Dollhouses

[petite ping]

It's DD1's birthday soon - she's going to be 5 - and OH and I have decided to get her a dollhouse.

We find that the toys that she plays the most with are the ones that she can play with DD2 - so the dollhouse has be large enough for at least 2 kids to play at the same time.

It has to have furniture included and ideally in wood.

So we limited our choices to these two

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hape-HAP-E...d=1506788812&sr=8-1&keywords=hape+dolls+house

or

https://www.amazon.co.uk/KidKraft-6...=UTF8&qid=1506788852&sr=1-2&keywords=kidkraft

I really like this one too but it's too big

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sturdy-Kid...506788957&sr=1-47&keywords=kidkraft+dollhouse

I really like the Hape as its all in wood, quite simple and open on all sides - but I get the feeling that DD1 would prefer the Majestic Mansion.

What do you think?

 

[Rainbow82]

I really like the Hape one as well. Being open sided I think it would be easier for them to play with together as well.
I also love the ones below as well though 😀


https://www.preciouslittleone.com/p...MIlISTgLXN1gIVhLztCh1mAgaaEAQYBCABEgJ43PD_BwE

https://www.babipur.co.uk/plan-toys...MIlISTgLXN1gIVhLztCh1mAgaaEAQYBSABEgI3c_D_BwE

https://www.tesco.com/direct/meliss...clid=COuTqoy2zdYCFc_HUQodIYoKUg&source=others

I love these, especially the top one. I wish my DS was interested enough for me to buy one. I'm not sure if any come with furniture but this pack of furniture is pretty cheap to buy separately.
https://direct.asda.com/george/toys...MIn_nUpLfN1gIViLvtCh3xZQoJEAQYASABEgI-jfD_BwE

Asda also do a wooden dolls house that matches the furniture if you were looking for a cheaper house option as well.

 

[CaptainMummy]

My dd1 had a kid kraft one very similar to the second one you posted. She loved it, it was solid (my then 1yr old toddler could climb inside on the second floor!) and it is perfect size for barbie type dolls. I would go for that, I don't particularly like the first one if I'm being honest x

 

[Scout]

Personally, I like the Kid Kraft one better. It just looks more exciting and colorful to me.

 

[Rags]

I'd go Kid Kraft - I know the other would be great for just now but it won't be long before she's outgrown it, I think the Kid Kraft will last her far longer.

 

[Eleanor ace]

Ooh I love the Hape one!

 

[george83]

I like the second one as it’s more traditional but having looked through all the links above can now appreciate that an open style one will be more suitable for children to play with. Tough choice!

 

[petite ping]

The choice was easier last week when the price for the kidkraft was less (damn you Amazon). I am hoping to fund part of the doll house with amazon gift vouchers.

Having given it some thought, I think I will get the kidkraft one - the main reason being that as it is quite an investment, I would like her get her a house that she will play with the longest (who would have thought that doll houses were so expensive).

The other kidkraft one is good too as it's a cross between the two - but it's a bit too expensive - OH might make up the difference though.

 

[Wobbles]

I'd go for Kid Kraft also!

 

[petite ping]

OK last question.

OH is in two minds... one is "OMG they're so expensive.. when I was their age I had nothing but dirt to play with (or something along those lines)"

other line of thought is " well we're going to have 3 girls, might as well invest in something that will hold out"..

In other words he is no help at all.

That said, do you think I should get a cheaper kidkraft one
https://www.amazon.fr/KidKraft-Mais...=1507150626&sr=1-1&keywords=kidkraft+savannah
and maybe invest in one of those articulated yoga barbies - I even found one that looks like me if I was 7 inches taller and not pregnant.

Or get the the doll house I want and wait until xmas for the barbies (so I can get one for each DD).???

I do find all these toys really expensive which is why I'm a bit stressed but when I look at the toys of my friend's kids I realised that in comparison we have a lot of crappy little cheap toys that the girls don't really play with. So we decided we should up our toy game and try and buy toys with a longer playlife even if we have to spend a bit more. This is the first test of our resolution.

 

[luci and bump]

Asda do a lovely dolls house, i bought it for DD when she was 4. Her and AS both play with it together, and it was cheap enough. They do an offer online where you can get the house and the furniture set for cheaper than buying them separately x

 

[Scout]

I'm okay putting more money in to something I know my daughter loves and will use. So, if my little one loved doll houses and I knew she'd use it for a few years, then I'd be okay spending more money on one.

My dd isn't in to dolls or doll houses, but loves the little furniture and likes to arrange it, so I built her a simple, undecorated house to give her this Christmas. (fortunately, a friend has gifted me a ton of little doll house furniture pieces and bits) In my situation, I would not spend the money on a nice, fancy dollhouse, but if my dd loved them and would play with them, they I'd buy her a nice one.

 

[petite ping]

Both DD1 and DD2 are totally in a doll house phase. They build houses with the duplo and make beds out of playdoh for their dolls and play mommy and daddy with them.

 

[Rags]

My dad built my sister and I doll houses when we were very small and we loved them but they didn't survive our childhood. When my niece was about 5 he made one for her as well as a free standing cooker, he died not long after wards but the house and cooker are still played with often (18 years later) by my 7 year old son - it's lovely to have something that he can enjoy which his granda made.

 

[petite ping]

Finally we decided to buy DD1 something else...a scooter and an articulated barbie who looks a bit like her if she was 5ft9 and a frozen eau de toilette.

OH and I felt that a doll house for just her was too much so we are buying it for xmas as a joint present for her and DD2. We are also decided to get the big kidkraft one that was open on both sides so that three kids can play at the same time.

 

[Rags]

Finally we decided to buy DD1 something else...a scooter and an articulated barbie who looks a bit like her if she was 5ft9 and a frozen eau de toilette.

OH and I felt that a doll house for just her was too much so we are buying it for xmas as a joint present for her and DD2. We are also decided to get the big kidkraft one that was open on both sides so that three kids can play at the same time.

This sounds like a great idea, it's lovely at Christmas for there to be a shared gift, you'll all be sitting around it having fun.

 

[BabyGirl999]

I've never seen the ones that are open on both sides. I got my kids a dolls house last year (they were 4 year old girl and 6 year old boy) and they LOVE it, though I can't imagine them playing on different sides as they always play side by side, holding the wee dolls next to each other if you know what I mean.

I like the second one you posted.

 

[petite ping]

It's this one... https://www.amazon.fr/KidKraft-Maison-poupée-So-Chic/dp/B001KF1M38