Buying a Baby Doll: What do I need to know?

[amldaley]

15 mo Dd has discovered baby dolls at daycare and it is her number two favorite toy.

But shopping for dolls like like shopping for a new car! Soft vs hard, vinyl, eye that open & close or not, accessories, outfits, made in china, made elsewhere....OH MY GOODNESS! :47:

So, what do I need to know about baby dolls? What do I need to avoid??

Why are Correlle dolls so popular? What about Small World Toys? Why can't I just buy her a $5 doll from Wal-Mart? (I feel weird about it for some reason).

Please advise!!!!!

[Seitvonzu]

You can get a really good price on a Corolle Calin from www.kidsurplus.com :
http://www.kidsurplus.com/itemDetail-item-63%20COR%2023231~-~fromsearch-true.asp

i worked at a doll store in college. i bought a bunch of dolls for "my future children" and moved them from texas to pa with me when i went to graduate school. i think i shipped 30 boxes total of stuff and 5-6 were these boxes of doll stuff. anyhow... i digress. i never bought a "calin" because i just didn't get it. i saw grandma after grandma come in and buy these little dolls. they have softish bodys with beans & silky stuffing-- they sit up really nicely and they are snuggly. they smell of vanilla and they have the sweetest faces. still, i didn't buy one for my future children. i'm not sure why! (i particularly always liked the asian version, because asian dolls are so hard to come by...corolle is one of the only companies that does it)

anyhow... the doll i bought to be my first girls first doll was a madame alexander "huggems"-- they are VERY dolly like (rosy cheeks and skin,etc) and have soft bodies. my lucy liked "baby rosy" okay, but never really bonded (she did temporarily, but never reallyreally). then a friend sent us an extra corolle outfit. i put it on rosy, and lucy( my dd) liked that , but still wasn't crazy for rosy. i decided i would order a corolle. you know, for the outfit? actually, i didn't want to take lucy's "special" doll on vacation, so we needed something else. so i ordered the doll above. lucy IMMEDIATELY took to "baby charlotte"-- sleeps with baby charlotte, cuddles her, etc. we took her on that vacation and she played with her TONS. when my husband saw the baby, instead of rolling his eyes about yet another toy he said "that's the cutest baby doll i've ever seen"

our corolle doll is COMPETELY worth it. we also have the potty doll which i got from www.liveandlearn.com (baby emma). she's not as cute, but she can go in the BATHTUB :) which is a major selling point with my own baby. i'd start with the calin though-- very sweet dolls!

[katydid1971]

DD received her "babies" as gifts from her two grandmothers. She has a a Huggums by Madame Alexander and a Correlle Calin and a little doll that's about 4 inches tall that's a no name doll that cost $3.50 that we had to buy because she was gong to take it home with her if we paid for it or not ;). The Calin is her favorite. I think its the face, it has a super sweet face. She will carry any doll or stuffed animal that is around but Calin is her first choice. They are well made dolls, I think they are worth the price, especially since you can find them in the $20 area. The clothes are well made but soooo expensive. I have tried some cheaper clothes. The best luck has been these two outfits I got a walmart for $5 (sold two in a box for $5). I bought a couple outfits at the dollar store, they fit but they are very hard to get on and off and DD loves taking the clothes off and tries to put them back on again so I just tossed them. IMO you can't go wrong with the calin doll. We really love ours.
One other thing I personally find those dolls at Target (I don't know the name) that talk and crawl when you walk by them really creepy!!!

[love_a_latte]

I (Well, DD and recently DS) have been very happy with the Correlle Calin doll that we got for DD when we brought DS home from the hospital.

At first I felt a lot like OP, a little overwhelmed by all the choices, and wondering what the difference really was between the 'nice' dolls and Target/Walmart Dolls. The Correlle is so cute, and now that we have had her a while, when I look at the dolls at Target they seem so, well plasticky and the faces are not nearly as sweetly detailed. For us it really was worth spending a little more (really, only $10 or so) to get a Correlle.

You may also want to check out the Mini Muffins by Gotz. They are a little harder to find IME, but have super cute little faces, and are made really well. My sisters and I all got them as Christmas gifts when we were kids, 20 or so years ago, and they are still in great shape for DD to play with at my moms house. I think that they generally have hair, and slightly older faces, more like a toddler then a baby doll. DD got a Maxi Muffin (http://mailjust4me.com/crafts/maxymuffinballerina.htm) for her birthday this year, and it is the cutest thing ever, with the exact same face that I remember from my youth.

