Dollhouse for a boy?

[tina-t]

Would you get your ds a dollhouse?

I'm asking because I thought that it would be great for imaginative play. Also, when dd is older, she can play with it too. However, dh is opposed to the idea. He thinks that it is too girly of a toy for ds. Right now, ds loves playing with his trains, cars and puzzles. I was thinking of getting the wooden dollhouse by Selecta.

Thanks!

[MelissaTC]

My DS is 4 and asked for one. I had bought an old Little Tikes one from a neighbor so we took it out of storage. He loves it! It is hysterical to overhear the "conversations" between the family members. It has also doubled as a pit stop for his cars. ;) I say go for it!

[kboyle]

last year i got charlie the playmobil take along dollhouse. it's small, it's portable & comes with everything a house needs for $25!!

i think they have a take along holiday home (santa, mrs santa, elves, etc)
take along horse stable (people, horses, house, other stuff)
take along castle (knights, beds, accessories)

he also got a playmobil castle *HUGE* from my parents and all his people, from playmobil women to batman & superman hang out in there ;)

go for it!

[Tracey]

I say go for it, but if DH is really opposed and DS might pick up on that, I say get a "treehouse" which is basically a boy dollhouse ;) .
I think this one from Hearthsong looks awesome!
http://a1516.g.akamai.net/f/1516/9947/2h/www.hearthsong.com/assets/images/hearthsong/images/shop/catalog/724479e.jpg

[SnuggleBuggles]

My dh and I think a dollhouse for a boy is just fine if they. No reason to stereotype toys, especially ones that open up the door to such fun, imaginative play.

Beth

[purpleeyes]

For Christmas, we're getting DS the ryans room firehouse, which we plan to fill with 'dollhouse' stuff-kind of a compromise between boy/girl stuff.

Go for it-a varied experience will be good for him!

Beth

[hillview]

I would get DS a doll house (DH says he would too). We might be more inclined to get a castle or a fort or firehouse but really if he wants to play house they YES!).
/hillary

[new_mommy25]

I would get a doll house for DS. DH would roll his eyes at me for sure but he wouldn't object. I think the Selecta houses are great and pretty gender neutral since they aren't painted.

I got DS the Ryan's Room firehouse for his birthday. It comes with furniture and I also got the fire truck and firemen to go with it. That's pretty close to a doll house and it is very cute.

http://images.barnesandnoble.com/images/10190000/10190240.jpg http://images.barnesandnoble.com/images/10190000/10190241.jpg

[Hippoharbor]

I would not get a dollhouse for DS b/c I know what DH's reaction would be. Instead, we have the Ryans room fire station as mentioned above and am thinking of getting him the maxim tumble treehouse.

Michelle

[C99]

IMO, there are no such things as "boy toys" and "girl toys." There are just toys. My DS does not have a dollhouse, but that is largely due to space constraints. He plays with my best friend's kids' dollhouse (which is pink and very stereotypical girly) every time we go over there.

[muskiesusan]

We have one. I don't really understand why it is "girly." The boys just act out daily life.

Susan
Mom to Nick 10/01
& Alex 04/04

[brittone2]

I don't get the male resistance to sons having a dollhouse. People live in houses, don't they? All kids are doing w/ a dollhouse is acting out daily life really...I don't understand how that is gendered?

My MIL sent down DH's (yes, DH's) little Sylvanian family (I guess now Calico Critters?) dollhouse a few months ago for DS. Apparently DH's family used to tease him about his dollhouse but he remembers having a lot of fun playing with it and that his friends all liked it too :)

Anyway, DS plays with it some. It isn't very big. For his 3rd bday DH is building DS a treehouse style dollhouse, and I think DS will really like it :)

A lot of the more popular dollhouses (Ryan's Room, Selecta, etc.) are pretty gender neutral. I'm not sure if you can veto your husband on this one or not, but hopefully he'll go for something gender-neutral at least. If not, would he be able to handle the fire house or treehouse style ones at least? I think my DH actually would enjoy playing with a treehouse style one himself LOL.

[NancyP]

My husband always objected to dollhouses for our boys as well. I would run the Tumble tree house by Maxim by him. It looks much more "boyish" and has a lot of the features of a dollhouse.

My boys do love playing with their pirate dolls and pirate boats. We have The Tree House stored and I might give it to DS # 2 for his birthday.

[redhookmom]

If my dh objected I would be more inclined to get it! LOL

But if your dh is going to be resistent to playing with the dollhouse with your ds that might be a bad message. Maybe the treehouse would be less "girly" to him?

[lovin2shop]

I compromised with my DH on this also. Drew is getting a Wood Play Garage from back to basics toys for Christmas. I see it as kind of a house for his cars which he is never without. I also picked up the Ryan's Room clubhouse on clearance at Target for $8, as well as the fire station and rescue heroes. Now to figure out where to put all this stuff.....I love that treehouse posted above....but, I've gotta stop somewhere. Anyways, I really, really like the gender neutral dollhouses as well, but you've gotta pick your battles, I guess. My discussion with DH started with play kitchens and he wasn't really excited at the idea. Drew loves the play kitchens at school and at his friends house. But, one of my friends said something that made sense. Her daughter isn't really interested in her kitchen anymore, but she loves Drew's cars. So, in some ways, I think that it is just the excitement of a different toy. So, now I just enjoy watching Drew's excitement playing with his girl friend's dollhouses and kitchens and am fine leaving it at that.

ETA more thoughts

[holliam]

Thank you for saying this. I feel like I'm the only one who thinks this sometimes!

I'm laughing because the things everyone said they were getting for their boys (Ryan's Room firehouse, treehouse) are what I have for my girl!

:P