Dollhouses for older girls

[kristenk]

DD is 8.5yo. She went through the TRU catalog yesterday and circled almost every single dollhouse she saw and starred it as something she loved. (She's ready to start thinking Christmas!) Seriously, she circled a Calico Critters house, Imaginarium My Corner Dollhouse, Imaginarium Splash Townhouse, Loving Family Dream Dollhouse, Barbie Dreamhouse and Monster High.

Right now in her room she has a dollhouse-shaped bookshelf that her grandfather made for her for books many years ago. It has two rooms per level and 3 levels. She currently has an assortment of stuff in there for furniture and all manner of dolls. There's Playmobil, Lego Friends, Littlest Pet shop and Polly Pocket stuff and/or dolls in there.

She also has Liv, Barbie, and Missmatched dolls. They're too big for the current house and don't really have any furniture that would work for them.

I think that she'd actually play with a dollhouse if she had one. I just don't know what kind of dollhouse to get that would be good for older girls. Her favorite that she saw in the catalog was the Barbie Dreamhouse, but doesn't that seem young?

Any houses that have long-term appeal? Sort of wondering if Olivia's House (Lego Friends) would work or a Playmobil house... I know I'll need to talk to her to see what she's thinking, but I need general dollhouse guidance.

[brittone2]

Do you think she'd use it more to "play" with, or is she more interested in decorating/craftiness?

DD really wants a big girl dollhouse...like a wooden, non barbie, in what I think of as the classic type of dollhouse. She wants to decorate the interior over time as a project with my help. Wallpaper, rugs, make little curtains, etc.

It started when we were thrifting and someone had found a beautiful one that they were loading into their car. She decided she'd really, really like to have an ongoing project like that.

I looked at new, then looked at some on CL that were sitting in attics, already assembled. I was a little afraid the assembly would take us forever for a kit, and I don't think *that* part interests her. So I started showing her some used on CL, and she was fine with that idea. I looked for ones assembled, but that weren't "decorated" yet-so it was kind of a blank canvas for her. Oh, and it is already wired. The wiring kits alone cost more than we paid for the dollhouse. That will allow us to put more money into the fun details, and she can pick stuff out as time goes on to add to it and make it more detailed.

I found one on CL a few weeks ago and I'm looking forward to giving it to her :)

She has some Only Hearts Club dolls but she isn't really into Barbie yet, so it was an easier decision in our case.

I guess I'd tease out whether she wants a "project"...I think of the classic, wooden type houses as an ongoing project. If she wants a ready to go thing to play with, I'd probably lean toward a Barbie house? Most of what she circled seems like a ready-to-go house to play with. I know my neighbor and I still played with our Barbies and Barbie houses until we were in about 5th grade.

I'm new to this, and my DD is younger, so I could be totally wrong ;)

[kristenk]

Beth - I think she's more into playing than decorating. She's more into immediate gratification and the inability to decorate and fix up a house NOW might cause too much anguish! :) Oh, and she circled things that were in the ready-to-go category, but I think that's mainly b/c she was only looking at the TRU catalog!

I know I need to ask more to figure out what she has in mind.

To possibly make matters more difficult, her grandparents are building something similar to AG's McKenna's Loft Bed for her for Christmas. They're very secretive about the whole thing, so I have no idea what the scope of the project is. They want to surprise all of us! With that project in the works, I'm guessing that we might wait and do a dollhouse (if she still wants it) as a 9th birthday present.

[brittone2]

Beth - I think she's more into playing than decorating. She's more into immediate gratification and the inability to decorate and fix up a house NOW might cause too much anguish! :) Oh, and she circled things that were in the ready-to-go category, but I think that's mainly b/c she was only looking at the TRU catalog!

I know I need to ask more to figure out what she has in mind.

To possibly make matters more difficult, her grandparents are building something similar to AG's McKenna's Loft Bed for her for Christmas. They're very secretive about the whole thing, so I have no idea what the scope of the project is. They want to surprise all of us! With that project in the works, I'm guessing that we might wait and do a dollhouse (if she still wants it) as a 9th birthday present.

THat sounds exciting! DS1 and DH built DD a bunkbed for her AG dolls last year and it was really cute. I'm sure the loft bed will be amazing!

[mnosky1]

I debated last year about a doll house for my girls, then 3.5 and 8.5 and finally settled on an imaginarium house designed for Barbie size dolls in a modern decor style. Both girls loved it and play almost daily with it. Costco had a similar one.
Now they want a Barbie dream house this year- I had hoped this woodenish( but still ugly) house would replace 2 smaller plastic garage sale houses but it's just fueled the fire :) It is great to see my 4 and 9 year old have something they love playing together though and keeps my 9 year old young when some other 9 year old wouldn't be caught dead with dolls.

[newnana]

I'd take her to Hobby Lobby where they have a bunch set up and see if she's drawn to any of those. They have classic, traditional ones, more modern ones and a pretty big selection. They do not have calico critters/Barbie/imaginarium ones, though. Just be good to feel her out on what she leans towards when in person and what might have more staying power. Same with seeing the one at Costco in person.

I thought DD would want that one with the elevator and cool accessories, but she fell in love with a more plain one at Hobby Lobby with solid walls and a closing front so she could declare it off limits when one particular friend that happens to break things is over.

And Hobby Lobby always has that 40% off coupon.

I know I tout Craigslist too much, but I have seen some great ones with accessories there once you know what you are looking for. Naturally, I didn't realize this until after I bought one. There are lots of kids that don't play with them and the ads typically read, "played with twice" or something.

Regarding legos, DD does incorporate her polly pockets in with her legos frequently, but doesn't really use them like her dollhouse because of the risk of having to rebuild when things don't stay together. For her that's more frustrating, but she is a little younger than your DD.

Have fun!