[brittone2]

I like baldie baby dolls for that age since the hair can be hard for some little ones to keep looking nice (especially if they carry baby around by its hair ;) ).

I also always looked for phthalate-free dolls for DD.

[Melaine]

One other thing I personally find those dolls at Target (I don't know the name) that talk and crawl when you walk by them really creepy!!!

You got that right. I have actually jumped out of my skin a couple times even though I should know the layout of Target like the back of my hand by now.
Creepy.

The girls have played with their Calins a lot. I think for your DD's age, Calin is a perfect choice. She is a great size for them to carry around and the washability factor is great. I have let them carry those dolls a lot of places that I wouldn't let them take others (like the Bitty Twins) because I know they are washable upon return. The dolls are usually naked. (Both our dolls came naked, one from Goodwill one from Ebay). I bought clothes from the Dollar Tree but they don't care much about them.
We just bought the Bitty Twins and they have also been popular, but I think your DD might be a little young.

[bigpassport]

FWIW my friend's 3.5 year old girl showed me her dollies over the weekend. She pulled out 9 of the cloth-body/plastic-head arms and legs dolls which we lined up on the floor. All were "naked" and she seemed perfectly happy with all of her dollies. So, if it were me, I would try a cheapie doll first (considering, of course, safety and washability). At her age, she won't know the difference. Then buy her more expensive dolls as she gets older and knows the difference

[DrSally]

Another thing about the Calin is that it's bpa free.

[mommyp]

We got DD her Calin for her 1st birthday. She loves it! Sleeps with it, takes it everywhere. I like the size, cute face, washability, safety (bpa free) etc that pp have mentioned. I notice that DD does like that the eyes open and close, she tells me when baby is sleeping and wakes her up to show her things. So far we're not too into changing outfits and don't have much in the way of accessories, DD likes to wrap her in tea towel and feed her with an old sippy cup.

[ellies mom]

We have the Corolle Calin also. We bought it for DD1 but she never really got into dolls so it got handed down to DD2. I really like the Calin doll. They've got the the sweetest faces. We have the Darling.

She also has the Baby Stella (http://www.manhattantoy.com/product/242658/115910/_/Baby_Stella_Beige) doll, which is nice and cuddly.

But we also have the "mini-dolls" (6" dolls) from Target. They look almost like a miniature Calin. And yes, they are made in China but she loves them because they are a good scale for her. At $4 a peice, we've got a few. One lives in the car and one floats around the house. And they fit nicely in a diaper bag or even a jacket pocket. I don't think they really replace the bigger dolls but we have definitely gotten our money's worth.

[egoldber]

Amy also REALLY loves her tiny baby dolls. We have a Penelope Peapod and she is getting a mini Calin for Hanukkah. But we also have TONS of babies in all shapes and sizes. She likes them all and they all get playtime.

[Melaine]

But we also have the "mini-dolls" (6" dolls) from Target. They look almost like a miniature Calin. And yes, they are made in China but she loves them because they are a good scale for her. At $4 a peice, we've got a few. One lives in the car and one floats around the house. And they fit nicely in a diaper bag or even a jacket pocket. I don't think they really replace the bigger dolls but we have definitely gotten our money's worth.

My girls always gravitate towards those dolls at Target. I think I might get a couple for stocking-stuffers. Or maybe Mini-Calins if I can find a super deal.

[Momof3Labs]

FYI, www.kidsurplus.com (http://www.kidsurplus.com) has 20% off of Corolle this weekend using code TOYSALE (also applies to Haba and Melissa & Doug).

[lowrioh]

Annie also has a Baby Stella doll that she has become very attached to.

[DrSally]

I was just about to pull the trigger on the kidsurplus Calin's and realized that they raised the price $4, which negates the 20% off, plus you have to pay $9 shipping. I happened to check on Amazon and they have several Calins on sale now (plus free ship), incl the 2 I was looking at!

