Kidkraft Wooden Dollhouses - Fine Living for Barbie and American Girl Dolls

Kidkraft Dollhouses

Even once we are grown, most of us women can remember the excitement we felt when we got our first dollhouse. Our dolls finally had a home and our play fantasies were finally complete. There was certainly something magical about it.

While I cannot speak for everyone, the dollhouse of my childhood—with all its magic and wonder—hardly compares to some of the dollhouses on the market today, especially Kidkraft’s wooden dollhouses. They make a wide variety of dollhouses that fit various dolls—including Barbie, Bratz, and American Girl. Today, I would like to share four wooden dollhouses from Kidkraft that little girls (and big girls too!) will love—three sized perfectly for Barbie and fashion dolls up to 12 inches tall, and one that is made to fit American Girl dolls.

The Kidkraft Savannah Dollhouse is pure elegance. Throughout its four stories and six rooms, it is designed to make your little girl get lost in her fantasy. The designers have given incredible attention to detail, creating a home that I would love to live in myself! It comes with 13 different furniture items, allowing the girls to organize the house as they see fit. And one of its greatest benefits, in my opinion, is that it is large enough to allow multiple children to play with their Barbies at one time.

Now, the Kidkraft Sparkle Mansion Dollhouse looks exactly like a house would if you let a little princess decorate. This four story dollhouse has a working elevator that transports dolls between the first and second floor, and a curved staircase to reach the third floor. Filled with pink, pink, pink and accented by black details, this house feels modern, fun, and extremely girly. With 30 pieces of furniture, there is still plenty of decorating to do. When Barbie is done decorating, she can make herself something yummy on the outdoor barbeque grill, and then relax by the pool in her chaise lounge. Barbie will definitely approve of these digs. 

While both of the previous dollhouses are big enough to share, my favorite dollhouse for multiple girls is the Kidkraft So Chic Dollhouse. This house is meant to sit away from the wall so that play can take place on all sides. While it has one level less than the previous houses, it comes with ten different rooms for play, and 45 pieces of furniture. Set on casters, this contemporary dollhouse turns, making it easy for an entire sleepover to play at the same time—or a few sisters who are close in age.

Finally, I want to share with you the Kidkraft Elegant Doll Manor. What sets this house apart is that it is designed to fit 18” dolls. In other words, American Girl dolls finally have a home of their own. The house stands five feet tall and is filled with beautiful, fanciful designs. And it isn’t just the house that is oversized—the 12 pieces of furniture are also designed to accommodate larger dolls. All the girls in the neighborhood will be clamoring to get their chance to bring their dolls over and play.

To purchase one of these wooden dollhouses or to browse our other offerings from Kidkraft, simply hop over to AKidPlace.com.  

Hape Quadrilla Marble Runs—Fun for Kids of all Ages

Hape Quadrilla Marble Runs

If you are looking for the perfect gift for the young person in your life, you should consider Quadrilla marble runs from Hape. These marble runs keep children engaged, get them to use their critical thinking skills, and create play that is fascinating to both kids and adults alike. They are loved by children well into their school years and are durable enough to pass down to the next generation.

Imagine the excitement of opening one of these marble run toys on Christmas morning and the joy of assembling it with the family. No matter which model you choose, you can opt to either follow the guide and create the specific style of run as it appears on the box or you can create a run that is unique to you. All Hape Quadrilla marble runs can be connected to each other, which allows kids to create more complex designs as their collection grows. This inspires creativity within the child and can lead to moments of great learning.

One of our favorite models is the Hape Quadrilla Roundabout. Who could possibly resist that spiral? It is similar to coin and marble runs you have likely experienced at children’s museums, except you get to have it in your own home. There are plenty of adventures boys and girls can dream up as they play with this marble run. 

To add another dimension to the play, consider Hape’s Music Motion model. This set incorporates musical sounds into the play, which will no doubt delight the child in your life. As the marbles run over certain pieces, chimes will ring out. Children can use these pieces to mark the start, the finish line, or any important area in their marble run design. It really helps take the play to the next level.

The Vertigo model really kicks it up a notch by adding multiple spirals and accelerators. There isn’t a child alive that won’t be excited by this model. It is perfect on its own or as an addition to your current marble run collection. It will certainly challenge the builder to come up with exciting, new combinations. If you are looking to add even more drops and loops, then you might want to consider adding the Loop de Loop model to it. It would certainly make for an exciting Christmas morning.

All of the Hape Quadrilla marble runs are made from solid wood and each piece is incredibly durable. They are designed to challenge kids to really think about their designs and troubleshoot any problems that arise. There are few toys that really bring out creativity in the way that these toys do. To purchase, visit us at AKidPlace.com. We have all of these models and more available and they all ship for free.

Anatex Wall Panel Toys - Perfect for Everywhere Kids Go

Anatex Wall Panel Toys

If you are looking for toys that can withstand being in a high traffic area, or just one that will last more than a few years, you may find that your search is a bit difficult. You want to be certain that you purchase the absolute best—something that can engage a child for hours, teaches vital skills, will last for a long time, and isn't going to come apart or have pieces that will easily become lost.

There are plenty of toys on the market that can grab the attention of a child for a few minutes. Some of them hold educational value; others, not so much. Most of the toys you can buy are not very durable—certainly not enough to hold up to years of constant play or multiple children. And many of them come with numerous pieces that are difficult to keep track of.

Anatex wall panel toys are the solution to your problem. These toys, made in the U.S.A., have long been a favorite of kids. Often found in the waiting rooms of doctor’s offices, you have no doubt seen at least one child so engaged by an Anatex toy that he or she was unwilling to go home—perhaps even one of your own kids. Take, for example, the Anatex Mirror Sculpture Maze Wall Panel. The back panel of the toy is lined with nine concave mirrors, which produces of fascinating visual effect images growing larger and smaller as the child moves naturally while playing. In front of those mirrors are beads on four different tracks—much like the rollercoaster bead and wire toys you are familiar with, only this time they are mounted on the wall! Who wouldn’t want to spend hours with this toy?

When Anatex designs a toy, they do so with educational value in mind. They firmly believe in the power of play to teach. One of their wall panel toys that clearly demonstrates this commitment is the School House Wall Panel. This wall-mounted, wooden school house has an abacus for practicing counting skills, alphabet learning game for letter recognition, and spinning gears. The abacus will encourage the youngest of children to count the beads, while older kids might use it to practice their addition and subtraction. The letter blocks come not just with the letter, but a picture/word which starts with the letter, helping children recognize both the visual letter and the sound it makes. The gears introduce children to the fundamentals of mechanics and physics of motion in a fun manner.

If you are planning to use toys in a high-traffic area, or you like the idea of passing down heirloom toys, you need to be certain that you purchase a highly durable toy. All Anatex wall panel toys are made from quality materials. Take, for example, the Anatex City Transportation Wall Panel. Each of the transport items—a boat, a school bus, fire engine, and more—are crafted from wood, just as the panel itself is. Children’s hand-eye coordination, visual tracking, and sensorimotor skills will be challenged as they navigate the vehicles around the panel.

Many toys require that you keep track of various pieces—without all the pieces, the toy no longer functions. Anatex wall panel toys are self-contained. Look at their Busy Train Activity Panel. This toy is designed for multiple children to play with at once and it has many moveable pieces. However, none of these pieces can be detached from the panel itself. That means no searching for pieces. It also means that your toy will forever be functional. 

If you would like to purchase an Anatex wall panel toy for your classroom, office, or home, visit AKidPlace.com. We have a wide selection of Anatex items for you to choose from, most of them shipping for free within the United States.