Doll’s prams are a classic gift for young children, allowing them to act out the roles of mum and dad and enter a world all of their own imagination.
As with the grown-up versions though, there are lots of different options out there for doll’s prams these days. So, we’ve put together this quick guide to help make choosing that little bit easier.
The Types of Doll’s Pram
There are three main types of doll’s pram to be on the lookout for, each with their own features and characteristics.
Stroller
Strollers are a classic design and the kind of pram that’s most used for small babies.
They usually have a lot of storage space for all your little one’s dolls and other toys and can often be collapsed down for easy storage and transportation, which is always a nice bonus for mum and dad.
Pushchair
The type of pram you’d use for slightly older babies and toddlers, a pushchair seats the doll upright and is more lightweight and manoeuvrable than a stroller.
If you can’t decide though, you can choose to opt for the best of both worlds with a convertible pram which can be configured as either a pushchair or stroller.
Twin Pushchair
For double the fun, you could also opt for a twin pushchair so that your little one can push two of their dolls or teddies side by side or one behind the other.
For more information on the types of prams, check out this post from Made for Mums (it’s for full-size prams, but it still shows just how many different types there are out there!).
How Old Is Your Child?
The age and height of your child is an important factor to take into account when buying them a doll’s pram to ensure that the pram is nice and easy for them to wheel and control.
The most important thing is that you choose a pram which has a handle at a height where your little one can easily reach it, but that isn’t so low down that they’re stooping.
Ideally, you’ll be able to find a pram which has an adjustable handle so that your child can keep enjoying the pram as they grow!
Some people wonder whether their child is too old for a doll’s pram, but it’s important to let children work out for themselves when they grow out of something and to not set a strict upper age limit on them.
According to Play Like Mum, “Kids will lose interest on their own as they naturally age, but until they do, there’s no reason to hurry the process along.
“If anything, children are abandoning traditional toys such as doll’s prams in place of gadgets and devices at far too young an age, and holding on to their youth can hardly be a bad thing!”
Features
Some doll’s prams have extra features not found in others, so here are a couple of things to look out for.
Wheels
Some doll’s prams feature fixed wheels both on the front and back, but this makes them very difficult to control, especially for younger bodies, so we’d always recommend going with a pram with swivel wheels.
Brakes
Some prams will also have a brake on the wheels, which is useful for making sure that your little ones’ pram doesn’t roll away into danger!
Safety Belt
A safety belt helps to ensure that your toys and teddies don’t go flying out of the pram! In some cases, this just helps to make the pram look a little bit more realistic, but if you’ve treated them to an expensive doll, it might also help to keep it protected too!
Storage
You’ll also want to bear in mind how much storage space there is underneath the pram, so that little ones can throw in extra toys to push around with them.
