how young is too young?

I just turned 18 this year and have been interested in dolls for maybe two years now. I recently bought my first doll and I am having a lot of fun with the whole experience.

I think you are old enough to make decisions about your hobbies, but maybe you should limit your spending just for the beginning of your transition into the hobby because it is very easy to sort of lose track of how much you are spending. If you decide you don't actually like doll collecting then it is easy enough to sell the doll afterwards on Instagram or Facebook, you shouldn't make much of a loss if you do.

It can be really fun making wigs and accessories for your doll and I think it helps you to bond with it too, there are plenty of tutorials on DOA to get you started!

 

I bought my first BJD when I was 17.

Doll-Zone used to mark their boxes with text indicating the dolls were for ages 13 (or 15? ) and up. I think that sounds reasonable. Any younger and the kiddos might have trouble with the weight of the dolls (like bonked in the face with a floppy doll), or get their little fingers pinched in joints.

 

I bought my first BJD before I turned 15! I scrimped and saved my allowance and birthday/holiday money to afford a Volks Megu before Volks were widely sold in the US. Of course, that was 15 years ago Things are different now.
I think as long as a person understands that BJDs are more delicate than, say, Barbies or other widely available vinyl dolls, there's no age that's too young (provided, of course, parental eyes are watching out for dropped dolls or pinched fingers). Me and my young cousins understood that my grandma's porcelain dolls were delicate and needed to be treated carefully when we were kids - I don't see why BJDs wouldn't be the same.

 

For me too young is 10 years old and younger. Basically, children. You are a teenager and I guess you saved (maybe a part time job?) your money, so you should go for it.

Being scared of spending big money can always be an issue. I'm 32 and sometime I think "should I really buy another doll? lol"
But then I think: "I can sell a doll I don't want anymore" in this way I can have some money back.

 

I think being old enough is when you have money that you have completely control over with. I don't really think it's the age, but rather the financial freedom.

 

I also discovered BJDs around 6th/7th grade, but I wasn't able to get my first doll until my 20s and honestly I really wish I had sooner for various reasons. Just be careful how much you spend at first, it's very easy to get carried away haha. Maybe work out a price list for essentials/things you first really want for your grail doll and see how you feel about putting that amount into it, or if you will be happy with the doll however it will be coming if you do get it. You are not at all too young for this hobby, just trust yourself!

 

I don't have children myself, but judging from my experience babysitting my nephews and nieces, I feel that a child under ten-years-old would be too young. I don't believe someone that young would understand the value of a doll as expensive as most of these are, or the danger of customizing them without proper tools and materials. As far as finances go, I started working when I was about your age, a billion years ago -- back then modern BJD weren't a thing, but because I was working to fund my own hobbies, no one would chime about my spending habits, which is pretty freaking awesome. I feel that as long as you are spending your own money, and you are old enough to understand the monetary value of things, you are not too young to own a customizable toy. You can always sell the doll, if this is not the right hobby for you, these dolls are expensive, but most people manage to sell them if they learn these are are not for them. (:

 

I was eyeing bjds since i was around 20, in university. I got my first bjd when i was 27 and had a proper job to actually be able to afford one. I'm mostly interested in SDs, and they're usually 500 Euro+. So I would never have been able to purchase one on a high school or student budget. I think my parents wound have been fine with it, but that's something you probably have to think about when you're underage. I think you're too young when you see these dolls as toys maybe? So anywhere in primary school l might be too young. But if you have the funds and you can give a doll a beautiful home, by all means go for it.

 

I'm not sure. I was a very mature young girl when it came to precious things. But, then again, in Quebec where I had grown up, I started high school in grade seven at 12 years old.
I started seriously collecting porcelain dolls when I was 7. They were treated with reverence and dignity. I believe if I had been given a BJD back then it would have been in as good hands then as they are now with me.
Each child is different. Of course, I had to grow up fast for other reasons. So, maybe it's better a child stays a little destructive of their toys til an older age where you can trust them

 

As others have said, it really depends on the child. On average I'd say maybe 11 or 12? 16 is definitely old enough!

 

My daughter just turned 12. I’m a doll maker and collector since I had my daughter at 18. She grew up and always knew how to handle delicate things. She not once destroyed a doll. She now has quite the collection of Azone dolls.

 

I'm in my thirties and I still have those thoughts everytime I consider buying a doll. These dolls and this hobby are a considerable chunk of change. If you went into it thinking that everything is peachy and money is no object, I'd say you were too young.

You can always save some money in this hobby by learning to make your own clothes, wigs, eyes, props, shoes and accessories. And if you get good at it , even use them to make funds for your hobby purchases.

