Jump to content

Menu

What age for American Girl dolls?


Recommended Posts

My daughter is almost 5 and I am wondering at what age is an American Girl doll a good gift? I was thinking of it for Christmas but wanted some input. Also, what about the knock off at Target the Our Generation dolls? Thoughts comparing the two?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We bought my dd one for her 5th birthday (in March) and she takes very good care of her and plays with her all the time. In fact, she has become another family member. My dd loves her AG doll. We don't have any Our Generation dolls but I've heard that their hair get yucky very fast. My dd's AG doll looks brand new and she is constantly played with.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

How do you know which one to buy? Have you been reading the books to your dd? I'm new to AG--didn't get into it as a kid but I have a feeling dd would love it. I was planning on waiting a couple years to read the books, but should I do it sooner? Darn it, op! Now you've got me thinking!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Haha! No, I have only read one or so to her, she loves being read to. I always wanted one growing up and I really think she would enjoy it, especially the stories that accompany the doll as well. I was just concerned about her age....I am really debating it as well. She will be 5 in March and I was wondering if I should wait until then but I am thinking it would be a good Christmas gift idea (we don't do a lot of gifts for Christmas).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We are getting them for dd1 (6 1/2 at Cmas) and dd2 (4 3/4 at Cmas). They both were excited about the catalog. We are getting semi-lookalikes for them. I bought a Kailey that has been given a haircut and will be getting a Kit. Both used...one off of ebay and another from a co-op family. There are some good deals on my local CL, but this round we were looking for lookalikes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just a thought...have you considered the bitty twins? Dd received the twins (boy and girl, just like she and her brother) last year for Christmas. They are still much-loved, especially the girl twin at this moment. For Christmas this year, she may get an outfit or something, but I plan to wait until she is six to get her an actual American Girl doll. For dd, I know she will appreciate one more later. And it will give her a bit longer to enjoy her bitty twins.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My girls started asking when they were 6 years old. I pushed it off because of the cost. Finally this year they both will be getting their first AG dolls! My girls are now 7.5 & 9. The AG dolls have been on the Christmas lists too long! I am blessed with in laws who ask what the kids want & get what they ask for. This year I let the cat out of the bag about how badly the girls have been asking for the dolls. The inlaws let me know they'll be getting the dolls for the girls!

 

So if your dd is interested, get her one! :) my dd's listen to the AG audio books repeatedly!

 

I'm making them each a bed for their dolls! I'm also making them clothes for their dolls! :)

 

Before seriously considering mentioning what the girls wanted for Christmas to the in-laws I researched and read tons of reviews about all the knock offs versus AG. After spending a week reading reviews, I realized I'd rather buy the real deal instead of paying for a knock off to only end up spending the money for the real deal. Most reviews were saying knock offs eyes get stuck, hair gets nappy and tangled rather quickly and can't be brushed out as nicely, hair isn't as soft as an AG doll, & the opportunity if needed to send AG dolls to the AG hospital to add or repair is not something you can do with the knock offs.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We got our oldest DD one last year for Christmas and she was 5 (but turned 6 in February). She adores it. She will be getting another one for Christmas this year. We do read the books though. We are trying to collect all of the historical sets, short stories and mysteries. We have over 50 in our collection so far. :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My oldest was 5yo when she received Felicity. She picked Felicity herself, b/c her best friend had Felicity's best friend. She received a Look Alike doll a year or two ago, and she prefers to play with the Look Alike doll.

 

My youngest is getting Kit for her 5yo birthday b/c she looks just like Kit. Last time I checked, none of the Look Alike dolls have short blonde hair, blue eyes, and freckles . Kit seems like an obvious choice for her. :001_smile:

 

My 10yo plays with the dolls by herself and with her sister and cousin. She does not play with them with her friends. Based only on my oldest, I would say prime play time is 5yo-9yo.

 

My 5yo loves her knock-off doll, but that thing is going in the trash once she gets an AG doll. The knock-off has been treated fairly well, but the quality is just awful (compared to AG).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

How long do girls play with them? Like what age? (Can you tell I really have no experience with AG? I just love the concept of the books.)

 

My oldest DD got hers at 7, and she still "plays" with it now at 11. This is mostly changing clothes, doing her hair, etc.... We have friends with an older daughter who does the same.

 

To answer one of the original questions as well, both girls have a Generation doll from Target, which they received as a gift at a younger age (5 maybe?). AG hair is MUCH nicer and easier to care for, but my DD enjoys spending the time to put the OG hair in braids, etc.. The Generation dolls get played with right along with the AG dolls and are well-loved by my kids, even if the hair isn't as nice. They're great for the price IMO.

