playing house

It has always amazed me,

that despite us always giving the children access to all sorts of different toys,

our son has generally gravitated towards animals and cars,

while our little girl seems desperate to care for everything in sight.

Who knows if it's nature or nurture

(I'm inclined to think it's nature but who knows)

but my little lady is currently obsessed with playing with small characters;

putting them to bed, helping them sit up, giving them lots of cuddles.

I had planned to consider buying her a dollhouse for her third birthday next year,

but when we were offered one to review,

I just couldn't refuse.

And I figured that if she still seemed a little young for it,

we could always put it away for a bit

and get it out again when she's a little older.

Well if I had waited I would have deprived my daughter of what is far and away her favourite toy.

I literally cannot explain how much she adores this wooden dollhouse from George Home.

It is played with all the time.

Her other small world toys come to visit regularly,

and the house's inhabitants get lots of regular naps;

tucked in lovingly and wished "sweet dreams".

I have been so impressed with this toy too,

aside from the obvious enjoyment that the children get from it,

it was really simple to put together,

and the design of it is lovely.

We were kindly sent the accompanying wooden dollhouse furniture and people as well,

and all together it makes an adorable set,

and is incredibly reasonably priced too.

The dolls house is £35 and the furniture set is £15,

meaning that for £50 you have everything you need to play house,

and I know I have seen houses alone that cost far more than that.

The furniture set contained everything we could need to get this house up and running,

and is all nicely colour coordinated with the house itself.

And while I appreciate that 'matching' doesn't matter to children,

it does to their house proud mummies, 

who have to spend all day looking at these toys and each evening tidying them away.

In fact I may have been found having a little play with this myself after the children are in bed,

there is just something so appealing about a dolls house I think,

even for 'big little girls'.

I do have to point out that we have had a bit of a disaster with this house too,

in that a small part of the chimney has broken,

which has in turn made the roof fall away.

We're hoping its something that a little bit of wood glue will fix,

and I really think that it was just bad luck

and that there was a weaker spot in the wood of the chimney.

But I want to be honest and admit that this little break did happen.

It hasn't hampered our love of this toy though,

and we will do all we can to repair it so that our beautiful girl can continue to enjoy her favourite toy.

We were sent this toy free of charge for the purpose of this review,

but all words are honest and opinions my own.