think I may be more attached than she is lol. I'm leaning towards keeping it one more year but I'd love to hear from other MOOKs. Do kids skip barbies and just focus on American girl dolls now?

[chickens987]

Following. I have a dollhouse I've been hoarding for a few years, planning to give to DD for her fourth birthday...

[CheeringCharm]

Hmm, I don't know. Maybe it is personality dependent? My soon to be 4 yo daughter loves playing with dolls including her barbies and Little People dolls. She uses her dollhouse a lot. She just sits quietly and makes up stories for them in her head and moves them around. She'll even do it with her utensils at dinner or pebbles outside, lol. It's cute.

[mainelyfoolish]

I am just like you; I had fond memories of playing with Barbies and always wanted Barbie's Dream House, so I bought my DD a beautiful giant Kidcraft dollhouse when she was three. I got rid of it when she was 6. She never played with it much. She never played with baby dolls as a toddler, played a little with Barbies and princess dolls as a preschooler but almost never with the dollhouse, and now mostly ignores her American Girl dolls. She's just not a kid who enjoys doll play.

[erbear]

I have two daughters (5 and 7). We have a dollhouse. The 5 year old has played with it for years and still does. The 7 year old is not interested and never has been.

[Noblegirl]

Keep it! My DD just turned 7 and like you I think we bought the dollhouse too early and for awhile it didn't get much use. Now she uses it for her Barbies, she uses it to play "Fixer Upper", she uses it as a pet hospital for her stuffed animals, among other things.

I want to say that she started around 4.5 or 5 to really use it heavily. She also seems to use it a lot more when she has friends or her cousins over.

I've also found over the years, that too much noise really prevents her from playing with anything. So, I've gotten rid of a lot of the random toys and have grouped everything else into bins that are stored in the top of her closet--so she'll ask for what she wants to play with and we'll get it down for her (also helps her keep her room clean!) The main exception to this is art stuff, which is always out for her to write and draw and books which are always accessible.

We have bins for: Breyer Horse/Vet Stuff, Barbies, Dolls, Magic Clip Princess Stuff, stuffed animals, Games, Legos, etc. Whenever I buy presents I try to get them to fit into those categories (and bins).

[darnkatz]

We got rid of ours when we moved. DD1 was just using it to squirrel away crap and I was done. I even cleaned out her room to see if it would help and it did not. She still didn't play with it. No regrets. We have a smaller Fisher Price doll house for DD2 that we can keep stored in the closet and that works really well for us.

[jeaniebueller]

I would keep it a bit longer. I played with barbies when I was 8-9, sooooo...

[madringal]

I did the same thing. And my girls are 8 and 4 and never play with it. Ever. I'm selling it in our yard sale this weekend.

[aspentosh]

Following.

DD is 4yo and every time I pick her up from extended hours at preschool she is playing with the 3' dollhouse and it makes me wonder if it's worth a purchase. But I could see it being fun for a week and then becoming a dumping ground.

[Deleted]

Hmm, maybe she isn't into it? My kids (almost 4 and 2) love the dollhouse J got for Christmas. They play with it daily. They use Calico critters and some M&D dolls when playing with it. Sometimes they use other random figurines like Mickey and Minnie etc. But it's also out in their play area and readily accesible.

But, FWIW, I played with barbies for an embarrassingly long time so maybe she will like it later.

Eta: The girls mostly just do whatever J is doing but J uses it for all sorts of various play. It cracks me up because when he has them talk he does it like he is reading a book. For example "want to come over for dinner - says grandpa" "ok, I'll be there at 5- says the bunny" lol! Then of course he also like to play grandpa hangs over the edge of the stairs or let's have a party on the roof and jump off etc. The girls love to make sure everyone takes a nap and sits on the potty lol.

[read247]

We have a three story Barbie dream house. Much cooler than the dollhouse I had as a kid...this thing has an elevator, toilet that makes flushing noises, working doorbell, etc. But it sits in the playroom full of junk because while my 9 yo loves her Barbies, she couldn't care less about putting them in the house. Sometimes she'll use a piece or two of the furniture or some accessories, but that's about it. She did use it a bit more when she was younger but honestly if we'd never bought it, I don't think my kids would have missed it.

[bunch]

I'm in the same boat. I bought dd1 my dream dollhouse and she never really played with it. A friend told me that her daughter got much more into it later - like 7-10 - so it still stays.

[Deleted]

Noblegirl, I have found the same thing. The dollhouse sits out in the play area but all of the toys are grouped into bags or bins such as a bin of duplos, a bin of little people farm and zoo set, Thomas trains and tracks, a giant bag of character figurines, a giant bag of cars etc. Then we pull out one type of toy at a time. They play much better this way and for longer periods of time.

[Deleted]

We had a dollhouse and none of my kids really got into it. I gave it to my DCP. My oldest never really got into barbies or dolls at all . My middle DD is in 1st grade and she hasn't ever really got into them either. And they have a handful of American girl dolls from DHs aunt. It just doesn't seem to be their thing. They are more into animals.

