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Original poster

AIBU - 7 year old too old for dolls ???????

135 replies

Someonetakemebackto91 · 06/10/2020 16:18

Hi
Aibu to think this is ridiculous or am I behind in the time’s. We have been discussing amongst friends what’s on the kids wish lists this year, they seemed take back by the fact by daughter had asked for the kindi kid dolls and furreal kangaroo ( and some other toys like hatchimal l fairy )
They said they were not buying theirs toys this year as they have grown out of them ( same year in school )
Is my child a young 7 year old ?
She has asked for a camera and watch for her birthday but she is still v much in to toys !

OP posts:
seayork2020 · 07/10/2020 00:57

My son gets what he wants for Christmas/Birthdays we don't have an age list that he has to meet or not, same as us adults get what we want.

Why does there have to be control over it?

MrsClatterbuck · 07/10/2020 00:59

I played with dolls up to my last year in primary. Though I did get a cot from Santa that year and did feel a little embarrassed about it. I still played with it along with my carrycot pram. It had carry handles on it and you could lift it out of the frame which folded down. My doll was Tiny Tears.

fogginghell · 07/10/2020 01:01

My dd is 11 (12 in a few months) , just gone to secondary and has just last week ordered a baby reborn doll from her own savings. (I personally find them a little freaky but she loves them so I'll keep that opinion to myself !). She's also got me to go in the loft and bring down all of the 0-3 months clothes of my youngest dds. She's folded them all and put them in her bedside cabinet, in preparation for her baby Grin I might have internally freaked out just a little when she showed me how she'd organised the clothes and how real it all looked since they're real baby clothes .... but.... I remember feeling this very strong maternal, nurturing urge at her age and I think having a reborn doll would have been lovely to have. Did anyone else have that ?!

ClaryFairchild · 07/10/2020 02:45

My 13 year old DS still has soft toys in his bed. My 11 year old DS got a particular soft toy which he'd been admiring every time we went to the toy store (I gave a heads up to his older cousin!) last Christmas and the way he cuddled it actually brought tears to everyone's eyes.

Florrieboo · 07/10/2020 05:22

My daughter is turning 9 in February and in lots of ways very grown up due to being the baby of the family with only older brothers. She was never into Disney or anything like that. However she asked if Santa could bring a Baby born doll and I almost broke my neck going to the shop and buying it to put away for December. I hope she loves it as much as she thinks she will.

Fantail · 07/10/2020 05:34

My 9 1/2 year old DD still plays with dolls. Last Christmas she got a Ken and a Barbie Campervan thing. The games and role plays have got more complex and elaborate as she has gotten older.

She’s not so much into LEGO and construction.

Imaginary play is so important for children and at 9, even though she’s almost as tall as me she’s still a child.

Fantail · 07/10/2020 05:37

PS - I love playdough - great stress release. At my daughter’s kindergarten if they had playdough out first thing in the morning the table would be occupied by parents at drop off time!

Soubriquet · 07/10/2020 05:53

Definitely not too old for dolls though I think maybe too old for a kindi kid doll.

Dd is 7 and has shown interest in the following dolls:-
#failfix
Na na na surprise
Rainbow high

Mypathtriedtokillme · 07/10/2020 06:03

That’s just a bit sad that the other parents have declared they are now too old for dolls.
Why do you want them to grow up before they are ready? Don’t you get what they want within reason?

My almost 5 year old and 6 year old nephews came to play with my girls (7&3) during the week and asked if they could watch Peppa pig then Hey Duggee because they are too old to watch it at home (And aren’t allowed because it’s for babies apparently) but since Dd is 3, can they watch it with her?
I thought that was just sad.

Mummyoflittledragon · 07/10/2020 06:14

My dd asked for a reborn doll when she was maybe 7. She stopped playing with them in about year 6. But at 7 her dolls would sit and eat with her, go in the car etc.

ItWasButIsNot · 07/10/2020 06:16

@Mypathtriedtokillme my nephew (6) watches Hey Duggee with my son who is nearly a year. It's so lovely to see their bond. He is allowed to watch at home but prefers Ninjago etc.

My sister and I used to play with our Barbie's through secondary school. The stories definitely got more grown up and we used to make clothes out of our old clothes for them. I think we again had more fun playing with them when we got them out the attic for my nephew. We're in our 30s. Never too old. If I had the time and money I'd buy some of the fancy Barbie's you used to see on display at Toys R Us Grin

kitschplease · 07/10/2020 06:22

10yo DD wants one for Christmas - def not too old. Although for the past couple of years, she's been more into Design A Friend (?) ones than baby dolls.

