what age for an American Girl Doll?

[zarapipe]

Zulily has Dollie and Me (a knock off American Girl) on sale... was thinking of getting one for DD for Christmas. She will be 2 year and 9 months at that point... too young?? She loves baby dolls, but these are not babies, I guess that wouldn't matter, right?

[crazygame]

The accessories that come with an American Girl are way too small for a child your daughter's age. I don't know anything about the knockoff you mentioned though.

[madringal]

I took my DD to the AG store on her third birthday and it was the BEST! I have a video of her jumping up and down while the sales lady was getting hr doll ready. She loves her AG doll (and her puppy Chocolate Chip). Like PP said, some of the accessories are small, but I wasn't worried about her putting them in her mouth at 3.

[bronxgirl]

I plan on getting DD Bitty baby for her 3rd birthday. For a regular doll I woud wait untill she's at least 6.

[countthestars]

I agree with Bronx girl

[Deleted]

Ditto Bronx.

DD loves her cheapie baby doll so I dont know if I want to spend the money on a Bitty Baby, but def not an American Girl until she is older.

[af1212]

My daughter was given a Bitty Baby when she was born by a coworker! We stuck it right into her closet, thinking she wouldn't be ready for years!

But then, when she started walking (around 1), she would pick up her stuffed animals and care for them. Put them in her high chair, feed them, rock them, etc. So we pulled the Bitty Baby out and gave it to her and she LOVED it! She has played with that doll every day since, and she is 2 1/2 now.

[Noralie]

While the post was loading, I was thinking *please say not yet, please say not yet*

My daughters are 2 and 3 and no way in hell would I buy them a doll that expensive. DD2's favorite doll is one she "stole" from daycare (I keep bringing it back, but she keeps sneaking it home under her blanky). It is a little cabbage patch doll with no clothes, ratty hair, and pen scribbled all over her face.

I don't know what the "right" age is, but I'm thinking at least 6. I want them to be old enough to treat it with the respect a $100 doll deserves.

[statlerwaldorf]

DD has a knock off one and she loves it. It's her favorite doll. It's taken quite a beating, so I definitely wouldn't get an expensive one. She has some of the Dollie and Me clothes. They run really small. I usually get one size up. I figure I will get her an AG doll when she is older and she will already have a good amount of clothes for it.

[Deleted]

My girls got Bitty baby's at 2 & regular AG dolls at 4. Honestly I don't think 4 is too young but if it's important that your child treat them special then maybe later is better. I know they are pricey but I don't really care that my girls treat them like any other doll. My DD3 just turned 3 & she has no interest in her sisters big AG dolls nor the knock off I bought her a while back but plays with the Bitty baby.

[eliza22]

I started my girls off with the Target knock-off and the hair on those got gross right away, but they did play with them a lot. My mom bought them the real AG doll when they were 3 1/2 & 6 1/2. (We got Kit, she has short hair.) Anyhow, my girls have played with them very steadily for the last 1 1/2 years. They aren't perfect looking but still in decent shape. I really think they are worth the cost because they do hold up well and my girls play with them more than any other toy.

[dragonfly08]

DD #1 got her first AG doll when she was 3. It was a Christmas gift from my sister, because DD and the doll have the same name and look sort of alike. She didn't play with it a lot at that age and I did take the small accessories away. She's 8 now, has that doll plus two more, and plays with them and their accessories all.the.time.

DD #2 is 5 and has two AG dolls of her own. She got the first at 4 from my ILs and the second as a 5th birthday gift from my parents. She can play with them whenever she wants, but I do have the small accessories put away. She has the larger ones (shoes, hats, etc.) in her room.