Hello,
If you chose to give an American Girl Doll to your little ladies, at what age did you do so? Our daughter has had an Our Generation doll from Target for the last two years, and has taken very good care of it, as well as all of the rest of her "babies". She has wanted an AG doll for awhile now. We are considering it, but the expense just holds me back, considering she is just 5. I am leaning toward another Our Generation doll, but my husband is positive it is time for a real American Girl. Any advice?
Thank you in advance!
Thanks everyone! I think we are going to wait until her 6th birthday. I know she would like one now, but if we hold off till her birthday we will be able to make a weekend out of it with going to the store and all that encompasses.
I appreciate the feedback!!!
My daughter got her first doll for her 5th birthday. She loved it then and still loves it now. I think 5 is the perfect age. It gets a lot of love from 5 to whenever they stop playing with dolls. My daughter is going to be 8 next week and her big ticket items are from AG.
My youngest got hers around 5. She's a careful girl but sounds like yours is too.
My daughter was 3.5 when she got Caroline. She got a second one, Emily, a year later for Christmas last year. She's taken amazing care of both of them and loves them to pieces! She's been playing with them this morning as a matter of fact. We started out by getting her the mini Caroline and she had to show she could take care of that one. At that point she had a bunch of baby dolls and Princess dolls that she took amazing care of.
There was a degree of supervision at 3.5 but she loves them so much that she's always taken care of them.
My son got Saige last year for his 10th birthday. He got Molly for Christmas last year. He truly loves those dolls!
Their grandmother has knitted some clothes for the dolls. You can buy clothes at Michael's and Target that fit the dolls that don't cost as much as AG clothes do. You can get wonderful accessories and play sets at Target as well. My daughter has had several outfits that match her doll as Kohl's carries a brand that come in the smaller sizes as opposed to AG that start at the higher sizes.
You know your daughter the best. If you think she's ready, can take care of the doll and can afford it then go for it! My daughter is 5.5 year old now and has had hers a couple of years and is taking fantastic care of them. I supervise a little bit but I have to far less now than in the beginning.
I think my daughter got her first when she turned 7.
Ask yourself the question "If she cuts the doll's hair off or uses a sharpie marker to decorate her doll how will I feel?" Because at age 5 those are 2 possibilities and if you'd be upset about it then she's too young for an expensive doll. My older granddaughter got an official american girl doll at age 7 when she was old enough to understand that it was expensive and she needed to take special care of it.
My daughter is getting one for Christmas this year. She just turned 6.
I'd never get ours one but your child sounds different. I'd say if you can afford it try it.
My daughter was about 4 when my mom got her two granddaughters the bitty baby twins. They each got one, and they are little smaller so not as expensive as the full-size dolls. It was good for a trial.
She didn't ask for it--my niece (age 7 at the time) asked for the AG doll and my mom got them for both girls anyway. Honestly, she didn't play with it much at 4, but as the years went on, she started asking for the full size dolls and now has two of them also. (Thanks Mom--I probably wouldn't spend that much on a doll myself!)
Now, at age 10, she is obsessed. Her room is set up for her dolls and their stuff. I'm glad because they were expensive and she is now finally playing with them! The nice thing about the AG dolls is that because they are marketed for older girls, they won't outgrow them so fast.
Anyway, if your daughter is ASKING for one at 5, she is probably ready, and probably does plan to play with it. I didn't have any trouble with my daughter mistreating the doll at age 4. She cut her Barbies' hair, but knew not to do that to the AG dolls.
We took my daughter to downtown Chicago for the AG experience on her 6th birthday. I think 6 is the perfect age to start. However, if your 5 yr old has proven to be responsible with her other dolls, then she is ready now. Enjoy!
My daughter didn't even ask for one until she was 8...but I would have gotten it for her whenever she did ask. She was never a baby doll kind of girl, but she takes such good care of her AG Doll....she's getting the doll of the year this Christmas as well - she's a competitive dancer and it's a dance doll.
I think 5 is totally fine if she has already proven she can and will be responsible.
Our daughter was 6. She probably would have been ok with it at 5.
My daughter was 4.5 when she got her AG doll last Christmas. I think 5 is a great age.
My niece got one last year--she was 10. She also got a cell phone...thought it was an odd combination of gifts:)
If you really think your daughter then go for it. I would probably want to wait until 6 or 7 but that's just me. Does she have younger siblings? She might take good care of it but does she have a little brother or sister who would jump at a chance to destroy it?
