The Short Answer
For a first house, buy the Red Roof Cosy Cottage Starter Home. It is the only current house that comes with a figure and furniture, so a child can play with it on the day. Add the Red Roof Country Home or Tower Home later — the Red Roof houses are designed to join together.
Every Current House Compared
Names and numbers are the Australian and UK ones; Calico Critters (North America) sells the same houses under similar names. Sizes are only given where a retailer states the size of the house itself rather than the box.
| House (number) | Floors | Comes with | Lights | Stand-out feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red Roof Cosy Cottage Starter Home (5567) | 2, top floor lifts off | 1 Chocolate Rabbit girl, kitchen, table, 2 chairs, bed | No | Working tap and an apple pie that "bakes"; about 28.5 cm tall |
| Red Roof Country Home – Secret Attic Playroom (5708) | 3 including attic | Ball abacus and baby table only | Yes, a lamp | Spring-out attic ladder; about 59.5 cm wide and 35 cm tall |
| Red Roof Country Home (5302) | 4 rooms, can become 3 storeys | No figures, 22 pieces | 3 removable lights | Opens from 90° to 180°; older version of 5708 |
| Sweet Raspberry Home (5393) | 1, high ceiling | Crème Chocolate Rabbit baby, bed that is also a slide | No | Joins on to other Red Roof houses |
| Red Roof Tower Home (5400) | 3, one room each | Persian Cat girl, table, 2 chairs | Not stated | A lift you work by turning the weather vane |
| Red Roof Riverside Manor (5865) | 2, movable wall | No figures | Chandelier, no batteries | Turrets, a stair that turns into a slide, a drawbridge and a boat |
| Courtyard Home Gift Set (5609) | 3 | 3 Floral Cats, bed, bathroom, kitchen island, garden set | Not stated | A courtyard for setting up pretend shops |
| Lakeside Lodge (5451) | 1 cabin | Hammock, table, 2 chairs, stove | No | Hidden slide in the roof for babies |
| Adventure Tree House (5450) | 4 small rooms plus a hut | No figures | No | Rope swing that works as a lift, log-ride slide |
The Red Roof Country Home (5302) and Cosy Cottage (5303) are the earlier versions of today's 5708 and 5567. You'll still see them in shops and second-hand, and they connect the same way.
Starter Sets and Gift Sets
If you want a house that's ready to play with, look for these boxes — they include figures and furniture as well as the building:
- Red Roof Cosy Cottage Starter Home (5567): house, 1 figure, starter furniture.
- Red Roof Country Home Gift Set – Secret Attic Playroom (5727): the attic house with 3 figures and bathroom, living-room and bedroom furniture.
- Courtyard Home Gift Set (5609): 3 figures and furniture.
The shop "starter sets" (bakery, cake shop, doctor) are furniture and accessories without a building.
Which House for Which Child
- Age 3–5, first Sylvanian: the Cosy Cottage Starter Home. Small, sturdy and complete in one box.
- A child who already has a family or two: the Country Home – Secret Attic Playroom. Three storeys and plenty of room to fill.
- A child who loves moving parts: the Tower Home (lift) or the Riverside Manor (slide, drawbridge and boat).
- Building a bigger village: add the Sweet Raspberry Home or Tower Home to a Red Roof house; the Red Roof range is designed to connect.
Sylvanian Families vs Calico Critters
They're the same toys. Epoch makes both from the same moulds and only the name and box change, so figures and furniture from one fit the other's houses. A few sets do differ by region — for example, the North American version of the Cosy Cottage Starter Home comes with a bath set where the Australian one has a kitchen.
Figures are roughly 8–8.5 cm tall for parents and 3–4 cm for babies, which puts the houses at about 1:16 scale — smaller than a standard 1:12 dollhouse. If you're mixing in furniture from other brands, use our scale converter to check sizes.
Where to Buy in Australia
The official range is sold by BIG W, Toys R Us, Mr Toys, Toyworld, Toymate, Kidstuff, David Jones and many online toy shops. Amazon Australia mostly lists Japanese imports: the same houses under Japanese product codes (for example DH-08 for the starter home and HA-49 for the Tower Home), with Japanese boxes and instructions. The toys themselves are the same, which can be useful when a house is out of stock locally.
For other dollhouses made for play rather than display, see our guide to the best dolls houses for kids.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best first Sylvanian Families house?
The Red Roof Cosy Cottage Starter Home. It is the only current house that comes with a figure and furniture as well as the building, and both the Sylvanian Families and Calico Critters ranges describe it as the house to start with.
What age are Sylvanian Families houses for?
The official age rating is 3+ (the Red Roof Riverside Manor is listed as 4+ in Australia). Parents commonly report children playing with them until around 10, and many adults collect them.
Are Sylvanian Families and Calico Critters the same?
Yes. Epoch makes both from the same moulds; Sylvanian Families is the name in Australia, the UK and Europe and Calico Critters in North America. Figures, furniture and houses fit each other, though a few sets contain different accessories in each region.
Can Sylvanian Families houses be joined together?
The Red Roof houses are designed to connect. The Country Home and the Cosy Cottage together make the Red Roof Grand Mansion, and the Sweet Raspberry Home and Tower Home can be added on.
Do the house lights need batteries?
Sources disagree for the Red Roof Country Home: the Australian distributor lists one AAA battery and other retailers list two, so check the box. The Red Roof Riverside Manor's chandelier lights up without batteries.
