November 15th, 2010 | 
Author: My DD has an American Girl doll (the 18 inch doll) that was given to her when she was an infant. It’s in a box waiting for me to actually give it to her. Gramma and auntie have bought tons of clothes for the doll too. I am just not sure when to give it to her. The age range is listed as age 8. She is easy on her stuff but I am not sure she is ready at 3.
What’s the youngest age i’d give an AG doll to? None. Not any age. The answer is when your daughter is responsible enough to take care of, and not to ruin, a $90 doll.
I’ve seen sooo many poor American Girl dolls, all given to kids between the ages of 2 to 10 and within weeks, they’re off to the doll hospital with their hair cut off or torn out, limbs chewed on, water spilled on the, markers on their bodies, dropped from the second story of their house, etc, etc, etc….. How did I see all these dolls? When I went to the American Girl Place NY. The line for the doll hospital was HUGE!! =O
So there is no "good" age to give an AG doll, sure their website says "ages of 8 to 12" but that’s not always true. They need to be given to someone who can be responsible with it, those who can handle putting on their shoes and clothes, doing up their hair without cutting it off or knotting it up and who don’t put real makeup on them, or try to get them into the pool to "swim". I mean, these dolls cost A LOT! Do you really want to waste all of your money, giving all this stuff to your daughter if she’s just going to ruin it, forcing you to replace everything?
I’m not saying your daughter isn’t responsible or easy on her stuff though. I’m not saying that at all. She could be great with it! Just give your child time to show that they can be responsible with their dolls. Start off with a similar 18" doll like Our Generation. If she seems to be really careful with that, once she’s older, (preferably after 7) try an American Girl doll. Make sure she really loves dolls, and will really be willing to take care of it, and play carefully too.
You can introduce her to the AG books at around 6 though. I started reading the American Girl series shortly after I turned 7 and fell in love with them! I got my first doll Kaya, at age 9, after lots of begging and waiting, and I loved her! I treated her like she was made of gold (lol). I was careful with her hair, never carried her upside down, stuck her in water, or did anything insane with her. And after a while, and she still looked almost new, I got another one. All because I proved that I was serious about having my own AG doll and that i’d take good care of it when I got one and that it’d be worth it.
So, overall, if I were you, i’d wait. Save the doll for a few years and give it to your daughter when you think she’s ready, when you feel she can take care of the doll and not damage her in any sort of way. It’ll really be worth it seeing her with her first American Girl doll and taking care of it. 
Most likely too, depending on what doll you bought, and since they’re retiring and releasing dolls like crazy, it might even be rare and retired by the time your daughter gets it, making it even more special for both you, and her.
Posted in infant girl clothes
I got mine when I was 5. I actually have a pic of me opening it for Christmas in 1985! lol. I got Samantha. Which I guess they don’t have anymore, I wish I kept her :/
References :
those are soooo expensive. I think if my daughter wanted one she would have to be at least 6 and know how to take good care of her stuff ( shes not too careful with it yet) So I would wait another year or two
References :
I love those dolls! I hope I have a girl one day to give one to, but it looks like all boys for me. I first got my doll at 7. They do have "baby" dolls as well, and I have seen girls aged 4-5 with those. However, I think 6-7 for the doll would be a good age, because they come with a book, and its nice to know the dolls history
References :
It really depends on the child. Some children care for dolls as carefully as if they were made of glass while others chop off their hair and drag them through the mud. How does your dd take care of other dolls and toys? You know your dd best and how you feel she would take care of the doll.
In general, I’d say around age 6. I’d make it a big deal, too. Read the books aloud with her. Take her to an American Girl Cafe if you can, taking her special friend with her, of course. Have a special place to keep the doll – special place for her to sleep – to show she’s not like other dolls she’s had before.
References :
I wouldn’t give my 3 yr old one yet. She still doesn’t take good care of her things. She’d throw her in the bath tub or leave her lying on the floor where the dog would chew on her.
I might get her out for supervised play only. Let her play with the doll and put her away in a safe place when she’s done.
