A boy's Doll house

My niece is about to give birth and it's my intention to make a
dollhouse for the new baby. Now I know pretty much what I am going to
do if it's a girl, but if it's I boy I am stuck. I cannot seem to find
a doll house kit appropriate for a boy. I saw a very nice castle, but
it doens't open up. If anyone has any ideas, or can point me to a
good source I'd appreciate it.

On 1 Aug 2003 14:18:31 -0700, (Fizbin) wrote:

My niece is about to give birth and it's my intention to make a
dollhouse for the new baby. Now I know pretty much what I am going to
do if it's a girl, but if it's I boy I am stuck. I cannot seem to find
a doll house kit appropriate for a boy. I saw a very nice castle, but
it doens't open up. If anyone has any ideas, or can point me to a
good source I'd appreciate it.

I don't recall the maker, but I am sure there are log cabin kits
available, as well as a general store, which could be turned into any
kind of store, really, like sporting goods, dry goods, hardware store,
auto parts, a Western Auto, Radio Shack...

A mountain cabin would be nice from the log cabin kit, or even Abraham
Lincoln's boyhood home. You could also go with something more rustic
like a hunting camp, a one-room schoolhouse, blacksmith's shop, or get
away from the tradtional "house" altogether, and go with something
like a tree house or an on-the-ground clubhouse.

Not only are there kits available, but you could also go with
something like Lincoln Logs to put together and design your own. They
could be glued/nailed together, to make it more permanent and stable.



--
Chuck *#:^)
chaz3913(AT)yahoo(DOT)com
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Fizbin wrote:
My niece is about to give birth and it's my intention to make a
dollhouse for the new baby. Now I know pretty much what I am going to
do if it's a girl, but if it's I boy I am stuck. I cannot seem to find
a doll house kit appropriate for a boy. I saw a very nice castle, but
it doens't open up. If anyone has any ideas, or can point me to a
good source I'd appreciate it.

I've seen a DH at Hobby Lobby that could easily be seen as a log
type cabin, especially if one furnishes it as such.

HBS, www.miniatures.com, has a quick-build log cabin kit and firehouse kit
as well as log cabin kits by RGT & Dura-Craft and a barn by RGT. They also
carried a kit for a general store which I thought with swinging doors
instead of a regular shop door would make a really neat Western saloon, with
an upstairs for a doctor's office or whatever (a bordello for the old &
raunchy, perhaps). There are also shops. I have seen castles people
"scratch" built. You might also check out www.maplestreet.co.uk. for Tudor
style kits. Many years ago there was a book for building houses/ city out
of things like 2-liter soda bottles and other "found" items to make a very
futuristic setting for sci-fi toys such as the Star Wars figures. Your
imagination & budget & skills are your only limits.
Didn't mean to get so wordy 8~ )

You don't mention whether you intend this to be played with or just
looked at. My granddaughter (age one and a half) just got her first
dollhouse - it's one she can play with - finished wood with wood-block
type furniture. Hardly elegant, but it can be played with!

But why should it be so different whether it's a girl OR boy? This is
gender stereotyping.

I don't understand why a girl's dollhouse couldn't equally well be a
garage, log cabin, or firehouse, while a boy's could as easily be normal
living quarters.

Whichever sex the baby is, a reproduction of the house they're currently
living in, or your house, or some other REAL place, would be fun to play
with and have some basis in family history.

Either would also be interested in miniatures of stores - there's one (A
Fisher-Price kind of toy) that's a miniature supermarket - eminently
playable, if not a work of art.

If you're thinking that a "girl's" dollhouse as dainty, and frilly, and
Victorian, it doesn't have to be. Contemporary (even Ultra-modern)
styling is available, and a hi-tech house might fit your definition of
something "appropriate" to either a boy or a girl.

Children (and adults too, particularly those in this group) are
entranced by small models and miniatures of just about anything.

My wife and I are both heavily involved, as hobbyists, in many different
kinds of dollhouses. We have our expected specialty areas - honed by the
last century's sexual stereotyping, but I also do some of the fabric and
embroidery work while she often gets out the power tools to build a
house or some furniture.

- Herb



Fizbin wrote:

My niece is about to give birth and it's my intention to make a
dollhouse for the new baby. Now I know pretty much what I am going to
do if it's a girl, but if it's I boy I am stuck. I cannot seem to find
a doll house kit appropriate for a boy. I saw a very nice castle, but
it doens't open up. If anyone has any ideas, or can point me to a
good source I'd appreciate it.

Thanks to all for the suggestions. Don't know why I didn't think of
the log cabin myself! I took a look at the firehouse and it's just
beautiful, if a bit more money than I was thinking for this project,
but who know I may go for broke and get it anyway. I've been refering
to this kid to be as the "practice grandchild". My kids as so young it
will be a long time before I see grandkids of my own. I am very much
looking forward to spoiling this one.

I want to start a tradition of giving each new baby a house, finished,
but not furnished so that they can share that with their parents.
Something fairly small, but not so delicate that it sits on a shelf
and doens't get used. Free repair service included of course .

Again thanks to all. Gave me a good excuse to visit favorite old web
pages.

Fizbin

How about a log cabin. I've seen these kits at Hobby Lobby.