Where to buy Asian baby dolls?

[stringtheorygirl]

Long-time reader here, first post! Thank you all for creating a wonderful community.

I'm looking for a baby/little girl doll for my Asian (Chinese) niece. She is two years old so I'd like to stay away from Madam Alexander and find something a bit more durable. Any ideas?

Thanks!

 

[LtlFirecracker]

American Girl is the only company I know that has babies that come in skin colors/hair color/ eye colors.

I am not sure if this fits the bill, but here is the closest thing I could find. http://store.americangirl.com/agshop/html/item/id/140653/uid/95

 

[stringtheorygirl]

Perfect!! I completely forgot about American Girl dolls- I had Kirsten as a little one. Thank you SO much!

 

[LtlFirecracker]

I had Kristen too. She is in a box at my parents house. When I got her, the American Girl collection was so small, all of their dolls and accessories could fit on a two page spread in a catalog.

 

[Jennifer W]

I took a look around the American Girl store when I was in NYC last month. They have hundreds of combinations of features, hair colour, style and length, eye colour, skin tone etc. I'm sure you'd find something pretty close to what you're looking for. I think the idea is to have a doll that looks just like the child who will play with it, which is really cute. Have to say though, they had no doll in pale blue with red hair, so I won't be having one for myself.

 

[Pandora II]

I took a look around the American Girl store when I was in NYC last month. They have hundreds of combinations of features, hair colour, style and length, eye colour, skin tone etc. I'm sure you'd find something pretty close to what you're looking for. I think the idea is to have a doll that looks just like the child who will play with it, which is really cute. Have to say though, they had no doll in pale blue with red hair, so I won't be having one for myself.

Did they have one in grey & purple blotches with brown hair?

I thank my Scottish parents for my lovely skin tone... and ability to go many shades of lobster in the sun and yet never tan...

 

[swimmer]

Here are some options for younger kids http://shop.isisparenting.com/store/CALIN!COR/Corolle-+Calin+Doll#

 

[stringtheorygirl]

You all are incredibly helpful! Thank you for the ideas.

I sent my DH a link to the AG doll and he thinks she might not appreciate a doll at this age. I don't have kidlets so I can't speak to that. Is two too young for a doll? I don't remember having one at that age but there are pictures of me with a doll under one arm and a glow worm (anyone remember those?!) under the other.

Firecracker, I remember those Pleasant Company catalogs! I always wanted that delicious looking birthday cake they offered for Samantha(?). I was never a big doll person but some of those collections were positively enticing.

Swimmer- thank you for that link- I'll take a look at those as well!

Happy Friday

 

[Clio]

You might also want to try Asia for Kids: www.afk.com.. They have some dolls and a ton of books and other items. I've bought quite a lot from them over the years for my kids.

 

[Jennifer W]

I took a look around the American Girl store when I was in NYC last month. They have hundreds of combinations of features, hair colour, style and length, eye colour, skin tone etc. I'm sure you'd find something pretty close to what you're looking for. I think the idea is to have a doll that looks just like the child who will play with it, which is really cute. Have to say though, they had no doll in pale blue with red hair, so I won't be having one for myself.

Did they have one in grey & purple blotches with brown hair?

I thank my Scottish parents for my lovely skin tone... and ability to go many shades of lobster in the sun and yet never tan...

Yes, it's such a blessing, isn't it? I'm not white, I'm WHITE!!! Or vivid fancy deep red in the sun...

Stringtheorygirl, I have a glo worm for my daughter, btw. You can still get them. My mother bought it, but I could track one down if you're looking.

Jen

 

[Tacori E-ring]

My daughter started playing with dolls at 2 and is now OBSESSED with them at 3.

 

[qtiekiki]

My daughter got a doll from our cousin for Christmas when she was 1.5, and really started playing with it when she turned 2. So I think two is a good age for doll.

 

[LtlFirecracker]

You all are incredibly helpful! Thank you for the ideas.