Charming Pastel: $25.51
http://www.amazon.com/Corolle-Premier-Calin-Charming-Pastel/dp/B000AM2L1O/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=toys-and-games&qid=1258222442&sr=8-2

Calin Yang $26.97
http://www.amazon.com/Corolle-Mon-Premier-Calin-Yang/dp/B000HBTSF0/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&s=toys-and-games&qid=1258222442&sr=8-10

ETA: And several others are in the under $30 range

[DrSally]

But we also have the "mini-dolls" (6" dolls) from Target. They look almost like a miniature Calin. And yes, they are made in China but she loves them because they are a good scale for her. At $4 a peice, we've got a few. One lives in the car and one floats around the house. And they fit nicely in a diaper bag or even a jacket pocket. I don't think they really replace the bigger dolls but we have definitely gotten our money's worth.

I'm going to have to look for these as a doll for the car/travel. Do you know what the brand is?

[brittone2]

Not the same brand as the PPs are talking about, but DD got a really small Gotz doll when we were on vacation in September. I thought it would be a short-lived thing but she loves on it just as much as her other babies.

It was about $15 at an indy toy store, so pricier than the Target ones, but that's what she wanted to spend her allocated vacation $ on.

I think it was this:
http://www.toysandco.com/products/3800/Mini%20Muffin%20Bald%20Boy%208%20inch

A little pricey for a tiny doll but she loves it and it was handy on vacation since the doll was small and portable. Gotz is phthalate-free too which is a nice side benefit.

[ellies mom]

They are the Circo brand. They are just tossed into a box on the same aisle as the rest of the dolls. One of the things I like about them is that they have a lot of different complexions so I was able to get ones that look like my daughter. They come with a little one piece outfit and hat. But like most dolls, they are nekkid now.

[DrSally]

They are the Circo brand. They are just tossed into a box on the same aisle as the rest of the dolls. One of the things I like about them is that they have a lot of different complexions so I was able to get ones that look like my daughter. They come with a little one piece outfit and hat. But like most dolls, they are nekkid now.

Cool! Thanks! That's great that they have various complexions.

[american_mama]

>> Soft vs hard, vinyl, eye that open & close or not, accessories, outfits, made in china, made elsewhere. So, what do I need to know about baby dolls? What do I need to avoid??
Why are Correlle dolls so popular? What about Small World Toys? Why can't I just buy her a $5 doll from Wal-Mart?


You ask some of the same questions I have asked, but I am not an expert... about 5-6 doll purchases/gifts for my two girls over the course of 7 years. Two of those are Corolle. Two are Fisher Price Little Mommy (basic versions), one I don't know, and I am blanking on if we have anything else.

One huge factor is the size of the doll. For a toddler, even a small doll is a lot to hold. My DS, aged 19 months, is into dolls and a 12 inch one or smaller is what he holds best. I don't know if it's common, but our no name doll has a horrible look where the legs attach to the body. The legs are stuffed and sewn on separately, so it just looks like two parts sewn together, not a continuous body or round, normal looking "thigh/hip." It seriously bug me when she's nekkid.

Soft body dolls are huggable, rubber body/hollow inner are ok and more realistic, and hard plastic/hard inner ones are too hard and cheap (and often very lightweight and I think not satisfying feeling to a child). Consider how heavy the doll is, or the floppy head or arms, which can be a problem if your child is thrower. I would also consider washablity, since I suspect a hollow body doll can only be surface cleaned or it will get water in the inner.

Eyes that open and close are called "sleeping eyes"; my kids surprisingly have not cared. Overall, the face of a doll - the molded and painted features - is a big part of a doll and how nice it looks. If the doll has brushable hair, check how thick the hair is/how sparse the "roots" are. I have just now been looking into this, since DD is getting a styling head for Christmas, and it seems a lot of dolls have sparse hair.

I bought Corolle dolls because i'd heard about them here, their website is easy to use/communicates a love of dolls and imaginative play/distinguishes clearly between different types of dolls for different ages. Plus, they were available locally at a store I wanted to buy from, and they were cheaper than any of the other equivalent brand dolls at that store. I too debated a Walmart doll, but neither the look nor the buying experience felt special TO ME and I decided to pay more to feel special about what I was giving DD.

One of our dolls is the Corolle Babipouce. She's got a realistic face and hands, but a stuffed head, body and feet and an overall teletubby-like shape. She does not sit as well as a doll stuffed with beads, but she's light, soft, huggable, and washable. That said, I think DD2 and DS both prefer the baby dolls with more realistic bodies.

