My daughter will turn 4 at the end of July. She received a beautiful Melissa and Doug Victorian dollhouse for her birthday last year from a close friend. Having just turned 3, I felt she was too young to appreciate it and really play with it responsibly and creatively (she has a tendency even now to pull/break/tear things), so I packed it away. Now that she's almost 4, I'm still second-guessing whether it's the right time. Earlier today she was at a friend's house and seemed to really enjoy playing with that friend's dollhouse...so it got me thinking that maybe this birthday is the right time. When did your son or daughter begin playing with a dollhouse?
Thanks!
Thanks. Looks like as my gut was telling me, I'll be giving it to her soon. As a side, for those readers who thought my intentions were "odd", nothing is being "re-gifted" here...when it was given to her, my dear friend was actually the one who mentioned my daughter might be too young and suggested it should be packed away if I felt she wasn't ready. It's a no-brainer that when I choose to give it to her, I'd let her know it was from our friend. We value honesty in our house.
You are thinking about regifting her own gift to her?
Odd
My kids played with their toys when they received them.
First, you don't break a Melissa and Doug dollhouse. Really? Even the furniture is made from blocky wood. They are MEANT to be played with by a three year old. Fancy delicate dollhouses with real little constructed furniture are for older kids.
And even after your SWH...YOU are the one saying "Oh, her birthday is coming up soon, maybe it's time to give it to her." You make it sound like regifting. Your young child will not truly understand that "Oh, this came from so-and-so who's not here. YOU would be the one technically giving it to her, since you've had it for a year.
I think your daughter missed out on a whole year of very fun play with a dollhouse meant for toddlers.
Toys are meant to be played with, and your friend meant for your 3 year old to experience the joy of a lovely doll house. I'd unpack it for her and watch her imagination blossom.
ETA: I didn't interpret your mention of her birthday coming up to imply re-gifting. My kids always understand when I tell them that so-and-so sent a gift for them. After all, kids believe that Santa sends them gifts, right?
Toys are to be played with, as long as there are no small parts to be swallowed. What is the age on the box? Melissa and Doug items are durable. Don't wait, start enjoying!
Just surprise your daughter with it today. "So and So sent this to you last year for your birthday, and now you've shown me you are big enough to play with it!" That should be enough. If you are worried about breakage, hold back any of the more delicate pieces for a while. That said, the Doug and Melissa stuff is sturdy (we have their furniture; it's easy to repair;glue in broken chair legs). The knobs do fall off more easily, but again, easy to fix.
I had a dollhouse available for my son when he was close to three, too. It was part of our preschool. He had very little interest-- more of a blocks kid, but the other kids, esp. the girls and another boy, really took to it.
wow it's a toy if it breaks it breaks. hopefully she;s not a maniac and destroys it but if she does she'll learn that her consequence is no longer having the toy.
My daughter has had various dollhouses since she was 1. She plays with her more freely then visiting her grandmom she knows to be a little more gentle because its an antique one.
I think you're wasting away precious years not putting it up. pretend play is educational and valuable and 3-8 are the best years for it. if you want to wait until she's a mature older kid who wont break it chances are she wont even use it.
toys aree meant to be played with not put up on a shelf
the lady at my work had antique barbies that would sell for a lot of money they had perefect pretty elaborate dresses and when she heard my daughters love of barbies brought them in last year under one condition...that she play with them! She wanted to know someone was enjoying them and they werent sitting on a shelf and boy are those barbies played with=)
I think my daughter was 3 years old when she got her dollhouse, my son was 6 at the time. They both loved playing with it. Now my daughter is 6 and my son is nearly 9 and both still play with it. Sure a few things have gotten broken on it or lost but they both love it so much. I say let your daughter play with it.
I think it depends on how you approach the dollhouse.
4 years is old enough to understand how to play with something delicately, and how not to ruin things. You will also have to help her manage the dollhouse, making sure to put things away when done so the little pieces don't get lost.
My SD was never taught HOW to play with things. She had a dollhouse at age 5 and she scribbled all over the inside with marker, she broke the pieces and lost them. We tried again at age 7 and had better luck (dollhouse is at her grandma's house). I made sure she knew how to play with it, and we had to help her clean up afterward (because she'd just shove the pieces into the house and break them).
I think it depends on your child, but also how you teach them. I think she will be excited if you show her what to do and what not to do. It also may be one of those toys that she has to ask your help with if she wants to play. We put our dollhouse with the open part against the wall and my SD had to ask our help to pull it out. That way we could control it a little bit until she got more responsible.
Mrslavallie, we own the Melissa and Doug Victorian dollhouse, and the furniture is more delicate. It is not as delicate as some dollhouse furniture, but still more delicate than the chunky wooden furniture that you are thinking of from other M&D dollhouses. If you look on amazon this particular dollhouse is recommended for 6 and up. Not toddlers. I don't think it would even hurt waiting until she is 5 if you still think she breaks/tears things apart, and I would definitely work with her on taking care of her toys and playing with them gently.
the amazon link in case anyone is interested:
http://www.amazon.com/Melissa-Doug-Classic-Heirloom-Victo...
My daughter got an antique dollhouse for her 3rd birthday in October. She has been playing with it ever since. We updated the furniture and reinforced a few things, and although we were concerned her playing rough with it would be a problem, it has never been. It is by far her favorite thing to play with. She can spend hours on her own playing with her babies and princesses and their house.
Good Luck!
We bought our DS (2.5) a fireman doll house. Its really rugged, has 6 "rooms" a fire truck, a helicopter, two fireman, a dog and an assortment of furniture. DS loves opening and closing the doors, helping the firemen get into bed, and putting the dog on the toilet. Nothing is banged or broken yet, and he's a rough and tumble boy.
He might not "pretend" or "maintain" the way I might, but that's OK with me.
good luck to you and yours,
F. B.
My daughter got hers at three and she was a little young for it. But now at four she LOVES it and plays with it often.
I have never had a dollhouse be an issue with kids over toddler age in my daycare. Now I don't let them play with the Playmobil ones because those fall apart if you push on them too hard, but a Melissa and Doug one would be just fine, and pretty much indestructable. Limit the amount of items you give her, spend an hour playing with her so she knows HOW to play with it properly and let her have it!
My own kids started playing Playmobil houses when they were 3 1/2 for the older one and about 2 1/2 for the younger child. Playmobil ones are small pieces though. Both girls played with my Little Tykes one from about 10 months old as did all the daycare kids.
My daughter never got into dollhouses. Giant waste of space in our house.
4 is good. I agree, 3 is too young unless it is something she's really into. My girls had a couple of cute dollhouses, now they have the barbie dreamhouse and monster high high school (theyre 5 and 6).
