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7 Benefits of buying your child a dollhouse.

There are so many amazing and wonderful toys on the market, selecting one to buy for a child can be mind boggling. Different toys offer different benefits, and not all of them are obvious at first glance. This article highlights the many advantages of buying a dollhouse, a toy that has both stood the test of time and been embraced worldwide.

A Dollhouse enables open ended play.

A dollhouse is a blank canvas that provides infinite opportunities for children to explore their world in miniature. The fun is unlimited, the game never over. A DIY Doll House keeps children engaged for hours, freeing up time for parents to enjoy.

Modern dollhouses are often decorated in colours strongly orientated towards girls, and boys can feel awkward engaging with such stereotyped toys. Choosing a neutral or unisex house will encourage children to add their own personal touches and allows for more interactive playtimes.

A dollhouse improves a child’s social skills.

Roll play enables children to learn about and understand family dynamics. Re-enacting scenes in a dollhouse (often as the parent) helps children learn to express and then manage feelings of anger, frustration, anxiety, anticipation, excitement and love in a safe and controlled environment.

A dollhouse is a large toy that usually comes with a variety of inclusions, making it possible for children to learn to play together. At first children may just play side by side, but over time they will understand that some activities are much more fun when two people take part.

A dollhouse develops a child’s mental and manual skills.

Allowing a child to decorate and furnish a dollhouse, is a great way to build creative confidence. Because dollhouses require the placement of small items in confined spaces, they are excellent for developing fine motor skills. Tucking a 5cm doll into bed, without knocking over all the other furniture, requires great hand eye coordination.

As children get older, they will learn to use their imagination to develop complex scenarios. Children become proficient story tellers when playing with a dollhouse. A dollhouse, including all wooden dollhouse will develop:

Creative confidence

Fine motor skills

Hand eye coordination.

Imagination

Story telling

A dollhouse provides educational advantages.

The dollhouse remains one of the most popular toys amongst parents, because as children play, they learn important lessons that are difficult to assimilate from the 2-dimensional world of screens and books.

From a very young age, a dollhouse will help children work out the correct way to stand a chair and the best place to put a wardrobe so the door can open. They will learn about the three dimensions and scale and proportion. These are all key skills required to do well in maths and science subjects at school. Playing with a dollhouse improves:

Orientation

Spatial awareness

Three dimensions

Scale and proportion

A dollhouse reduces time spent on screens.

What parent hasn’t worried about the amount of time their children are spending on screens? Time spent online, engaging with social media, playing digital games and watching television soon adds up, and it can be difficult to find activities that compete for a child’s attention. Children love a dollhouse because, just as with screen time, in this miniature world, they remain totally in control of what happens next. That sense of control often plays out with the child adopting the roll of the ‘parent’.

A dollhouse is perfect for a single, sick or injured child.

If you are the parent of a single child, you will know how lonely life can sometimes be for them. The invention of ‘imaginary friends’ is a testament to this. Even if you have a big family, there are always times when one child will feel isolated, or one is off school because they are injured or unwell. Loneliness is a tough nut to crack, but letting children engage with a whole group of little friends in a dollhouse with DIY modern mini furniture, can go a long way towards making a child feel less alone.  

A dollhouse provides excellent value for money.

While a dollhouse may seem like a big investment, it is important to weigh up the cost of the toy against the number of years a child will enjoy playing with it. Kids from three to thirteen years will enjoy furnishing and decorating a dollhouse. The level of engagement and nature of activities undertaken, increases in complexity as a child matures.

Over time, children learn new skills as they begin to make their own dollhouse inclusions. (It is interesting to note that many adults still love doing up dollhouses.)  

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4 Dollhouse Mistakes New Miniaturists Make and How to Fix Them

Dollhouse Mistake #1: Starting with a Dollhouse

This was one of the most unanimous responses I received for newbie DIY Doll House mistakes. Everyone advised that starting with a smaller roombox instead of a dollhouse was a much better first project. The smaller size is not as overwhelming and it’s easier to try new things with. When you mess up it’s easier to either fix, start over, or come to terms with entirely scrapping it. Sad, but it does happen far too often. And be honest, messing up is a pretty common occurrence when trying something new.

A little roombox also lets you explore what time periods, styles, and scenes you’d like to model. It’s quite common to discover that you’d rather portray a small flower shop or 1920’s train station than a house. Starting smaller gives you this chance to figure things out before you invest in something bigger.

