At what age do you think it’s appropriate to get a doll?

I think it really depends on the child and the type of ball jointed doll, frankly. Every child is different, and how every child will treat their dolls will also be different. I had friends who collected porcelain dolls (think like the Keepsake Key Disney princess dolls) and they were very careful to keep those dolls on display near their beds and merely enjoyed them aesthetically, but they played with their barbies otherwise.

If memory serves I think they were relatively gentle with their dolls... as a young child, I was not, however lol. Most of my dolls could have probably been described as "hot mess barbie" :P When I was a middle schooler however, I started to collect Sailor Moon dolls for display purposes and not just playing anymore, and I still have those dolls, well over a decade later in very good conditions (sans boxes, however, as I was a prolific unboxer). I think generally "middle schooler and older" could be responsible enough for a bjd, but for a elementary schooler, it would really, really depend on parental evaluation for their child. I am sure there are eight year olds that could treasure and take very good care of their bjds, for example... though I probably wouldn't give a child a bjd unless they were older and also (ideally) have the freedom and potential to earn some money to help expand their hobby and to help aid independence, money management, and creativity.

 

I agree that any kid should be able to own a doll as long as they’re careful with them, but BJDs also require regular upkeep and maintenance and can be very expensive. If it were me, I’d get them a vinyl Obitsu first. You can still make some gorgeous dolls with Obitsu and it could be a great thing to learn on, plus they’re a bit easier to play with without worrying about being delicate. If I’d had a BJD at that age, I’d have played with it constantly.

 

If you mean as far as how old is the minimum age for forum interaction; that probably depends on the particular forum -- I believe in the past DoA had an age minimum requirement of of thirteen-years-old. However, I don't recall that being a thing anymore, it could be somewhere in the rules or maybe when you create an account for the first time.

For any other purpose, I believe that as long as the person is mature enough to be able to distinguish between a play-line toy and a collector's one, then there's no age minimum. That's just me however, I was always an old-soul, who rarely played with my toys whether they were play-line or collector type figures/dolls. Now as an old fart, I mod the crap out of most toys...lol! (:

 

I’m in my 20s now. I remember I started really taking care of my dolls at age 11 or 12. I used to draw on their faces all the time (funny because I do face ups now lol ). I imagine if I got a BJD any younger, it would have been a disaster. BJDs are expensive and require that oily grabby hands don’t make contact with the resin all the time (something a kid can’t stop themselves from doing ). I got into BJDs at 14 and made a lot of awful mistakes because I wasn’t supervised (ruined limited edition dolls, lost parts, bought non-legit dolls thinking they were legit on a discount…. That last one haunts me to this day). My parents didn’t know that was happening. They just knew I was using the money I saved up and not theirs, so they didn’t care . So maybe a good age would be 10-15 with supervision. Maybe younger if the parent is into BJDs as well.

 

At the end of the day, it is a doll, an expensive doll...but a doll nonetheless. If a child is into dolls and views dolls as toys to play with then it doesn't matter what age they are. Granted, smaller itty bitties probably shouldn't have a strung doll where the pieces can come off and the eyes can be removed due to the fact they love to eat small items. The same could be said about resin as one should probably not put it in their mouth.

I may not agree with what a younger child would do with one of these dolls (I can't tell you how many wigs I've seen destroyed that made me want to bust out the fabric softener and get to work trying to restore them) but....it is meant to be played with. If their parent believes the price to be acceptable and buys it for their child, so long as the child is old enough they do not get hurt or eat the pieces then good for them. For me, the joy of this hobby is the ability to customize and stylize. Therefore, if a child wants to take permanent marker/crayon/etc to their doll (that they own) in order to customize it, play in the mud and be rough with it, or even toss it in a toybox and forget about it then that is their decision. I may cringe, I may internally think "oh dear god! No! Not the doll!" but, it is not mine. I may not agree with such things happening to such an expensive 'toy', but again...it is not mine. I personally dislike the mentality that something isn't meant for someone because of age (I mean, I'm an adult that collects dolls for crying out loud) or because of how the mainstream collectors handle things/do stuff.

So, for me at least, at any age where they are not putting themselves at risk due to the composition of the doll or the pieces of the doll is the age where they can collect/play with them.

I used to think there was an age limit, that older children should be the only ones to play with these dolls because of their design. I've since met younger children who enjoy and love their dolls...even if they are not in the greatest of shape. I will say, due to small parts such as fingers breaking off, I think the child should understand they can be fragile. However, my daughter understood my dolls could break very easily at the age of 5, she knew she had to be careful not to drop them when she held them or played with them. I wouldn't have trusted her with some of my larger boys, but only because they were probably just as tall as she was at that age and could have posed a danger to her if she played with them.

