Not only do many girls love to play with dolls. Many boys also enjoy making up their own little stories and role-play for them. This stimulates their imagination and they begin to take on their first responsibilities, as they have to make sure that the doll’s needs are met. Many dolls have some great features in this regard, which further increase the fun for your child.
To help you find the right doll for your child, we have compiled a checklist for you that provides you with all the important information. Our product recommendations will also help you choose the right doll for your child.
- Soft cloth dolls are ideal for the youngest ages. They are easy to transport and cuddle. Hand puppets and waterproof dolls also provide fun for little ones.
- From about three years old, kids want to make doll play more imaginative. At this age, baby dolls and movable dolls (with or without functions) like to be fed, washed, and cared for. At around four years of age, role-playing comes to the fore.
- Doll clothes and other accessories help to re-enact experiences and imagined things. By the start of elementary school at the latest, older-looking dolls such as Barbie become interesting, although Mattel is already targeting the three- to seven-year-old age group.
- Size and weight should be in proportion to the child so that the doll can be easily carried.
- The younger the child, the simpler the doll should be. This way there is no risk of parts being swallowed.
- Before buying any doll, you should ask yourself if the doll serves stereotypes or teaches your child wrong values. Generally, it is recommended that the child recognizes himself or his family in the doll.
- Dolls with functions can, for example, drink, go potty, make baby sounds or complete sentences . Observe how your child plays with the doll and encourage other scenarios so that play is not limited to the doll’s functionality.
- Four- to six-year-olds are beginning to create new fantasy worlds for themselves and their dolls. Doll accessories such as a dollhouse or a play kitchen help with this.
Table of contents
Recommended Dolls
We have compiled the best and most interesting dolls. You can find the list with our product recommendations here.
Hand Puppets
Cloth Dolls
HABA Soft Doll Mirle 8" - First Baby Doll with Blonde Pony Tail for Ages 6 Months +
- Perfect baby shower giftLike All HABA soft dolls, Mirle is machine washable on cold. At just 8" tall, she is the perfect size for babies ages 6 months and up!
- Mirle has an embroidered face with blue eyes, freckles and an impish smile. Her soft body has a bean bag bottom giving it a slightly weighted feel and allowing her to sit properly.!
- Mirli's blonde hair is made of woven cotton with a stretchy feel and pulled back into a pony tail. Her dress closes in the back with hook and loop fastener and is easy for little hands to take on and off.
- Her shoes are sewn on and she comes packaged in her own beautifully designed tin. Mirle is an ideal new baby, 1st birthday or Christening gift
- Her shoes are sewn on and she comes packaged in her own beautifully designed tin. Mirle is an ideal new baby, 1st birthday or Christening gift.
- Mirli makes a great compliment to other HABA 8" soft dolls Mirli, Miro, Felicia and Felix (all sold separately). She's can also be an incredibly sweet little sibling to our larger 12-15" soft dolls.
Waldorf Dolls And Käthe Kruse Dolls
Life-Like Baby Dolls
ZIYIUI Reborn Doll 20" 50cm That Looks Real Baby Doll Realistic Full Silicone Vinyl Sleeping Newborn Baby Size Doll Reborn Toddler Babies Reborn Girl Gift for Age 3+
- ❤️Size：The baby doll measures Approx 20 Inches (50 cm) from head to toe, with gentle touch silicone vinyl head and limbs and doeskin weighted cloth body.Lovely doll will be the good friend Accompanying your baby'growth.It would be good gifts for your children.
- ❤️Material: head and body are made of full silicone , the baby can sit, lie down, unable to speak,can't crying, laughing and eating,Doll can enter the water
- ❤️Special hand-made: Hair made of mohair can be washed, but it needs to be dried at a low temperature. Two long eyelashes, flexible hands and feet with nails, heavier body, suitable cloth. All of this will make you feel like holding a baby so real.
- ❤️Eyes: baby with closed eyes, eyes can not be opened. The baby will come with a magnetic pacifier and a bottle to fit the mouth. As shown in Fig Clothes
- ❤️ Conforms to the safety requirements of ASTM F963 for ages 3+
ZIYIUI Reborn Baby Dolls,22 inch 55cm,Realistic Newborn Baby Dolls,Real Reborn Toddler Lifelike Baby Girls
- Size – The Reborn baby doll measures about 24 inches (60 cm) from head to toe, with gentle touch silicone head and limbs, and weighted fabric body for a real baby feeling.
