American Girl Doll? How old?

[bumbles3248]

My DD, 5, got her first Bitty Baby when she was 3. There wasn't much interest at first, but she slowly started playing with her. She got Lanie for Christmas and now spends a lot of time playing with her girls. She changes their clothes, reads to them, rocks them, etc. I hope she keeps up the interest because I love watching her interact with them.

 

[spacemountainmom]

I would not hesitate to get an 8 year old an AG doll. It's a type of doll that is cool to love your entire life. When we were at the store, an elderly lady was being pushed around in a wheelchair. Her daughter went on to explain that she never had her very own doll and wanted one. She was holding Rebecca so tight no one would have been able to take her away. I thought it was the sweetest thing ever!

Love that story - that is so sweet!

DD16 got her first BB for her first birthday from Gma. Gma gave her her first AG doll for Christmas when dd was 3. DD now has quite the collection and all but one was purchased by Gma. The one I bought was at a garage sale, in perfect condition for $25. I think DD got her last one at about 13. She still wanted one and gma was happy to buy it for her.

The dolls now all sit on a chair in her room and will be kept for dd's own kids. DD and her friends will occasionally fix the AG's hair or change their clothes, but the "playing" ended at @12.

I want one for myself and will go and buy Molly for me someday. I think they are beautiful dolls and well worth the money.

 

[crisi]

My daughter was about nine. She is almost twelve and they still come out. I was more interested in them than she was - it wasn't until she had friends who wanted them that she wanted them. With some circles of girls - its a "thing" - they all have the dolls and have doll playdates. My daughter would have never been interested in AG dolls without the peer pressure.

They are well made, and the outfits will provide an easy gift for Grandma and aunts to give for a few years.

I will note that it is something where brand might be important, depending on your daughter's friends. The AG dolls my daughter and her friends play with are the historical dolls - and the stories behind the dolls are as important as the dolls themselves. Not that they'd be so rude as to not play with someone with a My Generation doll, but that doll would lack the packaged backstory the girls value. AG is a branding success story.

 

[MrsJackSparrow4Life]

My daughter got her first one at 8 (Elisabeth) and her second one at 9 (Felicity). As soon as I can find a free shipping code she will be getting her third one at 10 (Addy).

My mother made her a bunch of clothing on top of the outfits I had already purchased for each doll and my daughter and her friends love dressing them up.

 

[mom2princesss]

My DD got her AG doll for her 8th birthday. She loves that doll! She has some matching outfits and does play with her alot.

 

[jcemom]

DD got her first AG doll -- a Just Like Me doll -- for her 6th birthday. For her 7th birthday she got Mia. For her 8th birthday she got Julie. This year, for her 9th birthday, she wants another look-alike (I think they're called My American Girl dolls now).

I really like them. I wish I'd had some when I was a girl. I'd have adored them. They're very well made, IMO, and they hold their value. If you decided to sell them later on you'd probably get back at least half what you paid, possibly more. We don't plan to ever sell ours. When DD outgrows them I'll hang onto them for my grandkids.

As for what age is appropriate, I'd say it depends on the child. DD was very responsible and took good care of her toys, so she got her first doll at age 6. She plays with her dolls often, at least once a week -- getting out all the clothes and accessories, arranging tea parties and sleepovers, etc. They still look almost new. A few of the clothing items have gotten holes (some things are better made than others), but all the furniture and food accessories are still like new.

 

[melancholywings]

I think mine got her first one at 7 and was briefly really into them, but now at 10 hasn't touched them forever. She does still play with the furniture with her stuffed animals. She has 4 dolls now - we sold one we didn't much like. And out of the 5 she's owned 2 came from thrift stores and 1 from a consignment shop. I really like AG and the quality is great.

Last time I looked which was awhile ago they were on ebay starting around $40 for a used doll.

 

[happydisneyfamily]

My daughter got her first one as her big Christmas gift this past year. She had wanted one for a long time but we waited until the Christmas that she turned 5 to get her one. We actually went to an AG store for the first time this January and had her pick out the one she wanted. She ended up choosing Elizabeth. She wanted Felicity also but we told her just one. Luckily I already have Felicity stored in my closet waiting until this Christmas to give it to her.

I liked the dolls and the stories so much that I ended up buying myself a Josefina doll and then a Kanani doll. The Kanani doll we share and may go to my daughter later on. The Josefina is mine and is strictly a display doll though sometimes I change her clothes.

Although she likes the clothes her favorite things to play with are the food.

 

[lisabarr]

Don't forget. QVC will have their AG special sometime in the next few months and you will be able to buy several dolls including the girl of the year typically on easy pays.

 

[jcemom]

Don't forget. QVC will have their AG special sometime in the next few months and you will be able to buy several dolls including the girl of the year typically on easy pays.

That's how I bought Mia for DD. I had her hidden in a closet for a year before I gave her to DD.

I really wish I would've bought Felicity for myself.

 

[scootch]

My mom bought my girls the bitty twins when they were about 4 years old.... we have continued to play with them, they are now 9 and 11 and have several AG dolls. Every year we spend money on Christmas gifts/birthday toys that are played with a couple times and never again.... with the exception of AG. They are played with year after year. We have a small kitchen, beds, desks, hutchs, bath tubs.... everything except a toilet, haha.. but then again, they made one of those out of a cardboard box