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10 of the best dolls for toddlers and children, as recommended by Mumsnetters
Dolls are a great toy for young children's development, encouraging nurturing role play, imagination, empathy and communication. From soft-bodied dolls to interactive dolls, here are the best dolls you can buy in 2023, as recommended by real parents.
By Lucy Cotterill | Last updated Apr 16, 2024
Children love to play pretend, so it’s not hard to understand why children have loved dolls for generations. A fun way to replicate adult behaviour, the best dolls come with a range of educational benefits, including improved social skills, compassion and responsibility, looking after their doll using gentle hands and kind behaviours.
Named as one of Mumsnetters' top choices in both our best toys for 2-year-olds and best toys for 3-year-olds round-ups, dolls of all kinds are still a popular choice for young children. What's more, a 2020 study by experts in child development at the University of Cardiff found that playing with dolls increases empathy and social skills, because it activates the same part of children's brains as playing with others. Dr Sarah Gerson says, "playing with dolls is helping them rehearse some of the social skills they will need in later life."
The doll market is pretty extensive with a wide range of dolls to choose from. Whilst there are some more recent improvements in inclusivity, however, there is still a long way to go. The vast majority of doll brands are still white, although in recent years there more brands are starting to become more inclusive, offering more variety in terms of doll skin colours, interests and abilities.
Whether it’s a soft-bodied doll for a young child, an interactive doll or even a doll that can cry, we’ve researched the best dolls you can buy in 2024, with tried and tested recommendations from real parents in the Mumsnet forums.
These are the best dolls to buy.
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Realistic looking soft bodied doll
Comes with a cute babygrow, hat and bottle
Eyes close automatically when lying down
No interactive features on this model
Soft-bodied dolls unsuitable for play in the bath
Age Suitability: From 3 years | Size: 36cm | Batteries: No
Whilst Baby Annabell does have an interactive doll in the range, Mumsnet users couldn’t praise this soft-bodied version enough for her authentic design, gently weighted soft body and ease of changing. She comes with a small bottle included, allowing children to engage in nurturing and caring role play as they pretend to feed their baby.
Whilst her soft body means she can’t be popped in the bath, it makes changing outfits a doddle, allowing children to easily remove her velcro fastened babygrow and hat before replacing it with other outfits (sold separately) as required.
Whilst some children may prefer an interactive doll, we love that this simple design encourages children to use their imagination. Baby Annabell also has a great range of accessories to complement your child’s doll collection including high chairs, cots, outfits and accessories.
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Soft body
Budget-friendly price
Great size for little ones
No extra accessories
Age Suitability: 18 months+ | Size: 30cm | Batteries: No
This soft-bodied baby doll offers excellent value for money. Despite the low price tag, this cute little doll is great quality and comes from a trusted brand.
Available in a few different outfits, each one comes wearing a onesie and hat. You can also get a set of baby doll twins and Mumsnetters love the top quality, soft body and smaller size of these dolls, which make them a great first doll for little ones.
Best baby doll accessories
"DD is only 6 but loves the dolls accessories from Frilly Lily."
Frilly Lily
Dolls Pink Flower Cotton Pyjamas
Includes a potty and feeding bowl
John Lewis
Baby Doll Bath Set
"John Lewis have basic doll buggy’s in blue and pink"
John Lewis
Little Buggy
Soft and cuddly
Handmade
Suitable from birth
Pricey
Age Suitability: All ages | Size: 32cm | Batteries: N/A
Handmade from soft, plastic-free polyster fleece, Rubens Barn dolls are much softer and cuddlier than the hard plastic types you'll find elsewhere in the doll aisle. With her sweet, cheeky face and practical outfit, younger children will love playing with and cuddling Jennifer.
Online you'll find videos and patterns for making clothes for the doll as part of the Rubens Barn Do It Together campaign. The hand-stitched dolls and their removable clothing have no small parts, making them perfect for even the youngest children - what's more, both the doll and clothes are machine washable.
Read next: The best toddler toys, as reccomended by real parents
Long blonde hair for styling
Range of accessories including comb, clips and curler
Make-up palette for fun make-up looks
Suitable from 3 years although parents may want to supervise younger children with the make up
Age Suitability: 3 years plus | Size: 27cm | Batteries: No
If your children are forever asking to play with your hair, this Bayer Design Styling Head is a great way for children to express their personality, getting creative to bring to life unique or even intricate hairstyles with the comb, clips and accessories provided.
