Mothers of Girls: When Did They Stop Playing with Dolls?

Updated on November 18, 2013
S.R. asks from Scottsdale, AZ
21 answers

Just curious....for those of you with older girls....how long did they play with dolls?

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K.A.

answers from San Diego on

What type of dolls? Baby dolls, Barbie?
I still have dolls and I'm 43. Mine are far more expensive now though. Look up Blythe and you can see what some of my dolls are ;) I was still playing with my Barbies when I was 12 or so. The way I played changed as I got older though.
I love playing with my daughter when she plays with her dolls. She's only 4.5 right now but she loves her dolls, all types.
There is no reason to force them to stop playing with them if they are enjoying it just because of some made up age of being "too old". If she doesn't want to play with them, let it be her choice.

3 moms found this helpful

B.C.

answers from Norfolk on

I've never been crazy about dolls.
But stuffed animals I still have and I have one I sleep with.
My husband bought it for me.
He and my son still love stuffed animals too.
I'm 51.
So I guess I never stopped.

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C.M.

answers from Chicago on

My daughter stopped asking for doll stuff last year for Christmas when she was 11. Now she's 12 and while she doesn't want more doll things, she still plays with her Barbies and American Girl dolls--in SECRET! She claims she would DIE if anyone found out she still played with them. I assured her all her friends also still play with dolls secretly too!

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K.S.

answers from Detroit on

She never really played with them. Always preferred stuffed animals. She has asked for a toy aircraft carrier for Christmas.

2 moms found this helpful

T.F.

answers from Dallas on

My daughter always had stuffed animals as a favorite. She never played with dolls. Even with doll strollers, etc.. Hers had stuffed animals.

She did play with some Barbies and Bratz dolls but it was short lived. Maybe grade 4-5 ish

We have far more stuffed animals put away than dolls.

She was done with the barbies and bratz by grade 5 and stuffed animals as well.....

There were a couple of times through high school that a boyfriend gave her a stuffed animal but it wasn't a " toy" at that point.

1 mom found this helpful

L.A.

answers from Austin on

Our daughter never played with baby dolls, but she played with her Barbies (mainly dressing and posing them in "Fashion shows") all the way through 5th grade,

1 mom found this helpful

E.S.

answers from Chicago on

My daughter was waaaay into dolls, especially American Girl, through the time when she turned 9 last February. A month or so later, it just suddenly stopped. It's been about 6 months now since she's wanted to play with her dolls. Makes me sad, but I know there's other fun stuff to look forward to as she gets older. Right now all of her dolls just sit untouched in the playroom. Thinking about packing them up & storing them away...and kinda hoping she ends up asking for them at least one more time. :) If not she's probably done for good...sigh.

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J.Y.

answers from Chicago on

My daughter stopped openly playing with them last year when she was 10. She still does when she is alone in her room.

1 mom found this helpful

C.M.

answers from Washington DC on

my daughter is 8 and she still plays with her dolls and barbies

1 mom found this helpful

S.A.

answers from Chicago on

My daughter stopped at about 9-10. A lot earlier than I did. I was still playing Barbies with my best friend when I was 12.

R.X.

answers from Houston on

I still. Us dolls if they represent some thing that I like-Michelle Obama, Caribbean dolls, Addy...

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P.N.

answers from Denver on

My daughter was done with baby dolls by about 7, Barbie by 9, but still likes her American Girl dolls and she is 11.5 yo. She doesn't play with them everyday, but does do their hair, dress them, and occasionally sews outfits for them. It has phased out in stages. Playing? No, not anymore. But interacting with in some way? Yep, still.

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G.L.

answers from Salt Lake City on

My 12 year old still enjoys her dolls and shows no sign of stopping.

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C.S.

answers from Las Vegas on

When they are ready. My daughter never really knew what to do with dolls, yet she has a whole tub of barbies and dolls. She won't get rid of them, but doesn't do anything with them. She prefers stuffed animals. She snuggles with them at night. She is 8.

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S.W.

answers from Amarillo on

Mine would play with them a bit but she would rather play with trucks and things. The dolls would wind up with no clothes on them or their hair would be cut off.

She does have an original Cabbage Patch, a baby doll that survived in tact and a couple special dolls that are shelf residers. The rest were long gone by 9.

the other S.

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K.N.

answers from Boston on

Wow! These answers surprise me. My daughters all played with dolls until they were 10 - 12. My oldest would still occasionally played with her Barbies until she was 13.

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M.P.

answers from Portland on

My daughter and granddaughter never played with dolls. My granddaughter at 12 still plays with My Little Pet Shop figurines.

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L.M.

answers from New York on

My oldest, probably around age 5. My youngest around 8, but then she got into the poly pockets (the larger one a few inches tall) and gave those up around age 10.

V.B.

answers from Jacksonville on

Mine never played with dolls. She did play with stuffed animals (almost all stuffed dogs, by the way). She is 12, and for all I know, she may still play with them in her room sometimes. I stopped seeing her do that a few years ago, though. But every one of them still has a name and she uses it when she references them. :)

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G.B.

answers from Oklahoma City on

Our girl never played with regular dolls. She hated them. She went straight to Barbie and Barbie movies which I happen to really like. She still plays with her Barbies occasionally but mostly she's in to the computer and electronic toys now.

She's 9.

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K.H.

answers from Boston on

I remember stopping dolls when I was around 12; however, I did it in secret once I hit middle school (5th grade in my district). My 8 year asked for another American Girl doll for Christmas, but she doesn't spend a lot of time playing with dolls. (I think this is more a personality thing than an age thing). Two of her friends are still very into dolls. Many of my friends made their kids give away their Barbies etc when they were around 9. My niece gave all her American Girl doll stuff away at 11. So I guess it depends on the kids and how soon the parents want the stuff out of the house.

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