A dolls' house is one of the toys many parents remember themselves. It stood in the bedroom for years, and furniture was moved, dinner was cooked and birthdays were held in it several times a week. If you are choosing a wooden dolls' house today, the choice is huge. Here are the questions worth asking before you decide.
When is a child ready for a dolls' house?
Many children start playing with dolls and small figures at around three. At first the play is about moving things around, putting figures to bed and opening and closing doors. Somewhere between four and six the stories get longer. Now there is cooking to do, work to go to and parties to hold, and the child starts arranging the rooms after their own idea.
Always read the age on the box, and notice the difference between the recommended age (5-9 years for Roomies) and the age the toy can be used from (3 years).
Six things to look for
- Space: Measure before you buy. A large dolls' house needs a fixed place on the floor or a low shelf where the child can reach every room.
- Furniture or not: Some houses come empty, so the furniture has to be bought separately. Check what is actually in the box.
- Can it grow? A house that can be built bigger keeps up with the child for more years than a house that is finished from day one.
- Assembly: Do you need glue, screws or tools? And can the house be taken apart again if you move or want to rebuild?
- Surface: Ready-painted looks nice from the start. Uncoloured lets the child decide.
- Figures: If a family comes with it, the play can start straight away.
One big house or a house that grows?
The classic dolls' house is one big house with a roof and three or four rooms. It looks lovely, but it takes up space from day one, and the layout is decided in advance. A modular dolls' house is built from rooms that can be stacked and placed side by side. You can start with two rooms and build on when the child is ready for more, and the house can look different next year than it does this year.
That suits the way children play. The play changes, and a house that can be rebuilt makes room for new stories. It is the idea we call open ended play: toys without a fixed right answer.
Ready-painted or uncoloured?
A ready-painted dolls' house is ready to play with when it is unpacked. An uncoloured wooden dolls' house is a project you can do together. The child chooses the colour of the kitchen, the pattern on the duvet and the colour of the front door, and then it is their house. If you choose an uncoloured house, check what the surface can be coloured with. Read more about markers for wood.
How Crateit Roomies is built
Crateit Roomies is our wooden dolls' house, built room by room. Each set contains two rooms over two floors, and the rooms can be stacked, placed side by side or combined with the other sets. With all four sets the child has eight rooms.
- The large sets, such as Couch & Crayons with a living room and playroom, measure 48 × 52 × 24 cm
- The small sets, such as The Bubble Nest and The Cloud Office, are 24 cm wide
- The furniture is included, and several of the sets come with a figure from the Roomies family
- The parts click together without glue or tools
- MDF, delivered uncoloured and can be coloured with markers, coloured pencils or paint
- Recommended 5-9 years. Can be used from 3 years and is assembled together with an adult
- Tested and certified to EN71, designed and produced in Denmark
The rooms also fit together with Crateit Town, so the dolls' house can stand in the middle of a town. If you want to know more about the individual sets, read our post about Roomies.
Frequently asked questions
What age is a wooden dolls' house for?
Many children play with a dolls' house from around three, and the play often gets more detailed from four or five. Roomies is recommended for 5-9 years and can be used from 3 years, when it is assembled together with an adult.
How long does it take to assemble Roomies?
The parts click together without glue or tools, and most parents are done in 20-30 minutes per set.
Is furniture included?
Yes. The furniture for the two rooms comes with each Roomies set.
Can the dolls' house be made bigger later?
Yes. All Roomies sets can be stacked and put together, so the house can grow one set at a time.
See all four sets, and find the room your dolls' house should start with.
