OT American Girl age question?

[susykt4]

My daughter has been expressing interest in American Girl dolls and I figured I'd get her one for her 7th birthday. The catalogs say for ages 8 and up. Not that this will stop me from buying one, but is there a reason for the age 8?

Thanks,
Susy

 

[supersuperwendy]

My daughter got one for her 6th birthday and absolutely loves her! She really takes care of her properly! She's impressed me..I was afraid she was too young when she got it as a gift!

 

[flying_babyb]

If your childs responsible go for it. My cousins (6 and 7) play with my good porcliene collectors dolls.

 

[FLA05]

My daughter (10) loves AG and I think 7 is a great age. Make sure to buy (or take out of the library) some of the books. These are great bed time stories and make the dolls seem more real. They dolls are quite sturdy as well. Hope this helps.

 

[minniebeth]

Maybe because of the authentic clothes? All the clothes have real little buttons and snaps and little accessories that can be difficult and for children with more mature fine motor skills....
My DD had 2 different AG Dolls when she was 7 and it was a perfect age for her to receive them. Still her favorites....

 

[luckey-lasvegas]

She might like the Bitty Twins for a starter set. My DD 10 just got her first 2 AG dolls for her birthday and Christmas, the books run about the 3rd - 5th grade level so I think that is another reason for the 8yr old refference, and popularity.

 

[BellePrincessBelle]

My Girls were 5 & 6 when they got their 1st AG dolls. The have taken excellent care of them and those dolls are now almost 4 years old and look as good as new.

 

[momto2girls]

My girls got their first Bitty Babies at 3 and 2. My older daughter got her Just Like Me doll at age 6. The younger one (age 3.5) just got a Bitty Twin for Christmas.

As long as your DD will take care of the dolls there is no reason to wait until age 8.

 

[Schmeck]

Both my girls started getting AG dolls at age 5. We read the books out loud to them as bedtime stories. Then, when they were better readers, they read them over again. I think age 7 is a fine age - that's one more year of getting some use out of the doll before it gets packed away or placed lovingly on a shelf for a while...

 

[HollyJoy]

Both my daughters, ages 9 and 7, LOVE their AG dolls (they each have two). They got their first dolls at ages 6 and 8

 

[missdramaqueen]

I'm 12 and around where I live AG dolls are still "very popular"!
I have Elizabeth, Felicity, and Molly.
I recived my first doll when I was almost 8.
I think that 7 is a little too young...but you know yor daughter best.
Not to sound bratty but I'm a very careful person and I just managed to take good care of mine.
Your Choice!!!

 

[Vannah]

I think I got mine when I was six or seven, and I didn't take very good care of it. The year after, my three year old sister got a Bitty Baby (before Bitty Twins time) and she didn't take care of hers very well, either. I think the issue with me was that I just was not into dolls at that age. Now I would kill for an American Girl doll. You know your kid. Trust your instinct.

 

[mbmwilson]

Hi there! My daughter was 4 when she got her AG doll from grandparents as a gift. I expained all about how to treat this doll and how it needs to be taken care of. I then asked her if she felt she was really ready for that responsiblity. She decided that she wasn't. I told her to let me know when she was. She had just turned 7 and said she was ready. She absolutely loves that doll and takes wonderful care of her. Like some of the other posters have said...I think it just depends on the child and when you and them think they are ready. Good luck!

 

[ntburns22]

You sound like me. My DD turns 7 in a couple weeks and we decided to get her her first dolls. Samantha from us and Nellie from Ama and Papa.

 

[RrCoAsTeR]

I think I was almost 7, and that turned out perfectly fine.

 

[1of6]

My oldest DD got a Just Like Me for First Communion at 7 1/2. She has taken good care of it. We started with a My Generation doll from Target the year before. I wanted to make sure that she was ready before spending that kind of money.

 

[susykt4]

Wow! Thanks for all the replies!

I was a total tomboy and never played with dolls so I'm pretty clueless. Are there reasons other than the authentic clothing to wait until my daughter is eight? Pretty much the only thing I know about these dolls is that I like the fact that they have books that go along with them. I figured the big $$$ was more for the brand name (and hopefully quality...)

 

[Schmeck]

I think a 7 yr old can handle the doll just fine. My DDs were 5, and could dress the dolls by themselves. You can read the books together. Most of my daughters' friends outgrew these dolls by age 12, and they are expensive, so why not get as many years of play out of it as possible?

 

[Rachie0507]

My DD got her first one at 5, but it was second-hand. We were happy that her first one was used so we wouldn't have to worry too much about how she cared for it and it also gave us a chance to see how she like it. She loved it so she just got a brand new one for Christmas. She is 6 now. My DD really likes the historical ones (she has Felecity and Elizabeth as well as Penny and Patriot the horses). She got into the books right away and has been reading them on her own since the summer.

I can see why they suggest the dolls are for age 8 and up. The are supposed to be collectibles. The quality of the dolls is such that they will last a long time. I don't worry too much about DD keeping them in perfect condition, but she really respects her toys. I think it depends on what your expectation for the doll is.

 

[TheWags]

My daughter loves her dolls to death (hint: she's rough with them but not out of doll cruelty). She got an AG doll last year at age 7, and loves it. She just saved up for 4 months to buy Emily. These dolls stand up well to being played with, I don't think it's a problem. If she is into dolls, then she will appreciate it.