need to find nice dolls for the dds

[silverfrog]

dd1 (7) and dd2 (4) are getting dolls for Christmas - dd1 has just started showing an interest in pretend/imaginative play (she has ASD), and dd2 would be over the moon to have a nice doll (have thus far managed to avoid them, as dd1 wasn't bothered at all)

so, they will be getting a pram/highchair/cot set to share, and need some nice dolls to go with it. not too expensive (will need ot buy one each to avoid arguments), and preferably with a nice range of clothes/accessories at not too steep a price (although budget is reasonably flexible, if the dolls are really nice)

any ideas?

No ideas, but will be watching with interest as we want to get dd2 a nice doll. Dd1 has never really played with hers. We did get amazing buggies/cots etc from car boot sales. I will be looking there for a nice high chair.

Design a friend from Chad valley at argos. They were £14.99 on offer incl an extra outfit and accessories. Lovely quality dolls.

thank you

are the design a friend ones good quality then? I have looked at them online, and they do look quite nice, but hard to tell when not seeing them in the flesh (so to speak )

they are a good price, so could get a few extra outfits etc.

I second that, Design a Friend are really lovely dolls.

Corolle do nice dolls with clothes for girls up to about 8 years. bambolina.co.uk is a nice website for dolls, albeit a little pricey.

I second Corolle dolls, they are absolutely gorgeous. But more expensive than the others mentioned.

Dd2 (ASD) has just started showing a slight interest in her sisters baby born, we bought them a pram last year and it hasn't been touched , we also tried the large 'rosy' dolls that you can dress but again it was played with once and then forgotton about , i think a doll that does not do to much (not a all crying all singing doll) is better as it will encourage more imaginitive play, dd2 makes the crying noises for her doll (plus those crying dolls will do you head in after a few days) .

thanks, wil have a look at Corolle too (have heard them recommended before).

annie - have got a set of pram/highchair/god knows what else - is current;y squirrelled away in the garage. I think soft bodied might be nicer, and just want a 'nice' face - quite often dolls look all squinty and squashed up (am not a doll fan, can you tell )

dd2 will want to dress/re-dress them. dd1 will be more for putting in and out of pram/putting to bed etc, I should think.

god, why can't they just stick to board games and puzzles - I know where I am with those

oh, deffo not going for anythign that makes a noise, Marne - got enough of that around here anyway

just looking for a nice, decent sized, dressable, not-too-freaky-looking doll. if it has hair, it needs to be easily brushable, too

oh, x-posys galore.

dd2 is all about the dressing up - have no idea where she gets it from.

she also likes 'proper dolls, mummy, with real hair'

they do have a small (cheap, nasty) baby doll, and all they do with it is bath it. dd2 got given a rapunzel barbie-esque thing, and she loves it, and plays with it a lot.

not sure which dd1 would prefer - she is not so fussed about the looks, probably, but has been playing a lot recently with little figures, and thoguht maybe a doll meant she could combine the kitchen stuff/toy food - set up doll in role play picnics etc (can see dd2 doing this too, once she has finishe dthe umpteenth clothes change of the day!)

hmm, lots ot think about, thanks annie. will try to gently interrogate dd2 a bit, and see what she says re: baby doll vs older one. suspect that as long as it has decent clothes, she won't care

might end up going for a combo - one nice baby doll, and an older one, which will give the pair of them more scope, maybe? (didn't do doll play at all when little, so am totally clueless)

real looking babbies

Tilly soft boddied i think (dsd used to have an elc doll and it seemed really good quality).

older doll great for dressing up.

or this?

dd is 9 and has been really into her babies since she was about 2 - so we have awide selection!
Baby dolls - nothing beats baby Annabel - nice squashy body and sweet face. Yu can take the batteris out if you don't want the noise. Clothes for it though are ridiculously expensive.
Dds favourite are the toddler dolls like Marne linked to. She has 5 at teh moment and another one coming at Christmas. avoid Robbie / Rosy / Roxanne (Argos) as the hair becomes totally unworkable very quickly. Sally and Sam are good - and look the same as Milly / Molly (Smyths toy stores)
These dolls seem to form a permanent nursery / infant school class in our hall. The advantage of them is they can wear cast off baby clothes - so are constantly being dressed and changed.

Corolle dolls are lovely. I have just noticed that they are selling them at ELC as well as Bambolina