[DrSally]

American Mama, I think you're very right about the distinctions you make. A soft body doll with a well detailed face and high quality hair (if it has hair) is worth the extra $$. I think the Corelle have very nice faces, which is a major part of the doll, like you said. It's also important to me that the vinyl is BPA free and not offgassing toxic fumes. Sometimes when I walk into the Walmart toy section, the overwhelming smell of plastic makes me nauseous. I know they're working on this, and I haven't been there in quite awhile, but this is what I remember.

ETA: I agree about the size issue too. My sister is thinking of getting the Corelle Chochette (sp?) b/c she likes the hair, but I wonder if it will be too big for her just turning 2 yo to carry around. I think the Calin is the perfect size for that age, and certainly for my 15 month old.

[amldaley]

I was just about to pull the trigger on the kidsurplus Calin's and realized that they raised the price $4, which negates the 20% off, plus you have to pay $9 shipping. I happened to check on Amazon and they have several Calins on sale now (plus free ship), incl the 2 I was looking at!

Charming Pastel: $25.51
http://www.amazon.com/Corolle-Premier-Calin-Charming-Pastel/dp/B000AM2L1O/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=toys-and-games&qid=1258222442&sr=8-2

Calin Yang $26.97
http://www.amazon.com/Corolle-Mon-Premier-Calin-Yang/dp/B000HBTSF0/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&s=toys-and-games&qid=1258222442&sr=8-10

ETA: And several others are in the under $30 range

It's back down this evening and the coupon is still good!!! $16.79 after coupon!!!!

[amldaley]

I went for the Calin on sale at Kidsurplus, $16.79 after coupon :yay:

I am going to add Baby Stella to the Grandmothers Prospective Gift List for dd.

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :grouphug:

[DrSally]

I went for the Calin on sale at Kidsurplus, $16.79 after coupon :yay:

I am going to add Baby Stella to the Grandmothers Prospective Gift List for dd.

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :grouphug:

Wow, good deal! Esp. if you have other stuff you want to add to get free ship.

[BelleoftheBallFlagstaff]

You got that right. I have actually jumped out of my skin a couple times even though I should know the layout of Target like the back of my hand by now.
Creepy.

The girls have played with their Calins a lot. I think for your DD's age, Calin is a perfect choice. She is a great size for them to carry around and the washability factor is great. I have let them carry those dolls a lot of places that I wouldn't let them take others (like the Bitty Twins) because I know they are washable upon return. The dolls are usually naked. (Both our dolls came naked, one from Goodwill one from Ebay). I bought clothes from the Dollar Tree but they don't care much about them.
We just bought the Bitty Twins and they have also been popular, but I think your DD might be a little young.

:yeahthat:They scare me all the time!

[BelleoftheBallFlagstaff]

I went for the Calin on sale at Kidsurplus, $16.79 after coupon :yay:

I am going to add Baby Stella to the Grandmothers Prospective Gift List for dd.

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :grouphug:

I love Stella!

[DrSally]

Not the same brand as the PPs are talking about, but DD got a really small Gotz doll when we were on vacation in September. I thought it would be a short-lived thing but she loves on it just as much as her other babies.

It was about $15 at an indy toy store, so pricier than the Target ones, but that's what she wanted to spend her allocated vacation $ on.

I think it was this:
http://www.toysandco.com/products/3800/Mini%20Muffin%20Bald%20Boy%208%20inch

A little pricey for a tiny doll but she loves it and it was handy on vacation since the doll was small and portable. Gotz is phthalate-free too which is a nice side benefit.

I saw these at our local indy store. It's nice that they're BPA free. I picked up the small one from Target for $3. They had a fair skinned one with blue eyes, a med skinned one with dark eyes, and a darker skinned one with dark eyes. So, that was really nice. DD likes to carry it around. It really is a nice, portable size. If she ends up really liking this size, I may look at the Gotz one. I'm anxiously awaiting our Calin to arrive. I got a doll for DS when he was younger, but he didn't show a ton of interest. Now, he's saying he wants a doll too, a boy doll. Maybe I'll have to get the Calin in the blue outfit for him.

[urquie]

I went for the Calin on sale at Kidsurplus, $16.79 after coupon :yay:

any chance you can link to the coupon? this is a great deal!

[katydid1971]

any chance you can link to the coupon? this is a great deal!

http://www.retailmenot.com/view/kidsurplus.com

[urquie]

http://www.retailmenot.com/view/kidsurplus.com

thanks for the link! i'm confused though, i don't see which coupon could bring the price down so low... from $29 to $16.