The best dollhouses expand children’s imaginations during prolonged make-believe play sessions, and at the same time are durable, attractive and safe. These diminutive dwellings are big on fun, too. Our top pick, the Hape All Seasons Dollhouse, is effortlessly engaging, highly interactive and features an open layout that’s ideal for dollhouse play.
The best dollhouses encourage hours of imaginative play. Big Doll House
“Dollhouses are a must in the playroom,” says Carol Kim, licensed marriage, family and play therapist. “They help children explore fantasies, process their emotions and make sense of their situation...a dollhouse gives them a medium to tell their story.”
Dollhouse play affords children the rare opportunity to be in command of an environment that’s capable of teaching them invaluable lessons. “Imaginative play is crucial for a child's development,” Kim continues. “It helps with creativity and allows children to practice looking at things from other people's perspectives. This type of play helps develop empathy, problem solving, emotional regulation, and increases language and social skills.”
We chose the best dollhouses with all of these attributes named above in mind, focusing on clever design, ease of use and the opportunity for creative expression.
Dimensions: 23.6 x 11.8 x 28.9 inches | Material: Solid wood | Recommended age: 3+ | Accessories included: Yes
This vibrant villa has plenty of room for multiple kids to engage in parallel and cooperative play. The three stories include six rooms complete with furniture, and kids can navigate their dolls through the bedroom, bathroom, family room, kitchen, living room and attic with ease. Carol Kim says the All Seasons Dollhouse would be her top choice for her office if she had the space for it. She says one of its best attributes is that “it's bigger and the layout is more open.”
The All Season House has moving parts like its roof, which switches from winter to spring with a simple flip. The wooden furniture is realistic and well-crafted with thoughtful touches like an oven and fridge door that open and close and a bathroom set complete with a rubber ducky. You can also purchase it unfurnished and it’s easy to upgrade with additional Hape dolls, furniture and accessories. More reasons this dollhouse tops our list: It’s crafted from sustainable, solid wood and finished with child-safe paint.
What the parents say: Many parents praise the modern, gender neutral style, sturdy quality and open-ended design of this spacious playhouse, which is roomy enough for 3 to 4 kids to play at once. “This dollhouse was easy to put together and is very sturdy,” writes one reviewer. “It came with plain furniture, which we loved because our daughter can use it with other small characters that she has.” It works great with everything from Maileg mice and Calico Critters to Gabby’s Dollhouse characters and Playmobil people.
Dimensions: 12.5 x 7.5 x 10 inches | Material: Wood | Recommended age: 3+ | Accessories included: Yes
This popular, two-story Melissa & Doug mini wooden dollhouse is great for on the go, whether you’re dropping them off at grandma’s or packing up for a weekend away. It’s the perfect weight and size for a toddler to tote around and is equipped with two convenient carry handles. It comes fully furnished too—there are 11 wooden furniture pieces included, from a tiny toilet and tub to a kitchen table and chairs, as well as two flexible wooden people to play house. The working doors (inside and out) and realistic details, like sweet heart shutters and a sleek wooden staircase, just add to the overall appeal.
What the parents say: “This little doll house is adorable,” writes one Amazon reviewer. “It is really well made and cute. It feels solid and durable, but it's not too heavy for a child to carry around. I liked the idea that it folds shut so that we can take it to grandma's house and also everything just goes inside when it's not being played with. I also like that it comes with two dolls that are bendy and quite a bit of furniture for the price. The furniture is also really solid and well made with cute little details.”
Dimensions: 22.75 x 8.75 x 23.25 inches | Material: Solid wood | Recommended age: 3+ | Accessories included: No
At only $40, there’s a lot to love about this simple and wallet-friendly wooden IKEA shelf dollhouse, from the sleek, space-saving design (simply mount it on the wall in your child’s room) to the fact that you can completely customize it to suit your kiddo’s own unique design style and interests. While it doesn’t come with any accessories, colorful living room and bedroom sets are available to purchase separately. Etsy also has some of the cutest wallpaper sets and sticker decals to convert it into a charming cottage, police station, fire station and more. Once they grow out of it, use it as a wall shelf to display pictures, books and knick knacks.
