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    Dad wants to forbid 7-year-old granddaughter from playing with collectible 90s Barbie he gave her as a birthday gift: 'Kids don't want toys they can't play with'

    Author image for JR Atkinson
    JR Atkinson • Writer and Editor
    Mar 5, 2026 10:00 AM EST

    Would you give a child a toy they weren't allowed to play with?

    Getting gifts for kids can be so much fun. Adults are hard to buy for. Odds are, they probably don't want anything because if they did, they would have bought it for themselves. But kids want everything, and they don't have the money to buy it for themselves. As an aunt or uncle, grandparent, or family friend, you have the chance to make a kid's day with an awesome present. And they're usually pretty easy to please, up until a certain age. They want things they can play with. They want things with a lot of bells and whistles that look fun and make fun noises. As much as they might be a pain in the neck for the parents to deal with, the kids want the toys. And they want all of them at once. 

    But some people have a different idea of what an appropriate gift looks like for a kid. Maybe they've lost touch with their inner child and have some outdated notions about what children like to do. It's not your job to get it right every time, and it's definitely the thought that counts, but you don't want to make anyone's life harder with your gift. You don't want to give a gift that becomes a source of frustration for everyone involved. You want to make a positive impact, not a negative one.

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    • A vintage barbie doll wearing an Olympics outfit
      via Julee Juu

      Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

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    • That's what one grandparent was trying to wrap their mind around when coming up with gift ideas for a kid. They wanted to give them something that would appreciate in value over time. There is a nice idea behind this. It's thoughtful to think of something that will benefit them long term, not just short term. But the problem was, it was going to take a long time for that theoretical appreciation. And the parents weren't sure if that wasn't just going to cause more strife in the family. Read on to see what happened and what other family members and commenters from the far reaches of the internet had to say about it. 

    • Am I in the wrong for telling my dad that I wouldn't keep my 7 year old from playing with a 'collectible' birthday gift?

      I (40f) have a daughter who is turning 7 this month. My father (63m) asked what she wants for her birthday, I told him that she's really into Barbie, and she could use some Ken dolls. He bought a 90s era Barbie and Ken set and told me that it's a collectible, and wouldn't appreciate in value if it was opened.
      via u/TheRealSquirrelGirl
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    • It is not the only doll, but she loves space and her favorite astronaut was on Star Trek. Here's where I think I might be the a hole. I told him that things from the 90s weren't appreciating in value, and the guy that bought it originally would have had a better ROI by just playing with it.
      via u/TheRealSquirrelGirl
    • So, AITAH for telling my dad that I wouldn't keep my kid from playing with this toy?
      via u/TheRealSquirrelGirl
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    • Commenters gave their takes on this family story.

      bunbunhoneycakes NTA little kids don't want toys they can't play with. I understand where dad's coming from, but he has made a mistake.
      via u/bunbunhoneycakes
    • LadyRaya NTA. As a child in this exact situation as a kid, all that really came of it was me carefully removing it from the package to play with, and then meticulously putting it back so as to not get in trouble, and then carrying around too much anxiety to be caused by a doll.
      via u/LadyRaya
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    • early_birdcpt Inta, it's a toy, she's a child. i had a friend in primary school whose mom bought her dozens of dolls but only let her play with a handful of them. 8 year old kid with a bedroom of myscene dolls in boxes on shelves she couldn't reach. sad and kind of embarrassing/cruel
      via u/early_birdcpt
    • Maladine NTA Some of my gifts I received as a kid from my dad are still stored in his garage. I never got to play with them and they absolutely did not increase in value as they weren't stored properly anyway. Collectors items should be left to the collectors to squabble over and let the kids play with toys.
      via u/Maladine
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    • bahumat42 NTA - don't buy children toys they can't play with, your dad is being weird.
      via u/bahumat42
    • redcore4 NTA - if your dad wants to collect collectibles, he has his own birthday for that. Giving a 7-year-old a toy she can't play with is just mean.
      via u/redcore4
    • A little girl plays with blocks on the floor.
      via Unsplash+ (Getty Images)

      Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

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    • DANADIABOLIC INTA .... slightly Obviously she is a child and you asked for something she can play with BUT you are incorrect on this point: "90s weren't appreciating in value, and the guy that bought it originally would have had a better ROI by
      via u/DANADIABOLIC
    • just playing with it." I'm a collector and these things keep going UP in value, and opening it immediately decreases the value. BUT he was wrong to get her this, of course she is gonna wanna play with it!
      via u/DANADIABOLIC
    • houseonpost Think big picture. Your daughter would enjoy playing with a new or used doll just as much with the collectable doll. But if you open the collectible it will be an issue with your dad. An issue that is completely unnecessary.
      via u/houseonpost
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    • Give the doll back to dad and suggest he give it to your daughter when she is older and can appreciate the gift. After your dad is de d and gone and you are old you might value the fifty+ year old collectible doll.
      via u/houseonpost
    • violue NTA. If your father wants to gift your daughter an investment, there are ways to do something like that without giving her a toy she can never play with.
      via u/violue
    • minkamagic So your dad bought your 7 year old a toy she can't play with...? Is he insane? I'd give him that gift right tf back.
      via u/minkamagic
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    • Literally_Taken NTA I'd return the set to him, and by my child the best replacement I could find (at a reasonable price for a toy).
      via u/Literally_Taken
    • First-Industry4762 NTA who buys a collectible for a seven year old? No kid that age is going to be happy with a toy she cant play with. Thanks for nothing grandpa.
      via u/First-Industry4762
    • CloverClover97 NTA show him the countless videos on Instagram on people letting their kids play with their "collectible Barbie's" they aren't worth anything but the memories, and even if they are, who buys a 7 year old an investment, open a savings account for her if you want things to appreciate gramps.
      via u/CloverClover97

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    Tags

    gifts toys kids Barbie grandfather dolls parenting collectibles grandparents barbie doll
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