Princess Dolls that aren't Barbie/Disney

[kyartz]

DD1 (now 3 1/2) is very much into princesses and dancing and dolls at the moment. Before this, it was puzzles. She'd like a princess doll, but what I've seen so far is either Barbie (she thinks Barbie is a princess) or Disney based, and I'd like to avoid either.

I saw a great Kathe Kruse waldorf princess doll but it was $170 (gasp!) and I certainly can't pay that. And try as I might, DD1 doesn't show much interest in the carefully chosen Waldorf dolls we have.

Any suggestions? I'd surely be appreciative.

[Bella's Mama]

http://www.onlyheartsclub.com/pages/...rincess06.html

What about this one? You can buy these dolls at Target,(our local toy store has them too) for about $15.00 sometimes they are even on sale! I have not read the books with my daughter, but I love these dolls. I like the fact that they have different skin and hair colors, and they are dressed like children, not adults.

[LilyGrace]

I found a fairy doll that is rather pretty and nice.

And a Story Time collection doll, but I can't tell if it's Barbie or not.

These are "Biblical dolls" that I found browsing in a Christian book store one time, but I think the dressing fits your princess theme - Heritage Dolls

[ShaggyDaddy]

in my experience waldorf has grown to be a keyword synonym for "overpriced"

We love our home made waldorf gnomes (I love that they don't have faces and are simple, but fun) I used to say "I'm as happy as you want me to be"

I wish the older kids stuff stuck with the abstract and (in my opinion) cute faceless and simple dolls.

We found a GREAT doll at a local Ren-faire. Plain purple cloth "pillow doll", no face, simple silk flower wreath crown. DD(11m) and DS(2y) both love it., and anyone with basic sewing skills could make it.

I look at the waldorf gnomes and smile, then I look at the 170 dollar waldorf dolls, and I am filled with dissappointment. It just doesn't have to be that hard.

[annethcz]

I've seen cute cloth Princess/Fairy dolls at Target. I noticed they were on clearance the last time I was there, and I can't find it online. They were originally in the specialty toy aisle- the 'Imagination' toy aisle with the red arch over it. The doll is about the size of a Groovy girl. IIRC, it's now on clearance for about $15. It came with either light or dark skin. I think the doll does have a crown/tiara, and was wearing a leotard with skirt, and holding a wand. There was also a matching pop-up castle (size of a doll-house), which is also on clearance for $15-20.

If you regularly shop at Target, it wouldn't hurt to check it out.

[4evermom]

I was going to suggest the Only Hearts Club dolls, too. Much nicer than Barbie for all the above mentioned reasons and I've seen them in ballerina and princess costumes.

[aja-belly]

e have two folkmanis fairy puppets that are soo cute and dd loves them. we got one of the trading post here and one was a gift (thanks aishy!).

[spero]

The Ty company (that makes Beanie Babies) makes a line of dolls called Beanie Boppers and Teeny Beanie Boppers. There is a HUGE variety (boy and girl dolls) and my DD has always preferred them to Barbies. Teenys are posable, around the size of a Barbie (only proportioned more like a teenager) and the Beanie Boppers are larger and floppier.

You can find them in gift shops and places that sell Beanie Babies. Look for clearance sales - we've gotten most of our collection dirt cheap! They are fun to collect and play with!

[Lingmom]

My daughters love the fairy princess doll mentioned by a previous poster... from Target - it comes in two skin shades.

Also, I was able to turn my daughter's attention from Tinkerbell and her sort to the Mary Cicely Barker vintage fairies which are pretty popular but I like that they're little children. I wish they weren't only white kids, but I guess you have to consider that Britain in the 1920's was pretty white, so it makes sense their fairies would be too.

[amydawnsmommy]

With the current princess trend I would think that you would be able to find a non-Barbie, non-Disney princess doll by going to any department store. I know that they have Strawberry Shortcake Princess books, perhaps they have dolls too?

Hope recently got a set of four very sweet fairy dolls from her grandmother.
They all had a different coloured flower outfit and one even had auburn hair!