What the parents say: One mom I spoke with said her daughter loved the IKEA dollhouse “because I let her paint and wallpaper it herself. It was a bit of a mess after, but it was her unique style and for the price I was ok with that.” Another mom in the reviews section writes, “I like this because it's multifunctional in a child's room. For now it acts as convenient shelving on the wall. Later on I'll take it down so my baby can play with it. I plan to paint it to make it more personal.”
Dimensions: 31 x 14.5 x 23.5 inches | Material: Solid hard wood, engineered wood and MDF | Recommended age: 3+ | Accessories included: No
The Barrington Dollhouse has a show-stopping design that adds flair to any space. If you’re selecting a sizable dollhouse for a dedicated area, this might be a good pick.
The neutral white and gray tones of this solid, hardwood dollhouse complements any décor scheme. The back of the house opens to two floors of 12 rooms where natural light shines through 15 windows. Elevated features include a balcony, staircase entrance and a front door that opens. Please note that the doll sets and dollhouse furniture are sold separately, but this impressive dollhouse makes a great birthday or holiday gift that you can add to over time.
What the parents say: While we don’t have any firsthand feedback for this specific dollhouse, we can attest to the outstanding quality, sturdiness and stylish design of Pottery Barn toys in general. The co-author of this article, Elizabeth Kadar, owns a wooden shopping cart and designer play kitchen from PB Kids, both of which have stood the test of time and held up over the years through frequent play by multiple kiddos. “They’re gorgeous toys you’ll be delighted to have on display in your home and your kids will love just as much,” she says.
Dimensions: 26.8 x 15.6 x 27.4 inches | Material: Wood | Recommended age: 3+ | Accessories included: No
This stunning and super spacious three-story dollhouse doesn’t come with a white picket fence, but it might as well. It resembles a real house (you’d want to live in), is surprisingly easy to put together and not nearly as delicate as it looks. The attention to detail is also next level, with the prettiest printed plywood floors, front porch complete with potted plants and a removable roof panel to expand the pretend play opportunities. The hinged front panels open up to reveal the inside of the home, which is bare aside from a central staircase, so kids can decorate as they like.
You need to purchase accessories separately, but the little furniture sets and dolls themselves are just as charming, detailed and meticulously-made as the dollhouse.
What the parents say: “I love the quality of Tender Leaf Toys in general so when we were looking for a dollhouse I was happy to see they had one,” says SoCal mom Kacie Neal. Aside from the quality and attention to detail, she loves that you can mix and match the dolls. “My husband is white so we could purchase the white dad, and the mom is brown and the little girl is brown,” she says. Although the skin shades and hair colors aren’t an exact match, “it gets the job done.” She says her 4-year-old daughter loves that “you can choose which set to put in which room and move things around.”
Dimensions: 27.6 x 61.8 x 45 inches | Material: Plastic | Recommended age: 3+ | Accessories included: Yes
With the release of the hit new Barbie movie earlier this year, there’s no hotter toy than this decked-out, three-story Dreamhouse, which has been completely updated for 2023. Barbie and her friends can move throughout 10 different indoor and outdoor play areas, and kids can use the 75 included storytelling pieces to customize playtime. Realistic sound effects and lighting options in the kitchen and bathroom make the home come to life, and multiple configurations of the furniture, accessories and design aspects inspire kids to dream up unique interactions every time they play.
Host a spectacular pool party with Barbie’s biggest slide ever, or make it a movie night with space to sleep four dolls with the living room’s transforming furniture. There’s even a wheelchair-accessible working elevator, an epic closet for outfit changes and plenty of fun for pets too, including a pet slide and doggie door.
What the parents say: Grownups are just as enthralled with this iconic dollhouse as kiddos. “I’m 36 yrs old and caught Barbie fever from the movie big time,” writes one reviewer. “I bought this because I couldn’t resist anymore, and I don’t regret it at all. It’s a beautiful pink girlie-pop dream, and I just want to be 10 years old again. [We] literally play with and/or admire this every day, especially my 2.5-year-old daughter. Buy it for you and your kids if you’re at all into Barbie for hours of nostalgic playtime.”
