Page 3 | AIBU to want to sell my daughters Barbie dream house?

Lilacbluewaters · 2025-03-02T13:35:37+00:00

Bought said Barbie dream house two years ago, she has played with it approximately 5-10 times and that is when she has had friends come round. We moved house so now she has a smaller bedroom, there is no where to put this huge thing!! It’s currently in her brothers bedroom, I have spoke to my dd (age 6) and said we should pass it on to another little girl now, I’m sad that she’s only 6 and not interested at all in imaginative play but also can’t force it. (She prefers creative things, Lego, hama beads, slime, arts crafts, being outside on her bike etc) She is refusing to let it go though, but honestly she never touches it!! This whole year so far she has no touched it once😭 what would you do? Am I being really mean to get rid of it?

GreenFields07 · 02/03/2025 20:57

Needmorelego · 02/03/2025 15:21

@Lilacbluewaters if you do end up keeping it have a look at why she doesn't play with it.
I think a lot of children don't really know what to do with these massive doll houses.
They are pretty much a big plastic nothingness.
Back in the 80s you could buy loads of furniture and things for the Sindy house but you don't seem to be able to buy furniture or accessories for the Barbie houses.
Smaller toy houses like Sylvanian Families, Playmobil and Lego are all about furniture and accessories which means they get more play.
So if she wants to keep it and she likes crafts encourage her to make furniture. Make curtains or something. A wardrobe for her many outfits.
Even paint little miniature art works that Barbie could display.
You can have lots of fun with doll houses - but children often need to be shown how to actually play with one.

The barbie dream house actually comes with tonnes of accessories. My DDs came with beds, tables, chairs, swimming pool, slides, cups, plants etc. You can also buy wardrobes, cars, animals, clothes, shoes. Its endless!

Sunnydays25 · 02/03/2025 21:03

That is enormous, and I can see that it's no so much fun to play with by herself, but great for when her friends come around.

Can you partially dismantle it so it fits in a plastic storage box, to fit somewhere in her room or your home, and reassemble when her friends come round - if you just dismantle the larger parts you could hopefully get it back together in 5 mins.

I can only imagine how excited she was to get it, taking it away, evwn to sell, if she doesn't agree would be so unkind.

Needmorelego · 02/03/2025 21:52

GreenFields07 · 02/03/2025 20:57

The barbie dream house actually comes with tonnes of accessories. My DDs came with beds, tables, chairs, swimming pool, slides, cups, plants etc. You can also buy wardrobes, cars, animals, clothes, shoes. Its endless!

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Ah I didn't realise the house came with much.
I never see Barbie furniture and things for sale separately in shops - not in the way you could get Sindy furniture and accessories back in the day.
Barbie clothes and shoes I see - but that's it.

Needmorelego · 02/03/2025 21:58

GreenFields07 · 02/03/2025 20:57

The barbie dream house actually comes with tonnes of accessories. My DDs came with beds, tables, chairs, swimming pool, slides, cups, plants etc. You can also buy wardrobes, cars, animals, clothes, shoes. Its endless!

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Actually a quick Google does indeed show me you can buy separate furniture and things. All seems to be sold online rather than an actual toy shop like Smyths which is why I didn't realise 🙂
I used to work for Woolies back in the 90s/00s and customers were always asking for furniture and things for Barbie "like we used to get for Sindy" and it just didn't exist then apart from cars. Or at least we never got in in to sell. Maybe more was sold in America?

GreenFields07 · 02/03/2025 22:04

Needmorelego · 02/03/2025 21:58

Actually a quick Google does indeed show me you can buy separate furniture and things. All seems to be sold online rather than an actual toy shop like Smyths which is why I didn't realise 🙂
I used to work for Woolies back in the 90s/00s and customers were always asking for furniture and things for Barbie "like we used to get for Sindy" and it just didn't exist then apart from cars. Or at least we never got in in to sell. Maybe more was sold in America?

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Yes I know what you mean. It seems to be more widely sold online rather than in actual toy shops. If I buy anything Barbie for DDs dreamhouse id likely get it online, probably Amazon or somewhere like that. I think UK is definitely becoming more Americanised with dolls accessories, so its probably more of a modern day thing trying to keep up with them.

LoveBluey · 02/03/2025 22:15

It's annoying but I think moving it to a communal room (most likely living room) is the only option. Totally get it not fitting in a box room - unless you get rid of her bed or wardrobe. But being in her brothers room is not really an option either and not surprising that she doesn't play with it.

CowboyJoanna · 02/03/2025 22:32

Notverygoodatusernames · 02/03/2025 15:55

Wow, that’s some mean parenting. You should really rethink this.

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How is it mean? The kids have LOTS of stuff they didnt always appreciate

Notverygoodatusernames · 02/03/2025 22:33

CowboyJoanna · 02/03/2025 22:32

How is it mean? The kids have LOTS of stuff they didnt always appreciate

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Making them get rid of toys as a punishment is horrible.

MotherOfCrocodiles · 02/03/2025 22:36

Is it in her brothers room because he has the bigger room?

