Top 10 Barbie Toys You Always Wanted As a Kid
did you want the most? Did you get it? Give us the deets in the comments below.
#10: Ocean Friends Barbie & Baby Keiko the Whale
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For Barbie fans fascinated with sea life, Ocean Friends Barbie and Baby Keiko the Whale was the perfect set. Barbie came ready to make a splash in her wetsuit that magically appeared with the help of cold water and disappeared in warmer water. Her adorable friend Keiko was modeled after the real-life orca who starred in the movie “Free Willy,” a beloved ‘90s classic. Of course, there were other dolls for us to collect in the Ocean Friends Barbie line, including Ken and his noise-making dolphin buddy and Barbie’s friend Kira with her gliding seal. And since Mattel used the sales to donate to the Free Willy-Keiko Foundation, buying any or all of the sea-loving adventurers also contributed to the rescue and safety of whales.
#9: Disney Fun Barbie
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When Disney and Mattel released several of these special edition Barbies, we collectively went wild. These dolls weren’t characters like Rapunzel. Disney Fun Barbies wore casual, but still fabulous, attire for a trip to the Disney Parks. We desperately wanted to wear their cute outfits that had fun designs and endless variations. The dolls typically had their own Mickey Mouse-shaped balloon, a coordinating purse or bag for souvenirs, and a pair of classic mouse ears. Barbie truly has an outfit for everything, including being a tourist.
#8: Barbie McDonald’s Restaurant with Talking Drive-Thru
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Welcome to McDonald’s! May Barbie take your order? For many kids, McDonald’s was a go-to spot for food and play. And this 1994 McDonald’s playset was an ideal hangout for Barbie and friends, and a neat place for your Barbie or Skipper to work. We just had to make sure we didn’t lose any of the miniature food and drinks. The talking drive-thru was a major draw, and the little table and stools could provide the setup for some fun family meals. The set even came with tiny Happy Meals — and who doesn’t love a Happy Meal toy?
#7: Happy Holiday Barbie
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As kids, we sent Santa some admittedly long Christmas lists. But one present we absolutely had to have was the annual Happy Holiday Barbie, which debuted in 1988. These Barbies were simply gorgeous — we’re talking lots of tulle, velvet, bows, sequins, and faux fur. The stunning ball gowns were always a different color from the year before, usually the traditional holiday hues like green, red, white, silver, and gold. But Mattel also knew how to deviate from this rotation and come out with something wild like the hot pink gown in 1990. The only drawback was that this special doll did better on a shelf than in a Dreamhouse. But we still could still love Happy Holiday Barbie from afar.
#6: Barbie Airplane
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When we wanted to take our Barbies on adventures, we had several forms of transportation to choose from like campers, cars, boats, and even minivans. But in 1999, Mattel released the Barbie Blue Jumbo Jet Airplane that came with tons of tiny accessories. Inside were first-class features for Barbie and friends to fly in style, including reclining passenger seats, a whole food area, and a pilot deck for Barbie. Because of course she’s a pilot. And we could really channel our inner flight attendant with the realistic jet engine sounds and working microphone. It was sure to annoy our parents, but we’d have too much fun to care.
#5: Barbie Fountain Pool
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There have been a good amount of pool or water-related playsets for Barbie over the years. But what’s more awesome than a pool? A pool with a fountain and color-changing lights! Truthfully, as kids, we loved anything that lit up. But the Barbie Fountain Pool was all kinds of cool. It was decked out with fun features including a waterslide, and slides are always a good time. The flowing fountain was the highlight, though. Fountain Mermaid Barbie had a similar idea with her water-spraying crown. She was beautiful, pink from hair to fin, and a perfect companion for swimming in a real pool — though the bathtub was fine, too.
#4: Bead Blast Barbie
Barbie has always been synonymous with fashion. And even with all the different playsets, changing her look was still the most fun, and that included switching up her hair. Bead Blast Barbie rocked a pretty rainbow minidress with matching booties. But what we really loved was her super long locks ready for endless styles. She came with 101 beads which gave us plenty of chances to go wild with the designs. Barbie’s beads went in our hair, too, as we experimented with different patterns, and spelling our names. Oh, and we definitely never spelled out anything inappropriate…
#3: Power Wheels Super Talk Barbie Beach Patrol Jeep
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When you’re young, doing grown-up things like cooking, cleaning, buying groceries, and even working seems like fun. But arguably nothing was more exciting than driving. The Pow-Pow-Power Wheels Super Talk Barbie Beach Patrol Jeep was a life-size vehicle complete with windshield wipers, seatbelts, and a phone. A decked-out battery-powered car that kids could operate themselves was one of the most coveted toys around, especially in the ‘90s. And there were other vehicle options over the years too, like the Barbie Sun Jammer, the Barbie Lamborghini, and the Barbie Corvette! It’s safe to say any kid who didn’t get one of these is still a little bitter about it as an adult. Yes, we can drive regular cars now…but it’s just not the same.
#2: My Size Barbie
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In 1992, Mattel released My Size Barbie, a 3-foot-tall version of everyone’s favorite doll that came with a beautiful pink and white dress. Barbie’s versatile gown, which could also become two other outfits, was made to “wear and share,” a dream come true for all the kids wishing they could wear Barbie’s clothes and accessories. The life-size doll was an absolute must-have and was at the top of every parents’ shopping list. Soon, there was a whole My Size line with different dresses and themes including Bride Barbie, Princess Barbie, Angel Barbie, and Rapunzel Barbie. Dancing My Size Barbie, for her part, came with a wheeled platform that allowed you to spin her around. Playing make-believe couldn’t be more fun than this. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
Totally Hair Barbie
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Barbie Dream Boat
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Jam’ n Glam Barbie
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#1: Barbie Dreamhouse
There are an endless amount of cool Barbie playsets modeled after everything from grocery stores to workout centers to beauty salons. But the holy grail is the Dreamhouse. Since debuting in 1962, Barbie’s abodes have evolved from cardboard fold-out studios to big luxury houses. Barbie’s Magical Mansion from 1990 was a particularly lavish residence with a massive sparkling pink exterior. But when most people think of the iconic Dreamhouse, 1998’s “Full House”-esque Deluxe Dreamhouse comes to mind. Much like its pink predecessor from the mid-90s, the upgraded Deluxe was a pastel Victorian-era masterpiece with stained glass windows, a balcony, and an elevator. This was definitely on every Barbie-obsessed kid’s holiday and birthday lists.
