American Girl Doll Magic

My eight year old, just like the average little girl has loved playing with dolls since she was young. First with baby dolls, that resembled her little sister, then graduating like most girls do to the big girl dolls. This past Christmas, she was gifted her very first American Girl Doll by her beloved Gigi. As an aside, Gigi is an excellent Christmas shopper and scooped her up not one, but her two first American Girl Dolls, Tenney and Logan, via Jill’s Steals and Deals on The Today show, score!

And the American Girl Doll magic was immediate for my daughter. She carefully unboxed both of her dolls, and the love was instantaneous. She was smitten by their obvious charm and I knew from here on out, that no other dolls would do. And the AGDs are quite beautiful, with their shiny hair, and intriguing stories that come with them. Tenney plays the guitar and writes her own songs; who does not love an interesting backstory with their doll.

She of course wanted more American Girl Dolls, so we made a plan! Right after Christmas she started saving her allowance. The closest American Girl Doll store just so happens to be in Houston, where we visit my in-laws every summer. And she worked hard, getting her chores done to earn money, and resisting buying smaller, cheaper toys because she did not want to delay her first AGD purchase.

And let me tell you, the American Girl Doll Store experience is so much fun! There is a shopper there who explains all the different sections but does not hover over you while you shop. They are there in the wings to assist with any questions and guide you to what you are looking for. My daughter was going in with a set budget, and we had done some browsing online beforehand so as to not get overwhelmed. She was set on a new doll for certain, and clothing and accessories for her current ones. After all, Tenney and Logan needed summer outfits for when they were not performing! My daughter opted for a Truly Me Doll as her new doll, which she named Maddie, after herself, Madelynn. The Truly Me line are a series of dolls with features to match your child. We had also scheduled in advance an ear piercing on the doll of her choice (Tenney or Maddie), and with her budget she was able to purchase a few outfits as well. We had also made a reservation to get her new doll’s ears pierced through American Girl Doll. As an aside, you can also get your child’s ears pierced at AGD with her doll too.

If you are looking to get into American Girl Dolls and visit the store, I recommend a few things:

  • Have a budget in mind, and if your child is old enough, share that amount with them.
  • We utilized our shopping trip as a mini math and budget lesson; Madelynn knew what she had available to spend and used the calculator function in my phone to tally up what she wanted and made her choices based off of it.
  • I also suggest picking a special reservation through the website. They offer doll ear piercing, hair appointments and tea with you doll at their cafe attached to the store.
  • Some of the stores even have a hotel experience for your daughter and her American Girl Doll.

It is truly a charming experience!

Jessica
Jessica is a native New Orleanian, raising her two young daughters in Mid-City with her husband. After Katrina, Jessica ended up in Houston, Texas where she worked as a corporate event/party planner and met her native Houstonian husband. When they found out they were expecting their first child, they made the move back to New Orleans as Jessica had always wanted to come back home. Jessica is the owner and designer of Nolafionnah Custom Children's Boutique where she loves to design and make clothing for the special little ones in your life. On the weekends you can often find her at a festival, walking to local eateries in her neighborhood with her family, or enjoying a cold one at one of the family friendly breweries around town. Wine, Dateline, and Instagram are a few of her favorite things

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