Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in Halifax, NS

Growing up I cherished my doll house. It was a massive Barbi mansion. All my girlfriends were into Barbi. Unlike the criticisms today of the doll, I never recall very my Barbi dolls as restrictive or sexist. In fact my Barbi's allowed my imagination to soar. I could decorate, redecorate, create furniture and act out my imagination for hours with that doll house.

My daughter is totally not into Barbi. She received a couple for Christmas and they were quickly discarded for her animals. She has all sorts of animals, wooded, plastic (now all Schleich due to rising issues with lead in paint) and stuffed. Her animals allow her imagination to soar. So when looking for a doll house, I wanted to find a place for everyone to call home.

In other words, a house that is open ended. Open ended. We hear that term a lot when referring to children's play but what does it really mean. For me, open ended means that the toy can be multiple things to a child, and that it it up to the child to figure out what that toy is to them. Open ended toy make children think.

When we were shopping for a doll house, Dora's Talking House was all the rage. My daughter of course was fascinated by the item. I being a mother that loves to adorn my children with what they want, could not fathom being such a house for my preschooler. My preschooler has the tendency not to see outside the well formed commercial box. Dora's Talking House, is a fantastic, wonderful place for Dora and her pals. What about all the other wonderful creatures that my daughter adored? They would be homeless.

Instead we went with a Ryan's Room dollhouse. We already scored a Ryan's Room Firehouse on sale and it was a big hit. Our dollhouse is now home to alligators, mice, a family of deer and a couple with a baby! The house has also been a hospital for sick animals, flooded, on fire and a place to grab a bite to eat.

As my preschooler gets older, I look forward to designing some furniture with her and creating new and wonderful things for her little place to call home.