With high-quality, long blonde hair that can even be curled with the included rollers, this doll offers a fun screen-free activity for children that can easily keep them entertained for hours. For older children, the included make-up palette and stickers provide the opportunity for experimenting with different looks and styles.
Super soft hair and lifelike features
Larger size and weight just like a real newborn
Includes a birth certificate and hospital wristband
Not interactive
The long-haired look won’t be to everyone’s taste
Age Suitability: 3 years plus | Size: 44cm | Batteries: No
For children who really enjoy acting out caring role play with their dolls, these Tiny Treasures dolls offer a really authentic experience thanks to their weighted bodies, realistic features and even newborn baby scent. Each doll comes with her very own hospital tag and birth certificate to complete, allowing children to choose her name and date of birth before taking her home to care for.
Ideal for gifting, the Tiny Treasures dolls come gift boxed and compete with a super soft jersey outfit which can easily be removed and complimented with additional sets from the Tiny Treasures range. Our only critiques? For the price, we’d love to have seen a bottle included.
Larger-sized dolls ideal for older children
High-quality hair that's fun to style and accessorise
Range of outfits included
Other items in the Our Generation can be costly, particularly the playhouses and accessories
Age Suitability: 3 years plus | Size: 46cm | Batteries: No
Our Generation Dolls are incredibly popular amongst both Mumsnet users and retailer reviews, thanks to their larger size, soft body with freestanding ability and beautiful long, styleable hair.
Our Generation Rosalind comes with a great fashion set included, featuring three unique outfits and accessories which can easily be switched or mixed and matched thanks to their easy velcro fastenings. Rosalind has a soft body with plastic limbs and beautiful long brown hair that’s begging to be plaited and styled.
It’s worth noting that due to their larger size, Our Generation dolls do take up a fair bit of space and that the larger Our Generation playsets can be quite costly due to their size.
High quality, authentic dolls
Vanilla scented
Eight interactive functions
Costly
Age Suitability: 2 years plus | Size: 42cm | Batteries: Yes (not included)
Whilst they come with a fairly significant price tag, Mumsnet users spoke highly of Corolle dolls for their premium finish and attractive, authentic designs.
Whilst she will set you back over £70, Lucille is a beautiful interactive doll which comes with four accessories included. She offers eight interactive functions including twenty different sounds and responses - everything from giggles to kisses, burping to sleep sounds, making her a realistic and engaging choice for children over the age of two.
We love the addition of Lucille’s floral teddy, which automatically activates lullaby songs when placed on the doll’s tummy.
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Small 7-inch dolls ideal for little hands
Dolls bodies are modelled on accurate proportions of children
Lottie brand has a strong focus on inclusion, body image and sustainability
Some smaller accessories and parts can get lost easily
Age Suitability: 3 years plus | Size: 18cm | Batteries: No
Of all the dolls on our list, Lottie certainly offers the most choice when it comes to inclusivity, with a range of skin tones, as well as diverse representation in terms of disabilities and combatting gender norms. Lottie dolls embrace STEM subjects and love the great outdoors.
We love Mia the Wildlife Photographer, who not only comes with an adorable removable outfit, camera and wellies but also has a cochlear implant, helping young children gain an understanding of individual differences.
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Extra bendy Barbie
Lots of accessories
Easy to dress and undress
Small accessories can get lost easily
Age Suitability: 3 years plus | Size: 38cm | Batteries: No
With so many Barbies to choose from, it can be hard to know where to start if your child takes an interest in this kind of doll. Mumsnetters and their kids have tried and tested tons of Barbies, and the Barbie Gymnastics Playset is the most-recommended set to buy, thanks to the doll's extra bendiness.
Not only does this mean Barbie can perform impressive gymnastics moves, it also makes it easier for small hands to dress and undress her, which can be awkward and frustrating on other Barbies - especially when it comes to getting plastic limbs into a leotard.
