Help me decide... DS (6) only wants Dora's Talking House for Christmas!!!

[Kimmielee]

Help!! My head screams... NOOOO ... it's a "girl" toy. My heart screams... YESSSS because it's all he talks about.

He LOVES to role play, he's an only child and they just don't make any cool "houses" or "stations" etc... for more boy oriented things.

Where's the Star Wars base? What about a fire station with the beds, firefighters, etc... and the trucks?

So... what do I do? I don't want to be "that" Mom that is so gender biased that I can't consider it. Anyone else have this issue? What would you do?

 

[palmtreegirl]

Buy it! The time will come all too soon that all he'll want is video games etc....and you'll long for the days that a Dora talking house made him happy. They grow way too fast, let him have it.

 

[disney-super-mom]

Yes, we've had these same issues, thoughts, etc...

I wouldn't worry about it at all. Go for it and get him the Dora the Explorer house. Both our boys (6 and 2) still like Dora the Explorer. After all, the show isn't geared for only girls. It has some cool characters in it that appeals to boys, like Swiper the fox and Boots the monkey. If you get him the house, I would also try to get Swiper and Boots action figures too, to go with the house (and to go with the Dora figure that comes with the house). Then they could make up all sorts of adventures and games with the house.

Last year, we got our boys a toy kitchen and a Fisher Price play house. They still enjoy playing with them. Of course they also love to play with their Playstation, and cars and trucks, and playfight with swords, and balls, but hey, if they like to pretend to cook in the kitchen and get mail out of the mailbox (in their playhouse), then that's great too! It doesn't bother us a bit. Plus, when we go to friends and neighbors who also have little boys, we've found that their playrooms also have kitchens, playhouses, and lots of Dora the Explorer stuff, so it's not unusual for boys to want these things...along with their Power Rangers action figures of course.

Don't worry about it. Get your DS the toy!

 

[GEM]

If that's what he wants, I don't see any problem with it. Lots of little guys love Dora, and the house looks like fun!

My little guy, age two and a half, is getting the Step 2 Lifestyle Deluxe Kitchen. Here's a link.

Paul's Kitchen

I guess I don't see houses, kitchens, etc. as being "girl" toys. They're fun for eveyrone!

 

[solferino]

Buy it! What is the big deal if it's "marketed" for girls. I mean if he were instead a DD and wanted a star wars or power rangers set, would you feel differently? I'm LOLing in my head at the halloween epsiode of that show with Jim Belushi and his DS wanting to wear the cinderella dress for trick or treat.

 

[meloneyb21]

I'm sorry but that is so funny . You should but it though. Toys are just toys for a lot of children, as long as it looks fun and is fun they'll want it.

 

[Kimmielee]

I'm going to do it. I figure with the boy figure, Diego... and the animals... he can play his little heart out.

I did buy him Cinderella and Prince Charming a few years ago and he STILL plays with them... usually it's the Green Goblin or a Storm Trooper chasing them....

Thanks so much, I feel better and know that he's going to have an amazing Christmas morning!

 

[dougsmom98]

My three boys like girly things and we have always bought them for them. We have 4 different small doll houses and they play with them a lot. I think it is funny to see them play with Batman figures in the doll house. One of my 5 year old twins just bought a Barbie Doll. He loves it. One of the other 5 year old twins is obsessed with Care Bears. All of my older kids still like Dora and they are 5, 5, and 6. They do make boyish doll houses but they are expensive. Other than that, they have lots of other boyish structures, but they tend to be things you put together with Legos or Imaginext. Noy only do they need to be put together, but they don't stay together either.
Have fun with it.

 

[LIFERBABE]

I remember when my Ds's (now 8) favorite show was PowerPuff Girls and his favorite color was pink!

He has since moved on to Inuyasha and I bought him a pink t-shirt at Penny's that says TOUGH GUYS WEAR PINK that he loves and wears proudly to school and all the other 3rd graders think its cool!

 

[Kimmielee]

I remember when my Ds's (now 8) favorite show was PowerPuff Girls and his favorite color was pink!

He has since moved on to Inuyasha and I bought him a pink t-shirt at Penny's that says TOUGH GUYS WEAR PINK that he loves and wears proudly to school and all the other 3rd graders think its cool!

I LOVE it!!!! Gosh I'm so glad to see I'm not alone! My super macho nephews (in their late 20's and early 30's) were APPALLED when I bought him Cinderella and Prince Charming but they are still part of his favorite group of toys. I can't wait for Christmas!!

 

[the kabuki]

Well, flame away, but I don't think I'd be able to bring myself to buy a Dora house for my son. Not that DH would let it get past the front door anyways.

Not saying it's bad to do it or anything, but to be perfectly honest, no I wouldn't buy it. Maybe because he's my only boy out of the three.

 

[Brian Noble]

Honestly, the question of whether or not to buy it wouldn't even occur to me. If that was the top thing on my son's list, and it was within my budget, why not? What's the worst thing that can happen?

The Gender Police won't steal him away in the night, I promise.

 

[java]

Just FYI they do make the firehouse with firemen and beds ect.... My ds has it. It is made by a wood toy company
http://www.farmgoodsforkids.com/toys_toys-by-category_fire-fighter-toys_st-5513525.html
Not that there is anything wrong with the Dora house... but boy that thing is BIG(and plastic)
also playmobile has all kinds of imaginative play toys that are "boy" themed...firestation, police station, airport, alien space station, construction sites.....

 

[ntburns22]

For me it is not the issue of the house only being for girls it is how soon will he out grow it. My DD5 has already out grown Dora. It just doesn't excite her anymore.

 

[Mom to Jordan]

When DS was three, his favorite christmas gift that year was a doll house that my MIL got him. She did not even think to ask if it was ok but it was fine with us. He play so many hours with that toy!!! Now as he approached 5 the theme of his play started to change and yes batman lived in the house too!!! He also wanted a barbie when he was three and she he got it. By the time he was 5 he would not even walk down the "pink" isle in the store. We love to kid my DN about his powder Puff Girl party at 4. It is harmless. If it is in your budget, go for it. All the boys in my preschool LOVE Dora. Wish they made clothes for boys with her on them!!!

 

[HayGan]

DH and I would have no problem in getting that for the boys if they asked for it.

I would get it for him if that is what he really wants!

 

[disneyfreak74]

I remember when my little sister gave my DS (he was around 2 at the time) her old barbie house as a joke to get at DH. To her dismay, there were crazy trolls and Ninja Turtles running wild in the house. WE could not even imagine what BARBIE thought!! THERE goes the NEIGHBORHOOD!!!

 

[krystyana]

If he wants it I would get it...my ds(4) wants the littlest pet shop and scamps my playful pup...so he's getting that. I think "little girl" toys are sometimes more appealing. He also has a kitchen along with assorted cars, trucks, ninja turtles, etc....I'd rather him play with those than be glued to the TV.

 

[padams]

I don't think of Dora as a "girls only" thing. My boys watched Dora when they were younger. Buy him the house. He isn't asking for a tutu or makeup.

Look at Playmobil toys. My boys had some cool Playmobil pirate ships and pirate dwellings as well as some Playmobil knights and a castle at that age. I just bought the Playmobil castle at Target today for my nephew who's 3.

 

[antsss]

Buy the Dora house! Last year my DS asked for and rec'd an Easy Bake Oven. He loves it!