Chilver · 07/10/2020 06:29

My 8yo has always been massively into her teddies, less so dolls - until she turned 8! Now is really into playing with her dolls and has asked for more accessories for them for Christmas, including doll things she gave away a few years ago as 'too babyish'!! Sadly, she is a little embarrassed to take her 'babies' outside too much in case she is teased but I persuaded her once and low and behold, her good friend rocked up at the same park - with her babies in a pram! So, thankfully, dolls definitely still on the play list for a while yet I think.

user1471530109 · 07/10/2020 06:46

There is definitely something about this age though.
My dd will be 8 just after Xmas. She had lots of Barbie stuff for her 7th bday including the camper van. Over the moon at the time. She has been v vocal recently that it is all babyish and she has even removed it all from her bedroom and put it in the landing Sad.

However, I know she secretly still loves playing with toys. She's always got a Barbie or two in the bath Grin.
I have a feeling this is coming from school unfortunately.

cinnabarmoth · 07/10/2020 08:15

My DD8 (nearly 9) is more into Harry Potter and toy cars than dolls, but she still plays with hers. You sound like you have a great selection of presents there, covering a wide selection of interests.

cinnabarmoth · 07/10/2020 08:25

BTW I just asked my daughter about this and she said "those parents are stupid"! I strongly suspect that the children would prefer to receive toys

wishywashy6 · 07/10/2020 08:33

Definitely not too old! My DD is 10 and still plays with dolls/ toys - perhaps not so much when her friends are around they tend to be into doing craft type things or something outdoors but at home she'll happily get her dolls/ toy cars out and play

honeylulu · 07/10/2020 09:46

That seems really sad. Too old for toys age 7 - childhood is being really cut short these days!

I played with my barbies/ dolls house until I was 12. I made my younger sister keep it a secret once I was at secondary school, lol!

I have a teen son and he definitely still wanted and got toys at that age and beyond. He was a massive playmobil fan. Started getting into gadgets and gaming from about 7 I think but toys didn't start to fall out of favour until at least age 10.

Daughter is 6 and loves her tablet but equally loves her dolls, cuddlies, squishies, lego, dress up, marble run etc. I can't see that changing any time soon.

I think sometimes kids are leant on by parents to get to the next stage. I know people who bag up and get rid of toys as soon as the child seems less interested (but in fact if you leave them, they do tend to cycle between different "favourites"). Those parents seem desperate to have clear floors and shelves and admittedly gadgets are much tidier and more self contained. I like a tidy house too but I still think it's a shame.

yoyo1234 · 07/10/2020 09:53

Ehhhh too old for toys at age 7. DH is the most together wonderful person I know and he has a Lego budget/collection. Let her enjoy her toys.

ReallySpicyCurry · 07/10/2020 11:02

I had this with my eldest. At age 8 or so, half her class seemed to take binbags of toys to the charity shop and get phones and tablets instead. We did not follow suit.

A relative of mine was in the garden a few months ago and looked at my just turned two year old's cube slide, water table and see saw. "She's probably grown out of that by now, hasn't she" she said.

Relative in question has a just turned four year old! She does get rid of all his Christmas presents by March though

Castiel07 · 07/10/2020 11:05

I find that kind of sad, no one is to old for toys esp a 7 year old.
Let them be young and have an imagination for as long as they want.

ErrolTheDragon · 07/10/2020 12:35

A relative of mine was in the garden a few months ago and looked at my just turned two year old's cube slide, water table and see saw. "She's probably grown out of that by now, hasn't she" she said.

While a child may quite rapidly physically outgrow some pieces of equipment, I can't see how that could apply to a water table.Confused

namechangetheworld · 07/10/2020 12:48

What a depressing state of affairs. I was playing with Barbies until I was at about 12, not that I would have admitted it to my school friends. I also got a gorgeous handmade dollshouse for my 11th birthday and played with it for years afterwards, until I was well into my teens. I can't wait until my DDs are old enough to appreciate it so I can get it out the loft and play with it when they're in bed

Miriel · 07/10/2020 13:01

I think it's sad for any child to get the idea that their parents disapprove of their interests because they're the 'wrong' age for them, whether that's getting rid of toys or saying that a younger child shouldn't like computer games. They're all individuals! As the eldest child I got to play with dolls for as long as I wanted - officially they belonged to my younger siblings, and I was keeping them amused by joining in with play - but most of the time I enjoyed it.

As an adult I like reading children's books and enjoy lots of family movies. Why not?

SnackBitch2020 · 07/10/2020 13:02

I'm in my late 30s and still love my Barbie dolls, although nowadays I restore and customise them rather than pretend play! My daughter loves playing with them and I enjoy making them dioramas for her (currently working on a coffee shop).

You are never too old to have fun!

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