So long as it is safe for the kid, I say go for it.

 

I guess it's up to the parents. If my kid wants a doll when they're older, I'll just have to see and decide then. Because of the high price of dolls honestly i don't know whether I would give one to a child at all. Children may enjoy cheaper things too. Maybe just let them save up and let them buy one themselves if they really want one. I might even chip in. They'll realise the value more if they have to save up. I think high school +.

 

Well, since resin is harmful if i gested or stuff, I would say BJDs are not good for small children. But as others said, I think there isn't an age where you can get one, but there's a specific moment in your life when you're responsible enough to treat your dolls with care that's the time when it's fine collecting bjds. Obviously, that means having the finances to fund the hobby (or a parent that's ok with doing it for you), so more than age I would look at the moment in that person life that aligns with having the financial means plus enough responsibility to collect fragile things.

 

I'm with @errinreynolds and @Cap'n.

As soon as they are able to understand the concept: you break it, you fix it, because there won't be a replacement.I don't buy the notion, personally, that these are exclusively or even primarily "collector" items. For some people, who are collectors by nature, sure. They can be. But even their creators, at least the ones I've spoken to, are excited to see how owners mod and personalize them. And personally, I think encouraging a collector's mentality in a child is detrimental to their future ability to create and think. I personally consider the BJDs' greatest quality is as an inspirational toy, that brings out the owner's inner artist.

If encouraged to make stuff for the doll(s) rather than spending money, it's a great way to teach them sewing, painting...let them play with faceups! Engineering...encourage them to make cool things for them out of glue, cardboard and paint. Photography...encourage them to play with the doll and create stories. Get them a cheap digital camera. Photoediting, captioning. There are so many ways this one investment can stimulate their inner artist. Just the act of posing them and finding their balance point is great for hand/eye coordination.

As for the physical dangers of a kid modding them...I learned safety requirements for all kinds of things, from electricity to welding to driving a tractor, before I was ten. I learned not to walk behind a horse pretty much from the moment I could walk. I think, as an interactive/shared hobby, parent to child, or older sib to younger, these could be a great bonding device. Since few kids have the strength required for restringing, having an older "partner in creation" would also be a benefit. As for expense...Hujoos would be a delightful introduction, with a size small hands could manipulate, and the pricetag is no more than many other modern toys that suck the creativity out of kids.

 

I agree with @Vindalootoo and @errinreynolds and @ashbelEro and others who have already commented.

Is the desire for a BJD or a similar customizable doll coming from the child or the parent? It should come from the child in my opinion. From there, it could be a discussion on what kind they want. Do they want something like Obitsu or Smartdoll or full on resin? Do they want what their parent/older sibling has? How are they going to get it - will they save up for it, will it be a special present on a birthday or holiday, or a reward for completing a certain task?

I think if I was a kid, I would lean more towards an Obitsu or a Smartdoll. I wasn't strong enough to lug around a resin doll but I sure loved Barbies and Cabbage Patch kids. I would have had fun changing it all up on something similar to them in size and weight!

As a teacher, I see all kinds of kids at different ages who can handle their toys with respect. Not all 10 year olds are as gentle as a 6 year old. So I think it really depends on the kid and parent and the financial situation.

 

If we are talking simply about owning I think it's up to the parent. Knowing the child, supervising play at least in the beginning to see how they interact with the doll and educate them on basic doll care (don't drop, keep out of sunlight etc.) is probably key.
For customization I would say flat no to anyone under the requiered age to be considered an adult in their country. Maybe make an exception to a responsible teen with an experienced adults as a suprevisor. The reason is very simple: toxins.
The material the dolls are made of is not use for childrens toys and there is a very good reason for that. The same goes for sealer, pastels and several of the types of glue often used.

There are two important points to consider.
1. A fully grown person with a fully developed body can deal better with many toxins than a childs body can.
2. An adult can consent to taking a certain amount of risks. We are expected to be mature enough to understand concepts like long term health hazards and we can decide what level of risk we are ok with.

These dolls were never made with children in mind so if you decide to give a BJD to a child, make sure you know exactly what you are giving the child (including what pigments were used for the face up, if there is a toxic flame retardant in the wig or clothes etc.) and make sure to educate the child as well.

 

Agree with @Cap'n @jessholy and @errinreynolds also.
Resin is a bit toxic and shouldn't be given to a very young child without diligent supervision, especially any kid who still puts things in their mouth. Also the elastic is under a fair bit of tension and can snap back, most dolls use metal hooks as part of their inner structure, and the possibility of the child swallowing small bits including magnets exists. Once a kid is old enough to understand good safety practices and self-controlled enough to use them, that is a big part of when it's okay to give or help them buy a BJD of their own.