- Material: the head, 3/4 arms and 3/4 legs are made of soft silicone vinyl materials. The shoulder and body are fabric body with inner filling of PP cotton. The limbs are movable.
- Hair - The hair is hand-rooted mohair (fabric made from real hair of angora goats). The hair can be any shape and fixed, just like a real baby hair. It can be washed. You can also cut the hair to a better style.
- Favourites – This doll is not only a toy for children, it is also a beautiful collector's item for adult collectors. The doll fits newborn clothes and newborn size disposable nappies.
- Safe - Meets the safety requirements of ASTM F963 and EN71 from 3 years.
Dolls With Special Functions
Luvabella Newborn, Blonde Hair, Interactive Baby Doll with Real Expressions and Movement
- EXPRESSIVE FACE AND MOVEMENTS: With beautiful natural expressions, a dynamic moving mouth and sweet newborn sounds, Luvabella Newborn is truly lifelike! She can express if she’s hungry, fussy, happy or gassy, just like a real baby!
- INTERACTIVE ACCESSORIES: Care for Luvabella Newborn with her bottle and soother. She’ll suckle on them like a real baby, responding with adorable sounds! It’s a real newborn experience as you love, feed, burp and play with your very own Luvabella!
- REALISTIC BREATHING TUMMY: Rock soft and snuggly Luvabella Newborn to sleep in your arms, and she’ll doze off. When she’s sleeping, her tummy really rises and falls – gently place your hands on her tummy to feel her breathing and listen for her heartbeat!
- Luvabella Newborn makes a great gift for kids aged 4 and up. Requires 4 AA batteries (not included). She’s so real, she’ll amaze you!
- Includes: 1 Luvabella Newborn Doll, 1 Onesie, 1 Bow Headband, 1 Interactive Soother, 1 Interactive Bottle, 1 Instruction Booklet
Bayer Design Piccolina Magic Eyes Baby Doll, 8-10 - 18" (46cm)
- 46 cm soft-bodied doll with sleeping eyes
- Press her right hand and she will make baby sounds and close her eyes
- Press her left hand and she will make more baby sounds
- Feed her with the bottle and she will make drinking sounds and move her mouth
- Includes extra bag, bib, teddy bear, plastic tableware, care accessories, pacifier and a bottle
Barbie Dolls
Barbie GML79 Modern Princess Prance & Shimmer Horse
- Barbie Modern Princess Prance & Shimmer Horse
- Inspired by Barbie Princess Adventure, this Barbie doll and horse set transports young dreamers to a faraway land where imagination reigns
- With 3 original songs, over 25 light and sound combinations and realistic actions like nuzzling and prancing, this royal pet inspires endless imaginative fun
- Touch the horse's tiara to see her hooves, tiara and bridle light up as she nuzzles and neighs
- Press the button near the horse's tail and tilt her back on her hind legs to activate a magical light show, play a song and see her dance to the tune
- Multilingual (Publication Language)
Barbie Playset and Chelsea Blonde Dolls, 2 Horses with Bobbling Heads and 15+ Toy Accessories That Include Corral Fencing, Feeding, Grooming, Nurturing and Horseback Riding Pieces
- Young horse lovers will go wild for the Barbie Hugs 'n Horses playset that comes with 2 dolls, 2 horses, a puppy and 15+ accessories!
- The horse and pony have heads that bobble to mimic real movement -- each also has a colored saddle, bridle and reins for horseback riding role-play!
- Kids can create their own horse corral with fencing pieces that connect!
- Horse lovers can adopt these pets and care for them with accessories that include a feeding trough and bucket, apples and carrots, a bale of hay, a bottle, a basket and a blanket!
- An included brush is perfect for grooming the horse and pony's soft manes and tails.
- Barbie doll and Chelsea doll are ready to ride wearing casual outfits and riding boots -- a cactus on Barbie doll's t-shirt is a perfect statement.