If you’ve already started on a dollhouse, take a step back and think about what you want. Do you enjoy seeing the house as a whole unit, or do you prefer the tiny scenes each room portrays? Are you sure you even want a residential house? Many miniaturists enjoy having little shops or fairy gardens. Flip though some dollhouse magazines or scour Pinterest and find out what speaks to you. Try modeling just that smaller scene first. Even if you find yourself back at a dollhouse after doing just one room, you can always repurpose that roombox. You can permanently install it into your dollhouse, so nothing will be lost by starting smaller. I myself have fallen prey to this mistake. I have a number of dollhouses that I’ve started and had to set aside till I gained more skills.

Dollhouse Mistake #2: Starting with a BIG Dollhouse

If I can’t dissuade you from starting with a dollhouse with DIY Mini Furniture Toy Set, at least pick a small one to start with. (I don’t blame you if you don’t, I did the same thing). You can always get another better bigger one. Your second dollhouse will be better than your first because you’ll learn new techniques as you go. If you think you’ll only have one dollhouse, so it better be the best, well. I have it on good authority that this hobby is addicting. Your first dollhouse will only be your last if this hobby isn’t for you. If that is the case, do you really want to make the mistake of buying a huge and expensive house?

If you’ve already committed to a large dollhouse, all is not lost. You can either set it aside and work on smaller projects until you’ve gained enough skills and confidence to tackle the big dollhouse, or you can continue with the large house and take it slow. Do not let yourself get overwhelmed. Take it one small piece at a time, and ask for help when you need it. Try to avoid some of the other dollhouse mistakes though.

Dollhouse Mistake #3: Because it’s Miniature, it Won’t Take up Much Space, Right?

Oh boy, if this is what you are thinking, have we got some news for you! Dollhouses are LARGE! Modeling an entire house (or houses as your collection grows) will take up a lot of space. Most miniaturists devote an entire bedroom or ‘hobby room’ to the craft. If you choose to do one of the smaller scales; 1:24 or 1:48, those houses take up less space, but you might find you end up with more of them.

This mistake in thinking isn’t terribly hard to recover from. You might want to start clearing out a designated space for your hobby. If you don’t, it will end up living on the dining room table for years. Then what will you do for Thanksgiving Dinner? Claim that spare room now before Bobby and Johnny each want their own bedroom!

Dollhouse Mistake #4:

DIY Mini Size Doll House Series

Can’t Cost as Much as the Real Thing, Right?

Sorry, again, no. You have two choices here. You can spend money on the cheaper stuff now and then replace it as you acquire better things. Or you can wait, save, and buy special pieces that speak to you as you come across them. Most veteran miniaturists say the mistake is to buy cheap junk early just to have stuff. Instead, save your money for the good stuff, it is worth the wait. Artisan craftwork is expensive. Many pieces, especially the furniture, can run close to the same price as their full sized counterparts.

One CAMPer related a story about how she sold a mini rug to a lady on eBay. The lady messaged her back saying that ‘the sample was lovely, and when can she expect the full sized version?’ The mini rug was so exquisite that it commanded a price similar to a full sized one, hence the buyer’s confusion. Another CAMPer recalls his initial sticker shock when inquiring after a desk at one of his first dollhouse shows. The asking price was $2600.

While this information is quite paling, don’t be dissuaded. There are minis for all budgets, and excellent tutorials on how to make just about everything. If you are short on cash but have the craft skills, you’ll be fine. If you aren’t the craftiest or flush with cash all it takes is a sharp eye and keep up with the miniaturist community. There are shows happening all over the US (and plenty in Europe, too). Etsy and eBay are are also full of vendors of all things mini. Be frugal with your money and avoid other dollhouse mistakes as they can be costly!

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How to Build a Dollhouse: Make Your Own Family Heirloom

Unless you're lucky enough to have inherited a handmade DIY Doll House from an earlier time—perhaps one of those grand, exquisitely detailed masterpieces that a grandmother or great-aunt might have doted over for hours—you'll most likely find real quality only by building your own, buying a precut kit from one of the reputable dollhouse manufacturers, or taking out a mortgage at an exclusive toy store.

Whichever route you take, you'll probably end up with a dollhouse made of plywood—usually a thin lauan for the die-cut kit models, and thicker stock for the homemade versions. Both are plenty sturdy and have the bulk to prove it—the larger kits can weigh a very solid 50 pounds or more.

Construction aside, there's one clear measure of quality in any dollhouse, and that's accuracy in scale: the proportional translation of full-size features to miniature ones. The most popular scale is 1" to 1'; hence, a house measuring 30' X 42' becomes a model 2 1/2' × 3 1/2' in size. Likewise, wall thicknesses, door heights, and window openings all should be reduced proportionately so as not to look awkward in miniature.

In an attempt to achieve a comfortable middle ground between durability, weight, and faithful scale, Clarence Goosen, a former MOTHER staffer, developed this farm-style dollhouse with DIY modern mini furniture, using a sheathing-over-framing technique common to full-size structures. The framework is made of white pine, cut into strips of no more than 1" in width. The sheathing is corrugated cardboard covered on the outside with poster-board siding. Inside, pieces of fabric, wallpaper, or wood set off the different rooms.

