The Power of Barbie

It’s likely not surprising to anyone today that Barbie dolls are one of the most popular toys for young girls. Watching the tv commercials as they announce new styles of Barbie and it even appears in movies, Barbies are a worldwide phenomenon. But honestly, is anyone surprised? Barbie fits the classic mold of letting children play house, using their dolls to imitate real life.
To mimic real life, not only are there tons of Barbie dolls available, but the amount of ways to tweak your dolls is countless. From Barbie clothes to Barbie accessories, there are tons of things that kids can use to make their Barbies unique. With different clothes, kids can make their Barbies pretend to be a nurse, a teacher, or firefighter. There are over one hundred different jobs the Barbie can do, allowing the kids to go wild. When you factor in the accessories, from homes, to cars, to pets, the Barbie can truly become an extension of the child.
Parents love the Barbie dolls as well as it allows the children to become more knowledgeable about everyday life. Barbie allows kids to use their imagination in ways that videogames do not, giving children the opportunity to build their own imaginary world in which their dolls live. Further, the Barbies help the kids learn about the world around them, from the jobs they have Barbie take on, to the difficulties of raising a family.
This notion of raising a family is actually what created the idea of Pregnant Barbie, a part of the line of Barbie Happy Family dolls. Pregnant Midge comes with a baby and an attachable belly so you can pretend the doll is pregnant. It was a great idea, one that would allow children to pretend their dolls were pregnant and really feel like they were mimicking the entire process of making a family. However, some people reacted with criticisms and accused the dolls of giving children bad thoughts. As a result, the doll was forced to be recalled.
The Pregnant Barbie recall is actually part of what makes the Barbie dolls so collectible. Some of the more uncommon dolls are now worth a good amount of money, selling for hundreds of dollars. The most rare dolls include some of the annual Holiday Barbie dolls and the Silkstone Barbie. These dolls get released in limited numbers as collector’s items and cause a flurry of demand once they disappear. Because of this, the dolls have become significantly more coveted by even older people as they try and make investments out of them.
Overall, it’s hard to say where Barbie will go from here. However, what is clear is that the Barbies are here to stay. Kids love them, and the demand never seems to fade.