Wooden doll houses have been a favorite Christmas gift for over a century now. The classic doll house image represented in movies and drawings, is that of a young girl decending the stairs on Christmas morning and finding a beautiful wooden doll house under the tree. But there is more to doll houses than simply being beautiful toys to play with, as they also encourage imaginative play and can promote social skills as well.
Over the past century, the way wooden doll houses look has evolved from the classic Victorian model to more modern styles houses with contemporary interiors and furnishings. Back in the days, doll houses were built primarily for affluent families as home decorations and they were often contained in display cases to preserve their beauty and exquisiteness, and may or may not actually been played with by young girls. There are some doll houses that even today are built more for collectors than to be played with by young children. Because some models are very expensive and fragile, they may not be well suited for young children. To see some great doll house choices, visit the wooden doll houses website. Not only will you find some great doll houses, but you will also find some wonderful doll house furniture sets.
These days, however, you have many more options than your grandparents did when it comes to selecting a doll house for your children. This is the primary reason why they have remained such popular birthday and Christmas gifts for children young and old. Your child can play with a doll house for hours at end, recreating daily life that she sees inside your home inside her own doll home. These days many doll houses even have floor levels and bedrooms like any other typical house which makes it more realistic for little kids.
When shopping for doll houses, you will find nearly every make and model conceivable. There are both wood dollhouse and plastic dollhouse in a wide variety of shapes, sizes and price ranges. Wooden doll houses that are manufactured today are usually quite durable and great presents for children. Many are heirloom quality and will likely be kept in your family for years. Some doll houses today are even made from recycled materials, such as used wood and rubber, and you should always make sure that they have been made with nontoxic materials and paints. There are even portable wooden dollhouse that are nearly unbreakable. Children often have lots of fun folding and unfolding these models. One affordable option for parents are the plastic doll house models, which tend to not be nearly expensive as wooden doll houses. For outside play, a portable plastic doll house may soon become a favorite toy.
With your new doll house, you will also likely want to purchase some doll house furniture and doll house people as well. Over the years, you will add to your collection as you discover more and more of the wonderful doll appliances and furniture available.
Playing with dollhouses is an important form of imaginative play and according to child experts, this play is very healthy for a child. It can also help strenghten their friendships with other children. For these reasons, doll houses are a great gift for almost any family with young children.