I have a 3 year old (very smart for her age) and she wants a AG doll for xmas it is on the high end of our price range for that 1 special present. I have been looking on ebay and craigslist and those are similar in price and not always sure about what you are getting. I came across the Madame Alexander 18" dolls and I was wondering if the AG clothes and acessories fit madame Alexander? I am hesitant on the AG doll at this young age but she does love her babies we have strollers, crib, high chair, etc... that she takes everywhere for her baby. So we were thinking starting with MA and getting acessories for AG to use then in a year or 2 get a real AG doll then we will be able to keep the clothes and acessories.. Please if anyone can help and we have looked at the "Our Generation" dolls at Target and they are just not cute (sorry) and 1/2 of them only have 1/2 a head of hair. Thank you so much to anyone who can help with this.
The American Girl doll company makes a "Bitty Baby" that my niece loves. They are just like the American Girls (clothing, accessories, etc.) but babies instead of girls.
Just an idea.
J.
Sorry, not sure if the MA dolls fit AG clothes however I thought I would mention that when my daughter was 3, she was given a MA doll--and she snapped the internal rubber band mechanism (which holds the legs to the body) within 2 weeks. I took it to a doll hospital and they fixed it... only for her to pull/snap it again soon after.
My mother and grandmother collected dolls. I'm of the opinion that MA dolls are more collectibles, whereas AG dolls are more durable and intended for child's play.
We did the Our generation girl doll from Target. For $50, I was happy enough with the price and we could buy things from ebay or craft sales for 18'' dolls. We did buy a few AG real things from the store on those special shopping trips. We did this when she was 3. Now at 5, we bought her the real AG doll. We bought Julie because of the long straight blonde hair. I have to say - I very much dislike when the doll hair turns to knots and then my daughter doesn't want to play with her anymore. For a year, I took windex and water and brushed it out, which worked pretty well. It just doesn't last and I needed to keep doing it. Finally I bought a wig on ebay (quite the stretch for me to be doing this) and cut off her hair and superglued a wig on. It's better than it was and doens't get an snarly (sp?), but then we bought Julie and her hair is light years ahead of these other dolls. I still am glad we did the OG doll for a few years because she ended up on the floor or lost in a toy box a lot and now that she's 5, the AG doll is much more played with and taken care of. At 5, they can also put the clothes on themselves which is a big deal! Honestly, between 3-5, my daughter played way more with her stuffed animals as babies than she did the OG.
I started out with the American Girl Bitty Babies for my granddaughters.
My older granddaughters didn't play with their American Girl dolls but have kept them.
I love the MA dolls. I think they are prettier. Same size and clothes and accessories much more cost efficient. My 9 year old granddaughter has both, several of each. She doesn't care which she plays with.
For a doll to play with every day I would go with the MA
AG dolls are much more durable than the MA dolls. I grew up with both. I was not allowed to play with the MA dollls becasue they are more collectables. I agree with Jess that they do make a doll for younger children. I think I would wait a few more years to give her a AG doll. They do have a doll hospital for them if anything happens to them. But it depends on the maturity of your daughter. I have seen the "Our Generation" dolls and I bought one by mistake thinking it was a AG but it seems okay for what i paid. They are the same size as AG and have many assessories. It may work for know until she is old enough for an AG. Because you dont have to worry about the doll.
Yeah this is an interesting question. Madame Alexander dolls are for collecting typically. They are pry one of the only dolls that either holds or increase there value. I hadn't heard they are making dolls for kids. Well you'll have to tell me if these American Girl dolls clothes fit. I'd LOVE to get one for my daughter. MA are just as big as barbie actually way bigger in the collector's market so it would be neat to get her one.
i had one of the AG baby dolls growing up. they are expensive, but super durable! my mom has hinted at getting things like that for our daughter when she's a little older (she's about the same age as yours) since mine is pretty rough on all toys, and already has one cheap baby doll. not sure if the MA dolls fit in AG clothes, i've not seen them personally.
any 18" doll clothes will fit an ag doll. both of my daughters got their ag dolls from grandma and my youngest got hers a month before she turned 3. she loves it. she dresses it and carries it around. the ag doll clothes are very well made and very durable-a little unecessary for a doll that's why we buy knock off clothes and i had my step dad make them each a bed. overstock.com has very cute 18" doll clothes. and since your in st. paul, you can take your daughter and her doll to mall of america to the american girl doll store and have lunch with them. (they honor any doll, not just ag) the doll gets a special chair, her own corn bread muffin, lemonade and dessert. the food is expensive but very very delicious. we have done it twice with friends and had a blast.
If you look at the American Girl website it says that the dolls are for kids 8 and up. The girls need to be mature enough to care for the doll (brush its hair with an AG hairbrush, take care of the clothes, ex.). The girl I use to nanny for had one so I know about the dolls. They do have dolls called Bitty Twins if you want to get your daughter a doll with hair that looks a little older that the baby, those say 3 and up.
The Madame Alexander dolls from the "Favorite Friends" line fit perfectly into the American Girl clothes and shoes. These are NOT the “collectable” dolls, they are for play. I also believe that for the price, a Madame Alexander doll would probably be a good idea for a 3 year old. I think that the main differences are (1) the price, (2) the Madame Alexander doll’s hair is plugs while the American Girl dolls have the preferred ‘wig’ style, and (3) the Madame Alexander doll’s cloth part of the body starts just under the breast bone area so it stills looks ‘normal’ when wearing tank tops or swimwear.
