“Barbie Announces New Study Showing How Doll Play Helps Kids Develop the Essential Skill of Empathy” by Afdhel Aziz highlights the importance of childhood doll play, specifically with Barbie dolls, by breaking down a recent study conducted by Mattel and applying it to the evolving definition of childhood. Aziz’s analysis of the study shows the contributions Barbie dolls have made in making “imaginative play” (Aziz) a fun and wholesome learning experience for children to discover a sense of empathy. Since their introduction to the toy industry in 1959, these dolls have become a staple in the average American family as the “biggest selling fashion doll of all time” (The Strong) and an early role model for youngsters around the world. This shapes their status as a defining element of childhood—an inanimate toy teaching children the art of human connection and empathy.
Though Barbies are often used for independent playtime, Mattel’s study is able to prove that these figures can still provide a sense of collaboration, something “more relevant than ever when children’s social interactions, such as play dates, school or daycares are not readily available” during current-day events such as the COVID-19 pandemic (Aziz). The company’s diverse line of dolls ranging in race, shape, and profession; and supported by their newest slogan, “You Can Be Anything” (Mattel), truly encourages growing children to imagine a world without restraints. The humanity within these toys and their limitless ideologies have continually evolved with the generations they serve, some of which now choose to bring their children up surrounded by the same toys that once taught them the value of imagination and empathy.
Playing pretend serves an incredibly important and nearly-universal role in growing up, especially in mastering the art of interaction as children experience full exposure to society for the first time. Barbie dolls and their many variations have been able to nurture this element of childhood because young children are able to look at their dolls and picture themselves accomplishing everything Barbie has and more. Their array of plastic figures are the image of early preparation for the outside world, as “playing with dolls, even solo, nurture[s] social skills” (Aziz).
Despite the developments the company has made in recent years, the niche Barbies initially flourished from set an extremely gendered target demographic that Mattel has yet to grow out of. In a way, the perfection behind Barbie’s original look suggests that the company’s initial goal was to set a standard in outward appearance for young girls in the late 1950s and onward. Even nowadays, Mattel’s website boasts that “with over 200 careers and counting, she [Barbie] continues to inspire the limitless potential in every girl” (Mattel). This statement creates the expectation that Barbie dolls may only serve their full purpose for female consumers. Despite this, the company’s undeniable contribution to childhood development still suggests that its definition in the context of modern-day society may not have evolved as much as some may believe. According to Marianne Cooper’s article for The Atlantic, entitled “Yes, Even Doctor Barbie Sends Girls the Wrong Message,” “A 2014 study of 4-to-7-year-old girls found that playing with Barbie actually limited girls’ perceptions about what they could be in the future.” Even so, Barbie has shaped the definition of childhood more than ever, as it still serves to represent the many positive and negative expectations children face in today’s society.
Work Cited
Afdhel Aziz. “Barbie Announces New Study Showing How Doll Play Helps Kids Develop the Essential Skill of Empathy.” Forbes, 21 Oct. 2020, www.forbes.com/sites/afdhelaziz/2020/10/21/barbie-announces-new-study-showing-how-doll-play-helps-kids-develop-the-essential-skill-of-empathy/?sh=64123d645bb8.
“Barbie | National Toy Hall of Fame.” Toyhalloffame.org, 2019,
www.toyhalloffame.org/toys/barbie.
“You Can Be Anything | Barbie.” Mattel.com, 2021, www.barbie.mattel.com/en-us/about/you-can-be-anything.html.
Cooper, Marianne. “The Atlantic.” The Atlantic, theatlantic, 8 Nov. 2015, www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2015/11/barbie-girls-careers/414525/
