Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Christmas

From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

Original poster

LOL Dolls - to buy or not?

41 replies

DockOTheBay · 12/11/2021 15:19

SIL has told me that niece (8) likes LOL dolls, when I asked what she would like for Christmas.

I have never really looked at these, but they seem to be masses and masses of plastic which gets immediately binned and then a surprise doll in the middle. Is that about the size of it?

I'm really not keen to buy one of these, the dolls looks very weird and sexualised and the amount of waste seems huge. But that's what she has asked for.

Am I missing something with these dolls? Should I just buy one anyway, or go back and ask for another suggestion?

OP posts:
Original poster
DockOTheBay · 12/11/2021 15:19

Oh and I assume she already has some so is there a "new" series out which I should go for or does it not really matter?

OP posts:
noscoobydoodle · 12/11/2021 15:27

Could you buy some associated lol doll items instead. My DD had an lol onesie from character.com, we have an lol top trumps game that comes in a nice tin, a jigsaw and probably other stuff too. The lol dolls are a lot of plastic wrapping and I also think they are weird- but they seem to be popular!. The winter disco balls are nice as they act as a festive display/snow globe for the dolls so I've succumbed to these in the past and they get played with a fair bit here. If she has lol dolls already (or is getting more for Xmas) she could end up with repeats though.

minipie · 12/11/2021 15:28

they seem to be masses and masses of plastic which gets immediately binned and then a surprise doll in the middle. Is that about the size of it?

Yup. Plus some teeny plastic accessories which will get lost/hoovered up.

I have told my DC I will not buy them.

Could you get her a LOL doll themed useful item like a notebook or diary or rucksack? There are loads of spin off items that would tick the box but are less plastic based than the doll itself.

minipie · 12/11/2021 15:28

Ah cross posted!

noscoobydoodle · 12/11/2021 15:30

Great minds!

elenacampana · 12/11/2021 15:30

My 5yo niece absolutely loves them! They’re very popular. My niece just likes getting them dressed and undressed, she loves the accessories.

BananaPB · 12/11/2021 15:30

I've seen people selling bundles of them on eBay and FB because they've been outgrown. You could wrap them individually to get the mystery bag feeling but more importantly you'd get more bang for your buck.

Original poster
DockOTheBay · 12/11/2021 15:34

Thanks everyone. I like the idea of LOL branded stuff with maybe less plastic.
@BananaPB If it was for my own kids I would absolutely look for facebook bargains, but it's a gift for my niece and I'm not sure how they would feel about second hand things especially as the whole idea of these dolls is to unwrap all the little bits. Thank you for the suggestion though!

My own daughter is 5 and has shown zero interest in anything like this, so I'm hoping it stays that way to be honest!

OP posts:
HalfShrunkMoreToGo · 12/11/2021 15:39

@DockOTheBay

Thanks everyone. I like the idea of LOL branded stuff with maybe less plastic. *@BananaPB* If it was for my own kids I would absolutely look for facebook bargains, but it's a gift for my niece and I'm not sure how they would feel about second hand things especially as the whole idea of these dolls is to unwrap all the little bits. Thank you for the suggestion though!

My own daughter is 5 and has shown zero interest in anything like this, so I'm hoping it stays that way to be honest!

Half the fun (according to my DD) is in the unwrapping. Each layer has different things like a set of stickers or a code to break, then the ball has hidden compartments.

DD likes them and plays with them so she has some, but she also likes the branded stuff that you can get like backpacks and bedding so if you're more comfortable getting those I'm sure they'll be appreciated.

FakeFruitShoot · 12/11/2021 15:39

My girls love them and the play value for us has been absolutely huge. A waste of packaging from an item your niece really wants is surely better than the waste of a whole item that gets confined to the back of the wardrobe.

The LOL pets are... well, pets, if you'd rather not buy dolls in fishnet tights etc.

I do think there's often a bit of a classist undertone to those who sneer at them, you don't see such negative comments about the tiny forks and baguettes from Sylvanian families getting hoovered up.

MrsCardone · 12/11/2021 15:42

I do think there's often a bit of a classist undertone to those who sneer at them, you don't see such negative comments about the tiny forks and baguettes from Sylvanian families getting hoovered up.

@FakeFruitShoot this is so true Grin.

Iggly · 12/11/2021 15:44

My dd loved LOLs at that age.

