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Original poster

A 'little boy' doll for DS?

42 replies

Tikkabillajive · 02/04/2011 20:38

I'm sure this has been done before but I have searched the MN archives and can't find a solution!

My ds is 3 and he loves playing with his big sister's dolls - both the bigger 'little girl' dolls and her Barbies. He plays lovely imaginative games with them, both with his sister and on his own and this is something I'm keen to encourage (all part of my master plan to raise the perfect husband Wink)

Anyway, he has increasingly been asking for a 'little boy doll with a hard face and hair, that looks like me', but I have scoured the internet and can't find anything that fits the bill. He already has one of the Haba boy dolls, like this one which is dearly loved, but that is more of a rag doll and he really wants one with a vinyl face, hair that can be brushed and clothes that can be changed.

I've found umpteen boy baby dolls, and rag dolls, but none that actually look like a little boy. The closest I can find is the 'Bitty Twins' boy doll by American Girl, which looks perfect (here!) - but these are £££, only available in the US and you need to buy both twins! I've found them on Ebay but the shipping costs are enormous!

I don't understand how there can be such a gap in the market - surely my DS isn't the only 3 year old boy who likes playing with dolls? It makes me a bit sad that the doll market seems to be entirely geared towards girls!

Can anyone help?

OP posts:
DirtyMartini · 02/04/2011 20:40

Do they still make Cabbage Patch Kids? I know they are (were) weird looking feckers but I'm sure they have some that are supposed to be freaky little boys.

I'm interested too -- I would love to get something like what you're describing for DS.

DirtyMartini · 02/04/2011 20:41

OMG, the Bitty Twins -- who needs actual children? They look so well behaved! I want them.

YouCantTeuchThis · 02/04/2011 20:44

Mothercare have a couple of boy dolls here

And this one has hair but is very creepy!

Can't he just have a girl doll? Men don't only look after baby boys...

DirtyMartini · 02/04/2011 20:45

CURSE YOU for pointing me towards the American Girl site. I didn't even think I liked dolls. I WANT THEM. Especially Kaya, the Nez Perce one.

(I am American, btw, so don't anyone go hating too nastily please)

DirtyMartini · 02/04/2011 20:46

YouCant, I think it's that he wants a doll that is like him. Which is quite understandable really.

littlemisslost · 02/04/2011 20:46

Robbie and Rosie dolls are good, think they are by SMOBY and in Argos. quite big dolls that can wear real clothes and might be like a little friend for him at his age

Original poster
Tikkabillajive · 02/04/2011 21:00

Wow, I wasn't expecting such a quick response!

Yes he's quite happy to play with girl dolls (and wear princess dresses etc) which I think is great, but the request was specifically for a boy doll that looks like him. DD's 'little girl' dolls are like this (lucky girl, I know!) and he wants a boy equivalent.

Thanks Littlemisslost but those Robbie/Sam dolls scare me a bit - they seem huge and too like Chuckie for my liking! Not too expensive though. Maybe I should show them to ds though and see what he thinks. Will also show him the Cicciobello one, thanks Thornham, although I think it is probably too 'babylike'.

All the Mothercare/ELC dolls are just baby ones without hair, sadly (and don't even get me started on how gender stereotyped that company is, grrr...)

DirtyMartini I WANT an American Girl too! That site is a bit addictive isn't it - I want a Josefina! Maybe we should get a set of boy/boy twins between us, split the shipping costs and have one each - although that seems terribly morally wrong, doesn't it, splitting twins at birth! Hmm

OP posts:
DirtyMartini · 02/04/2011 21:02

hahahaha!

I was just thinking as I looked at it "We should get a set of two boys and split the costs" ... Grin

I REALLY want to but I categorically cannot afford it

DirtyMartini · 02/04/2011 21:04

The more I look at the site though, the more I am surprised it is all so definitely aimed at girls only. I mean I know that's the name of the company, but still. It seems like they're missing a trick not making it more inclusive of boys, and in this day and age it's kind of a letdown.

Humph

Original poster
Tikkabillajive · 02/04/2011 21:14

I know, they are really missing a trick by not having an 'American Boy' section aren't they? It just doesn't make sense that this area of the toy industry is exclusively a girl domain.

No, I can't really afford it either - but fantasy online doll shopping is so much nicer than worrying about how I'm going to afford the new pair of glasses I need Sad. I will get in touch with you if I somehow find myself with a set of Bitty boy Twins on my hands in the future and need to offload one of them! Wink

OP posts:
DirtyMartini · 02/04/2011 21:16

Please do!

thisisyesterday · 02/04/2011 21:17

what about this one?

thisisyesterday · 02/04/2011 21:19

or can you not just buy a girl one and give it a haircut and some boy clothes?

Original poster
Tikkabillajive · 02/04/2011 21:23

Thanks Thisisyesterday, I'd seen him earlier today and DS quite likes him - he just still seems a little bit on the baby doll side, but better than most options. I might go for him in the end if I have exhausted the Bitty Twin option Smile

I think I'd be too afraid of getting it horribly wrong if I cut the hair although it's a good idea!

OP posts:
DirtyMartini · 02/04/2011 21:39

More super-expensive dolls available from Adora - they do boys too.

DirtyMartini · 02/04/2011 21:40

They're a little bit too real actually

Original poster
Tikkabillajive · 02/04/2011 21:42

Thanks DM, will have a look. Although (much as I love The Wizard of Oz), there is something very seriously wrong about this one. Shock

OP posts:
Original poster
Tikkabillajive · 02/04/2011 21:43

I've had to close that website - it was getting too scary!

OP posts:
Changechangechangeagain · 02/04/2011 21:50

Tts the education company have a blonde boy doll.

DirtyMartini · 02/04/2011 22:00

OMG, the Cowardly Lion one Shock

Those are dolls for people who have issues. Give me the Bitty Twins every time.

DirtyMartini · 02/04/2011 22:07

Interesting thread on similar topic here with various links :)

purplepidjin · 02/04/2011 22:30

Ooh! I found one! cgi.ebay.co.uk/25-SMOBY-BOY-TODDLER-DOLL-SMOBY-COAT-SHOES-JEANS-/180646003881?pt=UK_Doll_Bears_Dolls_EH&hash=item2a0f5744a9

I'm not actually so tragic that I was looking for boy dolls for you, btw. I'm trying to find models for the prem baby clothes I make - I'm doing my first craft fair in a few weeks Shock and remembered the thread!

Original poster
Tikkabillajive · 02/04/2011 22:34

Thanks Changechangechangeagain, that website looks good - the Inuit dolls are sweet aren't they!

DM that's a good link, thanks, although I'm a bit saddened to think of all the little boys out there who would like their own doll to play with! How scary is Adam linked to on that site BTW?! 40-year-old man doll anyone?!

I'm realising that part of the problem is that I'm a bit of a doll snob - they were my favourite thing to play with when I was little too and my parents used to bring us back lovely German dolls from work trips - so as well as fulfulling DS's demands I want to buy something that is attractive and good quality and that I can play with too! I am probably massively overthinking it now!

OP posts:
hellymelly · 02/04/2011 22:35

Gotz do a doll that is a baby ,with either male or female genitals ,called the aquini I think? I will try and find a link. They wee and can go in the bath.(!) Gotz dolls are phlalate free,so I like them for that reason too .Here
www.jollydollies.co.uk/product/5544/gotz-aquini-bathable-anatomically-correct-baby-boy-doll-33cm

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