The result is an inexpensive (albeit a time-consuming) project with the accurate detail of the better kits. Those who simply follow the instructions will be well on their way to completing a duplicate of the house you see here; the more adventurous can use the techniques to modify this plan or even to design a whole new structure to suit their tastes. Because many of the raw materials are free, there's little reason not to experiment with the house's shape or its features.

Tools and Building Materials

Before you begin, take stock of your tools. With the exception of one item, you won't need anything complicated. An artist's trim knife (or a utility knife), a steel straightedge, a square, a hammer, sandpaper, and a pair of 8" scissors will do everything but cut the wood. For that, you'll need either a standard table saw or, better, a compact bench-top model with a small-diameter blade. If you have access to neither, have someone cut the strips for you—it's important that they be trimmed accurately.

How to Make

1.  Download your free craft templates and cut your dollhouse furniture with scissors.

2.  Decorate your dollhouse rooms with your favourite patterned paper and stick with glue. We used  a variety of paper patterns for the different rooms.

3.  For extra detail, you can create a skirting board for your rooms by placing ribbon at the bottom of your shoebox and sticking in place with double sided tape.

4.  If you have a small shoebox (pictured below) to create your individual rooms, get a piece of thick cardboard the width and depth of your shoebox to create a floor for your dolls house then cover with your selected papers.

5.  If you have a large shoe box (as pictured below) take two pieces of thick cardboard and create a cross in the center, fix together with tape and cover with your favourite papers

6.  Use the Washi Tape to cover the edges of your cardboard edges for a pretty finish.

7.  Place one piece of Dovecraft Small 3D Foam squares to your paper furniture cut outs and place in your DIY mini size doll house series, gently press down on your paper furniture to ensure they remain secure.

Kids will love the chance to get creative decorating their own house to fill with their favourite toys. Why not show us your recent upcycled crafts in the project gallery; we would love to see them!

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How to Turn a Dresser Into a Custom Dollhouse

The fun thing about creating a dollhouse from an existing piece of furniture is that it's sort of a miniature renovation project. There are a few initial plans you can make: color palette, décor style, and number of rooms, but everything else unfolds as you go. Flea markets, yard sales, and online marketplaces are great sources for finding the perfect piece of furniture to transform into a dollhouse.

You can upcycle virtually any piece of furniture as long as it has (or had, at one time) drawers or cubbies behind the doors. Wood dressers are wonderful, as are old metal cabinets and anything that can be accessed from the front. Lastly, check to be sure your piece is in good fixable condition and is free of mold or offensive smells. Try to get a good deal on your piece—the more you save on the build, the more you can spend on all of the decorative elements inside. We've outlined a few tips to help you with your project.

Prepping

Remove the drawers and wipe down the interior. Use a dry paint brush or the upholstery attachment on your vacuum to get rid of remaining dust or cobwebs. Inspect the drawers to see if you can reuse any of the wood. In some cases, you might be able to use the base of the drawer as walls or flooring in the DIY midsize doll house series. The idea here is to reuse as much as possible.

Painting

Painting the interior helps make everything to be more cohesive, and this is where the dollhouse starts to look less like a dresser. Paint stores sell samples that are the perfect size for the job—one or two coats of a flat or eggshell interior paint are usually all you'll need for coverage. For this project, we used Sherwin Williams Celery (6421) on the interior, Offbeat Green (6706) on the shingles, and Basque Green (6426) on the windows. The exterior was already painted when it was purchased.

Once you decide on a color palette, draw a rough sketch of the dollhouse and plan out how many paint colors you'll need to order. Tip: Pick out two more paint colors than you think you'll need—it's good to have options.

Flooring

Hardboard project panels can be found in 2-by-4 foot pieces at hardware stores like Home Depot, and they're easy to cut with an oscillating tool like the Milwaukee M12 12-Volt Lithium-Ion Cordless Oscillating Multi-Tool and thin enough that they won't take up too much space inside the dollhouse.

Once the hardboard has been measured and cut, run a bead of Gorilla Wood Glue around the drawer rail, place the flooring and weigh it down with heavy books until dry. You can paint the floor to match the interior walls, or wait until the decorating phase to finish it.

Installing Walls

The beauty of this project is that you can design the DIY small doll house series's interior entirely to your vision. If you want to wall off the space and create multiple rooms, do just that. If you love an open floor plan, skip putting up walls. Taking measurements in a small, enclosed space can be a reach, but a vinyl tape measure and an extra set of hands makes the job much easier.

