My nephew wanted a wheelchair accessible Barbie Dreamhouse for Christmas. Yes, he got it. The idea of it being pink didn't bother him because we also don't teach that there's boy/girl colors. And he has a lot of the Creatable World Dolls to go with it.

It's so harmful to teach that certain things are for boys and certain things are for girls. You'll either be creating a bully who will tease other kids for liking those things, or be squashing and harming your own child who deep down likes those things even if they're "forbidden". I still remember when my then 3 year old picked pink and navy casts a dad in the waiting room loudly announced that "pink is for GIRLS, you wouldn't like pink right son?" Um. Ok asshole. He's 3. When I worked in a preschool while in college literally every 4 year old boy put on a dress during dress up time. My boys have asked to have their nails painted. It's not a big deal unless the idea of masculinity is really really really fragile and narrow.

We have dolls, toy kitchen, dollhouses, sports toys, magnatiles and blocks, vehicles, etc. Among 3 boys their favorite colors are purple, pink, and orange. You do you.

My son loved this toy:

https://www.kidkraft.com/us_en/everyday-heroes-wooden-play-set-63239.html?gclid=Cj0KCQjwl7qSBhD-ARIsACvV1X1aHMX1d26Hh1RM33xUVZlSDhqKSG7oJxBn2TBPQUBBe2N-wT9k0uUaAtoCEALw_wcB

Anonymous wrote:OP here - as a toddler he was drawn to playing with baby dolls in the classroom. But he’s never been into stuffed animals. He likes toys with lots of little pieces so I was thinking a doll house might be fun for that. He already has lots of building toys. He’s also started making up stories and talking to himself, so I thought a dollhouse might be cool to encourage that.

I was looking at the Melissa and Doug Hi-Rise Mansion with an elevator or a big Hape one. So pretty gender neutral I think.

Then I absolutely second my Calico Critters suggestion. They have so many cool miniature accessories. The possibilities are endless. We even have the bathroom set (which includes tiny toilet paper, tiny toilet brush, fuzzy toiley lid cover, little bar of soap, etc.)

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Anonymous wrote:OP here - as a toddler he was drawn to playing with baby dolls in the classroom. But he’s never been into stuffed animals. He likes toys with lots of little pieces so I was thinking a doll house might be fun for that. He already has lots of building toys. He’s also started making up stories and talking to himself, so I thought a dollhouse might be cool to encourage that.

I was looking at the Melissa and Doug Hi-Rise Mansion with an elevator or a big Hape one. So pretty gender neutral I think.

Why is this even a consideration?

People above said they wished dollhouses were more gender neutral and suggestion firestations and such. I replied and said the dollhouses I have seen are pretty gender neutral IMO.

Again — we need to get completely away from the notion that there are “girl” toys and “boy” toys. How could a house with dolls in it not be gender neutral?

Well, when the house is bright pink with flowers all over it, the dolls are mostly female, and it is advertised on TV with only girl actresses playing with it, everyone gets the message really quick. We can push back on it, and we can insist on things like dollhouses that are marketed more inclusively.

Yes — we should be pushing back on it.

Pink should not be considered a “girl” color. Flowers should not be considered a “girl” thing. Girls and boys should be shown playing with all sorts of toys. There is nothing inherently “girly” about a house with little figurines in it.

The OP doesn’t ask anything about whether a dollhouse is too girly. You’re pushing your own issue in this thread. Reread the first post.

OP said they were worried about their son being made fun of. Then there were questions in the thread about what a “gender neutral” option is.

The OP asks about being made fun of and then asks if it’s too late. All the questions in the OP have to do with whether the kid will play with a dollhouse or whether it is too late. Not “is it too girly.”

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Anonymous wrote:OP here - as a toddler he was drawn to playing with baby dolls in the classroom. But he’s never been into stuffed animals. He likes toys with lots of little pieces so I was thinking a doll house might be fun for that. He already has lots of building toys. He’s also started making up stories and talking to himself, so I thought a dollhouse might be cool to encourage that.

I was looking at the Melissa and Doug Hi-Rise Mansion with an elevator or a big Hape one. So pretty gender neutral I think.

Why is this even a consideration?

People above said they wished dollhouses were more gender neutral and suggestion firestations and such. I replied and said the dollhouses I have seen are pretty gender neutral IMO.

Again — we need to get completely away from the notion that there are “girl” toys and “boy” toys. How could a house with dolls in it not be gender neutral?

Well, when the house is bright pink with flowers all over it, the dolls are mostly female, and it is advertised on TV with only girl actresses playing with it, everyone gets the message really quick. We can push back on it, and we can insist on things like dollhouses that are marketed more inclusively.

Yes — we should be pushing back on it.

Pink should not be considered a “girl” color. Flowers should not be considered a “girl” thing. Girls and boys should be shown playing with all sorts of toys. There is nothing inherently “girly” about a house with little figurines in it.

The OP doesn’t ask anything about whether a dollhouse is too girly. You’re pushing your own issue in this thread. Reread the first post.

OP said they were worried about their son being made fun of. Then there were questions in the thread about what a “gender neutral” option is.

I agree with what PPs have said about a castle. My 11 yo son still enjoy imaginative play, we got him a castle when he was in 1st grade and he still loves playing with it.

