Doll recommendations

[Lochie]

My daughter will shortly be 2 and I'd like to buy her a doll as she always flocks to them at playgroups. She already has a ragdoll which she doesn't play with, she seems most keen on the plastic newborn baby ones!

Any recommendations? John Lewis focuses on the Baby Annabell and the Baby Born ones. Is it worth paying more for interactive features or is that just a waste of cash (and batteries!).

Thanks :-)

[Gubodge]

Both my daughters were more than happy with a very basic doll. I don't think I even coughed up for a Baby Annabell. The girls are now 9 and 7 and the dolls are still played with and I don't think they'd have got any more out of one that weed or cried, and certainly not when they were 2.

[Mrs TP]

No just get a cute generic one that you can get bits n pieces for if needed later. I have been through the whole doll with 3 girls and most of the dolls end up naked and with run out batteries. Our favourite dolls that have lasted are the prettiest (??? must be a 100 issues in that statement alone) and have been slightly smaller than Annabel and Chou Chou.

One of my girls nearly passed out when cuddling a new Christmas Chou Chou doll one year and it said to her 'sing me a lullaby' she nervously responded ok and started to sing. Hilarious but I could see she was a bit frightened of the doll.

[yeknomyeknom]

I just bought mine a cabbage patch kid. Still charming and a bit old fashioned.

[simonethebeaver]

My daughter is obsessed with dolls, of all types. Head and shoulders above the others so far is this one, which she got for Christmas:

http://www.elc.co.uk/on/demandware.store/Sites-ELCENGB-Site/default/mProduct-Show?pid=138659

She loves giving her a bottle, and pressing her tummy to get a laugh. She is soft bodied, unlike the Baby Annabel we bought her, which has been rather ignored. She is already naked but all our dolls are naked!

[oimissus]

I would go for a doll that can sit up unaided (so fully plastic rather than soft bodied); when we are doing tea parties or games it's always been really annoying that they can't sit up! You can still put them in the bath, in fact they will dry far quicker - even on a radiator one of the soft bodied dolls we have can take at least a couple of days to dry.

[Lochie]

Wow some great tips I hadn't thought of thank you. I'll probably get a cheapy hard one and nicer soft body one, am sure to can never have too many dolls!

[devsdev]

My LO (15 months) just got given a Corolle mini doll. Haven't given it to her yet (mean mom), but it looks sweet. Another one I would be happy for her to have (should she choose to switch from trucks and teddies) is the Lottie doll which looks very fun. Both of these are smaller dolls though (probably make life easier to you if you need to cart them around!).

[Michael58]

I?d just buy a basic one, not one that can wee or cry. That?s a waste of money.

[Vik]

My 4 have had various dolls over the years but the best one at the mo is the baby doll from Sainsburys, she's own brand, very cheap and very cute. They do accessories and clothes as well, she's soft bodied, my youngest has given this one more attention than all of the hand-me-downs she's had including Babyborn, Baby Annabel and various other brands!

We prefer soft bodied - easier to cuddle, dress and store in a bag or bottom of buggy if needs be.

[emza78]

My 3 yr old has a baby Annabel but insists on keeping it turned off so it's quiet!