Dimensions: 32.5 x 18.1 x 9.5 inches | Material: Real wood | Recommended age: 3+ | Accessories included: Yes
Your child’s favorite 12-inch dolls (roughly the height of a Barbie) feel right at home in this customizable dollhouse that features one, two or three levels of play. As the name suggests, kids can stack and style the multi-level wooden structure in unique and various ways using a modular connection system. This ups the ante on playtime, as kids can build, design, reconfigure and remodel the 360-degree home every time they play. The dollhouse comes with 14 accessories to furnish and decorate the six rooms. As a bonus, it includes the iconic Little Tikes Cozy Coupe to add to the dollhouse playroom.
What the parents say: This is a sturdier alternative to the Barbie Dreamhouse, according to many reviewers. “I love how modern and well made this is,” writes one parent. “The price is on par with some of the Barbie dollhouses that I saw online, but this one is way cuter, has more configurations, and is very well made. I love how you can customize the configuration so that it fits the space as well.”
Dimensions: 10 x 21.6 x 13.4 inches | Material: Plastic | Recommended age: 1+ | Accessories included: Yes
The Little People Play House is suitable for even the youngest dollhouse aficionados. Designed for kids ages 1- to 5-years-old, this interactive, electronic set plays over 80 songs, sounds and phrases to help little ones learn fundamentals like the alphabet and counting through play. The three included figures can play in the house or venture to the outdoor patio for a dip in the pool or to ride the tree swing. It’s an affordable and colorful first dollhouse that comes with everything they need.
What the parents say: This is a huge hit with toddlers and many parents praise the gender-neutral design and diverse figures. “Hours of entertainment, perfectly sized for little hands, educational and just all around fun,” writes one Amazon reviewer. Another says, “I am a pediatric speech therapist and this is my absolute favorite toy for stimulating language development and imaginative play. I love that this set has three friends who reflect the diversity in our world.”
Dimensions: 38.3 x 10.8 x 27.8 inches | Material: Wood | Recommended age: 3+ | Accessories included: Yes
Kids who are fascinated by police officers and firemen get to create stories and scenarios for these everyday heroes with this engaging wooden play set. The three-story backdrop invites kids ages 3 and up to use the 26 accessories in a variety of settings among 12 themed rooms. The helicopter can land on the helipad, and the fireman can make a daring rescue by way of the roof-to-floor fire pole. The firefighter and police officer have bendable arms and legs—all the better to perch on their motorcycle and drive their fire truck. It’s a great action and rescue-themed alternative to standard dollhouses.
What the parents say: One reviewer dubs this the “boys version of a Dreamhouse.” While assembly is a bit cumbersome, it’s well worth it, according to thousands of positive reviews. “It can be adapted to any kind of police/emergency, super heroes and villains, animal figures and other collectible characters,” notes one reviewer. “It is spacious, the furnishings are adorable, and the best part is that it folds up to keep all the small pieces stored, taking up much less space than when it’s opened up.”
Dimensions: 35.24 x 28.15 x 46.06 inches | Material: Manufactured wood | Recommended age: 3+ | Accessories included: Yes
This sturdy wooden dollhouse from Kidkraft is open on all four sides, allowing for maximum play space among multiple children. It’s also nearly 4-feet tall and features three levels, offering a sizable dollhouse best for older doll fans. Its 10 themed rooms include bathrooms, multiple bedrooms, a kitchen, living room and more. It comfortably fits 12-inch dolls and includes nearly 50 pieces of vibrant furniture to furnish the home. With a rolling base, it can easily be wheeled from one room to the next, spun around or moved out of the way for cleaning.
What the parents say: “This doll house is worth every penny,” raves one reviewer. “It's well made, well designed, sturdy and even has wheels for easy mobility.” While assembly is fairly straightforward, it is time consuming so parents recommend giving yourself plenty of time to put it together.