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Anonymous wrote:OP here - as a toddler he was drawn to playing with baby dolls in the classroom. But he’s never been into stuffed animals. He likes toys with lots of little pieces so I was thinking a doll house might be fun for that. He already has lots of building toys. He’s also started making up stories and talking to himself, so I thought a dollhouse might be cool to encourage that.

I was looking at the Melissa and Doug Hi-Rise Mansion with an elevator or a big Hape one. So pretty gender neutral I think.

Why is this even a consideration?

People above said they wished dollhouses were more gender neutral and suggestion firestations and such. I replied and said the dollhouses I have seen are pretty gender neutral IMO.

Again — we need to get completely away from the notion that there are “girl” toys and “boy” toys. How could a house with dolls in it not be gender neutral?

Well, when the house is bright pink with flowers all over it, the dolls are mostly female, and it is advertised on TV with only girl actresses playing with it, everyone gets the message really quick. We can push back on it, and we can insist on things like dollhouses that are marketed more inclusively.

Yes — we should be pushing back on it.

Pink should not be considered a “girl” color. Flowers should not be considered a “girl” thing. Girls and boys should be shown playing with all sorts of toys. There is nothing inherently “girly” about a house with little figurines in it.

The OP doesn’t ask anything about whether a dollhouse is too girly. You’re pushing your own issue in this thread. Reread the first post.

My kids played with their Playmobil buildings for a long time (one until 10).

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Anonymous wrote: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.

Interesting. I wouldn’t have thought older kids would want to play with a play kitchen

Our elementary has a play kitchen in the Extended Day area - and it’s very popular with 2nd graders including mine. Presumably because none of them have one at home anymore unless they have a little sibling.

Anonymous wrote:Get him what he wants to play with (toys with lots of little pieces and good for storytelling).

Do you have Magnatiles? Add this https://www.fatbraintoys.com/toy_companies/magna_tiles/magna_tiles_house_28_pc_set.cfm

Into Lego? The Creator and CITY lines have several different houses.

He might also like a puppet theater. My 10 year old still uses theirs for magic shows.

One more idea: check yard sales for old Fisher Price Little People houses http://www.thisoldtoy.com/fisher-price/dept-7-playsets/a-original-lp/1-pics/sets/fp952-12.jpg

Despite not having a doll house, my sons (5and 7) do a lot of imaginative play. They play trains and hot wheels with elaborate courses and storylines. They build garages and zoos for animals with Magnatiles. They have little people for Magnatiles. In many ways, they replicate a lot of “doll house” type play with their traditionally “boy” toys.

Get him what he wants to play with (toys with lots of little pieces and good for storytelling).

Do you have Magnatiles? Add this https://www.fatbraintoys.com/toy_companies/magna_tiles/magna_tiles_house_28_pc_set.cfm

Into Lego? The Creator and CITY lines have several different houses.

He might also like a puppet theater. My 10 year old still uses theirs for magic shows.

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Anonymous wrote:OP here - as a toddler he was drawn to playing with baby dolls in the classroom. But he’s never been into stuffed animals. He likes toys with lots of little pieces so I was thinking a doll house might be fun for that. He already has lots of building toys. He’s also started making up stories and talking to himself, so I thought a dollhouse might be cool to encourage that.

I was looking at the Melissa and Doug Hi-Rise Mansion with an elevator or a big Hape one. So pretty gender neutral I think.

Why is this even a consideration?

People above said they wished dollhouses were more gender neutral and suggestion firestations and such. I replied and said the dollhouses I have seen are pretty gender neutral IMO.

Again — we need to get completely away from the notion that there are “girl” toys and “boy” toys. How could a house with dolls in it not be gender neutral?

Well, when the house is bright pink with flowers all over it, the dolls are mostly female, and it is advertised on TV with only girl actresses playing with it, everyone gets the message really quick. We can push back on it, and we can insist on things like dollhouses that are marketed more inclusively.

Yes — we should be pushing back on it.

Pink should not be considered a “girl” color. Flowers should not be considered a “girl” thing. Girls and boys should be shown playing with all sorts of toys. There is nothing inherently “girly” about a house with little figurines in it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here - as a toddler he was drawn to playing with baby dolls in the classroom. But he’s never been into stuffed animals. He likes toys with lots of little pieces so I was thinking a doll house might be fun for that. He already has lots of building toys. He’s also started making up stories and talking to himself, so I thought a dollhouse might be cool to encourage that.

I was looking at the Melissa and Doug Hi-Rise Mansion with an elevator or a big Hape one. So pretty gender neutral I think.

Why is this even a consideration?

People above said they wished dollhouses were more gender neutral and suggestion firestations and such. I replied and said the dollhouses I have seen are pretty gender neutral IMO.

Again — we need to get completely away from the notion that there are “girl” toys and “boy” toys. How could a house with dolls in it not be gender neutral?

Well, when the house is bright pink with flowers all over it, the dolls are mostly female, and it is advertised on TV with only girl actresses playing with it, everyone gets the message really quick. We can push back on it, and we can insist on things like dollhouses that are marketed more inclusively.

Anonymous wrote: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.

Interesting. I wouldn’t have thought older kids would want to play with a play kitchen