You say ‘Barbie’ I say ‘bane of my existence’! As a mum to an adopted little girl who is not quite the spitting image of the iconic doll, I have made it my mission to keep her as unaware as possible, but to no avail. I am convinced that little girls, or a least a lot, are born with a Barbie chromosome which inherently attracts them to the perfect piece of plastic. If you, like me, have buckled under the pressure to get something Barbie-themed you’ll be pleased to know there are some educational and fun games available, other than the doll.
Don’t get me wrong, I haven’t placarded outside toy stores or staged a protest at a Barbie-themed party, I just haven’t wanted my daughter growing up thinking she is any less when compared to a doll and she definitely serves a purpose—the doll, not my daughter.
The Fashionista line of Barbie dolls includes three body types: tall, curvy and petite, as well as seven different skin tones, 24 hairstyles and 22 eye colors, which introduces diversity and shows children that different body shapes and sizes, hair color and features are completely normal. From an educational and developmental point of view playing with a Barbie doll or any doll for that matter, encourages creative play as well as role playing. Children come up with different scenarios and outcomes and they start getting an idea of responsibility and independence—and a wicked sense of fashion!
Just in time for Christmas letters to Santa, the Barbie games featured include everything from building and coloring in, to reading and card games.
9 of The Best Barbie Games (that aren’t dolls)
1. Mega Bloks Barbie Convertible
When two toys collide you get Barbie Mega bloks and I’m all for it if it’s going to encourage fine and gross motor skills, creative play and role playing. Plus your Barbie fan will love the ultra-glam Mega Bloks Build’n Style Convertible. The trademark pink car has doors and a trunk that really open and if you want to you can pimp your ride by swapping out the rims for sparkling spinners that show off your style. The convertible has more than enough room for Barbie and all her fab fashion finds. The set is compatible with the rest of the Barbie Mega Bloks range. I do need to mention these aren’t your traditionally oversized Mega Bloks; they’re somewhat smaller.
2. Neat-Oh! Barbie ZipBin Doll Dream House Toy Box & Playmat
The Barbie mansion doubles as a toy box and a playmat. Holding up to 40 Barbie dolls (wait, what? 40 Barbie dolls!), it also opens up and lies flat for creative play. Solid with sturdy handles and a lid it’s the perfect accessory for all Barbie games and gift for your little Barbie fan.
3. LeapFrog Learning Game: Barbie Malibu Mysteries
Another great partnership, adding an educational element to Barbie games, is the LeapFrog learning game: Barbie Malibu Mysteries. Designed for children ages four to seven, Barbie Malibu Mysteries inspires players to use reading, spelling, and problem-solving skills to collect all the clues and solve three mysteries. The learning game can be customized to offer practice with school spelling lists and works with all LeapPad tablets, as well as LeapsterGS Leapster Explorer.
4. Fashion Angels Barbie Velvet Poster Collection
Your children can create their own collection of fashionable posters with the Barbie Velvet Poster Collection. Budding fashionistas can choose their favorite color combinations and customize the velvet designs. The set includes six Barbie velvet posters to colour, plus six markers and instructions to get you started. It’s a fab feeling twist on traditional coloring!
5. Barbie Life in The Dreamhouse UNO Card Game
Everyone loves UNO and now you get to play it with your favorite Barbie Life in the Dreamhouse characters. As with traditional UNO, you can play by matching the colors or numbers, or play an action card against your opponent. When you’re down to one card, don’t forget to yell “UNO!” The Barbie UNO game contains 108 cards and instructions and is perfect for two to ten players.
6. Fashion Angels Barbie Sticker Stylist
Flex your fashion muscle with the new Barbie Fashion Sticker Stylist album. The uber-chic album comes with 20 style sheets and 700 stickers for you to mix and match to create the perfect outfit for every occasion. Choose garments, accessories, beauty swatches and more to create a fabulous look. The all-in-one album is easy to carry around and features metallic, puffy and paper stickers for endless outfit combinations.
7. Barbie 5 in 1 Game Case
Old school is cool with this Barbie 5 in 1 game compendium and carry case. Included in the set is Tic Tac Toe, Bingo. Go Bling (a fashionable version of Go Fish), Checkers and Old Maid (ironic choice of game there!) It’s perfect as a stocking filler or as an add-on gift and will keep everyone entertained over holidays and weekends.
8. Barbie and Her Sisters: Puppy Rescue – Wii U
If you’re a serious gamer then I suggest you stay away, the puppy rescue game is not for you. But if your little one loves all things Barbie then this Wii U game is just perfect. Join Barbie and her sisters, Skipper, Stacie and Chelsea, as they solve clues to find and rescue puppies in need. From check-ups and grooming, to teaching them new tricks, the puppies are your responsibility until they find their fur-ever homes.
9. Barbie Lenticular 48 Piece Puzzle
The Barbie Lenticular puzzle is lots of fun for beginners as well as those slightly more skilled with puzzle-building. In case you’re not sure, ‘lenticular’ means there’s a 3-dimensional effect to the image, and it may show depth, or a completely different image as you change your viewing angle. This adds to the fun and makes the puzzle a little bit more challenging.
Have any favorite Barbie games that you’d like to recommend? Feel free to recommend them in the comments!
Feature image courtesy of Flickr, cfiesler, and displays Game Developer Barbie.