If you get the doll and end up not bonding or discover that the hobby isn't for you, you can sell the doll. You might not get back every single cent, but you'll get the majority.

And lastly, if you get the doll but you get overwhelmed thinking maybe you aren't ready, you can always leave the doll in it's box. Put it away in a dry place away from the light. Then just wait. You might feel differently in a few months or a year. However, I think you'll be just fine.

 

Coming from a mom standpoint here, there isn't a set age. It is more of a mindset. If you realize the pricing and value of the item then you're old enough to have it. My daughter has had dolls since she was 8. She started out with a cheaper doll (Resinsoul) and realized she's more a fan of the YOSDs (at least for now) because they can play in her doll stuff easier. She now has one of the Souldoll Sweeters that I found to be too small for me. We didn't get her a doll until she had handled ours enough to realize they were heavy and yet fragile at the same time but she's had experience with fragile/collectible hobbies since she was a child.

One thing I will say is that if you are under 18 you technically will need your parent's permission to buy or sell secondhand in some countries. Paypal requires you to be at least 18 years old in order to have an account. There are some people who will not deal with buyers/sellers who have to use another person's PayPal account.

 

I don't have any kids of my own and I don't interact with children regularly, but I would think that as long as the child understands how to handle dolls carefully (plus at least basic etiquette on how to interact with other people's dolls, for meetups), it would be fine.

And this is just a personal opinion of mine, but I am of the belief that the child should be the one saving up for their first doll (even if it's just a portion of pocket money given by the guardian). Then again, I was influenced by a story in the local community, about a parent who bought a 70cm doll (!!) for her less-than-10-year-old child who said she wanted a "daddy doll." (Neither parent nor child had handled BJDs before.) Said parent ended up having to sell the doll at a huge loss because the child found it too heavy and promptly ignored it. Gifting dolls and all is nice, but this is not the cheapest hobby out there. It never hurts to develop good spending/saving habits early on.

 

As an addendum it also helps to recognize that this is ultimately a hobby. In a few years you'll be transitioning into young adulthood and be plagued with real life responsibilities like food, gas, rent, insurances, savings, education, etc. So it helps to look at the big picture on how much of your savings are still disposable for your hobby at the end of the day!

I wanted dolls back when I was as young as you are now, but didn't because taking a big chunk out of what little spending money I had meant I couldnt go on frivolous trips and hang out with my friends. Socializing was more impt to 16 yo me. So do take some time to assess what's important and dear to you in the short term vs long term. A hobby will be around but some experiences are time sensitive good luck!

 

I got into bjds around the same time as you, and I'm 16 years old as well. I just recently got a job and am now able to afford bjds. I don't really think there's a set age to buying bjds as long you understand that they are art pieces and and are mature enough to manage your own money well.

If you've been interested in the hobby since about 6th/7th grade, just as I was, I think that you should take the chance and buy your first doll.

 

It will really depend on the child if your concern is handling the doll.
While I got my BJD at 20, however, I am a porcelain doll collector and had an entire set of minis to play with (They had moving limbs) from age 7 which got smashed to bits by other children who did not understand the meaning of the word fragile and would toss them thinking they are the same as plastic. If the child is like me the fear would be their friend coming over more than the child themselves.
Generally, I would go with age 13/14 as to understand the worth and value of money if you are looking at ownership (I have also seen those ages referenced on some dealer and company websites). It is also the age I have found out what BJDs are, the fact that you are in a position to buy your grail is quite fortunate for you and I'm glad that it is not a purchase on a whim.
If you do go through with it I am very happy for you

 

I think it depends entirely on the individual, rather than the age. My daughter has always been very conscientious and surprisingly mature for her years, so I had no problem with buying her a much begged for Soom tiny when she was only nine (she 'earned' it with straight A report cards). She is now almost twenty-one, and has gotten several BJDs since...but that Soom Risi, while having mellowed just a bit, is as perfect as the day she came home, and my daughter still treasures her as the first.

So basically, nine, nineteen or ninety is not really the point - it's all about the person. If you feel you're ready for your first doll, can truly afford it and are fairly certain that this hobby is what you want, then there's no real reason to hesitate. Honestly, no one can be 100% sure until they actually own a BJD, and some people leave the hobby soon after joining - but there is no shame in that. At the very worst, you can sell an unloved doll.

 

I got my first BJD at 22, but I got my first collector's fashion doll at 15. That doll cost about as much as a Resin Soul tiny. I'd say if you can save up the money yourself and understand the value of a BJD, you're old enough.

I still have a porcelain doll I was given at age 5, and she was only ever damaged by a cat knocking her off a shelf. I didn't really play with her, but I understood she was fragile and special.