Best dolls' houses for imaginative play

When asked for dolls’ house recommendations in the Mumsnet forums, there’s one toy that is mentioned time and time again. A traditional three-storey design, the Asda Wooden Dolls House makes an adorable gift for children aged three and above, with a surprisingly affordable price tag of less than £50.

Made from durable wood, this budget-friendly dolls’ house is relatively straightforward to assemble. While furniture isn’t included, Asda sells a complimentary range of wooden dolls and furniture to help you furnish inside. Thanks to the plain interior walls, you could even take some inspiration from Pinterest and add wallpaper for a more personal touch. 

While the muted pink colour palette won’t be to everyone’s taste, we love the wide opening doors and hinged roof, folding back to create plenty of space for siblings to play together. 

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Before investing in a large, expensive dolls’ house, Mumsnet users recommend testing the waters with your children and the Sylvanian Families Red Roof Cosy Cottage is a great place to start - ideal for children aged three and above. With an affordable price tag of just £20, this small two-storey house offers excellent value for money, with a cute flocked character and a small selection of furniture included in the price.

We love the compact design of this house, which is ready to play with straight from the box with no additional assembly required. While the play space is relatively limited, children will love the interactive elements for pretend play - from baking an apple pie in the oven to collecting mail from the postbox and tucking Miss Rabbit into her bed at the end of a fun-filled day. 

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While they certainly don’t come cheap, online reviewers and Mumsnet users couldn’t speak more highly of Le Toy Van dolls houses for their traditional style, sustainable materials and durable designs, with a range of long-lasting dolls houses in muted, pastel shades. 

The three-story Sophie’s House is made from sustainable wood and non-toxic paints, with a fully removable roof that extends the play space without the risk of trapping fingers. We love the attention to detail - from the opening windows and shutters to the large central staircase and detailed wallpaper. 

There’s no furniture included with this dolls house and the room sets make this quite an investment choice, but with a design that’s built to last, your grandkids may even get to enjoy it too. 

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If your child loves playing with Barbies, the chances are that Barbie’s Dreamhouse will be high on their wishlist. As long as you have the room to accommodate its significant size, this larger-than-life dolls house provides plenty of play for the price. It also comes with an impressive 75 play pieces included, as well as transforming furniture that folds down when it’s time for Barbie and her friends to go to bed. 

Set across three stories with 360-degree play, the Barbie Dreamhouse is ideal for children to share with their siblings and friends, accommodating multiple Barbies and other 11-inch dolls across several brightly decorated rooms. With a lift and slide to help navigate between floors, your children will love the water play and interactive elements such as the flushing toilet, sizzling frying pan and oven timer.

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Gabby’s Dollhouse is a TV programme that has proved incredibly popular with preschoolers and young children, so it’s not surprising that the accompanying toy sets are also in demand. A replica of the dolls' house Gabby shrinks down into during the show, this adorable dolls' house comes with six rooms and an attic space, eight pieces of furniture and two characters included - Gabby and the super-cute Pandy Paws. 

The house does require some initial assembly and is made from plastic and cardboard, so it’s a little less durable than wooden designs. The lift can also be a little tricky to move between floors, so you may need to teach younger children to handle it with care. 

Despite this, we love the interactive elements in this playset including the flipping table, ‘flushing’ toilet and surprise deliveries. Kids will also love playing the theme tune and sound bites from the show via the large button on the base. While no means essential, the biggest of Gabby fans can also expand their set with additional deluxe rooms (sold separately).

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The L.O.L dolls craze shows no sign of slowing and for children who amassed quite a collection of characters, the L.O.L Surprise OMG Fashion House makes a great accompaniment. Another larger sized choice, this house is set across not three, but four floors with nine play areas including a living room, pool, rooftop patio and diner. It offers a full 360 degrees of play, so friends and siblings can stand and share the fun during play. 

The price tag is significant, especially considering dolls are sold separately, however the set does come with over 85 accessories, including a fully equipped kitchen and a range of transforming furniture. Your children will love the giant spiral water slide, where their colour change characters can splash down into the pool below. 

This doll house does have a large number of plastic parts, but the main house made from durable and long lasting wood. All the parts are clearly labelled, but you may need to  set some time aside for assembly. 

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If you’re looking for a smaller dolls’ house that can be enjoyed both inside and outside the home, the Playmobil Take-along House comes well rated by Mumsnet users and online reviewers. With a portable carry handle, this house opens up to reveal four fully decorated rooms, with a selection of furniture and three Playmobil characters to kick start their collection.

While the play space is relatively limited, we love how this set can be played with straight out the box (with no assembly required). All the small pieces can be conveniently stashed away in the house when not being played with too, so you’re less likely to find them scattered or lost around your child’s bedroom.

The only downside of the folding design is that the furniture will become a little disoganised once the house is closed, but rearranging it is all part of the fun.

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The KidKraft Majestic Mansion Wooden Dolls House may be the most expensive option on our list, but with a durable wooden design that comes with a wide range of furniture, it offers excellent value for money. 

Set across four floors with a moving lift to your child can glide between levels, the Majestic Mansion is large enough to accommodate dolls up to 12cm in height (including Barbies and Rainbow High).

Whilst we love the brightly coloured interior and opening garage doors, its substantial size does takes a considerable time to build, so it's not one to start constructing at 11 pm on Christmas Eve!

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