They did have a nice LOL stationery set - zipped pencil case with pens etc?

WhyAmIDoingIt · 12/11/2021 15:48

There'll probably be a new series out. They bring different ones out fairly regularly.

The whole fun is the unwrapping and seeing what you get inside. My daughter loves them and she still plays with them after opening. To be fair I would have loved them as a child I can see the appeal.

There used to be code cracking ones where you had to try different combinations to open compartments that the accessories were in. They seemed to generate less packaging and the case came with a handle so was good to carry the things round in after they were played with.

LOL branded stuff just isn't the same if you were buying that instead of a doll. But you could always buy just the one LOL doll if you felt better about it and maybe a pair of LOL pyjamas (Primark currently have them in fluffy sets in for Christmas).

MajesticallyAwkward · 12/11/2021 15:51

Utter crap, but they bring a lot of happiness. My DD loves a LOL doll, I hate buying them because they're so wasteful but she is genuinely overjoyed with them.

There are lots of LOL themed options outside of the dolls though- PJs, accessories, clothes, colouring/crafts are all good options. (Poundland often have LOL surprise hair now packs for an extra gift to stick with something better else).

wertheppl · 12/11/2021 15:54

There's all different types. Could you get a big one more like a Barbie doll think they are about £30. I also saw more like baby doll ones at the shops the other day.

The little ball ones are the full of plastic shot and after it all u get a teeny tiny wee doll that's Ul lose half the bits for quickly.

I actually saw a set in home bargains the other day was a lovely big box (cardboard) of LOL branding and it was all bath Bombs etc inside for £5.99

1forAll74 · 12/11/2021 15:58

My daughter was not into dolls at all, 1970 era, but my late Mum. went and bought her a little red pram to push about, and knitted a little pink blanket for the pram, also she made a little pillow for it too, My daughter used to push the pram about, with a rubber shark in it, covered up by the pink blanket.

Lovemusic33 · 12/11/2021 16:04

The bigger dolls are ok (same size as Barbie), I think Asda have some on offer at the moment for around £15. The smaller surprise thingies are a total waste of money for what they are and so much packaging for individually wrapped accessories.

SirSamuelVimes · 12/11/2021 16:06

Banned in my house. I'm not buying my daughter a doll that looks like a porn star / sex doll.

RussianSpy101 · 12/11/2021 16:09

Surely you just buy what the child has asked for / what you’ve been told they like?

I bet the posters clutching their pearls have played with barbies in their youth, who may also be deemed sexualised, and sung along to sexualised lyrics without realising.

Lovemusic33 · 12/11/2021 16:16

I don’t think any of them look like sex dolls 🤔
The tween and dance range all seem ok, just look like girl band members to trendy teens to me, nothing sexual about them. My daughter likes them because of their long hair, she has ASD and isn’t really in to dolls but likes brushing hair 🤣.

HPandTheNeverEndingBedtime · 12/11/2021 16:19

Have a look on etsy for more unusual merchandise. I've always managed to find great things from there for whatever DDs latest fad is.

imamearcat · 12/11/2021 16:20

DD absolutely loved them when she was 3. Played absolutely loads with them.

Not really a waste if they play with them a lot.

Original poster
DockOTheBay · 12/11/2021 16:27

@RussianSpy101

Surely you just buy what the child has asked for / what you’ve been told they like?

I bet the posters clutching their pearls have played with barbies in their youth, who may also be deemed sexualised, and sung along to sexualised lyrics without realising.

Well maybe but I'm making quite a lot of effort to reduce plastic and buying one of these just seems to go completely against that and isn't really something I want to spend (not an inconsequential amount of) money on
OP posts:
Original poster
DockOTheBay · 12/11/2021 16:29

@imamearcat

DD absolutely loved them when she was 3. Played absolutely loads with them.

Not really a waste if they play with them a lot.

They don't play with the 25 layers of plastic packaging though, so that is a waste.
OP posts:
Original poster
DockOTheBay · 12/11/2021 16:29

@Lovemusic33

The bigger dolls are ok (same size as Barbie), I think Asda have some on offer at the moment for around £15. The smaller surprise thingies are a total waste of money for what they are and so much packaging for individually wrapped accessories.
Thanks I'll have a look for the bigger ones. Are they the "OMG" ones?
OP posts:
Swipe left for the next trending thread