Edited by 5Wizards
Link to comment
Share on other sites

My oldest daughter got her first AG for her sixth birthday. She had wanted Kit since she was three, and she generally takes good care of her things. It's been almost 2 1/2 years, and the dolls has been well cared for, even though she's played with often, and DD has added two more dolls to her collection (one purchased with her own money, and one other gift).

 

I don't know when our middle daughter will get her first AG doll, though. She'll be six in another six months, but I just don't see her getting one yet. She doesn't take care of her things as well, so I'm not sure she's responsible enough. She does know which doll she wants, though...Molly.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I waited until my dd was 9 because AG recommends the dolls for 8 or 9 year olds. There had been many times I had bought things for my dd earlier than the recommended age and then regretted it, so I waited on the doll because it was so expensive.

 

In this case, I actually regret waiting until she was 9. She's only had it for a couple of years and has pretty much outgrown it. I think she would have enjoyed it a lot when she was younger.

 

I agree with picking a doll with short, straight hair! We have Rebecca and we have to be super careful with her to keep her hair in decent condition.

 

Lisa

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My DD was 6 (actually, several weeks before her 6th birthday) and picked out Kaya. She's turning 8 in a few weeks, and Kaya still looks great, despite having probably the single head of hair that's most complained about. I will say that Kaya's hair hasn't been out of braids much-I recently started letting DD take it down so she can do Kaya's hair, but when she's done, it needs to be tied up in some form-in a braid, in two braids...I don't care, but she can't have hair below her waist flying free when she gallops Steps High through the living room!

 

We're going to the AG store in Atlanta for DD's birthday this year (DH is going for work, and this year it works that we'll actually be there ON her birthday), and I plan to give Kaya a trip to the hair salon mostly so she'll at least START out with even braids again :).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My daughters each received one from their grandma when they were 10. They loved them, but I wish they had gotten them when they were about 8 instead. Eight would be old enough to take care of them, but more years left to play with them! By the time my girls were 12 they didn't "play" with dolls so much anymore, although they did enjoy dressing them still.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dd got a Target one when she was either 5 or 6. She took good care of it and we told her she could get an AG doll if she saved up for it (we went halfies with her). For her 7th birthday, she had enough money saved up and she and I went to the AG store and did the "birthday package", just she and I. She picked a "just like me" doll. She still loves both the dolls and my MIL makes her outfits so we don't have to buy the crazy, expensive ones. I also tend to buy the Target accessories. She got a clothes cabinet for Christmas last year from the grandparents and I bought her a vanity set at a after Christmas sale for nothing a few years back.

 

The AG store will fix any doll's hair. They did the OG doll from Target (black, curly hair), with no problem. They put it up into a hair do but dd does not touch that dolls hair as it is really hard to play with. She mostly plays with her just like me doll's hair. She changes both of their clothes. The AG store will also replace parts (hair, face, etc) for a fee. So if your 5 year old decides to play hairstylist, you can just have the hair replaced. I didn't want to spend money on replacement so I waited until she was out of the "impulse cutting" stage. :D While we were at the store, someone was having a doll's head replaced because their 5 year old had decided to play "makeup" with permanent markers. Eeck!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I got one for my DD the Christmas she was 5, but only because she really wanted one (I showed her the catalog at 4 and she couldn't have cared less) and because she was gentle with her toys. 3 years (and many AG dolls later) she still plays with her dolls every day and they're all in good condition.

 

I wouldn't get an Our Generation. I've heard from many people that their hair doesn't hold up well, and the vinyl is a much cheaper-grade.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'd get the Bitty Twins for an almost 5 year old. DD6 got them when she was that age and they're still her favorite. She is getting a look alike doll for Christmas and will probably get Rebecca for her 7th b'day. My 3yo is getting a Bitty Baby for Christmas. :001_smile: We get the Historical dolls after they read the book if they really like them. Though we have almost all of them after buying over the years. ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

DD got her first 18" AG doll for her 6th birthday. She now has 3 dolls - a "just like me" doll, Kaya, and Addie. Kaya and Addie have hair that is very difficult to manage unless it's in a braid of some sort, but the "just like me" doll has shoulder length hair that's much easier to take care of.

 

DD still plays with her dolls every day, and she's 8. She lines them all up and teaches them "school" when she's finished with her own school.

 

As for the books, I think DD read her first AG books at age 5-6, really began to LOVE them at age 6-7, and still loves them at 8. The Addie books, BTW, contain more mature content than the others, being a runaway slave. There's nothing objectionable, but I don't think DD would have really grasped everything if she had read them at 5.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We found a used AG doll at a yardsale that needed hair help when my dd was 4.5. We decided to try it and see how she took care of it. She LOVES it! For her 5th Birthday we sent her to the hospital and got a new head. She wants another one for Christmas. She really wants to see what the new doll will look like for next year.

 

I also suggest getting a doll with straight hair. The curls and waves do not stay nice for very long.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...