I think you're probably safe to sell it if she's not interested.

[imojoebunny]

My DD is almost 10 and loves both her AG dolls and her doll house, but she is a doll child. A lot of her friends like other things much better, like legos, shopkins, computer games, stuffed animals, and playing outside, and just are not into dolls or doll play.

[Deleted]

My girls have a FP doll house and a huge tub of the accessories, they love it but don't play with it daily. I would keep it a while longer but I also loved my dollhouse that was nowhere near as elaborate as theirs and may be living vicariously through them

[Deleted]

My niece was 10 and became super into her doll house. She learned to sew just to make some furniture for the dolls. She has done decorating
She doesn't 'play' with it but she enjoys it.
If you have space, I would keep it.

[abs]

DD got a big dollhouse for her birthday last year (so 5). She played with it nonstop for a week and then didn't touch it again. Then in March she got super into Barbies and has been playing with it most days for months now. She's always been a doll girl though--she still loves her baby dolls (although she is moving into American Girl) and has never ever been into stuffed animals, MLP, etc.

If you have the space for it I'd keep it. I think it's something they can grow into and use with lots of different toys. Also, your sons may end up liking it! DH loved his sister's dollhouse as a kid. He used it as headquarters for all his GI Joe's and superhero figures.

[Noblegirl]

May 12, 2016 11:28:33 GMT -5 abs said:

DD got a big dollhouse for her birthday last year (so 5). She played with it nonstop for a week and then didn't touch it again. Then in March she got super into Barbies and has been playing with it most days for months now. She's always been a doll girl though--she still loves her baby dolls (although she is moving into American Girl) and has never ever been into stuffed animals, MLP, etc.

If you have the space for it I'd keep it. I think it's something they can grow into and use with lots of different toys. Also, your sons may end up liking it! DH loved his sister's dollhouse as a kid. He used it as headquarters for all his GI Joe's and superhero figures.

Great point on DS.  When DD is at school, the dollhouse turns into "Joker's Funhouse" or "Batman's Lair."

[cjeanette]

E plays with Barbies at times. She is more into Monster High and has a huge Monster High Castle.

She is 7.

[julygal]

I think you would know by now if she was going to get into it. Sometimes, if I am on the fence about I toy, I put it away for awhile and see if they ask for it. If they ask for it, then they generally play with it more after it comes back out. If they don't ask for it after a few months, I part ways.

[rootbeerfloat]

Besides a brief phase of playing with baby dolls around 3 or so, DD has never been into dolls. We had some hand-me-down Barbies that other kids would play with when they came over, but she ignored. I finally gave them away.

[Marmee]

I think it depends on a couple things...is she a doll person? 2 of my girls are (DD2 & 4) & 2 are not. Also does she have someone to play dolls with? My older 2 went through extremely specific phases..."little dolls" (plastic figures), then Barbies, then AG, then Lego Friends. Despite being 2.5yrs apart they went through these together. DD3 will play Barbies & AG but it's on the prompting of DD2. Basically DD2 drives the doll play a lot. DD1 loved dress up & art, DD3 loves building toys. They basically rotate around and go through phases. DD4 is very into her new Lundby dollhouse (DD2 will play with her too) but it's the only toy I allow on my main level. I'm keeping the Barbie house until she's at least 7. So if your DD has an interest in dolls in general, I'd keep. Or if she has lots of play dates. Otherwise I'd just ask her. My girls are frank about what they care about & what they don't.

[bunnymendelbaum]

I redid my dollhouse and gave it to my DD1 when she was 3 (I think). Everyone thought she was too little for it, but she loved it. Then we had DD2 and had to put a plexiglass front on it so she would not destroy it. DD2 is now 3 and DD1 is 6. We took the cover off of it and they play with it sometimes. I am in the same boat as you: we have WAY too many other toys and they just don't focus on it. (It's also in a hallway and doesn't get great light.) I loved playing with that dollhouse when I was little. I keep threatening my DH to donate 1/2 their toys so they actually play with stuff, right now I think it is too overwelming!

ETA: do you ever play with it with her? I was cleaning it all up recently and that is when the girls got reinterested in it.

[holly116]

May 12, 2016 13:39:56 GMT -5 bunnymendelbaum said:

I redid my dollhouse and gave it to my DD1 when she was 3 (I think). Everyone thought she was too little for it, but she loved it. Then we had DD2 and had to put a plexiglass front on it so she would not destroy it. DD2 is now 3 and DD1 is 6. We took the cover off of it and they play with it sometimes. I am in the same boat as you: we have WAY too many other toys and they just don't focus on it. (It's also in a hallway and doesn't get great light.) I loved playing with that dollhouse when I was little. I keep threatening my DH to donate 1/2 their toys so they actually play with stuff, right now I think it is too overwelming!

ETA: do you ever play with it with her? I was cleaning it all up recently and that is when the girls got reinterested in it.

I'm actually in the process of going through everything today to get ready for a yard sale this weekend. I think after most of the crap and noisy stuff they've outgrown is gone, fingers crossed, all three of them actually play with what's left.