- Each doll also has a helmet for realistic role-play fun!
- Makes a great gift for kids who love animals, especially horses -- simply set up the fence as home base and let imagination ride because when a girl plays with Barbie, she imagines everything she can become!
- Multilingual (Publication Language)
Barbie Dreamtopia Dress Up Doll Set, 12.5-inch, Blonde with Princess, Fairy and Mermaid Costumes, for 3 to 7 Year Olds
- Let your dreams run, dive and fly with Barbie Dreamtopia Fairytale Dress-up doll sets that come with a Barbie doll and three different fantasy outfits -a mermaid, a fairy AND a princess!
- The pieces can be mixed and matched to create a classic fairytale look or a unique character in an instant -each piece features whimsical details, like butterfly print and gemstone details.
- The princess look comes to life with a colorful snap-on bodice, shimmery skirt with butterfly print, a pink tiara and pink shoes.
- The mermaid look makes waves with a sea shell top, a tail with a sea-inspired print and shimmery white fins.
- The fairy look takes off with a colorful snap-on bodice, a fairy skirt with a bright butterfly print and pink wings with whimsical details.
- Imaginations 3 to 7 years old can create so many sweet stories with this Barbie doll and dress up gift set. Collect more Barbie Dreamtopia dolls and accessories and let your stories take flight (each sold separately, subject to availability).
- Multilingual (Publication Language)
Sale
Barbie Dreamtopia Doll, Rainbow Lights Mermaid with Glimmering Light Up Rainbow Tail, Tiara and Blonde Hair
- Make a real splash with this magical light up mermaid doll dip rainbow lights mermaid doll into water to see her mermaid tail glimmer with colorful lights inspired by a sparkling rainbow press the button in doll s necklace to switch her to on mode and dip her into the tub or pool to activate the light show bring the magic ashore you can push the button in the doll s necklace to enjoy the light show without water rainbow fins a pearl decorated belt pink streaked hair and a royal headband complete the head to toe magical mermaid look
- Make a real splash with this magical light-up Barbie mermaid doll!
- Dip Barbie Rainbow Lights Mermaid doll into water to see her mermaid tail glimmer with colorful lights inspired by a sparkling rainbow!
- Press the button in Barbie doll’s necklace to switch her to “on” mode, and dip her into the tub or pool to activate the light show
- German (Publication Language)
$25.99
−12%
Buy Here
Barbie Dreamhouse Adventures Doll & Accessories, Travel Set with Blonde Fashion Doll, Puppy & 10+ Pieces, Suitcase Opens & Closes
- Send curious minds around the world with Barbie doll and a travel-themed set inspired by Barbie Dreamhouse Adventures that comes with a puppy for a travel companion, luggage and more than 10 accessories.
- Barbie doll's pink suitcase has a collapsible handle and opens and closes for packing and unpacking fun -- decorate it with the included sheet of stickers (like emojis and a pink passport).
- Iconic travel items included in the set are decorated with bright colors and fun decals there's a neck pillow, headphones, eye mask, water bottle, toothbrush, toothpaste, camera and cell phone.
- Barbie doll is ready to visit places near and far wearing a denim shirtdress with a colorful belt detail and trendy sneakers to match -- a pair of sunglasses adds the finishing touch.
- With so many fun travel pieces, this Barbie set makes a great gift for young explorers and fans of the series because when a girl plays with Barbie, she imagines everything she can become.
- Multilingual (Publication Language)
Doll Accessories
Smoby - Baby Nurse Play Center for Dolls with 23 Accessories, Pink
- Large baby house with 3 separate spaces: kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom.
- Kitchen corner: 1 seat, 1 dining area, 1 hob, 1 sink with 1 tap, 1 microwave oven, and storage.
- Bathroom corner: 1 removable bathtub (if used with water), 1 changing table, 1 towel holder, 1 trash can, storage and 1 photo frame 10x15 cm to customize your own style.
- Bedroom corner: 1 bar bed, 1 manual turning mobile and 1 glow in the dark lamp.