Anyway I think you shouldn't get rid if she doesn't want to.

qwertyasdfgzxcv · 02/03/2025 22:37

Is she isn't bothered, why are you? Sell it. Keep the money till you find her passion

AnxiouslyAwaitingSpring · 02/03/2025 22:47

My 10yr old still plays with her Barbie Dreamhouse. Didn't get into it until she was about 7 so I think you may regret getting rid of it.
I gave DD the master bedroom due to all her toys!

Original poster

Lilacbluewaters · 02/03/2025 22:57

ALovelyShadeofMauve · 02/03/2025 14:15

She is refusing to let it go though, but honestly she never touches it!! This whole year so far she has no touched it once😭

Isn’t the sobbing emoji just a little bit OTT?

I can’t believe her room is too small for it to be in there at all; even if it’s in the bottom of the wardrobe or something. It doesn’t have to be a display piece. And how is her brother’s room big enough for it AND his stuff? In any case, you can’t leave it in there; that’s his space.

Her bedroom is the box room, I say her brothers room but it will actually eventually be for her two brothers. Her bedroom doesn’t even have a wardrobe, it has a single bed and then she has a little strip of flooring next to her bed and she has a dressing table. There is no space for anything else unfortunately as the door is in the way.

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Lilacbluewaters · 02/03/2025 22:59

Wtafdidido · 02/03/2025 14:19

Sell it and let her have the proceeds to spend on what she is actually interested in. Afterall it was gifted to her so the proceeds are technically hers anyway. Artistic and creative kids often have no interest in pretend play so nurture her creative side as much as you can.

I have told her she could buy Lego with what money she gets for it of course but she still refuse

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Lilacbluewaters · 02/03/2025 23:01

NuffSaidSam · 02/03/2025 14:44

Sure, but it's quite odd to disbelieve the OP when she says there isn't room for it. I assume she knows the layout of her house better than you do.

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Thank you, if there was space in her room for it why would it be in her brothers bedroom? 😂

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Lilacbluewaters · 02/03/2025 23:02

DeclutteringJane · 02/03/2025 14:46

We didn't have room in the bedroom so we put it in the living room instead. It got played with every day after that. Is that an option at all OP?

Tried this for a few months when we moved in, but she still wasn’t interested and it was annoying me in the living room so I moved it upstairs out of sight 😅

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Unexpectedlysinglemum · 02/03/2025 23:03

cheezncrackers · 02/03/2025 13:42

The way I've persuaded my DC to part with things in the past is to say that if I sell it we can buy them something new with the money that they want. It's only fair, after all, as the thing belongs to them and therefore the proceeds are theirs.

I agree

Unexpectedlysinglemum · 02/03/2025 23:03

Floralnomad · 02/03/2025 13:48

Stick it in the shed / garage if you have one .

Or green

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Lilacbluewaters · 02/03/2025 23:03

Partybaggage · 02/03/2025 14:48

How's it fair on her brother to have it in his room?

If she wants to keep it id tell her she needs to make space for it in her room by getting rid of something else.

I know it’s not fair but her brothers are only 3 and 1 so they don’t really care at the moment

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Unexpectedlysinglemum · 02/03/2025 23:03

Floralnomad · 02/03/2025 13:48

Stick it in the shed / garage if you have one .

Or *garden

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Lilacbluewaters · 02/03/2025 23:06

DuckbilledSplatterPuff · 02/03/2025 16:09

My mum used to give all my things away to younger visiting cousins to entertain them and I particularly remember this happening with a teddy that my older brother bought me. I really resented it...and particularly being told that it was a baby's toy, and I was a baby for wanting to keep it. so I don't think you should get rid of it yet.

You said that her friends play with it when they visit.. It might be that its a cool thing to have when a friend comes over and more interesting to play with, when a friend joins in. For that reason, she probably loves it, even if it's not an everyday thing. It probably seems cooler since the film came out.

she will grow out of it, but do it with her agreement.

thank you for that input, and everyone else’s suggestions. I am going to sort out the shed tomorrow and try and squeeze it in as the few times she did play with it was in the garden in the summer time. Hopefully she will play with friends again in the garden with it

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Lilacbluewaters · 02/03/2025 23:09

GreenFields07 · 02/03/2025 20:51

A barbie dream house is not going to fit at the bottom of a wardrobe!

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Maybe a walk in wardrobe 😂🤣

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hazelowens · 02/03/2025 23:39

richardosmanstrousers · 02/03/2025 13:45

I would let her keep it, for no reason other than it's hers and she doesn't want to get rid of it. I think forcing removal of toys is harsh, kids need a little bit of control over their world and choosing to keep a Barbie house is it.

My son is 17 now but the bedroom we are in used to be his and my stepson room and we were tidying up when he found a lot his Ben 10 toys and him and his 16 step brother made tic tok videos and had so much fun remembering playing with them as children

Hayley1256 · 03/03/2025 06:39

Could you get one of those higher sleeper beds to create more floor space for her?

Balloonney · 03/03/2025 06:42

As they get a bit older a lot of the imaginary play type toys they find more fun playing with someone else, i suspect that's more why she plays only with friends rather than because she's bored by it. We have one and it is indeed huge, but if she doesn't want to get rid of it then I wouldn't- why not offer to play with her now and again? I'm sure she'd love it.

Reallyneedsaholiday · 03/03/2025 07:17

I’d let her keep it in her bedroom. If it’s in her way, she’ll ask to sell it soon enough.