Little girls love dollhouses, but they can be pretty expensive to buy. Luckily, you can make your own at home with materials you probably already have. Shoeboxes and cardboard boxes will work well for short-term play. For something more durable, a bookcase can be the beginning of a great dollhouse. Each shelf can be a different room. Add wallpaper. You can draw or print pictures, or even cut out magazine photos of windows, rugs, plants, etc. and glue them on. Look around your home for supplies such as carpet remnants, fabric scraps or any empty food cartons that you could make into furniture.

The first reader tip has another suggestion: