Doll house. 4 year old. How long will it be used?

[kijip]

My 4 year old really wants a doll house for Christmas. If I get it (which is likely), how long do little kids play with doll houses? I used to assume that if I got him something that he only had few months or a year of expected use left, that he would just pass it down to a little brother or sister. But we are unlikely to have another baby anytime in the foreseeable future so that is irrelevant at this point. Toby will be five in June 08, so he will be 5 and 1/2 at Christmas. I never touched a doll house as a child so I don't recall how long this type of toy is engaging for kids.

I think we will get him the Ryan's Room one since that is the one he plays with whenever we go near the toy store. I will have to stop by the local Tuesday morning to see if I can get lucky on some of the furniture :)

****Rocking out while parenting my smart little munchkin Toby. Just trying to do good in the world, a little at a time. Words to live by: it is *never* the wrong time to do the right thing :)

[egoldber]

My 6 year old probably plays with her dollhouses more now than she ever has.

Some other things to consider though that might have a bit longer play life in general.

Lego has a series of "dollhouses" in both Duplo style:

http://shop.lego.com/ByTheme/Product.aspx?p=4966&cn=385&d=104

and Lego style:

http://shop.lego.com/ByTheme/Product.aspx?p=4956&cn=348&d=70

Also the Playmobil houses are very popular:

http://store.playmobilusa.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-US-Site/en_US/ViewProductDetail-Start?ProductRef=3965%40Sites-US&CatalogCategoryID=wmoKAANpODEAAAEORB0UFTeM&JumpTo=BrowseStandardCatalog

[vonfirmath]

We played with our dollhouses (actively played) through at least 6th grade or so. And they sat in our rooms, as decoration, through high school. (My dad put them together from kits and my mom sewed the window curtains, bed quilts, etc). I don't know but this could be different for a little boy.

We still have them, ready for our daughters to play with them as they grow up.

[KBecks]

I had a more advanced dollhouse I built with my dad from a kit when I was about 10 or so. It had wallpaper and electrical lighting, etc. I think a dollhouse would get played with through 2nd grade or so, unless Toby perceives dolls as uncool once he's in school more. I'm thinking of getting a dollhouse for Alek as well.

By the time Toby outgrows it, maybe you could pass it to your baby niece.

[kijip]

>By the time Toby outgrows it, maybe you could pass it to your
>baby niece.

Oh, duh. Totally forgot about her! And maybe by the time Sadie is done with the doll house, Toby will have a much younger brother or sister, LOL. So if my little brother gives Toby doll house furniture like he has talked about, it will give right back to him :) We already did the same thing on snowboarding gear- split the cost for Toby's knowing that when he needs the next sizes for pants, boots, bindings and board, Sadie will be 4 and ready for her own snowboarding stuff. Good, economical, age spacing between cousins. :)

****Rocking out while parenting my smart little munchkin Toby. Just trying to do good in the world, a little at a time. Words to live by: it is *never* the wrong time to do the right thing :)

[kijip]

Thanks, all of those look pretty interesting.

****Rocking out while parenting my smart little munchkin Toby. Just trying to do good in the world, a little at a time. Words to live by: it is *never* the wrong time to do the right thing :)