I am not sure if this is the right forum so I apologize if it is misplaced. I currently have a 4 year old daughter who is dying to have an American Girl doll for Christmas. She saw the one of the front of the catalog, and now that is what she really wants. For those of you who have girls who play with American Girl dolls, I have a couple of questions.


Are they worth the price?
Is there a big difference between the Bitty Twins and the full size 18" dolls?
Which one would you recommend for a 4 year old?
Despite the difference in size, can the Bitty Twin wear the full size dolls clothes and vice versa?
Do these dolls last long enough to warrant the hefty price tag?


Thank you so much!

My girls all love their American Girl Dolls. It is definitly a doll that grows with the girl. The books are excellent reading for my older two girls 10 and 8. My five year old just loves to dress hers up. Right now QVC is having a great deal on the "girl of the year". What I love about it is that outfits come with the doll, and you can use the easy pay. Plus it is a awesome price. The hair on the doll tends to get messy if you don't brush it a lot, but we found a trick to help with that, cooking olive oil and water in a squart bottle, just a couple drops of oil, mostly water. No the dolls are really no different from the ones at Target, but I figure, I'd just get them the one real one and be done with it. My older ones have had theirs for about five years now. I hope I was a help.

I like them and I think they are a very positive toy for a little girl. When my niece is old enough I am going to get her one.

my wife saw them on "john and kate plus eight"...i guess they swear by them :dontknow:

sorry i am not too much help :P

I think its funny you reviewed the American Girl Dolls Matt.
I heard about John and Kate plus Eight. That will be Briang someday if he doesn't watch it :eek:

i will review almost anything if i have heard about it...but in reality, i have never seen these dolls in my life or heard of it until my wife commented on them last week. :lol:

Are they worth the price?
I feel they are. I try to only order when I have a free shipping code or some other discount. I like the Bitty doll much better I feel she is definitely worth $45 or whatever she costs now. The AG dolls my girls like but $85 for them is kind of pushing what I'd like to pay.

Is there a big difference between the Bitty Twins and the full size 18" dolls?
Yes.

Which one would you recommend for a 4 year old?
Bitty

Despite the difference in size, can the Bitty Twin wear the full size dolls clothes and vice versa?
No

Do these dolls last long enough to warrant the hefty price tag?
We have a set of Bitty Twins that we've had 6-7 years. They look great despite being played with a lot. I may send them to the doll hospital sometime because my son decorated the heads with pen and I can't get it off all the way but otherwise no complaints. The hair on the big AG dolls is a little bit of a pain to care for but it looks so much better than the hair on cheap dolls we've had.

I have 4 girls and we currently own 9 AG dolls- 4 of the 18" ones, 2 sets of Bitty Twins, and 1 Bitty Baby. I think my girls have played a lot more with Bitty over the years but maybe that's just my kids. For my 4 year old she only plays with Bitty. She likes to look at her older sisters AG dolls but I don't think she's old enough for one. They are pretty large in size plus the hair is harder care for. I wouldn't personally buy one for a child under 6-7 unless she really wanted one.

Thank you for all your input. I am leaning toward getting her one of the Bitty Twins (we live in Atlanta and they sell them separately in the ATL store), but she really wants the blond-haired doll on the front of the current AG catalog.... darn, those marketing people! Yes, she could pick out the one from the catalog cover when I showed her all 24 Just Like You dolls. She honed in on the one she really wanted like a hawk.

Anyway, thank you again, and I am still open to any other advice others have!

:( I always wanted an American Doll when I was little.. Santa never brought me one.. Can't wait to finally have a little girl so I can live through her.. hehe

American Girl Dolls are very nice...and a bit pricey. But they will last. At age 4, she might be a little young for the regular dolls. Like you said, I would also recommend one of the twins (you can buy them separately from a store and have it shipped) or a baby doll. The twins are nice and made for her age group.

The other dolls (like the Just Like You) are for ages 8+, I think you could get away with 6+ but that's your call.

You can also try the generic Target version (same size, not as nice, but 20 to 30 dollars it's a decent doll).

The only reason I would recommend one of those is to see how she does with it. Does she cut the hair or color on the face, etc.? At age 4, they can still be a little rough with the dolls. And maybe it's not her, maybe one of her young friends (or siblings) gets rough with it and destroys it.

I would wait for kindergarten + for the actual American Girl doll. One of the twins would be good practice, or try a generic from Target to see how it holds up.

