11 Best Baby Dolls for Little Ones as Young as a Few Months Old

When perusing the What to Expect community forms, one baby doll was mentioned more than any other: the Manhattan Toy Baby Stella Doll. A parent and toddler favorite across the board, the Stella doll has a soft and plump body that makes it super cuddly and comforting for younger toddlers. I bought this doll for my daughter when she was about 18 months old, and it was clear she cherished how huggable it was. She was also fascinated by the magnetic pacifier.  

I like that the Stella doll is offered in a variety of skin tones, ethnicities, hair colors and even mini sizes. Because the doll is soft, it makes for the perfect travel toy — your child can even hold it in their car seat. Manhattan Toy makes tons of additional accessories for this doll, including little outfits to extend the fun with this doll later down the road as your child gets older. For this reason, it’s my overall pick — it’ll be just as entertaining for little ones, especially for parents who don’t want a realistic doll, as it can be for those up to 10 years old. 

At just under $15, the Adora dolls are a great budget-friendly option. They feature some realistic details like defined fingers and toes, as well as an open mouth to place a baby bottle or their thumb. They have really cute faces, 10 different options, and are available as baby boys or girls. The flexible vinyl limbs make them pretty easy to pose, too.

I like that these are machine-washable since little ones are inevitably messy. They’re also really small – shorter than the 11 inches advertised – which can be good or bad. “They are just the right size for a 1-year-old,” one What to Expect mom writes.

The American Girl Bitty Baby is a classic baby doll available in various skin tones, hair types, and eye colors, making it easy to find a doll that looks like your little one. The Bitty Baby has realistic features, like fingers and toes and eyes that open and shut. It also arrives wearing a tiny cloth diaper that kids can take on and off. While the arms and legs are vinyl, the body is soft and cuddly. 

The range of accessories offered with a Bitty Baby is also so fun, including tons of detailed outfits, matching outfits for the toddler or child playing with it, and diaper bags with extra cloth diapers. 

The Bitty Baby is on the pricier side (as are the accessories you can buy separately), it’s a long-lasting investment. I had one when I was younger that I handed down to my little sister, and to this day, it’s still in impressively great condition.

The Perfectly Cute Baby Doll from Target is a great budget-friendly option for parents looking for a baby doll that is equal parts realistic and cuddly. This has been a go-to gift for both of my girls from various family members and friends over the years – I’m not exaggerating when I say we have accumulated six different ones. They are very durable, super cute and fun to hug and hold. My oldest also loves sleeping with hers. 

The mouth is open just enough to fit the complimentary pacifier or a thumb. It’s also fairly realistic, but I find the fact that the eyes don’t open and close to be a pro (a feature that can come off as creepy). But the best part? There are a bunch of equally budget-friendly accessories available at Target, including outfits, play food, high chairs, strollers and more. This version comes with a pacifier, toy and bottle, although there are other variations to choose from. These also emit 25 different sounds — giggling, hiccuping, sneezing — as powered by two AAA batteries. 

My one gripe is that the included headband never stays on and it personally irks me and my oldest daughter, but otherwise, this baby doll is the biggest bang for your buck. 

The Melissa & Doug Mine to Love doll is not as anatomically correct as some other dolls, but it has a cute face and soft, huggable body. The vinyl of the arms and legs is easy to wipe clean, and at 15 inches, this is a pretty moderate size that should grow with your little one. 

While Mine to Love dollars are sold separately, these are also offered as a pack of twins (you can also choose between Luke and Lucy and Sebastian and Sofia). And since most other dolls cost the same amount for just one, it’s a bargain. You can also purchase additional accessories to extend the fun, such as a little bath and changing set, but not quite as many as other brands on my list. 

In terms of diversity, it’s hard to beat Miniland dolls, which are handmade in Spain. The wide variety of dolls includes ones with Down syndrome, dolls with hearing implants and dolls with glasses. The company aims to help children build confidence, as well as teach them acceptance through play And the soft vinyl makes them equally great for comforting cuddles. 

The dolls are available in several different sizes, from 8-inch options that are great for little ones and super portable, to larger 15-inch dolls. They are anatomically correct and made to look very realistic — they even have a pleasant vanilla scent to them.

Corolle baby dolls are made in France and have earned an excellent reputation among customers for being durable and long-lasting. Unlike a lot of other dolls, their bodies are filled with beans, which offers a nice weight, keeps them flexible and makes them super poseable. Other realistic features include eyes that open and close and a sweet and subtle vanilla scent. 

While pricey, many parents say these hold up well and are worth the money. There are also a lot of other variations available and some diverse options, although I wish there were a few more. There are tons of cute clothing and accessories available for Corolle dolls, too, but note that they are a little pricey as well.

I got my daughter a Be Loved Baby, and was in awe of the unique soft and squishy skin, which makes these dolls genuinely feel like the real deal – even their cheeks are squeezable! They also have a slightly weighted body that makes them feel real, which is great for kids who want to hold and snuggle them. Rooted eyelashes and lids that close and open are more cool details little ones will love. 

This one comes with a pacifier and baby bottle, both of which can actually fit in the doll’s mouth. The included outfit and headband are very cute, but you’ll be hard-pressed to find additional outfits. This isn’t a huge dealbreaker though, since the 15-inch doll can easily fit into clothes of other similarly-sized dolls, don’t expect to find a new outfit available through a separate purchase. I do, however, wish there were more options – right now, there seem to be only two dolls available.

The Creative Minds Basket of Babies are cuddly, plush dolls that are easy for smaller hands to hold, offering some form of comfort and entertainment for the youngest of kids. The 12-inch basket includes six dolls of different ethnicities, which is a great way to promote cultural understanding and openness. 

Although these don’t come with other accessories, you can remove their onesies and put them back on, which is fun for toddlers as they get older. Parents rave about the surprisingly great quality, and like that they’re machine washable. The other downside is that these might be entertaining enough for older toddlers. 

Another great plush alternative, if you’re looking to keep a toddler entertained, are Apple Park dolls ($48). Based in San Francisco, each of these toys is crafted with organic materials and is available in a wide range of skin tones, ages and genders.

The HABA Snug Up Doll is more like a stuffie than a baby doll, with huggable arms that make it great for cuddling. It's available in three different versions — Luisa/Pink, Luis/Blue and Ollie/Green — all for $20.

The super soft plush fleece is comforting for little ones and makes them easy to hold. The face details are printed on, so these are safe for even the youngest babies. 

They’re also machine washable for easy cleaning and made to be propped up easily in a sitting position. I like that these make a really cute first doll for infants. That said, they’re not ideal for older toddlers and kids since you can’t change their outfits or use any realistic accessories with them.

The Minikane Bambini dolls are the only toy on this list that are meant for toddlers ages 3 and up. At 18 inches tall and boasting very lifelike features, they’re also anatomically correct, making them a great tool to teach kids about their bodies. 

These also include a light vanilla scent that is very appealing to littles, and they’re made in Spain with non-toxic, phthalate-free and eco-friendly vinyl. Their hair is hand-cut and implanted into the scalp, and it is little details like this that really make them stand out. They’re more expensive than many other options, but WTE community reviews swear by the brand’s quality.