Look no further! Barbie, launched in 1959, has been a fashion icon for tweens and teens for the last 50 years.
As she evolved, she has donned a multitude of professional roles. Barbie has friends, family and even a horse called Tawny, as also cars. It is inconceivable then that she wouldn’t have a dream house to live in as well!
A Barbie doll house with all its bells and whistles is a great way to give your child endless hours of entertainment. If the doll house is big enough, even her friends can come over to play with her. Not only will a huge doll house boost your child’s dolls status, it will also boost your child’s social status. A Barbie house is a great opportunity for your child to explore her personality and to discover her tastes as there is no end to the customizations available.
How to Make Your Choice
Just like Barbie, these doll houses too have evolved and now come in all shapes and sizes, some up to 6 feet tall! You can buy castles, palaces, three and four-storey houses, houses with mini-furniture, fully equipped kitchen, luxurious bedrooms, opulent bathrooms… The list is endless.
A good starting point to select a dollhouse suitable for your child is the manufacturer’s recommended age. For a toddler you can buy one of the smaller sized dollhouses such as the Fisher Price My Loving Family Dream Home. For your energetic 4-5 year old, you can get one of the bigger miniature homes from KidKraft which is more sturdy and has more features.
If you are a fan of Mattel products, you have several options to choose from such as the Barbie 2-storey Beach House, Barbie Malibu Dreamhouse, Barbie The Popstar Magical Light Up Castle, etc. While a little more expensive, the Barbie Pink 3-story Dream Townhouse is the most popular dollhouse in this line-up.
There are those who swear by KidKraft’s dollhouses as they are very sturdy. The KidKraft Majestic Dollhouse is one of their most popular models. They also have several other models like the So Chic Dollhouse, My Modern Mansion Dollhouse, Chelsea Doll Cottage, etc.
Melissa & Doug doll houses have always been a favorite with children. Some of the popular dollhouses in their range are the Wooden Folding Princess Castle, Classic Heirloom Victorian Doll House, Deluxe Multi-level Pink Wood Dollhouse, The House That Jack Built and their Fold & Go collection.
Fisher-Price has some good smaller dollhouses. The My Loving Family Dream Dollhouse with Caucasian and African-American versions, the Grand Dollhouse Super Set, My First Dollhouse and the Family Manor, Exclusive Holiday (complete with 50 accessories) and Sweet Streets Hotel Dollhouses are some of their best sellers.
As stated earlier, there are numerous dollhouses available, from Victorian to Chic, and from Cottages to Beach houses. So which are the top ten Barbie dollhouses you should consider? Here is a handy list.
1) Barbie Majestic Dollhouse
While this is one of the costlier Barbie Doll houses out there (retailing for about $150 or so), it is one of the most popular ones. It is big (over four feet tall), will last forever, and is intricately detailed. It has thirty-four accessories and mini-furniture included like cute little grandfather clocks, alphabet blocks for baby and even a pet kitten! This dollhouse has a garage with open able doors, French windows and even an elevator which goes from the third floor to the fourth!
2) Barbie Pink Three-Story Dream Townhouse
Standing at over 3 feet tall, this is a dollhouse that knows how to go to town! It is fully furnished with fifty five accessories, five rooms and is durable to boot. With lights and sounds on each level, you can switch on the chandelier, the fireplace, the refrigerator and other things. If your child fancies herself a chef, the kitchen timer will signal to her that the cake has been baked! Barbie hums while in the shower, the fireplace cackles, a flat-screen TV pops up to provide entertainment, and an elevator shuffles guests across when they aren’t relaxing in the outdoor spa! This dollhouse will keep your child engaged for years!
3) Barbie Classic Heirloom Victorian Dollhouse
If your child prefers the opulent luxury of vintage houses, then this Melissa & Doug Dollhouse with a price-tag of around $120 is the dollhouse to buy. It is made of sturdy wood and looks elegant, more so because of the painstaking attention to detail. Give your kids a taste for exquisite architecture and styling with this dollhouse!
4) Barbie Savannah Dollhouse
If your child is a Confederate, this is the dollhouse to get! Jokes apart, this is yet another elegant dollhouse that is perfect to introduce your kids to some American history. Made out of wood, it is a four feet tall mansion with four levels and six rooms, furnished in Southern style. The bed has real linen, there are cushions on the couch, and there is a love seat! Perfect for two or more kids to play together!
5) Barbie Annabelle Dollhouse
A cute little number, this dollhouse features intricate detailing like a heart-shaped latticework, chandeliers dropping from the ceiling and other mushy stuff that will leave your child delighted. With three storey, sixteen pieces of furniture, and a working elevator, this dollhouse is a bargain for its price tag of around $125.
6) Barbie Suite Elite Dollhouse
Perfect for occasions where your child wants to call her friends over, this dollhouse is spread over three floors and has an inclusive design that will let little girls access every corner with ease. It is beautifully hand-painted and has real curtains, a central staircase, sixteen accessories, a concert piano and an operable elevator.
7) Barbie Glam Vacation House
Made of durable plastic, this dollhouse has two storeys with six rooms in total. The rooms consist of a living room, bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, patio and breakfast bar. Accessories include things like bed, breakfast bar, blender, couch, TV etc. These accessories can be rearranged as required. It is one of the more affordable models, and can also be packed away so that it can accompany your child on her vacations and summer trips, which is why it is a best seller.
8) Barbie Deluxe Wooden Folding Princess Castle
This Barbie Dollhouse is widely popular because of its cheaper price tag (around $70). However it is no push over. The castle features removable turrets, a very real looking flying buttress, balconies and a drawbridge that works! Ideal to protect the princess if the castle is under siege! It also has a flag and pink roofs to complete the deal. It is made of sturdy wood, and can be packed and folded away when the kid goes to sleep! This is a great Dollhouse to take with you on vacations.
9) Barbie Disney Princess Royal Castle
Combine Barbie and Disney, with an affordable price tag of around $50 and you have a best seller. Made of durable plastic, the dollhouse has six Disney-esque rooms which can be customized with stickers. In keeping with the theme the furniture is colorful, yet classy. A Cinderella doll is part of the package as well.
10) Disney Tangled Doll House with Rapunzel Fairytale Tower
While it features a heftier price tag, at around $155, this is a very popular model because of the instant recognition that the name provides. Most little girls are in love with Rapunzel’s fairytale and have had their imagination fired by the Disney feature film Tangled. The three foot tall tower has five regally furnished rooms fit for a queen, and also includes Rapunzel’s friend, the little chameleon called Pascal and an endless hair extension for the princess, which will no doubt leave the kids giddy.
Dollhouses engage little children like nothing else do. The wooden ones are very sturdy and last a long time. Dollhouses feature an entire universe within themselves and hopefully this article on how to get the perfect Barbie doll house for your kids will have given you enough pointers to buy one for your little tot.