Barbie for a three year old

[Mallowmarshmallow]

My main aim for DD who will be three just after Christmas is to get her a selection of toys to see what she would actually enjoy playing with --more than fighting with her brother over his toys...!

Would a barbie be a good idea for a nearly three year old? I was thinking of a barbie and Ken in a car....?

Or is barbie too old....?

Too old imo. Plenty of time for those later on. Does she like baby dolls?

Probably a little too old tbh

I got some fisher price Disney little people princesses for my dd at the same age last year and she adores them and still plays with them now. If you get them as part of a set such as the castle they are a bit more interactive as they light up and talk etc in the castle.

Baby dolls are also good although at 3 years old she preferred the soft bodied ones to cuddle rather than the all plastic interactive ones.

Another who thinks Barbie is too old for this age. Great idea to try a variety but no need to rush her past the younger child toys imo. There's so much you can get for a child her age to nurture her imagination and unlock potential talents.

I've always thought 3 is the perfect age for Christmas. Only recently old enough to get the magic and anticipation and still young enough that everything is new and exciting.

Why is a basic barbie too old for a 3 year old? It’s just an articulated doll.

My 3 year old loves barbies. They are her big sisters but she plays with them more than my 6 year old. She also likes her Lottie dolls or the Barbie Chelsea sets, I think Chelsea is barbies little sister and looks like a child, they often come in a set with a slide or something and she plays with them for ages.

My 3 year old loves her Barbie, and her Disney Princess dolls.

All mine had barbie from 3 upwards. They play mummies and daddies with them and brushing hair, putting clothes on is quite tricky so there is still Play learning going on!

I would recommend the most basic figures you can get without the tiny shoes/accessories.

My DD is nearly 3 and loves Barbie's little sisters, there is Skipper who is probably about 12 and Shelley / Chelsea who is 4. Lottie dolls are lovely too.

My 3 year old niece and nearly 3 year old DS love Barbies. Before I had him I would have though it was an older child's toy but they love getting them dressed and undressed, putting them in and out of the car and on and off the bike etc. My niece loves putting Barbie's hair in a ponytail as well.

How about an our generation doll? Bit less sexual than Barbie.

They unfortunately don't make them anymore but Fisher Price Precious Places is perfect for this age group. Little People will be played with but there is very little longevity to them for a 3 year old and limited in how she could interact with her big brother. Precious Places are suitable for a 3yo (the newer ones not the 70s vintage sets) but could be played with right up to her tweens. And if her brother has any Imaginext, they are completely compatible with each other and will (hopefully) lead to some good co-play.

You can still find some new ones on ebay.
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fisher-Price-Precious-Places-Willow-The-Woodland-Princess/111976958686?epid=1751213406&hash=item1a1258cade:g:P~EAAOSwkEVXGpIm:rk:4:pf:0
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fisher-Price-Precious-Places-Nadia-The-Party-Princess/121964935212?epid=1923217215&hash=item1c65ad382c:g:fHkAAOSwYudXGpBY:rk:20:pf:0

Wordwoodm I could have written that. My Dd3 also loves her big sisters Barbie dolls. Not sure why so many are saying they’re too old.

OP you could try picking up a Disney doll. They are essentially Barbie style dolls but they may be more recognisable for your daughter at 3.

I think barbie ken & car would be good to start with,id take away any tiny bits like shoes etc but other than that is fine.x

My 4 year old niece started actually asking her mum for Barbies at about 3.

She loves them!

My DD didn't get into fashion dolls until 7 but it varies. She didn't have the fine motor skills or finger strenght to dress them when she was younger and got frustrated. Cuddly toys and LOLs were always a hit, and setting up 'little worlds' with random small figure toys and dolls house furniture.

My dd is three around Christmas and already has a couple of barbie style dolls (cheap version from holiday ) but she is desperate for the barbie vet set. She saw it in the toy shop a few months back and hasn’t stopped asking about it since.
I’ve got it for her. I don’t see why it’s too old?

Barbie is perfect. If you got a couple, it opens up a range of fabulous role play games like friends, jobs and more.

My DD is 3 and loves the DC Superhero dolls-www.smythstoys.com/uk/en-gb/toys/fashion-and-dolls/dc-superhero-girls/c/SM06010414

Might be an option if you want to go for something a bit different?

www.smythstoys.com/uk/en-gb/toys/fashion-and-dolls/dc-superhero-girls/c/SM06010414

Oops sorry link didn't work

I think a bit young for fashion dolls (including Lottie), one of the fun things is dressing and undressing them and that's quite fiddly for little fingers.

maybe try an Enchantimal?

My 6 year old still loves Barbies but she started getting them when she was 3. I don't think Barbies are too old for a 3 year old!
The Fisher price little people Disney dolls/ castle pp suggested are really good too.

My nearly three year old would have zero interest in little people / happyland type toys and hasn’t for over a year. I think they are super cute but she prefers the dolls that look more ‘realistic’ and with moving limbs.

It depends a bit on the 3 yo - one of my dds loved Barber at 3, the other one showed no interest really until 4, but liked her teddy bears and baby Annabelle more.

Has she got a hatchimal? I’ve yet to meet a child that didn’t like them, strange as the appeal is to understand to an adult!

My 3 year old loves Barbie type dolls, I'm getting her some for Christmas along with a doll house to share with her 4 year old sister.

Asda and aldi have great deals on dolls houses, if you haven’t got one I’d probably go that way unless you are fairly sure on barbie? The dd that loved them was very into anything bright, sparkly, princessy from age 2