Just turned five DD what to buy?

[zaffa]

We've gone through her suggestions but I think she's a bit overwhelmed with choice and it changes every day! It doesn't help her birthday is in December too (she's turning five).
She keeps mentioning dolls houses, but she actually has one her grandparents bought her (it's at their house though) and it doesn't get a huge amount of play anymore.
I'm toying with a Gabby Dollhouse but it seems so expensive for what looks like an empty shell - am I right that you have to buy the room sets and can't really play with it until you do?
She has an Annabel, has mentioned the one that walks but again she has so many babies.
What's everyone else getting their four to five year old girls who love babies and role play, small world play etc?

It’s a good age for playmobil and/or lego.
Does she have a camera?

She doesn't but she did actually mention it for the first time today. I wasn't sure if she'd quite get it, she likes taking pics and looking at them straight away. Assuming they're all a bit like Polaroids and print a pic straight away?

She does have a playmobil stable set up (also at her grandparents) and did play with it a lot but hasn't specifically mentioned it - I'll have a look online and see if they do anything house like.

My DD had a bird Little Live Pet and we still have it (now 11) as it’s so funny. You can record yourself talking and play it back and we do it to see what the cats do. But it wasn’t an expensive toy but such good fun.

Also what about Sylvanian Families?

Was also going to say Sylvanians. Polly Pocket and Barbie are also super popular with my daughter's reception class (she turned 5 in Sept).

Does she need anything like a new scooter or bike? DD had a swing for her "big" birthday present and is getting roller skates as a big one for Xmas.

Thanks everyone. I was toying with sylvanians - possibly the school house. It looks like you can get more and more bits to grow the world which is appealing.
She's not really got the Barbie bug at all, she seems more into smaller figures. She does really love to set up school or nursery so maybe sylvanian families is the way to go.
Thank you

@zaffa the one thing to know about Sylvanians is that you can often buy pristine bundles a lot cheaper on FB marketplace. If you don't object to second hand and you're not looking for something in particular, it is well worth looking (DMIL got a huge bundle for £30 for DD last year that looked like it had never been played with)

When my dd was that age, she loved the Playdoh Kitchen Creations sets and the Melissa and Doug ice cream stand

There are three types: digital only (cheap), thermoprint in black and white only (still quite cheap) and polaroid. My kids have the first two types and use them often; they are simple and easy to use. Having said that, we never let them use or phones or tablets so it’s their only way of taking photos.

For mine: Playmobil (the ultimate small world play), gym equipment ( a beam and a bar) and dress up costumes and shoes

Other things that were a hit round here last year at 4-5
Polly Pockets
Hama beads
Craft kits
Barbies
A massive box of art stuff
Squishmallow

Playmobil do a big school set, as an alternative to a doll house if she likes playing schools (about £99 though…). Ocado have the Playmobil carry case school set for £15, which would make a nice smaller gift.

Such a nice age to buy for! Some ideas:

• wooden kitchen or wooden cafe with play food
• dressing up clothes eg princess
• wooden dolls house with furniture - Asda do a nice one with lights etc
• princess castle with furniture
• Lego e.g diner
• making sets e.g. princess bracelet making set or play doh
• barbie set e.g you can buy the boutique sets that you have to create first
• Bedding with a matching cushion or squishmallow
• Apples to pears set eg make own unicorn etc
• books and puzzles

@zaffa Melissa and doug toy vending machine is what my little one has at the top of her list!
The melissa and doug drinks dispenser is great too.
She loves her polariod camera too!

Thank you everyone some really good ideas! I think I'm going to look at playmobil, it seems great quality and there's something for everything! Definitely looking at the school.
I'm also going for a walking Annabel as she has mentioned it a lot, so will do one for her birthday and one for Christmas I think.
I've picked up some great wooden bits from Lidl too in their toy sale.
Can anyone suggest a good toy toaster? One that pops up etc? She has a lot of stuff for her play kitchen but not a toaster / kettle / microwave, and the wooden ones are probably a bit young for her now (although they are my personal preference as they look so nice!)

We had the Casdon Morphy Richards kettle and toaster set. I can’t remember how good at “popping” it was. It comes with an old fashioned style filter coffee machine (plus some plates and cutlery) that vaguely amused me as I can’t imagine many children have seen one 😂

How about a play kitchen?

Oops sorry just saw you already have one!

Does she have a yoto player?

She doesn't have a yoto player - I did look at them last year but I'm not sure if she'd really get into them.
I've been looking at sylvanian families v playmobil in the background and now I'm undecided between the two - they both seem to achieve the same thing (small world play) but one is animals and one is people I think.
Aargh, so much to think about!

Sylvanian families is better for that age. More sturdy and more wholesome.

I don't think a lot of 4/5 year olds really know what they want in terms of what they'd actually play with. It's better to look at what they're playing with now and make a judgement. Sylvanian families or playmobil both sound like a good shout.

Warning about Sylvanian Families, if you child isn't an ultra tidy child you will find bits all over the house for years,. When we moved to our current house DD was 10 as had long stopped playing with them we were finding odd items, normally clothing, in every room.

What about a school role play set like the Melissa and Doug one or the early learning centre one?

She can pretend to be a teacher to her cuddly toys