New, Barbie Doll Is Aimed At Kids As Young As 3

NEW YORK — Whether you like her or not, Barbie has changed again. This time, she has become a toy for kids as young as three.

The controversial hourglass shape has been taken out of My First Barbie, which came out on Thursday, a month before Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling star in a live-action movie about the doll in July.

The slightly softer-bodied Barbie follows on the heels of tall, petite, and voluptuous models unveiled in a big makeover five years ago.

My First Barbie stands 13.5 inches tall, which is 2 inches higher than regular Babs and features a wider waist that de-emphasizes the bust line (which remains in place), and flesh-tone modesty undergarments that are permanently attached.

Her style is more childlike, with heart, star, and flower motifs on pajamas and flouncy preschool-friendly clothes and swimwear. Her jewelry is bigger because she has small hands, and her hair is longer so it’s easier to comb.

Barbie Hands Are Now Linked Together

As with earlier versions of the doll, the limbs on my first Barbie can be moved, and her face is still recognizable. A significant achievement: her fingers and thumbs are linked, removing a common complaint that Barbie’s hands get tangled in her garments when youngsters try to put them on.

Mattel executive vice president of Barbie and dolls Lisa McKnight told The Associated Press that the business designed the new version in response to parent feedback.

“We talk to parents and kids practically every day of the year,” she explained. “We saw a trend of younger children wanting to play with Barbie. Parents were concerned that their preschool-aged children lacked the fine motor skills necessary for a pleasurable play experience with our classic fashion doll.”

The New Doll’s Release Has Four Skin Tones And Hair Textures.

Critics of 63-year-old Barbie, designed to represent a girl in her late teens, have long claimed that her measurements promote unrealistic, sexualized body ideals for girls. My First Barbie, which costs $19.99, goes a long way toward resolving that issue.

McKnight wouldn’t talk directly about the criticism or say if My First Barbie could help change this negative view.

According to Jody DeVos, former leader of Mattel’s child development and now chief learning officer for Begin, a company that creates learning apps and another educational fare for kids, research is mixed on whether Barbie’s bad rap on body issues and her adult-leaning fashion sense have any impact on children.

When it comes to Barbie, she says, “there’s a strong nostalgia aspect” among parents.

“I don’t believe a single doll is most fitting. “I believe doll play encourages children to practice narrative, perspective-taking, and social relationships,” DeVos added.

Barbie Universe Still Growing

Since 2013, when sales of the Barbie line went down, they have gone up a lot.

Joaniko Kohchi, head of Adelphi University’s Institute for Parenting, questioned Mattel’s motivations.

“If we think about Mattel guiding our choices, we’ve already kind of constrained them,” she explained.

My First Barbie, according to McKnight, will not be a separate, parallel Barbie universe. She said that more content with the doll would be posted on Barbie’s YouTube page later this month. The first thing that would be posted would be an animated special about planning a surprise party.

Andrea Werner, a pediatric occupational therapist in West Hartford, Connecticut, and mother of a preschooler and a newborn, believes that doll play benefits children’s development.

Some Still Not Convinced Barbie Is Age Appropriate

“There are a lot of dolls on the market,” she pointed out. “Companies will constantly endeavor to market the next greatest thing to consumers.”

Kohchi isn’t convinced that My First Barbie is age-appropriate.

“We know that if you’re going to present a child an image and say, here is beauty, this is fantastic, look how gorgeous that is,” she explained. “It’s still a little older than a preschooler.”

SOURCE – (AP)