Read next: Best dolls' houses for imaginative play
Toddler-style doll
Practical outfit
Dress and boots are removable
Elsas's hair gets tangled easily
Age Suitability: 3 years plus | Size: 35cm | Batteries: No
For Disney fans, having a doll version of their favourite character makes for hours of fun, imaginative play and musical numbers. These toddler-style Adventure Dolls are a nice alternative to the fashion doll Disney princesses, if you're looking for something a bit more sturdy and substantial.
Elsa comes with a removable dress and pair of boots, but Mumsnetters advise against getting too attached to her perfectly plaited, neat hair do. The size of this doll is really nice for younger children, not least because its proportions are more like a child's than an adult's.
What to look for when choosing a doll
Size - How big is the doll? Smaller dolls such as Lottie Dolls are more portable, whereas larger dolls such as Our Generation are great fun for use in the home. If you’re buying for a toddler or preschooler, most standard dolls range between 30 and 45cm in length and you should pick a size that best suits your child’s age.
Hard or soft-bodied? - Hard-bodied dolls are robust and hard-wearing, and some even offer the ability to pop them into the water as a fun bath time companion. That said, soft-bodied dolls are often more comforting for children to cuddle.
Interactive? - Does the doll have any interactive features? Whilst children love sounds, actions and responses such as giggles or the ability to cry tears, the more basic models can still provide plenty of imaginative role-play opportunities, allowing your child to get creative when playing and caring for their dolls.
Does it include accessories? - Does the doll come with any accessories such as bottles, dummies and outfits? If not, you may want to weigh up how much they cost to purchase separately, as it’s likely your child is going to want to have a few options when caring for their new baby.
How can you tell if a doll is safe?
When buying a doll for a child, you must ensure that it’s safe and suitable for their age. Check the age recommendations carefully, as some dolls include smaller parts and accessories that could be a choking hazard for children under the age of 3.
You should always buy dolls from a reliable trusted seller, and look out for the CE mark (which proves it meets health and safety or environmental requirements) or the British Toy and Hobby Association's (BTHA) 'Lion Mark' - a voluntary code of practice that guarantees ethical and safe manufacture of toys.
What’s the best doll to buy?
The best doll for your child will ultimately depend on your budget and the age of your child. That said, Mumsnetters were fairly unanimous in recommending Baby Annabell, thanks to her soft-bodied comfort, adorable easy-change outfits and engaging lifelike appearance.
That said, in a market that still has a long way to go in terms of inclusivity, we have to give huge praise to Lottie for offering a diverse range of dolls in a world where representation matters.
About the author
Lucy Cotterill is a mum of two and Content Writer at Mumsnet, specialising in baby/child and lifestyle product reviews and round-ups. Having written product reviews on her own blog Real Mum Reviews since 2012, Lucy loves to research and explore the pros and cons of baby products, scrutinising reviews and consumer feedback to help parents make confident purchases that benefit their families.
Originally from a HR background with a degree in Business Studies, Lucy developed a real passion for blogging and writing when her children were young, going on to write for several online publications including US parenting site Pregistry and the Evening Standard. When she’s not manically tapping the keys of her laptop, Lucy loves nothing more than to cosy up with her Kindle and enjoy the latest thriller, or compete in Nintendo Switch rallies with her daughters aged six and 10.
How we chose our recommendations
Recommendations from real Mumsnet users
First, we sought out the trusted opinions of Mumsnet users, to get their feedback on their children’s favourite dolls, including the dolls their children love, play with regularly or that they would confidently recommend to others.
We also looked out for any negative reviews, where Mumsetters highlighted dolls that they felt were poor quality, overpriced, failed to hold their child’s attention or simply didn’t work as expected.
Authentic consumer reviews
Finally, to bring you our definitive list of the best dolls, we thoroughly investigated genuine, in-depth customer reviews on retailer sites such as Amazon, Argos and John Lewis to get wider consumer experiences regarding the products on our shortlist. We looked for consistent criticism and frequently praised features, to help us gain real insights into the dolls in our selection.
Why you should trust us
We work hard to provide honest and independent advice you can trust and we spend hours scouring the Mumsnet forums and online bestseller lists to find products that real parents rate.
Transparency is really important to us and that's why we're always upfront about where we find our recommendations. We write about products that we feel offer the best value to most parents – the ones that our users would recommend to their own friends and family.