A dollhouse for boys? Why not? When my son was around 2 years old, my husband and I got a dollhouse, furniture and all. Our toddler was BIG on props. When he’d watch a movie and there was a house in the scene, he’d look for whatever structure was available at home (a box, a crate) and use that. That would serve as the courthouse for his Cars characters (that scene where Lightning McQueen was being sentenced to community service). Various boxes would also serve as the home of Hogart in The Iron Giant.
So we thought, “Hey! Why not get him a dollhouse for real?” We got the Sylvanian Family Cosy Cottage Starter Home. Everytime we’d go to a toy store, my husband, my son and I would gravitate to the Sylvanian Family displays. Such cute little rabbits! Tiny chairs! The little kid in me was going ga-ga. Timmy was especially excited since he LOVES animals. The starter home we got came with a rabbit whom he named Sophie, after his cousin.
The house has made playtime much more fun for him. This house has been with us for almost 2 years! Timmy doesn’t use the dollhouse the way I would — arranging furniture, playing with a pretend family… He has his own style of playing with the dollhouse, such as stuffing the elephant down the doorway. Sideways, the house was like a giant trap.
A Dollhouse for Boys: Battling the Skeptics
“You got a dollhouse? For your son?!” There were a LOT of skeptics when they learned we got Timmy a dollhouse. Some other comments were:
“Isn’t that for girls?”
“He’ll turn gay!”
“Why did you even buy him one!?”
WOW! I didn’t expect such reactions!!! WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL?!, I wanted to ask them back. I was really irritated. After being upset for awhile, I just let the comments slide. So on we went, playing with the little cottage.
What I love about this dollhouse was how Timmy would interact with it. Aside from being an elephant trap or a home for Winnie the Pooh and friends, it’s also a box. Here’s Timmy with his cousin seeing how many toys he can stuff inside the house.
Caption this.
You don’t even need the furniture!
Hi! I'm Toni Tiu,
and I've been blogging at
at Wifely Steps since 2003. This started as a blog to help newly weds adjust to married life. It has evolved into a home and parenting blog. I write about things close to my heart -- good eats, good reads, family, marriage, and the little things that make everyday happy.
Mars M.
March 27, 2014 at 11:09 am (10 years ago)I also brought my play house to my pre-school class and let it stay there for a time when our theme was Our Home. The boys enjoyed “working” with it, too! Though it was mostly looking at the different rooms of the house and seeing what we find in each room and labeling (for the older children), girls and boys alike enjoyed the play house (I got the wooden one from Voila–I’m a fan of wooden play things).
Mars M.
http://www.montessoriinmars.blogspot.com
Toni
March 31, 2014 at 5:40 am (10 years ago)Super cute! I’m not familiar with Voila. Must check that out! I had a wooden dollhouse when I was a kid. I have very fond memories of it <3
Ma. Teresa Grech Q. Racal
March 27, 2014 at 12:12 pm (10 years ago)My youngest daughter loves to play with toys from the boys section. Really! Her classmates especially the girls were like WHAT? ANO? BAKIT PO? Hahaha! And I answer them okay Lang yun. No worries. Who knows what our kids really wants di ba?! The important thing we support them.
Toni
March 31, 2014 at 5:40 am (10 years ago)Tama yan! And that they can fully explore. I don’t want to be a hindrance to my son’s imagination!
ceemee
March 27, 2014 at 4:56 pm (10 years ago)I let my son play with his sister’s dollhouse. And it’s pink and purple! I don’t understand the big deal about stopping the boys from enjoying girl toys and vice versa. I think the more you stop them and freak out about them, the more they will want to delve into those. Just my opinion.
Toni
March 31, 2014 at 5:39 am (10 years ago)TRUE.
Jess
March 29, 2014 at 3:08 pm (10 years ago)What a cool thing to buy a dollhouse for a boy! It is no biggie to me too but others would think its inappropriate. I think that the more kids are exposed to different playthings,the more imaginative and creative they become at playtime. Grown-ups have gotten used to labeling everything with pink and blue but its all just labels really. Kids play their toys however they like. I love how your son stuck Woody upside down in the ceiling. That’s pure imaginative fun!!!
Toni
March 31, 2014 at 5:38 am (10 years ago)Thanks Jess! I still can’t believe the flack I got for getting my son a dollhouse, but hey, trust your instincts and just go with it, right?
Lizzy
August 13, 2023 at 5:56 am (9 months ago)I really see no reason at all at why boys shouldn’t have a dollhouse, because this is fantastic to see how his figurines also get a home haha! And if the boy is happy, why not, right? Great article!