Calico critters and plan toys dollhouse?

[sarahsthreads]

I'm already thinking ahead to Christmas, and based on DD's current obsession with all things doll and doll-house related, I'm planning to give her a doll house.

A friend recommended the calico critters dolls and furniture, but I really prefer the look of the plan toys doll houses to the calico critters houses. Does anyone know if this doll house (the "My First Dollhouse" from Plan Toys) http://tinyurl.com/25vpbw and the calico critters will work scale-wise?

Or any other recommendations...? I'm not totally convinced about the calico critters in the first place, although DD did have a chance to play with some today and had an enormous meltdown when it was time to leave. They just seem awfully tiny (and easily lost!)

Thanks!
Sarah :)

[lisams]

DD has a dollhouse that looks very similar (I think it was made by Melissa and Doug, but it's the same "floorplan"). We also have a set of Calico Critters, a cat family. DD LOVES them, but she's not a big fan of dolls so these are perfect since she loves anything animal. They're smaller than the dolls that would normally go with the dollhouse, but they're doable. I wouldn't say they're too small.

Not sure I helped there! The Calico Critters sure are cute!

[Canna]

We have a PT house and I have thought about getting some Calico Critters to inhabit it because I think DD would love them. I think they would work in the house. She's way more into people than dolls. Her current dollhouse has one dog (pet) inhabitant and that's her favorite part! :D

[Babywhite]

We are getting DD the Ryan's Room dollhouse for Christmas. I was thinking about getting the basement part and putting the Calico Critter Mice family in that section. After pricing the basement part, I decided to purchase DD a Calico Critter set for her birthday (August) to see if she really likes them. I got a good deal on a Ryan's Room backyard treehouse set, so I'm buying a CC Panda family for it. Just another idea... :)

[sarahsthreads]

Thanks! DD loves both dolls and animals, so it's hard to say which she'd rather play with. Maybe I'll buy one set of each and see which she plays with more!

Sarah :)

[sarahsthreads]

OK, good to know you think they'd work too. Of course, knowing they'll work doesn't make my decision easier, since now I have two options. Good thing it's a while before Christmas. I can waffle for months! ;)

Sarah :)

[sarahsthreads]

That's a really great idea! I was thinking of adding the basement for a future birthday or Christmas gift, and a family of mice down there sounds adorable.

Can I ask what made you pick Ryan's Room over Plan Toys? They look really similar, but the RR house is twice the price. Is it significantly bigger? I know practically nothing about doll houses, I just saw the PT one at a local children's museum and liked the layout - plus DD loved playing with it!

Sarah :)

[kaitlinsmommy]

I also planned to get dd a CC Family with her dollhouse. She is just way more into animals than people dolls. I think it's a great idea & that they will work together.

[kaitlinsmommy]

I also planned to get dd a CC Family with her dollhouse. She is just way more into animals than people dolls. I think it's a great idea & that they will work together.

[Babywhite]

After reading the reviews on this board, it just seems that most people like the RR's open layout the best. I don't have the option of seeing either dollhouse in person, so I usually just go with the majority in these cases. :)

RW

[egoldber]

We have some CC and also a very similar Plan dollhouse (ours is an older version though).

Honestly, I don't really care for either one. The CC are very small and my DD has a hard time managing their clothes. But she is very into taking clothes on and off her dolls. They are adorable though.

I may be the one that complains about the layout of the Plan dollhouse. My DD has a hard time getting things in and out of the house. Also, the front "doors" that slide are always falling off the track. We also have a lot of the Plan furniture and it has splintered and cracked a great deal. I have not been impressed at all with the quality of the Plan stuff I have.

When DD does use the dollhouse, she will use pretty much any doll or toy figure with it: CC, Little People, FP Loving Family dolls (I actually like these the best), Sweet Streets dolls, Polly Pockets, Papo figures, etc.

If I had to do it all again, I would get something like the FP Loving Family dollhouse or the FP My First Dollhouse. They don't have the same nice look, but I personally think they have more play value.

[Pennylane]

My dd received the Calico Critters dollhouse as a gift when she turned 4. Although I think it is adorable and she loves to play with the animals I don't think it is a great doll house to buy for a little one. The clothes are nearly impossible for her to get on and when she takes them off she usually ends up ripping something. I packed it away for awhile and when she is older I'll get it back out.

Ann

[ellies mom]

That is our plan because I think the calico critters doll houses are totally over-priced. We are planning on getting Plan's Terrace doll house. Honestly, I have to say that I doubt the kids care about scale as much as we do. I know I really had to work past that. And even if the scale is off now, the Plan doll house will go with other dolls later unlike the Calico Critter doll houses.

I know how you feel about the Calico Critters. But my DD just loves them too. I had to drag her away from them for over 1.5 years before I finally bought her a family last month.

We are going to buy the calico critter storage box for now. It runs about $25 and it not only stores dolls and furniture but has two "rooms". It is basically a cardboard box but the storage and portability will come in handy both now and later, especially since her birthday isn't until November.

[new_mommy25]

I haven't bought DD a doll house so I am totally talking out of my a** right now. However my current plan is to buy the Fisher Price My First Doll House for her sometime this year. She'll play with that for a few years and when she is old enough I think I will go with the Ryans Room Home is Where The Heart is doll house. I have seen it IRL and really like the open layout where you could play on all sides. I also think the RR Sunshine Manor is tdf adorable! Of course, by the time DD is 5 there might be a totally new and better option out there. :)