Dimensions: 25 x 8.9 x 13.8 inches | Material: Plastic | Recommended age: 3+ | Accessories included: Yes
The Calico Critters Red Roof Country Home and its Hopscotch Rabbit family inhabitants are the perfect choice for kids who prefer animal friends. Hopscotch Rabbit Girl and Hopscotch Rabbit Mother are included among over 50 thoughtfully appointed furniture and accessory pieces, like a coffee maker for the kitchen and a piano for the living space. Kids can play with the Country Home from a variety of angles—by opening it up to 90 or 180 degrees or by keeping it closed to interact among the exterior components like the patio deck. It can also be rearranged to create three unique layouts. The manufacturer recommends this house for ages 3 and older, but keep in mind that some of the accessories are very small and easy to lose, so parents of toddlers should take that into account when deciding if this house it right for their child.
What the parents say: If your kiddo is into Calico Critters, this charming dollhouse won’t disappoint. “I love that it can be rearranged, and has lights that turn on,” writes one Amazon reviewer. “It has a TON of small details and things you can buy to add onto it, but it is still very cute on it’s own.”
Dimensions: 24 x 14 x 22 inches | Material: Cherry wood | Recommended age: 3+ | Accessories included: No
This stunning handmade dollhouse by a Michigan-based toymaker is sure to be passed down for generations for its heirloom quality and timeless appeal. Comprised of solid cherry hardwood, it’s equal parts durable and delightful. This is a great option for those searching for a simple dollhouse that encourages child-led imaginative play, because it’s a blank canvas that kids can bring to life with their own ideas and interpretations. Although the maker doesn’t list an age recommendation, we think this house it best suited for children 3 and up.
What the parents say: The overwhelming consensus is that this dollhouse is beyond beautiful and the quality is truly unmatched. “There are no words that can do justice to this dollhouse,” writes one reviewer. “It is so beautiful and expertly crafted. Calling it an heirloom piece doesn’t even come close to describing the amazing quality. Truly worth the price. And my girls are over the moon with excitement.”
The Forbes Vetted team has extensive experience researching, reviewing and testing toys—dollhouses included—for quality, safety, engagement and educational value. Author Beth Shea is a mom and parenting writer whose work has been published by Mom.com, Tinybeans, Cubby and Pregnancy and Newborn Magazine. Co-author Elizabeth Mitchell Kadar has written for SheKnows, Motherly and Good Housekeeping, in addition to being a mother of three.
We also regularly review and update this article to ensure accuracy. It was last updated in November 2023.
For this piece, we relied on the expert input of play therapist Carol Kim, who is the clinical director and owner of Beehive Child & Family Counseling, and dollhouse designers Robb and Jessica Coffee to get a better idea of what makes a great dollhouse and why. As parents ourselves, we’ve also personally spent hours researching and narrowing down the best dollhouse options for our own children, in addition to trying many out firsthand on playdates at friends’ houses.
We selected these dollhouses after speaking with experts in their respective fields and interviewing fellow parents to discover what dollhouses are best. We paired this input with our own expertise as seasoned parenting writers and moms (with dollhouse-aged kids) ourselves.
Each dollhouse selection also earned rave reviews from other buyers. They were standouts for their popularity and unique features that promote fun, imaginative play and learning for kids.
The type of dollhouse you select isn’t as vital as the open-ended play and joy it should inspire. “So much of a kid’s day is spent navigating the frameworks and structures of grown-ups,” say Robb and Jessica Coffee, who design miniatures and dollhouses full-time at Jessica Cloe Miniatures. “The expectations can be pretty high at times and a kid can feel like they don’t wield much control. A dollhouse can give them complete autonomy over the choices. It can be as simple as choosing the layout of the furniture, or as involved as the choice of paint colors and wallpaper.”
Here are some other key factors to consider when choosing the best dollhouse for your child.
