"Ethnic" dollhouse dolls gripe

[ReedleBeetle]

I am completely annoyed. I have only found one place where you can by dolls for a doll house singly. No where makes doll families that are mixed. :-/ You can get white, black, and brown families, but you can't get them mixed up. Ryan's Room makes singles that you can buy, but then it cost significantly more for the same sized family. Eventually, we will probably get them anyway, but MAN, why can't some have a "Build Your Own Family" set???

[cindergretta]

I imagine that would be complicated to sell pre-packaged and selling them singly is as close as they come to allowing you to "build your own." I can appreciate wanting to make a family that somehow imitates your own. :hugheart And I really don't "get" why they have to be so much pricier by themselves than with a set. :-/

I'm sorry. :hugheart Is there a place on-line that might work for you? :think Could you buy a couple of sets of different ethnicities and mix them the way you want and sell off the rest? :shifty

[butterflyqueen71]

This may be sorta off topic, but I took dd to see the Princess Frog movie, and was so excited about the "Black Princess"...and then realized that even the Black Princess doesn't look a thing like my dd...:shifty So...Disney has covered just about every ethnicity except Biracial, and perhaps Hispanic (although Prince Naveen from PF is kinda ethnically ambiguous). Although I did find dd a beautiful, light brown Barbie doll that is closer to "her"! :tu


That said, ITU trying to find dolls/toys that reflect the reality of who we are. I think things are getting better, but you're right, how cool would it be to be able to buy a biracial family, or at least a "mix n match" set! :cool

[arelyn]

I'm feeling your frustration. I hope someone crafty is inspired to put together an Etsy bussiness making customizable doll family packages. That would rock.

I had the idea of buying two different colored sets and dubbing one group of them the family. Then put away the extras and bring them out if you get a new building (like a school or store or farm or whatever) or a vehicle they fit in. Then they can be dubbed the farmer, shopkeeper, bus driver and pasenger, whatever works.

[Benjaminswife]

I don't know if they would have anything but they might have something where you could mix and match?

http://www.lakeshorelearning.com/home/home.jsp

[ReedleBeetle]

The Ryan's Room ones don't even come "packaged" but just loose if you buy them individually, which means they aren't even paying for extra packaging. :-/

Those Lakeshore ones are AWESOME! And expensive!! :lol Especially considering we would have to buy more than one family set and then mix and match. However, that is definitely something to consider! Thank you for the link.

I understand it is hard to market to everyone. However, families in our country are becoming more and more frequently mixed ethnically and heritage wise. Interracial adoptions and interracial marriages and relationships really have changed the matchy look of a lot of families in our country...and I think it is about time for that to be reflected in our childrens toy options. Stepping off my :soapbox

[Aerynne]

They ought to at least have a deal like "any X dolls for $X". I think it's the same for lots of families- those with two girls and no boys, or larger families, only one parent, etc. There are always calico critters, who come in species and bypass race altogether.

I like the idea of keeping the other ones to be shopkeeper, etc, as was already mentioned. Progress is being made, though, and I think they are moving in the right direction. When I was a kid I think you could occasionally find an African American baby doll or barbie doll, but no other races, and even those were harder to come by.

[WildOlive]

ITA! We just have a LOT of dollhouse people because I've bought a couple of different sets. I would still like some Asian ones, but sheesh, how many dollhouse people do we need???

[Proverbs31]

:yes2 that irks me too :hugheart

[TestifyToLove]

Are you talking wooden or plastic? Loving Family used to sell individual dolls or sets of just 2. When I bought plastic dollhouse stuff for E, I had to buy a TON of dolls to get diversity. I moved all 3 girls back to nice wooden this Christmas and I had to settle for just Caucasian for the moment because, like you said, you can't buy individually easily.

Ultimately, I'll just buy several family sets and let the 3 girls mix and match. I'd rather that than Wonderbread dolls for them. But, it IS frustrating. Its also sometimes exceptionally hard to find minority dollhouse dolls at ALL, even in sets.

You'd think in this day and age we would have advanced past this nonsense!

[ReedleBeetle]

Are you talking wooden or plastic? Loving Family used to sell individual dolls or sets of just 2. When I bought plastic dollhouse stuff for E, I had to buy a TON of dolls to get diversity. I moved all 3 girls back to nice wooden this Christmas and I had to settle for just Caucasian for the moment because, like you said, you can't buy individually easily.

Ultimately, I'll just buy several family sets and let the 3 girls mix and match. I'd rather that than Wonderbread dolls for them. But, it IS frustrating. Its also sometimes exceptionally hard to find minority dollhouse dolls at ALL, even in sets.

You'd think in this day and age we would have advanced past this nonsense!

Are these sold at Target? If so, I didn't realize they were sold individually, but I had't really looked at them either. :bag I really like the wooden dolls though.

[Llee]

You know, Pioneer Woman featured Block Land dollhouse people today...

Err, make that Block Play people: http://www.lakeshorelearning.com/seo/p|2534374302097927~~.jsp

Ohh! And they make all kinds of other ones too, with community people and such. Oooh! I like the Brick People too!

[Dana Joy]

It isn't cheap, but this (http://www.discountschoolsupply.com/Product/ProductDetail.aspx?product=26267&category=200) is what I bought for my class dollhouse. I like that it has grandparents as well, because some of my students are being raised by their grandparents.

[Benjaminswife]

You know, Pioneer Woman featured Block Land dollhouse dolls today...

I saw that :D

[Llee]

It isn't cheap, but this (http://www.discountschoolsupply.com/Product/ProductDetail.aspx?product=26267&category=200) is what I bought for my class dollhouse. I like that it has grandparents as well, because some of my students are being raised by their grandparents.


Ohh! Those are almost the same kind as PW showed--hers also had babies with each family and 'differently abled' set. But less than $60 for all 28 isn't a bad price. Not the ideal price, but more doable than some of the other ones I've seen.

[mwwr]

I'm a big fan of the Calico Critters myself, and you can buy them in smaller sets, if not individually. :tu

Cuz not every family has a mom and a dad and 1 boy and 1 girl, either.