I sent my DH a link to the AG doll and he thinks she might not appreciate a doll at this age. I don't have kidlets so I can't speak to that. Is two too young for a doll? I don't remember having one at that age but there are pictures of me with a doll under one arm and a glow worm (anyone remember those?!) under the other.

Firecracker, I remember those Pleasant Company catalogs! I always wanted that delicious looking birthday cake they offered for Samantha(?). I was never a big doll person but some of those collections were positively enticing.

Swimmer- thank you for that link- I'll take a look at those as well!

Happy Friday

It depends on the child, but I know lots of 2 year old girls who love and play with baby dolls. I have personally gifted those baby dolls to a 2 and 3 year old, and they were a hit for both children.

I have Kristen's fake food from her b-day collection and it looks pretty real. I have a good amount of her collection from that time period. My mother boxed it up, and I am hoping I will be able to pass it down if I have a little girl. But Kristen will need a trip to the American Girl "Doll Hospital." I played with her hair so much, it is a matted mess. I am thinking it will need to be replaced.

I would love to know what you end up doing.

 

[SarahLovesJS]

There are some super cute cabbage patch Asian baby dolls! I couldn't find any online, but I bought mine at Target or Walmart a few years ago.

 

[Pandora II]

We gave Daisy a doll - the Corolle Charmeur - for her first birthday, wondering if she was too young.

The first thing she did was get the bottle out and feed it and 'Dee Dee' has been one of her favourite toys ever since. I don't think there is a single day when she doesn't play with her.

She's now 18 months and still doll-obsessed! I had been looking for an antique doll's bed (my sister has my 94 year-old grandmother's beautiful doll's bed from when she was a child and I covet it!) for sometime and one turned up on eBay. It's a restoration project and I would guess Victorian but has huge potential underneath all the scratches and chips and needs a mattress, sheets etc. I'm really looking forward to doing it up for her 3rd xmas or birthday and making a traditional ticking mattress and antique sheets with lace edging.

Anyway it arrived in the post this morning and Daisy helped me unwrap it. The second it was out of the box she said 'Bed! Dee Dee!' and ran off to get the doll who was then put in the bed with lots of 'Night Night!'. Then she decided to get in too - not only is she too big, but the bottom of the bed is strung with webbing... very ancient and much darned and repaired webbing... and despite being warned she went straight through it! I hate to say it but I really laughed - the look on her face was priceless!

I would say that 2 is definitely old enough for a doll - if she is going to like them at all of course: I hated all dolls and was a teddy bear fan.

The Corolle dolls are beautiful, good quality and smell nice and vanillary. They also don't have creepy faces! They are horribly expensive but bargains can be had. I managed to get 50% off Daisy's! I think they do have some non-caucasian dolls IIRC.

 

[stringtheorygirl]

I just purchased the Corolle "Yang" doll! Exactly what I was looking for. We'll probably go with an American Girl doll when she gets a bit older.

Can't wait to see her reaction on Christmas! Thank you guys so much for your advice

http://www.liveandlearn.com/corolle/yangchina.html


*edited for spelling

 

[stringtheorygirl]

SarahLovesJS- completely forgot about Cabbage Patch kids! My niece is, well, lacking a soft touch at the moment and a CP would probably hold up to a lot of punishment. Going to go search out of curiosity.

I am Caucasian and DH is Asian, so I've never had to shop for a minority child before we got together. I'm sorry to see how seemingly difficult it is to find "non-white" dolls. Her parents have felt similar frustration. At least we have a few options now!

 

[stringtheorygirl]

Pandora- I love that story about the doll bed. I was like you about the dolls, though.I preferred animals, stuffed and real. We had a *very patient* Shetland Sheepdog I used to wheel around in an old Victorian antique carriage.

I hope the little one takes to dolls as well as yours did. I'll have to be on the lookout for some accessories. Great idea!

 

[Girlrocks]

I saw that you already purchased one, but my daughter wanted a Korean baby doll last year for Christmas, and I was able to find this one at FAO Swartz:

http://www.fao.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4401037

 

[stringtheorygirl]

**Love the FAO doll!** I'll put it on the list for the future. Thank you!