LOL toys for 7/8 year old girls?

[Gembotany]

Hi all, I've just started teaching a year 3/4 class after being with reception/nursery for years. They are a quite a young year 3/4 and therefore we need some toys and games in the class. I have 3 older boys myself so have plenty of typical "boy toys" but nothing the girls seem interested in so far. I've seen some polly pocket and LOL stuff on vinted which looks good but I have no idea what 7/8 year old girls are into and wanted to buy before I go back on Wednesday (part timer). Is LOL dolls and polly pocket still popular with 7/8 year old girls or is it old now? Is there something else that's popular??
Thank you!

I wouldn't get LOLs for a school environment, Barbies maybe.

What about toy pet animals like cats, there was definitely a cat obsessed phase around that age for mine

Why not LOL for school? I don't know too much about them

The ones my girls ended up with seemed quite sexualised and commercialised with their outfits and kit for that age group. Definitely worth choosing carefully if you go ahead.

Define "toys".
A lot of girls that age like jewellery making (beads etc). Would you count that as toys?
Things like animal figures are probably better than fashion dolls.
Sylvanian Families maybe.
Also anything with Hello Kitty on.

I'd like stuff they can use imaginative play with like a doll house with characters and ideally something I don't have to keep replenishing!

Definitely go for Sylvanian Families. Maybe some Playmobil too.
Lego as well.

Thanks for the advice. Sylvannian families are lovely and a firm fave of mine growing up, the sets are just a bit pricey and I'm worried the kids will break the stuff easily. I've come across Vet squad toys. Are these appropriate for 8 year olds or is it too young for them? Thanks

I don’t think Sylvanian families will last well in a school. My DC love them and are generally careful with toys but the paler coloured animals are looking grey and dirty and lots of the tiny pieces are missing. I think it’s lovely that you are encouraging play. I’d go with playmobil and Lego.

That's true. They'd all end up naked 😁

I'm not sure if you're working in a non-traditional private school but in a mainstream state school there's very little play in Y3/4 and toys will only get use for an occasional wet play session.

It's a mainstream state school but it's a unique class of 12 children who are really struggling with school for various reasons. They don't have a statement for SEN but they're basically the ones who just missed out. They need lots of play filtered in throughout the day and that will be how they apply alot of the skills they learn. Academically they're closer to year 1 or 2.