Barbie Doll for Preschoolers, My First Barbie “Malibu” Doll, 13.5 Inch doll, Blonde Hair Kids Toys and Gifts, Plush Kitten, Accessories, Soft Poseable Body, from 3 Years, HLL19

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A pink ruffle swimsuit is included, as well as large-scale accessories like a sunhat, tropical drink and pair of sandals. Also, if you think you’ve seen Barbies named My First Barbie before, you’re not wrong. There have been other versions over the decades, including the My First Barbie from 1980; she was the same size as regular Barbie, but her skin was made of harder, smoother plastic and her knees and elbows were not bendable. This made it easier for children to slip on and take off her simpler clothing, which did not have snaps that needed to be fastened. We talk to parents and kids almost 365 days a year,” she said. “We started hearing a theme around younger kids wanting to play with Barbie. Parents were concerned that their children at the preschool age didn’t have the fine motor skills to have a positive play experience with our traditional fashion doll.”

The launch of My First Barbie was born from insights we gained from parents, as we are always talking to families about what they are looking for to best suit their needs. Through this research, we discovered a whitespace. Parents had a desire to introduce their preschool-aged children to Barbie but were planning to wait until they were older with more developed dexterity,” Tasja Kirkwood, vice president of global consumer insights at Mattel, said in a statement. “This insight led to the exploration of the first Barbie doll designed specifically for preschool-aged children, enabling Barbie to reach even more parents and children with the Barbie system of play.” My First Barbie is 13.5 inches tall, 2 inches taller than traditional Babs, with a larger waist that de-emphasizes the bust line (it remains in place, however), and flesh-tone modesty undergarments permanently attached. Her fashion is more kid-like, with playful heart, star and flower designs on jammies and flouncy preschool-friendly dresses and swim gear. Her accessories are larger for littler hands, and her hair is extra long for easier brushing.The Mattel Global Consumer Insights team conducted an exploration on what parents look for in a doll for their preschool-aged children. The research showed that while many parents want to buy Barbie dolls for their preschool-aged daughters, some feel like their daughters aren’t old enough to play with the standard sized Barbie doll given their currently dexterity.

The launch of My First Barbie is accompanied by the first-ever Barbie content dedicated to preschool-aged children, titled “My First Barbie: Happy DreamDay,” which will debut Jan. 31 on the Barbie YouTube channel.The animated special follows Barbie and her friends as they prepare for a surprise party. Storylines highlight preschool themes of friendship and family, with simplified plots, original music and life lessons. The four main dolls featured in the special are Barbie “Malibu” Roberts, Barbie “Brooklyn” Roberts, Teresa and Renee.

Preschool-aged kids want to brush hair, change outfits, and tell stories but may require help from an adult with the traditional Barbie scale. While this is the first Barbie designed specifically for preschool-aged children, all Barbie dolls are approved for ages 3 and up, so you can gift one to a preschool-aged child. Closures on the clothing are simple, facilitating easy dress-up play for smaller hands -- which can also help build dexterity! My First Barbie’s colourful outfit also provides visual stimulation and encourages children to explore different colours and patterns. My First Barbie’s smaller size is perfect for little hands and makes it easy for children to carry her around wherever they go.

Little kids can dress their My First Barbie™ doll (not included) for a fun day in the sun! (Clothing compatible with My First Barbie™ 13.5-inch dolls.) Parents also indicated that they are likely to choose a toy for their daughter based on a favorite character, and this ‘favorite’ status is often driven by content exposure. This finding led to the creation of My First Barbie YouTube content, the first Barbie animated special designed for preschoolers. Inviting younger kids to ‘meet’ Barbie and be introduced to her inspiring world. That’s why the brand’s newest doll, called My First Barbie, is made specifically for preschool-aged children ages 3 and up. The new line of dolls and accessories have the same look and feel of other Barbie dolls, but are updated with larger accessories, easy-to-dress Velcro fashions and a larger, softer doll body made for smaller hands. The dolls are available in four skin tones.