References :
I started reading the books at seven, so I would give it to her when she starts to read the books.
References :
2t
References :
I’d wait a bit as well. As some have mentioned, those dolls are very expensive. But if you are tempted to bring out the doll now, why not have a tea party with the doll? You, your dd and the doll can dress up and have a fancy tea together. You can stress at these parties that the doll is very special and needs special care. "She’s not like other dollies, we have to take very special care of her." Get your daughter used to not being rough with her and keep the doll in a place of honor. With the tea party, your daughter can practice her table manners, too.
References :
Because they are pricey and worth being handle with care.. I’d say age 5 /6 is perfect.. at this age my daughter started to really take pride and responsibility with how she care for her toys or letting others hold them!
References :
My Mom purchased the dolls for my daughter and my niece when my daughter was just days old and my niece was not quite two.
My niece got her doll for her fourth birthday. The doll was well loved and has been back to the American Girl doll hospital twice — once for a "broken" leg that would not stay in place, and another time because an unfortunate styling accident caused a scalp injury, read hair loss due to brisk brushing. My niece is thirteen and the doll still sits on her dresser.
I did not let my Mom give the doll to my daughter until she was eight. My daughter was just too rough. It is now four years later and my daughter still plays her imaginary games with her doll. In the last year, she has moved the games into her room so that her younger brother cannot report the stories back to her friends. My Mom still makes matching outfits for the two of them and my daughter parades around proudly.
Both girls were happy with the dolls, played with them often, and love them very much. I just couldn’t see my daughter handling a expensive doll so roughly, so we waited.
References :
I’m a guy so maybe i don’t get this. The idea of a toy is to play with it so why limit it’s use? Most of the girls around my daughters age that i know, stopped with the dolls between 6 and 8.
References :
What’s the youngest age i’d give an AG doll to? None. Not any age. The answer is when your daughter is responsible enough to take care of, and not to ruin, a $90 doll.
I’ve seen sooo many poor American Girl dolls, all given to kids between the ages of 2 to 10 and within weeks, they’re off to the doll hospital with their hair cut off or torn out, limbs chewed on, water spilled on the, markers on their bodies, dropped from the second story of their house, etc, etc, etc….. How did I see all these dolls? When I went to the American Girl Place NY. The line for the doll hospital was HUGE!! =O
So there is no "good" age to give an AG doll, sure their website says "ages of 8 to 12" but that’s not always true. They need to be given to someone who can be responsible with it, those who can handle putting on their shoes and clothes, doing up their hair without cutting it off or knotting it up and who don’t put real makeup on them, or try to get them into the pool to "swim". I mean, these dolls cost A LOT! Do you really want to waste all of your money, giving all this stuff to your daughter if she’s just going to ruin it, forcing you to replace everything?
I’m not saying your daughter isn’t responsible or easy on her stuff though. I’m not saying that at all. She could be great with it! Just give your child time to show that they can be responsible with their dolls. Start off with a similar 18" doll like Our Generation. If she seems to be really careful with that, once she’s older, (preferably after 7) try an American Girl doll. Make sure she really loves dolls, and will really be willing to take care of it, and play carefully too.
You can introduce her to the AG books at around 6 though. I started reading the American Girl series shortly after I turned 7 and fell in love with them! I got my first doll Kaya, at age 9, after lots of begging and waiting, and I loved her! I treated her like she was made of gold (lol). I was careful with her hair, never carried her upside down, stuck her in water, or did anything insane with her. And after a while, and she still looked almost new, I got another one. All because I proved that I was serious about having my own AG doll and that i’d take good care of it when I got one and that it’d be worth it.
So, overall, if I were you, i’d wait. Save the doll for a few years and give it to your daughter when you think she’s ready, when you feel she can take care of the doll and not damage her in any sort of way. It’ll really be worth it seeing her with her first American Girl doll and taking care of it.
Most likely too, depending on what doll you bought, and since they’re retiring and releasing dolls like crazy, it might even be rare and retired by the time your daughter gets it, making it even more special for both you, and her.
References :
16 year old collector with 14 American Girl dolls. =P