My Girls love the dolls. My 10 year old has had one since first grade and it was well worth the money. The hair is just not the same on the Target dolls. We have had a target doll and the hair is a big mess. American Girl also has the hospital to fix problems that Target doesn't. The clothes are a much better quality also from AG. My four year old started with a Bitty Baby at age one and got the twins at age 3. I would wait for the older dolls until she is a little older because the hair is easier to manage on the twins. The 18" dolls go along with books that are pretty old for a four year old. All the outfits we have purchased for the twins have come with age appropriate books that my daughter loves. We have put the 18" doll clothes on the twins and they are tight. I also have purchased many premie outfits that fit Bitty and Twins. The premie hats, socks and t-shirts fit great. If your daughter has made up her mind with the 18" doll I would choose one with easy to style hair. Don't forget to buy a brush! Good luck....

I am not sure if this is the right forum so I apologize if it is misplaced. I currently have a 4 year old daughter who is dying to have an American Girl doll for Christmas. She saw the one of the front of the catalog, and now that is what she really wants. For those of you who have girls who play with American Girl dolls, I have a couple of questions.


Are they worth the price?
Is there a big difference between the Bitty Twins and the full size 18" dolls?
Which one would you recommend for a 4 year old?
Despite the difference in size, can the Bitty Twin wear the full size dolls clothes and vice versa?
Do these dolls last long enough to warrant the hefty price tag?


Thank you so much!


In my opinion a 4 year old is too young for some of the dolls, I was on the site today because my grand daughter wants one plus a horse to go with the doll. I noticed some dolls were recommended for 8 year olds and up.

My other grand daughter received a Gotz doll last year for Christmas. A lot cheaper and has held up well.

I did notice that a lot of the clothes for these dolls are on sale now at Amazon.com and Americangirl.com. Check for promotion codes. I couldn't find any today.

No, I am not getting my 5 year old and American Girl. Too high for my budget.

I always wanted a Madam Alexander doll when I was little but my parents refused to get me one. :( My sister had one and I was not allowed to touch it. It was only for display. My sister is 5 years older than I am and I think she got the doll when she was 10.

http://hottestwalls.com/img5.jpgIn my opinion a 4 year old is too young for some of the dolls, I was on the site today because my grand daughter wants one plus a horse to go with the doll. I noticed some dolls were recommended for 8 year olds and up.

My other grand daughter received a Gotz doll last year for Christmas. A lot cheaper and has held up well.

I did notice that a lot of the clothes for these dolls are on sale now at Amazon.com and Americangirl.com. Check for promotion codes. I couldn't find any today.

No, I am not getting my 5 year old and American Girl. Too high for my budget.

I always wanted a Madam Alexander doll when I was little but my parents refused to get me one. :( My sister had one and I was not allowed to touch it. It was only for display. My sister is 5 years older than I am and I think she got the doll when she was 10.

i agree...4 yrs is kinda young for those dolls...
in fact my niece is also crying to get one of these...but my sis wont listen. :shake:

OP, don't forget there is a $10 off $30 purchase code on SD. I would check and see if it's still valid. At least it would pay for shipping.

Did you decide what to get? Let us know.

They are worth the price.
My daughter was classified as having a reading disability, the dolls with their books.....let's just say her reading is fantastic now!!!!
The stores are great too. We have been to the Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York stores. You can get items not offered anywhere else, along with good sales.
Our favorite is Chicago.
We have our purchases shipped home at the store, no need to carry around.
The show's are great, the food is delish.
Now, have to plan on Georgia and Texas.

My only surprise was at the NYC store, every time we have been there, there has been a limo of some kind pulling up with a group of girls dressed just like their dolls, for a birthday party!

Plus, sign up for uPromise, shop through their link to QVC 3% or American Girl 2% goes towards the uPromise account

American Girl dolls are worth it, coming from a huge cheapskate. I would however go with the bitty babies for a 4 year old. The other dolls are recommended for 8 and up.

My daughter has been a doll girl, but not Barbies. She loved her baby dolls so much. Well a few years ago Christmas was coming, and we hadn't a clue what to get her, and a friend suggested AG. So we saw Kit online and, my DD looks like her freckles and all, and we liked that she had books to read with her as well. Well, we don't regret the decision at all. It's been three years and she still plays with her, and the doll still looks fantastic. It also doesn't hurt that the movie came out this year in the theaters.

On a side note, my dad is good working with wood, and has made furniture for her. Just like the dolls, the furniture is pricey. I bought the book for furniture for him on Amazon for $12. It had all the patterns for many diffferent pieces. She has a bed, Armoire, rocking chair (made out of oak and is BEAUTIFUL!) chest, and dresser. He actually made the dresser as a jewelry box lining the drawers with felt. He made dressers for his other granddaughters as well, for jewelry boxes for them too. It was a great $12 investment for that book. A slickdealers dream!

On top of her playing with her doll, she became interested in Kit's time period as well.She's read all her books. She learned about Amelia Earhart (Kit's favorite heroine) and journalism, and we even found an old Royal typewriter for her to play with. It's so funny she'll go into her room and plunk away on that old thing. The doll really became a teaching tool. I know they are expensive, but it's really paid off in the long run.

