Best dolls for imaginative play: recommended by parents, loved by kids

We love this Baby Annabell, which manages to pack in plenty of interactive features while still being great value at around £30. She makes six different realistic sound, from giggling and sleeping to feeding and burping, and comes with a bottle and dummy so children can enjoy nurturing role play as they care for their baby.

Her soft body makes her extra cuddly and perfect for outfit changes, though it does mean she can’t go in the bath. What children will really love are the responsive noises, which encourage them to react to the doll’s needs just like a real parent would. It’s a brilliant way to take imaginative play to the next level and makes a thoughtful choice for a Christmas toy or birthday present.

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This soft-bodied baby doll offers excellent value for money. Despite the low price tag, this cute little doll is great quality and comes from a trusted brand.

Available in a few different outfits, each one comes wearing a onesie and hat. You can also get a set of baby doll twins and Mumsnetters love the top quality, soft body and smaller size of these dolls, which make them a great first doll for little ones.

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The adorable Grace Rag Doll is a super-soft traditional doll that we're sure will quickly become your little ones best friend. Grace wears a strawberry print dress with a purple pinafore and purple shoes, all of which are removable. If your child decides that Grace is in need of a glow-up, manufacturer Bigjigs makes gorgeous little outfits that will be a surefire hit with any toddler.

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If your children are forever asking to play with your hair, this Bayer Design Styling Head is a great way for children to express their personality, getting creative to bring to life unique or even intricate hairstyles with the comb, clips and accessories provided.

With high-quality, long blonde hair that can even be curled with the included rollers, this doll offers a fun screen-free activity for children that can easily keep them entertained for hours. For older children, the included make-up palette and stickers provide the opportunity for experimenting with different looks and styles.

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For children who really enjoy acting out caring role play with their dolls, these Tiny Treasures dolls offer a really authentic experience thanks to their weighted bodies, realistic features and even newborn baby scent. Each doll comes with her very own hospital tag and birth certificate to complete, allowing children to choose her name and date of birth before taking her home to care for.

Ideal for gifting, the Tiny Treasures dolls come gift boxed and compete with a super soft jersey outfit which can easily be removed and complimented with additional sets from the Tiny Treasures range. Our only critiques? For the price, we’d love to have seen a bottle included.

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Our Generation Dolls are incredibly popular amongst both Mumsnet users and retailer reviews, thanks to their larger size, soft body with freestanding ability and beautifully styleable hair.

Bring the magic of birthdays to life with Khelani, the Our Generation 18-inch birthday doll. Dressed in a shiny party dress and equipped with a delightful assortment of accessories, Khelani is ready to host the perfect celebration. Her soft, huggable body and lifelike features make her an ideal companion for children aged 3 and up, encouraging imaginative play and storytelling.

It’s worth noting that due to their larger size, Our Generation dolls do take up a fair bit of space and that the larger Our Generation playsets can be quite costly due to their size.

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Whilst they come with a fairly significant price tag, Mumsnet users spoke highly of Corolle dolls for their premium finish and attractive, authentic designs.

Whilst she will set you back around £60, Chérie is a beautiful interactive doll which comes with four accessories included. She offers eight interactive functions including twenty different sounds and responses - everything from giggles to kisses, burping to sleep sounds, making her a realistic and engaging choice for children over the age of two.

We love the addition of Chérie's baby bottle and pacifier, which adds to feeding time fun.

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Of all the dolls on our list, Lottie stands out for offering the most inclusive range. With dolls available in multiple skin tones and representing a variety of abilities, Lottie also challenges traditional gender norms. Beyond representation, these dolls inspire children with a love of STEM subjects and the great outdoors.

We especially love the Planet Rescuer edition. She wears a green-and-white shirt with a planet Earth motif, a tiered denim skirt, yellow leggings, and white trainers. The doll also comes with an educational leaflet, printed with soy ink on recycled paper, that teaches children the importance of caring for the environment, making her a thoughtful choice for parents looking to combine play with learning.

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With so many Barbies to choose from, it can be hard to know where to start if your child takes an interest in this kind of doll. Mumsnetters and their kids have tried and tested tons of Barbies, and the Barbie Gymnastics Playset is the most-recommended set to buy, thanks to the doll's extra bendiness.

Not only does this mean Barbie can perform impressive gymnastics moves, it also makes it easier for small hands to dress and undress her, which can be awkward and frustrating on other Barbies - especially when it comes to getting plastic limbs into a leotard.

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For Disney fans, having a doll version of their favourite character makes for hours of fun, imaginative play and musical numbers. These toddler-style Adventure Dolls are a nice alternative to the fashion doll Disney princesses, if you're looking for something a bit more sturdy and substantial.

Elsa comes with a removable dress and pair of boots, but Mumsnetters advise against getting too attached to her perfectly plaited, neat hair do. The size of this doll is really nice for younger children, not least because its proportions are more like a child's than an adult's.

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