Create mock walls out of foam core and make adjustments with a utility knife, then use them as stencil to cut your walls out of the hardboard. Or, if you don't want to commit to permanent walls and like the option of multiple layouts, stick with foam core walls. A small dab of hot glue will keep them in place, which makes them easy to pop out once you're ready for a new configuration.

Decorating

There are so many fun options when it comes to furniture and décor for your dollhouse, and the options definitely aren't limited to "Victorian" or "farmhouse" like they were in the '90s. Etsy has an unending supply of one-of-a-kind furniture options in every style imaginable; just be sure you're searching for 1:12 scale dollhouse furniture and miniatures (1:6 if you're building a dollhouse for Barbie or other 12-inch dolls).

Peel and stick removable wallpaper samples from your favorite companies are affordable and fun options. We were inspired by ones like Chasing Paper's Beaver Meadow. Craft paper, fabric, and stencils can be used for flooring and area rugs. Some big box stores have an impressive amount of DIY miniature furniture, and seem to have even more available online. Craft stores are a great source for project hardware and exterior items like shingles, trim, windows, faux flooring, and other notions that create even more distance between dresser and dollhouse.

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How to make a doll's house

A DIY Doll House is a toy your child will treasure for years – and if it’s one you’ve made yourself, it will be all the more special. This basic design is an achievable D.I.Y. project, which we have decorated with materials like adhesive film and wallpaper samples, but you can put your own style stamp on it if you choose! To shortcut the first step, have the larger rectangular pieces cut in store.

Cut, measure and mark plywood

From the plywood, cut a piece 600mm high x 596mm (the width of the panel) for the back wall, three 582mm-wide x 300mm-deep floors, and four 400mm high x 300mm wide pieces for the sides and doors. Along the 596mm width of the plywood, measure up 200mm and mark the centre to cut a triangle for the roof front. Save the offcuts to make the internal walls.

Cut out roof triangle

Position the roof front at the top of the back piece as a template to mark out the top of the triangle, then cut with a handsaw. Smooth over all the pieces with 180-grit abrasive paper, removing any breakout from along the cuts, wiping away dust with a cloth.

Assemble the side and back panels

To assemble, use set squares with clamps to stand the side pieces up, run adhesive along the back edges, then position the back piece and secure with bullethead nails at 100mm intervals.

Tips: Tap the nails 20mm in from the ends to avoid splitting the timber, pulling the plywood into position as you go. When working with PVA adhesive, have a clean damp cloth on hand to wipe away excess as you go, to avoid drips and smudges.

Install base and rooftop floor

To install the base and rooftop floor, apply adhesive around the back and side edges, positioning them inside and flush with the end of the walls, securing from outside with nails.

Tip: Trim self-adhesive film to size with a utility knife and cover the floors before installing.

Affix middle floor

Install the middle floor by marking 200mm up the inside and outside of the walls. Apply adhesive around the back and side edges, tap into position and secure from the outside with nails.

Tip: Stick wallpaper onto the back wall before adding the floor.

Insert internal walls

Make the internal walls from the plywood offcuts, cutting two 250mm x 193mm pieces, sliding them onto the ground floor and middle floor.

Tip: If they don't wedge snugly, apply adhesive to the top, back and base, slide into position, clamp and leave to dry.

Attach doors

To hang the doors, position them flush with the top floor. Mark 10mm in from the edges to position hinges at the top and base, using a screwdriver to secure with 6mm screws. Use 6mm screws to install a magnetic catch to the under-side of the middle floor, with the supplied magnets positioned on the inside of the doors.

Drill window and rafter holes

Clamp the roof front to a stable surface, mark centre and 72.5mm up from the base and use a 92mm hole saw to drill the round window. Position the roof front against the back wall, clamp, mark centre and 22mm down from the point and use a 22mm hole saw to drill both rafter holes. Sand smooth.

Position the rafter

Apply adhesive around the rafter holes and along the base of the roof front. Position the dowel in the holes and angle the base of the roof front to sit on the top floor, flush with the front. Clamp, secure with nails up through the rooftop floor, then leave to dry.

DIY Villa Doll House Series

extras

Ladder: Make a ladder from 12 pieces of 8mm dowel cut to 50mm long. Drill holes either end with a 2mm bit. Thread 3mm macramé cord through one end of each, add an eye hook then thread back through the opposite side. Space the rungs 30mm apart, dab with adhesive, knot the ends and leave to dry. Twist the eye hook into the underside of the top floor.

Swing: On a plywood offcut of 40mm x 70mm, drill 2mm holes in the corners. Thread macramé cord through holes and over the dowel rafter, then knot the ends.

Surfboards: Cut surfboard shapes from 5mm balsa wood, smooth the edges with abrasive paper and apply two coats of paint with a flat craft brush.