The Benefits of Playing with a Dollhouse
Playing pretend is a staple for children. It fosters imagination and creativity—skills that will benefit your kiddo throughout school and life. Playing dollhouse gives children a chance to create stories, learn life, organizational, and classification skills. Not to mention, playing dolls are the perfect way for kids to prepare for big life changes, like becoming an older brother or sister, or how to share and collaborate with another sibling. There are just as many benefits as there are stories children can imagine.
Finding the Perfect Toys
We know a thing or two about finely crafted dollhouses. At Melissa & Doug, we’re the number one preschool brand for wooden and sustainable toys (Source: 360 Market Reach, February 2022). Their sturdiness makes them ideal for children of all ages. Pieces are durable enough for tinier “doll parents” between ages 1 and 3, and varied enough to keep the interest of children between 3 and 5. Not to mention, the crafting of our toys make for lifelong treasures that can be passed down through generations. This ties back to our favorite motto: “Timeless toys. Endless possibilities.” Here are some of our favorite toys for the most enriching dollhouse experience for your family.
Multi-Level Dollhouse
Welcome home! This is the ideal starter house for any expecting doll parent or a kiddo with an array of dolls. This cozy and spacious home is easy to assemble and nearly two-feet tall, so there’s plenty of room for an entire doll family and the set’s 19 pieces of wooden furniture. Each piece of furniture is hand-painted, because who doesn’t like a pop of color in a new house? And we can’t forget the fine details: there are working doors and drawers and a moveable staircase for some easy “renovations.” This durability of this home and furniture means fun for years to come.
Fold & Go Mini Dollhouse
For our doll families on the move, there’s the Fold & Go Mini dollhouse. The collapsible design makes for easy play, transportation, and cleanup. This vibrant pink home also comes with 12 pieces of handcrafted furniture, as well as 2 adorable, petite, and flexible wooden figurines. (Perfect for tinier hands getting used to playing with dolls!) For older kids, this is the perfect travel entertainment. For younger children, this is a great educational development tool: ask them to count accessories and rooms and identify the colors throughout the home. This promotes word association through creative learning.
Mine to Love Baby Care Activity Center
Becoming a big brother or sister is a huge life change, but it can be easier by introducing our Baby Care Activity Center. This is a way to familiarize your child with baby care, like high chairs, changing mats, and diaper disposals, prepping them to be a superstar helper for mom and dad. But that’s not all, this incredible set comes with 2 fully functional areas: a changing/bathing area and a nursery. Just a few of the features include a rocking cradle, washing machine, bathtub with spray nozzle, and a shuttered window that can alternate between day and nighttime. Pro-tip? This space also functions as a space to take care of stuffed animals.
Hi-Rise Wooden Dollhouse and Furniture Set
The sky’s the limit with the incredibly crafted, gender-neutral dollhouse. Open sides are perfect for easy navigation and play for 2, 3, or more! This set is ideal for 1:12 size dolls and includes 6 rooms, an elevator, and a garage. The variety of spaces makes room for even more creative play. This dollhouse is sturdy and tall, meaning it’s perfectly sized for the 3 dolls and 15 pieces of furniture that come with the set—and even some of the favorite dolls your child already owns.
Outside of our dollhouses, we also offer a variety of beautifully crafted, stand-alone additions to your child’s doll set collection.
Mine to Love Play Bunk Bed
It’s bedtime for 2 with this adorable bunk bed set. These beds are a cozy resting area for baby dolls and fuzzy stuffed friends. The classic beds are traditionally styled—with a precious carved heart accent in the headboard. Beds are able to be stacked for bunk beds or separated for friends who prefer to be tucked in side by side. For your sleeping beauty’s comfort, the set includes 2 blankets, and 2 pillows. It’s lights out for play friends, but endless fun for your child. Perfect for helping familiarize children with bedtime routines, watch your child’s confidence and imagination grow with this gorgeous set.
Mine to Love Wooden Play Stroller
Parents, you know what it’s like to always be on the go. Our wooden stroller shows your child how to create schedules that include errands. Teach your child how to prepare items that are necessary for a doll or stuffed animal on the go (snacks, toys, diaper, etc.). And for imaginative play, you can create an agenda for your child. Where are we going today: the doctor, the store, on an outdoor stroll? After errands ask for stories from the excursions. (Baby doll not included; sold separately.)
Mine to Love Play Armoire
It’s time to get dressed for the day! This is the ideal to teach your child about organization: “where’s your toy’s sweater,” “can you find the pants?” This wooden armoire features 3 shelves, a hanging bar, 3 hangers for a variety of outfits and 2 hinged doors to keep them organized and safe. Teach your kids the colors of clothes, how to keep a tidy room, or have a dazzling fashion show with special outfits!
Mine to Love Mix & Match Doll Clothes
So you have the armoire, but what about the clothes? We offer 2 fun sets, either practical or fashionable—both colorful and limitless fun! Our doll clothes include 6 coordinating pieces in either green and blue or purple and pink. These clothes fit 12” to 18” dolls. All the pieces are machine washable and include hangers to keep tidy. Encourage creative expression and empathy and allow your child to explore grown-up roles and responsibilities while having endless fun caring for their babies. Another fun idea? With both sets, ask your little one to compare and contrast, saying what is different and similar to foster visual perception skills
We also offer a wide variety of dolls of different skin tones, genders, and hobbies, which lets kids see dolls that look like them, have similar interests, or to promote exposure to others who might not look like them. Let’s get to imagining!
Visit the links below for more toy-related content from Melissa & Doug:
Shop All Melissa & Doug Dolls & Dollhouses
Explore Melissa & Doug’s Living Playfully Blog
Use the Melissa & Doug Gift Finder