Your child’s safety is the main factor when it comes to selecting toys that are suitable for their age and stage. So be sure to take their age into account to ensure that the many miniature components of a dollhouse won’t pose a harm to them. Many dollhouses come with a suggested age minimum that often relates to the size of the pieces. As Kim notes, you want to “make sure that if you have young children, the items aren’t a choking hazard.”
The best dollhouse for your child is also age-appropriate in terms of their maturity and level of development. You want your kid to feel in command of this tiny abode, not frustrated by elements that are too hard for them to manipulate. Therefore, ensure the dollhouse you give your child is one they can easily manage. Larger dolls and accessories and an open layout are easier to navigate and enjoy for young children still honing their dexterity.
Durability is key when choosing a dollhouse. It’s often a toy that’s played with repeatedly by multiple children, so opt for materials that can withstand the wear and tear of many joyful playdates.
Whether you decide on a dollhouse that’s made of a harder plastic or wood, the materials you select are largely based on preference. However, it’s important to note that young children are constantly touching and manipulating the features and accessories of a dollhouse. With that in mind, choose dollhouses and components that are designed with safety and longevity in mind, easy to clean and made with nontoxic, sturdy elements like sustainable wood and child-safe paints.
Many parents want dollhouses to be an heirloom item that’s passed down for generations, in which case, a wooden dollhouse with a classic design might better stand the test of time.
If you’re purchasing a large dollhouse like many of the selections highlighted on our list, choose one that you like looking at daily. “Since they do take up a bit of space, it’s great when a dollhouse can work as part of the décor of a larger room,” the Coffees advise. Many dollhouses make their way to the common spaces of the home for playtime, so opt for one that’s aesthetically pleasing to you, since it is destined to become a part of your interior design scheme while your kids are young.
“When it comes to dollhouses, we’re quite into realism,” they say. “A good dollhouse looks and feels real and familiar. The best dollhouses feel like homes that you might want to live in.”
In terms of the size of the dollhouse, including its height, width and overall design, you’ll need to select one that fits your space, of course, but also fits your child. “You really want to be able to get at all corners of the dollhouse,” the Coffees say. “The best designs for younger enthusiasts feature wider, shallower rooms. This design helps lessen the frustration of knocking things out of place when you have to reach to the very back.”
My mentors were James Walker Michaels, Geoffrey N. Smith and William Baldwin. I started out in the statistics department of Forbes in the mid-'80s then transitioned to writing. I mainly wrote about high-priced stocks that I believed were doomed. Example: my story on CUC International pointed out how the company's aggressive accounting was masking a cash-flow problem. CUC's stock subsequently crashed and the CEO was convicted of fraud. My CUC story is the focus of a chapter in the 2004 book: Forbes Greatest Investing Stories (John Wiley & Sons) by Richard Phalon. I even wrote an Earnings Quality newsletter for Forbes for a brief period (I think it peaked at about 150 subscribers). These days I like to take lots and lots of numbers and turn them into proprietary concepts and multi-platform content. Three of my longstanding publishing creations: the valuations of sports teams, ranking actors and movie studios on bang for the buck (ROI) and the Forbes Fab 40 (the most valuable sports brands). My most recent non-sports idea was Names You Need To Know, which broadened my concept of list creation to include direct input from our audience. My latest creation was the \"SportsMoney Index,\" which ranks the most valuable athletes, brands, teams and sports agencies based on a combination of their individual values, and value of the top athletes, brands, teams and agencies they do business with. I also have a passion for economics (my MBA thesis at Long Island University was an empirical study on the cause of inflation in which regression analysis showed a significant correlation between the general level of prices and the money supply). Besides being an Assistant Managing Editor at Forbes I also have a gig as co-host and Managing Editor of the four-time New York Emmy award winning Forbes SportsMoney on the YES Network and Fox Sports 1 with my buddies at YES, co-host Bob Lorenz and producer David Alfreds, both of whom have taught me a tremendous amount. One of my favorite affairs is being a guest every few weeks on Larry Kudlow's radio show on WABC Saturday mornings. Larry has been a great mentor and friend. My brother in arms is Kurt Badenhausen, whom I have worked with for many years and knows more about sports numbers than anyone.
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