What age do girls tend to stop playing with dolls?

[KrisM]

Just curious. When do they stop playing with things like Barbie dolls? Dolls like Corolle Vanilla? American Girl?

[SnuggleBuggles]

My friends and I stopped around 3rd grade. My SIL played with her AG dolls till around 4th grade. I think my niece was in 4-5th when she stopped.

Beth

[salsah]

i was wondering the same thing. i recently noticed that the american girls dolls are for ages 8+, iirc. i thought that would be the age that they start to outgrow dolls.

[egoldber]

Some girls don't play with dolls much at all after Kish, but many girls still play with them for a long time. IMO, the "height" of AG dolls is 8-10. For a friend's 10th birthday, older DD got her friend a couple AG mystery books. The girls in her circle all still really enjoy them. I suspect that by 11-12, that will end.

[AngelaS]

My 13 yo doesn't technically 'play' with her AG dolls, but there are still some dolls and accessories she wants. She informed me she's a collector. ROTFL!

My almost 9 yo still plays w/her AG dolls. She also still plays w/the FP dollhouses w/her little sister.

[MommyAllison]

I got my AG doll when I was around 8, and played with it for several years for sure. I remember playing with it when I was 12 - but I had two younger sisters and no older siblings, so maybe that was why I played with it longer? I also had to buy the doll and all clothing/accessories with my own $$ - so that might have added to the longevity too, and was why it took me so long to get one.

[KrisM]

Thanks! I was not a doll playing girl, so I didn't know. I was wondering about the AG dolls. DD loves her Corolle Vanilla doll and I kind of regret not getting the AG like me doll instead, since clothes in the 18" size are so much easier to find. But, I've read the hair gets messed up easily and the Corolle stays really nice, so that is a plus. She gets the catalog and wants an AG doll, but I'll wait and figure she'll play with it for years. She loves the Barbie dolls and has 1, but I'm not a fan of the tiny parts and clothes and would like that phase to pass sooner than later .

[mnosky1]

My older DD who is now 7.5 was never much of a doll person.

She has a bunch of barbie stuff including 2 biggish houses, furniture, pool, cars etc "thanks" to MIL garage sale finds (I even purged half of it before DD saw it) and numerous birthday gifts from school friends. If you have friend birthday parties, I think barbies are unavoidable. The only time she plays barbies are when friends come over for playdates (2nd grade girls) or her little sister wants to play. SO I guess other girls her age (almost 8) still play with barbies but my DD just wasn't ever really into it. She likes to play with horses and will have the barbies ride and groom horses though.

DD7 had AG bitty and a doll of the year but they got minimal play. Last year (age 6) she started reading the AG historical books and really got into the AG dolls, She asked for an AG doll and we made her wait to see if she really would stay interested (skipped Bday and waited for Christmas) and has really been into her Felicity doll since she got it and also plays with her other AG dolls now. Her friend who is a year older (3rd grade, just turned 9) is also into AG dolls as are a lot of the girls in her class. The books and stories (historical dolls) seem to be key, so I don't think a Corelle doll would be the same. Which reminds me, we do also have an adorable Corelle doll that neither girl likes - I like it so we still have it though

Younger DD who just turned 3 loves all things dolls, especially bitty baby and also likes the barbies. The girls both play these things together so I think having a little sister who likes playing with dolls has also renewed older DDs interest dolls.