Now, Faceups and other modifications that involve sanding or power tools have a different safety threshold. Proper respiratory protections and art materials that come with warning labels are things to treat with appropriate caution. Some ten year olds can probably do mods or face-ups with supervision and know how to respect the tools. Some older kids are not ready for that level of responsibility and it's the parent/close adults around that kid's job to help them make good decisions. That doesn't mean it's a binary choice between "here you go kid! do what ever you want to this doll that's X000.$! " and "nope nothing human shaped for you until you're twenty!". As other posters in this thread have noted there are -options- and the parent/caregiver can talk with the kid to make a plan and nurture that kid's interest in a safe way.

 

If they can appreciate the value and intricacy of what they have in their hands, then age doesnt matter. So if I were to hand one of these to a child, be it 6 yrs old or even 18, they would have to completely understand and appreciate the difference between that doll and a barbie, as to not risk that resin doll ending up swimming in a bathtub. And testing that understanding with a lower value doll would be my first step.

 

I will never understand why people would want to gift a child an expensive doll, that is not marketed as children toy, btw. Start with other type of dolls and see how it goes.
Also, people here are giving children too much credit: they tend to forget that they are moody and that they don't understand the value of money.
So, at some point children will prolly forget about the doll and leave it in a corner or will drop it carelessly.
Children will always be children in the end of the day.

Just leave it be till they are old enough to buy the doll by themselves and understand what's going on in the hobby.

 

Okay so speaking from experience, I would say to keep it out of the hands of kids until they're old and mature enough to recognize that its an art doll and how expensive they are. For example, when I was around 14ish I first started taking an interest in ball jointed dolls but boy did I not realize just how much effort and money it would be to be in the hobby!

My first art doll (not really ball jointed) was a pullip that my mom found at a thrift store. She was authentic, still in the box, and... I completely trashed her in attempts to customize her myself. Her wig is kind of destroyed, her eye mechanisms are completely lost, the back of her head needs to be glued in place, and the inside of her head is stained from the use of clay instead of tack to keep her eyes in. She's still sitting on a shelf in desperate need of a refresh after what I did to her so long ago, I regret it to this day!

Additionally around the same time I tried to order a body off of Alice's collection only to cancel it like a week later because I didn't realize that all heads did not fit on all bodies which cost me hundreds in return costs and also cost the poor company a lot of time. I still feel really bad for them for doing that and I wish I had just waited until I was more educated.

Basically, that might just be my experience because honestly I was really immature for really long, but I'm glad I had to deal with the repercussions of my actions and learn from my mistakes. Expensive mistakes. Which is why I don't really think that this hobby is greatly fit for kids or even young teens, maybe if they can appreciate the dolls from afar, but being able to handle their own dolls? Personally I wouldn't trust them with it until they're a bit older.

Instead I'd suggest sticking to other kinds of dolls for younger people. After my great pullip disaster I got into monster high customizing for a while which worked out much better as a hobby for me until I got to where I am now! They weren't expensive so trying to customize them myself was a much better medium, I learned to sew clothes for them so that now I can sew some simple clothes for my now bjds, and I still have my favourite custom sitting on my desk looking at me now.

This is all just my personal experience and I've rambled on for a bit too long, but yeah! I'm 18 now and far more responsible, hopefully now prone to less careless mistakes.

 

I kind of second @kitsoodles suggestion of other customizable dolls that are actually marketed for children such as Monster High, Capsule Chix, Our World, etc.

The toxins are a good point to remember as well along with change of interests that naturally occur in all human beings. I think the less money you can spend, the better. There are certainly doll lines out there that encourage switching up clothes/hair/heads/body parts, it's just a matter of finding them.

 

I was given a porcelain doll for Christmas when I was five, and understood she was special and fragile, and wasn't meant to played with like my Barbies and other dolls were. I got my first collectable non-resin fashion doll when I was 14 or 15 with money I had saved up. The doll store I got her from had a BJD that was amazingly beautiful, but was far more expensive than I would have been comfortable saving for and buying. I got my first BJD my senior year of college, and she was a less expensive mature tiny.

So I think if an older child or teenager is mature enough to understand the value of a resin doll and treat it with respect, they should be allowed to save up to buy one. Those who want something more affordable and play friendly should probably start with a doll from Obitsu or similar.

 

I think starting with the cheaper dolls like fashion dolls and baby dolls is good. Kids often like to play with their dolls and take them in the water. Usually they are plenty happy with those at younger ages and don’t even want dolls or toys that they can’t really play with. When a kid isn’t really a kid anymore but a teenager that likes to display their dolls and gently play with them is when to start with breakable collectibles I would think?