We got my son a Calico Critters house when he was younger. He still played with it around 5, I think.

Anonymous wrote:Just let him pick something he likes. We need to completely do away with the notion of “boy” and “girl” toys.

+100000

I have 3 boys and I really wanted them to have a doll house for imaginative play etc. I think a lot of boys do like them! One of mine played with a dollhouse at a playdate -so I got them something like this - it was nice! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006UMDQS/?tag=slate-picks-parenting-20
I ended up passing it on.

The 2 things that they DID play with were a pretend grocery store at my father in law's house and a pretend bbq set (basically like a play stove) - they liked the play food.

They also loved 'people' - they would build houses out of blocks and then put the people in them etc. We also got them a fisher price mini van that they liked to put their "guys" in. (not sure why they didn't want to put the people in the house??). They had fisher price people, action heros and at least 1 set of these -
https://www.amazon.com/Pretend-Professionals-Career-Figures-Creative/dp/B000F8TB0W/ref=sr_1_2?crid=MBPB027LJDYE&keywords=figures+professionals&qid=1649346865&s=toys-and-games&sprefix=figures+professionals%2Ctoys-and-games%2C57&sr=1-2

HTH

Anonymous wrote:Consider a castle. My son & daughter both enjoyed ours.

My son loved his castle. Got it when he was 4, gave it away when he was maybe 8. It was wooden, so no pink. He had a selection of little dolls - knights, princesses, unidentifiable people. It ended up being mostly populated by plastic dragons, baseball players, and superhero. Lots of fun.

Google Playmobile forts and castles. Lots to choose from there.

Anonymous wrote:Consider a castle. My son & daughter both enjoyed ours.

Also, my 8 yo DD still plays with her dollhouse & the castle.

OP we had a play kitchen and well into the mid elementary years, kids flocked to it. Nobody teased our sons for having it.

We can't tell you if it's worth purchasing a dollhouse without more information on what you already have, and what/how your son plays now.

Anonymous wrote:Just let him pick something he likes. We need to completely do away with the notion of “boy” and “girl” toys.

+1

Does your son want a dollhouse or do you like the idea of one for imaginative play? Imaginative play comes in many, many forms. Follow your child's lead.

Consider a castle. My son & daughter both enjoyed ours.

Just let him pick something he likes. We need to completely do away with the notion of “boy” and “girl” toys.

My 3 yo DS likes playing with our dollhouse, that came into the house as a gift for his sister when she was that age. DD is now 5 and plays with it occasionally. Not enough to justify having it.

2nd hand doll houses are pretty available. Mainly because some of them are really big!

I would never avoid a toy that your kid will enjoy because some jerk kid *may* tease him at some point in the future? That's not a good reason.

If you want to make it less feminine, spray paint it colors he prefers.

Anonymous wrote:My mil got my son a firehouse doll house around that age. He was a bit too old for it, but he played with it some.

+1

Also, you can look for a gender neutral on like this:

https://www.lakeshorelearning.com/products/dramatic-play/dolls-accessories/play-all-around-dollhouse/p/DD546/

I work with preschoolers and the boys and girls love this one. But my kid definitely outgrew the firehouse around 5-6.

My mil got my son a firehouse doll house around that age. He was a bit too old for it, but he played with it some.

I like the idea of buying a dollhouse for imaginative play for my son. But we've never had a doll or dollhouses and I'm not sure until what age kids continue to play with them, and I also don't know if he will be teased when he gets into K and 1st grade and friends come over. What are your thoughts? Is it worth purchasing, or am I too late and should I spend that money on something else (What?)?