Doll sets and houses are more than adorable toy sets. They are a wealth of developmental play opportunities. Dollhouses facilitate imaginative play, aiding kids with social skills and making sense of the world. They act out social situations, imagine multiple personalities and perspectives, and perform practice runs of social conflicts.

Playing with a doll set aligns best with the developmental needs and play preferences of kids between the age of three and nine. Children love engaging in imagination and pretending to play social scenarios in these stages. These dolls grow with your child and their complex dreams. Here are ways to prolong the play:

One to two years

Toddlers love exploring the dollhouse features, like sound effects and doors opening and closing. They also enjoy rearranging furniture and finding all the different ways to fit dolls and accessories into the dollhouse rooms. Dollhouses are more about spatial exploration, fine motor skills, and cause and effect than pretend play.

Three to five years

Kids create storylines with dolls for girls and act them out in the dollhouse. These stories may not make sense, but at least your child gains much understanding of the world and people. It is big enough to play with friends, accompanied by simple, sturdy, and durable furniture.

Six to nine years

We love these years for dollhouse play. The creativity only begins to grow, and you may be surprised at just how developed their pretend worlds are. You may also notice that your kids’ interests shift to different types of dolls. For instance, they may become less interested in a family set of dolls and more interested in Barbies or dolls with teenager-like appearances.

10 to 12 years

The golden days may be winding down, but even those precocious preteens still have fun playing with a doll set. Although at this age, you can expect that play to look much different than it used to.

Older kids

For some older kids, playing with their dollhouse becomes a top-secret activity. If their friends and classmates have stopped playing with their dollhouses, your child may feel self-conscious about still enjoying them. However, there is a decent chance their friends are doing the same thing.

Conclusion

Dollhouses for children become more of a tool for social play and less of an activity they do by themselves with time. When your child has a friend over, they may love world-building and playing out complex social situations, but they enjoy them less when playing alone. The sweetest spot for doll play is often between four and nine years old.