“What is the best baby doll for my little girl?” I get asked this question all the time so I am finally sharing what I think are the best baby dolls, age recommendations, and accessories for a child’s first baby doll – just in time for Christmas!
Having four girls we know a thing about baby dolls! For a first doll my advice is to choose one doll that can last for several years. The stuffed animal dolls are cute but in my experience babies prefer more lifelike dolls. Here are three of my favorites:
Corolle Mon Premier Baby 12″ Doll
Made in France, Corolle has been a trusted doll brand for years. And they are quite affordable. Corolle has dolls for 9 months and 2 years but I say skip those and just buy the “Mon Premier” doll recommended for age 18 months+. (Perfectly fine to give at 12 months, in my opinion.) The soft body makes her easy to tote around for toddlers but will be enjoyed for several years or more. Several versions of the Mon Premier doll can be found on Amazon and in boutiques.
American Girl Bitty Baby
This is a bigger baby doll so not suitable for a one-year-old in my opinion. More like ages 3 -7 But it is a beautiful doll and holds up very well over the years. I have a friend whose daughter never got into the regular American Girl dolls because she loved “Bitty” so much. There are so many skin and hair colors, clothing, and accessory options at American Girl. This changing table is a wow gift and the cradle will be well loved. American Girl accessories are so well made and last. Pottery Barn Kids also has a great diaper bag set (see below).
Tip: order AG items earlier in the holiday season because they tend to go on backorder. And they rarely go on sale. And if you want a less expensive option like Bitty, Pottery Barn Kids’ GOTZ baby dolls are similar. If you can use one of PB Kids’ frequent discount codes it is a much better price!
Baby Doll Accessories
Heed my warning: it’s easy to go overboard with accessories because they are so cute! But I’ve found my children tend to bond with toys – and treat them more carefully – if they aren’t drowning in them. So buy one diaper bag set with a few accessories or one bottle or dish and spoon for a stocking. Corolle, Adora (sold at fine toy stores), and Pottery Barn Kids are some of my favorite accessory brands.
If you are looking to purchase a bigger baby doll accessory I would say a stroller gets more use than a baby bed or changing table or even baby carrier, especially when it comes to ages 1-3. I gathered some of my favorite strollers and accessory ideas here:
Be sure to browse DoSayGive’s Gift Guide for more great gift ideas!
My two year old has really ‘discovered’ her baby dolls lately and it has been so much fun.
I love the pram-style strollers. This past year (when my daughter was newly 1), Santa brought Little Tikes Classic Doll Buggy. I highly recommend it for toddlers because it’s so sturdy! Not tippy, and can hold their weight when they inevitably decide to climb in ?
Oh good to know!! Thanks for sharing!!
I love Baby Stella for 1 year olds. Cute magnetic pacifier and soft accessories.
Would love to see posts on dolls for older girls!
Oh thanks for sharing!!
Thanks! I Love this post! Another great Doll is the Madame Alexander Huggums! The Corolle Doll is the most loved in our house by my girls though, for sure!
Would love to see a post for dolls for older girls! My girls are 3 and 4 and we are just getting ready to get into the bigger dolls! ?
All three of my daughters were given a Madame Alexander Huggums doll at birth (it sort of became a tradition started by my mother-in-law). They are perfect for young children…soft to the touch and small enough to carry. My oldest, who is 21, took hers to college with her. It is definitely a special momento of her childhood.
Madam Alexander Victoria. Both of my daughter and granddaughters loved this doll. It comes in two sizes wearing pretty gowns.
Do the 10 inch Rosalina doll clothes and bonnet fit on the Carolle 12 inch doll? I would love to buy my daughter the Carolle doll but add clothes made by Rosalina. Thank you!
Would love to see more doll reviews and things for a 4-5 year old girl.
Aww. I wish my girls loved dolls more when they were little. This post reminds me of the doll my sisters and I loved when we were little. Her name was Miss Smiley and she was most like the bitty babies but had a little Mohawk of hair. {I’m pretty sure my Grandmother got her at a garage sale.} She had plastic arms, legs, and head and a good sized soft body perfect for carrying around on your hip. We played and played with her. Through the years the little bit of hair she had got cut off and she was bald, but we didn’t care. One day my mom took Miss Smiley to a doll maker to get her a wig. But with a full head of hair, she just wasn’t the same and we hardly ever played with her again. 🙂
Do you think the 18+ month Corelle dolls would be ok for an 8 month old? Our little will be right at 8 months for Christmas.
Yes!
I was looking up the Corolle babies and am disappointed to say that they’ve been made in China since the family sold to Mattel in 2004. Trying to find a European alternative, I think the Rosalina dolls are made in Spain.
Yes they are they are beautiful!