The Dolls House Buying Guide
A dolls house is one of those rare toys that can last a whole childhood, and often longer. Chosen well, it becomes the centre of years of storytelling, then gets handed down to a younger sibling or kept for the next generation. Chosen in a hurry, it can end up too small, too fiddly or simply in the wrong place. This dolls house buying guide walks you through everything to think about, so you can choose a wooden dolls house with confidence.
We have designed and made dolls houses for many years across our Tender Leaf Toys and Mentari ranges, and these are the questions we hear most often from parents and grandparents.
What age is a dolls house suitable for?
All of our wooden dolls houses are suitable from three years. This is the age when small world play really takes off: children start to act out family life, invent characters and tell stories that run over days.
That said, a good dolls house is not just for three year olds. Children often play with them well into their primary school years, with the stories becoming more detailed as they grow. When you are choosing, think about the child they will be at six or seven as well as the child they are now.
How much space do you have?
This is the question most people forget to ask. Dolls houses vary enormously in size, from a compact house you could tuck on a bookshelf to a four-storey hall that stands taller than many toddlers.
Before you buy, measure the spot where it will live and check the dimensions on the product page. Think about access too. A house that opens at the front needs room for little ones to sit in front of it and swing the doors open. Our Poppets Dolls House is around 38cm tall, while Heather Hall stands at over 90cm, so the difference is significant.
Furniture included, or furnish it yourself?
Some of our dolls houses arrive fully furnished, ready to play the moment the wrapping comes off. Others are sold as an empty house, so you can choose each room set yourself and build the home over time.
A furnished house is perfect for a Christmas or birthday present, because everything is there on the day. It also tends to be better value if you want a complete home straight away.
An unfurnished house gives you more choice and makes brilliant gift ideas for the future. Grandparents, aunts and uncles can each add a room set, a pet or a new character at birthdays and Christmases for years to come.
Our dolls houses at a glance
| Dolls house | Price | Furniture included? | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poppets Dolls House | £68 | Yes, 17 pieces | A first house or a small space |
| Willow Dolls House | £85 | No | Building a home room by room |
| Clover Dolls House | £110 | No | A wider house with room to grow |
| Cottontail Cottage | £120 | Yes, plus a bunny | A cosy, ready-to-play first house |
| Foxtail Villa + Furniture | £170 | Yes | A complete family home in one box |
| Heather Hall | £190 | No | Siblings and big families |
| Dovetail House | £200 | No | A classic heirloom family home |
| Fantail Hall | £300 | No | The ultimate grand dolls house |
The best first dolls houses
For a first dolls house, we would look for something compact, sturdy and ready to play. Both of these arrive with furniture, so there is nothing more to buy unless you want to.
Classic family homes
These are the dolls houses most families picture: a proper home over two floors, with stairs, windows and a roof to lift off. Choose the Willow if you would like to furnish it room by room, or the Foxtail Villa if you want everything in one box.
The Mentari Clover Dolls House (£110) is a wider version of the Willow, with more space for furniture and figures on each floor.
Heirloom dolls houses
If this is the one big present, or a gift from grandparents that you hope will last for decades, these are the houses to look at. They are larger, more detailed and designed to grow with a child for many years.
Larger houses may need some self-assembly, so it is worth building them before Christmas Eve rather than on the night.
Dolls house scale: will everything fit?
Scale is the ratio between the dolls house and a real house. Most traditional wooden dolls houses are made to 1:12 scale, where one inch in the dolls house represents one foot in real life.
Our Tender Leaf Toys doll family and furniture sets are scaled 1:12 to fit all our wooden dolls houses. Our Mentari Chestnut Lane furniture, such as the Kitchen (£23) and Sitting Room (£23) sets, is designed to fit both Mentari and Tender Leaf houses. If you are mixing pieces from other brands, check the scale and the height of the doors and rooms before you buy.
Filling your dolls house: dolls, furniture and extras
A dolls house really comes to life once it has a family living in it. We recommend starting with a doll family, then adding one or two room sets, then building from there.
Our We Are Family doll range comes in four tones, Ivory, Caramel, Almond and Mocha, with a mother, father, boy and girl in each, sold separately at £7. Children can build a family that looks like their own. The Leaf Family (£18) and Sunny Doll Family (£18) are lovely too.
Then there are the extras that make a house feel like a home: the Pet Dog Set (£15), the Tortoise Pet Set (£20), a Dolls House Car (£20) for the driveway, or the Greenhouse and Garden Set (£75) for budding gardeners. Browse the full range in our dolls house furniture collection.
Why choose a wooden dolls house?
Wooden dolls houses feel solid and substantial in a way that plastic rarely does. They stand up to years of enthusiastic play, look beautiful in a bedroom or playroom, and are far more likely to be kept and passed on.
Every Tender Leaf Toys and Mentari dolls house is designed by our team in England and made from responsibly sourced rubberwood, finished with non-toxic, water-based colours and tested to EN71 safety standards. Our packaging is almost entirely plastic free.
Dolls house buying guide: FAQs
What age is a dolls house for?
Our wooden dolls houses are suitable from three years, and many children keep playing with them until eight or nine. Smaller furniture and accessories are not suitable for children under three.
What scale are wooden dolls houses?
Most wooden dolls houses, including ours, are 1:12 scale. Our Tender Leaf Toys dolls and furniture are scaled 1:12 to fit all our wooden dolls houses.
Do dolls houses come with furniture?
Some do and some do not. Our Poppets Dolls House, Cottontail Cottage and Foxtail Villa include furniture. Our larger houses are sold empty, so you can choose each room set yourself.
What is the best first dolls house?
A compact, furnished house is ideal for a first dolls house, as it is ready to play straight away and easy to fit in a bedroom. The Poppets Dolls House and Cottontail Cottage are both lovely first choices.
Shopping for Christmas? See our Christmas gift guide and our guide to Christmas gifts by age.
Find the dolls house for your family
Explore our full collection of wooden dolls houses, furniture and families. Free standard delivery on orders over £40.