Expensive, yes, but you really do get what you pay for with these dolls.

Are they worth the price?
Is there a big difference between the Bitty Twins and the full size 18" dolls?
Which one would you recommend for a 4 year old?
Despite the difference in size, can the Bitty Twin wear the full size dolls clothes and vice versa?
Do these dolls last long enough to warrant the hefty price tag?


Thank you so much!

1. They are expensive, but made pretty well. The difference between these and the Target ones (in my opinion) is the HAIR- the hair knots up very quickly with the Target ones and looks like dread locks. My girls are older, 6, & 7 1/2 and took good care of them but they still did that. :( The "real" AG doll's hair better, but my other daughter has a Gotz (or Goetz) doll and it's the best quality, in my opinion! They're the German version. They were actually original casting for the AG dolls, but somehow split off or something?
2. Bitty Babies are baby dolls, the "AG" dolls are companions to do stuff with- what is she more into?
3. No, they can't wear each other's clothes. Bitty Babies are 15" and AG dolls are 18".
4. From everyone I know, yes, they last a long time. The question is this: Is your 4 yr old ready for an expensive doll?

I have a 4 yr old also but she's not ready for anything expensive. The Bitty Babies are $42 (before shipping also before that code of $10 off $30) which actually, is reasonable. My friend bought her two girls Bitty Babies at 4yrs old and they get new dresses every year for them. They love them! It's funny that I found this thread, my 6 yr old wants a baby doll and I'm thinking about buying her a Bitty Baby myself. I probably wouldn't buy an AG doll until your daughter is at least 6, but I think the recommendation of 8 is appropriate. They're expensive and companions. I also know my 4 yr old loves to draw on everything and I"d be super upset if she drew on a $100 doll! I also have a rule that they have to ask for it (now) before I buy something really expensive (or ask for something similar).

If you go with either of the AG products, here's a spot to get cheaper clothes: Emily Rose Doll (http://www.dollsclothes-emilyrose.com/)
I am not affiliated with them, but they're more reasonably priced.

Just a note that the 18" doll clothes do fit the bitty babies (at least that has been our experience so far - although some are a little snug around the middle because they are shaped differently.)

We LOVE American Girl dolls - great quality and worth the price IMO! We have a set of bitty twins and two 18" dolls. My now 7 year old got her first 18" doll when she had just turned 5 and it still looks perfect and is played with alot. Good Luck!

Thank you for all the advice! We are still on the fence about what to do. I took my daughter to the AG store in Atlanta (where we live) the other day, and she did not like the Bitty Twins. She really wants a doll with hair this time so the Bitty Babies are out. However, she loved the 18" dolls... she picked out the exact same doll from the catalog again.... she is definitely girl who knows what she wants! I think that our decision now is whether or not to shell out the $$$$ for the 18" doll for a 4 year old. Based on what I have heard here, most people think she is too young. I will definitely let you know what we decide.

On a side note she is very responsible for her age. She takes great care of all of her toys and would never consider coloring on her, etc. With her other dolls, she treats them like people... the way she talks to them, carries them around, etc.

i would say go for the 18"...it appears that these are high quality and will last as she ages too. if you are going to shell out the $$$, might as well and get what she wants....

I bought my daughter her first AG doll last year when she was four. We got the larger 18" doll. We figured she wanted the doll with hair so we'd get her that one. She hasnt had any issues with taking care of it. I admit, I do the doll's hair far more than she does LOL but she wants me to. I just bought her a doll/big girl set from the AG website and she is going to be so excited.

The dolls do last. That is depending on how much your daughter will play with them. I actually had 3 of them (back when there were only three available) when I was little. Think I got my first one about 17-18 years ago. I did play with them but I was always gentle with them since I knew that they had cost my parents a lot. When I stopped playing with them I put them on display in my room but eventually I packed them up and they have spent years in the garage. I pulled them out of their cardboard box about 3 months ago and I kid you not but they look brand new. They still sell the same three dolls that I have and I could easy sell them on ebay as mint/like new for just a tiny bit less then what you would pay in the store.

I'm 22 and my American girl doll from when i was little is still intact...just recently i gave it to my lil cousin who absolutely loves it and it is till as good as new.

Allison
http://poorcollegestudentneedsmoney.blogspot.com/

Thank you. We broke down and got her the 18" doll she wanted. I ended up finding a brand new one on e-bay for $60 (after the live.com cash back - thank you SD)! I am so excited to see her face on Christmas morning:-)

I wanted to come back after Christmas, and thank everyone for his/her input. The American Girl doll was the highlight of my daughter's Christmas, and she has not put her down since Christmas morning. I really appreciate all of the suggestions about getting a doll with short(er) hair... it has made a world of difference. Thank you again!