Imagine your dream house. Now, imagine it better. They don’t make dollhouses like they did when you were little: they make them bigger, and they make them fancier — as in three-stories, working-utilities-included fancier. The best dollhouses on the market today are prime real estate, and once you splurge on the dreamiest one, your child’s plastic friends are going to be living in the lap of luxury.
Case in point: Brands like Mattel and KidKraft have designed dollhouses that mimic the mansions you’d see on Million Dollar Listing. These days, Barbie needs an elevator to get around her own house. She even has a second-story pool with a slide, plus a home office to teach your child if they work hard, they can play hard, too. Still, if frills aren’t your kids forte, Hape’s All Season House is a little more simplistic (though we still wouldn’t categorize it as “basic”). It’s made of wood and comes fully furnished with all the necessities, and while it might not have a working elevator, it does feature a dual-sided rooftop your child can change with the seasons.
Of course, at the end of the day, the best dollhouse is one that inspires your child to flex their creative muscles, dream up worlds and stories, and even teaches them social skills when playing with others. Whether that house is Barbie’s DreamHouse or not is up to you and your child’s taste. Read on to get a better feel for what each toy has to offer.
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1. Barbie DreamHouse
Mattel released the first Barbie DreamHouse back in 1962, and though the It-doll’s mansion has certainly undergone a few additions and some redecorating since then, the play palace is still popping up on children’s wishlists. Standing at three feet tall and four feet wide, this three-story mansion will have your little one’s dolls living in the lap of luxury. Try not to be jealous.
As far as interior design goes, the house is set up for angle play, with eight — yes, eight — rooms, including a home office (because Barbie’s a boss) and a kitchen stocked with a sizzling stove top, whistling tea kettle, light-up oven, sink that doubles as a BBQ, plus a recycling bin. And because Barbie works hard, but plays harder, the dollhouse also features a second story pool with a slide coming down from the third floor, plus a guest bedroom with a couch that converts to a bunk bed. Finally, to help Barbie get around the place, this dollhouse even comes with a working elevator that can fit up to four dolls at once.
2. Hape All Season House
The Hape All Season House might not be as tall or as wide as Barbie’s DreamHouse, but it’s still an impressive piece of real estate for people made of plastic. The wooden dollhouse is three stories tall and features six rooms: a master bedroom, attic, family bathroom, media room, kitchen and living room — all of which come fully furnished. On that note, every piece of furniture in the house is moveable, so your children can rearrange to their liking. What’s more, even the roofing was designed to be reversible to mimic the different seasons of the year.
3. KidKraft Annabelle Dollhouse
Not unlike actual dream houses, dream dollhouses can be pricey, but KidKraft’s real estate is slightly more affordable. Trust us, Barbie won’t know the difference between Mattel’s model and this brand’s dreamy digs. It’s a three-story structure that features four decorated rooms, a hanging chandelier and one easy-glide elevator. The set also includes 17 pieces of furniture and home decor, including a claw-foot tub, a canopy bed, a chaise lounge and a piano.
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