I don’t know about you, but I’ve had my fill of plastic.  It has its uses, but I’d rather those uses not be my children’s toys, except where the use of plastic is intentional and logical (like some electronics).  There is just something about the beauty and feel of real, natural materials.

The creators of Once Upon a TreeHouse agree.  That’s why they’ve created these gorgeous handmade, all-natural dolls, dollhouses, and dollhouse furniture.  The dolls are made entirely of wood, cotton, and wool.  They’re mostly soft to touch, but they have wooden legs and feet so they stand up well.  And they’re poseable.  The dollhouses and furniture are also made of wood.

One of my favorite things about this is that it’s a very flexible gift option.  If you’re looking for a “big gift” – the under-the-tree, first-thing-visible-on-Christmas-morning variety – then the dollhouses are perfect.  If your budget is smaller, you can stick with individual pieces of furniture and/or dolls, and accumulate them a little at a time.  The dolls are a great size for stocking stuffers, too!  (My toddler is technically too young for them, but she spent about half an hour just taking it out of the little mesh bag it arrived in and putting it back again, over and over.)

I also like this sort of toy because it’s a good “add-on” gift.  What I mean by that is that once you’ve made space for the dollhouse and accessories once, it’s done.  Then you can put additional dolls or accessories on Christmas and birthday wish lists for years to come, and when the relatives “add on” to this play set, you don’t have to make new places for new toys. 🙂

Our only complaint is that none of the “daddy” dolls have beards, and the daddy at our housedoes!

The prices here will, of course, vary considerably depending on what you’re buying.  (Check out the website for craft projects and other activities, too, all guaranteed to be wholesome and child-appropriate.)

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Disclosure: We were provided with a doll to facilitate this review.  As always, all opinions expressed here are entirely my own.