Sylvanian families

[Dancergirl]

All my dds have expressed an interest in Sylvanian Families stuff this year. Never bought before and I personally am quite keen to distract from Polly Pocket!

All seems quite expensive though - what would you recommend in particular? They are 9.5, 7.5 and 3.5.

Ebay is your friend, they won't mind second hand and you can get much more for your money.

def ebay, it's good quality stuff, I had it as a kid and it's still going strong 20 years later.

We have the canal boat and the hospital, plus a couple of smaller sets and I think 3 animal families. The boat and the hospital are both lovely and while not played with all the time (my DCs are 6 and 3 and prefer me to set it all up for them on the kitchen table), they are enjoyed a lot. Storage especially of the tiny hospital items can be difficult - the syringes and pencils are teeny! But I'd recommend both sets. And the quality really is very impressive. Apparently we now NEED some sort of cottage or tree house...

I resisted this for ages because of the expense. Then my mum bought DD the canal boat and a family with the excuse that it was 'complete' so I wouldn't need to add to it

DD eventually persuaded my ex to buy her the mansion and many extras and families were added at birthdays/Christmas.

The canal was given away but the mansion is packed up in the shed and she has refused several offers to sell it. She's 23.

bakery is lovely i had one when i was little and my dd got one last xmas and loves it.

I had the bakery too, and made lots of extra bits to have for sale in it out of fimo
my sister had the windmill and the boat and my brother had the caravan and a house. all very much loved.

DD is 9 and she has;

canal boat
car and caravan
some sort of open top bus
nursery
the house with the lights that light up
another old house I got off of freecycle

They are all still played with a lot. Yesterday they moved house apparently

But it can make walking across her room quite perilous...

yes i had hours and hours of fun with mine-found an old story book id written when i was 9 the other week lots in it about how much i loved my slovenian families!!! ob i wasnt clever enough to copy the spelling on box or perhaps i hankered after a life in eatern europe!?!

Agree with previous posters, very nice, dd has lots. Also, you can expand yourself by making things together. We made a lovely fruit and vegetable market. We made the fruit and veg with coloured Fimo clay (google how to make miniatures for dolls houses, e.g. for oranges you make or use orange fimo clay, roll small balls over sand paper make small indent were stalk was and bake in oven) then we made small crates by pleating strips of waste paper (serial packets cut up in thin strips). End result is very nice. We also made a large Hill House (e.g hill with windows and door) with papier mache and painted it in different colours of green. So you don't have to buy lots of stuff - you can start with it as a basis and make then your own things.

any recommendations for house/windmill - my DD is about to be 4 and I think she will love it but there is so much choice.

bought into this last year for my 2 youngest girls, 3 and 5 and they are not in the slightest bit interested. Am now selling it as hoping it'll do others for Xmas.

Little bits of clothing every bloodywhere

:)

there are often special offers on the houses, so i would just be driven by that.
you'll end up with a house, a playground, a caravan etc... in the end anyway.

get a good plastic lidded box with lots of compartments to keep it all in.

dd2 loves it, it is expensive but each item is at quite a good price point (£8-£25 mostly) so lots of people have bought her one as birthday/christmas presents. Plus my sister (now 27) has just handed over all her old stash. Surprisingly the quality today is as good as it was then, which is the only time i have found that with "inherited" toys.

lia66 - dd1 (6.8) isn't and hasn't ever been interested in it. dd2 however (5) has loved it for the last couple of years.

My dd carries the sylvanian families catalogue round with her. She covets the bus most of all. She knows Father Christmas is morally opposed to the sale of miniature whimsical animals and therefore will not be receiving any for christmas. Lie no 17 I have told my child about Christmas.

I was aghast at the price. But there are lots of them on ebay. Still ££ but reassuring that the resale value is so good.

DD has some and loves it. My mum bought it (and a family of penguins for herself ), but they all live in the dolls house rather than Sylvanian Families things. Along with some dinosaurs, three power rangers and Princess Leia from DS's Star Wars collection. It is a House of Multiple Occupancy and then some...

I'd go for the families rather than the larger items - the DDs have one "family" each and play with them loads.

It's lovely and good quality. DD has:

• car and caravan- great set
• bakery- lots of fiddly bits
• hospital- lots of fiddly bits
• school- not too many teeny pieces

She plays with it all, the Caravan most, Bakery second best.

This year she's asked for the Hotel and room sets. It comes with a light-up chandelier and you can add more lights. For a first house I would get the Beechwood Hall which comes with lights and isn't too big. Only needs 3 room sets too.