Any suggestions for a non girly dolls house?

[queenmools]

My 4 year old son loves playing with houses. He loves opening and closing the doors and putting people and furniture in and out. His favourite toy at the moment is the happy land rocket my daughter got for her first birthday. He was playing at a friend's house at the weekend and she had loads of house type toys and he was happy as Larry but they were mainly from charity shops so not something I could go out and buy. He's said he really wants a toy he can put people in for Christmas but I'm struggling to find anything that is not pink and fluffy which is just not my style or too babyish like happyland. Lots of things like fire stations have open fronts so don't fit the bill for opening doors. It doesn't have to be a traditional house just something he can put people in and out of. Please help

One of the playmobil ones.

Sylvanians? Loads of scope and cute animals!

Toys r us has one that was about £35 - its completly flat pack for that price though!

All wooden, unpainted/treated, quite narrow, 3 floors, removable roof, 2 opening fronts and an opening front door, furniture included too!

I bought it for dd as I didn't want anything to 'girly' either, however she wasn't too happy and I've since indulged this stage and it now has pink walls, white brick and a bright red door!

We have a wooden dolls house that's just plain. I'll try and find a link - I think it was from Toys R Us.

What about a castle, then if he moves on to knights he can still use it.

DD has this house (which cost half that when we bought it 6 years ago!)

www.amazon.co.uk/Plan-Toys-PL7124-Victorian-Dollhouse/dp/B001RRWWB0/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1447879744&sr=8-5&keywords=victorian+dolls+house+wooden

She also has a plain wooden castle that I can't find online - like this but sturdier and plain

www.amazon.co.uk/Melissa-Doug-Folding-medieval-castle/dp/B00MIKQIQK/ref=sr_1_30?s=kids&ie=UTF8&qid=1447879817&sr=1-30&keywords=castle+wooden

www.toysrus.co.uk/mobile/toys/doll-house-with-50-pieces/0025587

Lidl has a couple in at the moment. Blue and red furniture rather than pink. Wooden.

Here it is
although I love this castle too.

Gillyweed beat me to it .

Great suggestions so far. He does have a playmobil house but it is slightly not the right thing as it has a open back and no stairs. I did think about the Melissa and doug folding castle. Is there room inside it to move stuff about? I know it has a draw bridge which will satisfy his urge to open stuff. He loves sea creatures and is just starting to get into superheroes.

How about the Hape Space Station?

Asda have a cheaper version for £35.

Not sure about M&D castle. This was the one I bought. You can change the walls and make it U shaped so that there is plenty of access room.

www.amazon.co.uk/Pintoy-03575-Wooden-Medieval-Castle/dp/B0000A8TXQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=toys&qid=1305731804&sr=8-1

Sylvanian Tree House

Sylvanian Beechwood Hall

The tree house and a castle are now on the short list but keep the ideas coming.

Lundby dolls house You can open the doors between the rooms and it does have stairs.

Or the Melissa and Doug house where you unlock all the doors with a key might be perfect here

My 2 sons and DD all play with the Melissa and Doug fold and play castle. It comes with a bed, two thrones and a treasure box so you can put furniture in and out. It also has a draw bridge which makes a satisfying thunk.

It's about the right size for play Mobil people too.

We have/have had several of the toys mentioned above and I wouldn't get a Lundby house for a 4 yr old - my DD had hers when she was 8, it's lovely but quite flimsy and not really for smaller children.

The Sylvanian treehouse linked above only has one small room with not much space for furniture. It's a bit useless really (am about to sell ours).

The M&D castle is great - we have the big one that opens out and my DCs play with it with their Schleich figures - but it doesn't really have rooms, not ones you can put furniture in anyway, just a dungeon.

I would definitely recommend Playmobil - specifically the take-along house here www.playmobil.co.uk/take-along-modern-doll-house/5167.html?cgid=Puppenhaus&showSpareParts=false#start=5

• as it comes with a family and loads of furniture. We have an older version of this and it has been played with loads over the years. If you don't have playmobil already it's an excellent introduction to it!

Ooh also the Playmobil camper van would be a good bet!

www.playmobil.co.uk/family-motorhome/4859.html?showSpareParts=false#q=Camper&start=1

Not sure of your budget but we've got the hape all seasons house and it's lovely. We got the house with furniture and the workmanship is impressive. Very non pink too.