- To accompany different play spaces, many accessories are included: 1 stew pot, 1 plate, 1 spoon, 1 bottle, dummy boxes, 1 thermometer, bottles, 1 shower head, and 1 bracelet.
deAO 40 Piece Baby Doll Accessories Bag with Baby Feeding Accessories, Clothes, Doll Bear, Bath Toys, Soother Dummy and Much More - Great Nurturing Pretend Toy for Kids!
- FANTASTIC 40 PIECE PLAY SET: Add to your child’s doll collection with this wonderful accessory bag! A great way to encourage your child to interact with others and develop important key skills.
- ACCESSORIES & CONTENTS: This play set includes over 40 accessories that your child will love – from clothes and bath toys to even feeding equipment! All accessories are able to fit inside the portable storage bag that is perfect for a little one on-the-go.
- GREAT GIFT: This play set will make a wonderful gift for a beginner or a little one that loves dolls and needs to add to their growing collection of accessories!
- BENEFITS: Allow your child to use their imagination through this great children’s role play set that will keep them entertained for hours. Your child is able to develop on skills such as; hand-eye-coordination, speech and much more.
- RECOMMENDATIONS & WARNINGS: Not suitable for children under 3 years. To be used under direct supervision of an adult. Choking hazard due to small parts.
Tip: Click here for the best doll furniture.
The Best Sellers Of Dolls
In a list of bestsellers we have compiled the most popular dolls for you.
Tip: The best Hand puppets you can find here
Current Offers Of Dolls
You can find the best current offers on dolls in this list.
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FAQ About Dolls
What is a doll?
A doll usually resembles a human baby and children like to use it for playing. Often, this also has functions that further enhance this humanity. For example, some dolls can make sounds or speak individual sentences.
What brands of dolls are there?
There are numerous doll brands. Baby Born and Baby Annabel are very well known. They also offer many different outfits and functions of the dolls, such as drinking or going to the potty. In addition, there are also everyday items such as potties or chairs for the dolls.
How can you recognize a valuable doll?
The doll should be well made and look very realistic. Especially the face with eyes, nose and mouth is crucial. The use of real colors is already an advantage.
How much does a doll cost?
The prices for dolls are very different. It depends on the functions, size and accessories. So you get a simple rag doll already from 5€. Others with drinking and wine functions, on the other hand, cost from 20€ upwards.
How long do children play with dolls?
A clear answer is not possible here. Every child is different and develops differently. However, with the onset of school years, children usually begin to take an interest in Barbie dolls and slowly leave Baby Born and similar dolls behind. Barbie can be styled quite differently and is therefore very popular for role play.
Which dolls look like real babies?
There are so-called Reborn Babies, which are actually usually very similar to a real baby. However, these are often relatively expensive and are therefore not necessarily suitable for your child to play with. Since they are lifelike, they usually have a higher weight and are therefore very heavy. For this reason, they are mainly suitable for older children.
Which doll is suitable for a toddler?
This usually depends on the age of your child. If it is still relatively small, you should not buy a doll with too many functions, otherwise your child may be overwhelmed and not further engaged with the doll. Therefore, you should adapt the doll to the age of your child.
From what age can a child play with a doll?
There is no guideline as to when a child can start playing with a doll. It is important not to overtax your child and to give him a simple doll without many functions at the beginning. If your child is already a little older, he or she will be able to concentrate much better and take care of a doll with more functions
How big is a doll?
For smaller children a doll from 30 centimeters is suitable. However, if your child is already taller, he or she can play optimally with a doll that is 40 centimeters tall.
What accessories are available for dolls?
There are many accessories for dolls. Your child can style them for any occasion with the right clothes or buy doll furniture and doll houses.
More About
Dolls for kids
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- The 11 best Baby Born dolls – guidebook
- The 10 best Baby Annabell dolls – guidebook
- The 7 most popular Baby Annabell dolls – guidebook
- The 10 most popular Barbie dolls – guidebook
- The 16 best Zapf dolls – guidebook
- The 10 best Playmobil dollhouses – guidebook
- The 8 best L.O.L. Surprise! Dolls – Guidebook
- The 6 best dolls and cuddly toys from Käthe Kruse – guidebook
Doll accessories
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- The 15 best doll houses – guidebook
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Soft toys
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Robots for children
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