In the United States alone, some 2.8 million individuals make use of a wheelchair. Hundreds of thousands of those individuals in that group are children. That being said, the media rarely represents children with mobility issues and you don’t very often see it in the toy section.
Mattel is doing its part to make a difference. Barbies with wheelchairs were the first to be introduced in 2019 as part of their Fashionistas line. Even though that was the case, those Barbies would’ve had a difficulty traversing through the Barbie dreamhouse, but not any longer.
There have been a number of Barbie dollhouses created over the years, but recently, it got an upgrade for those with mobility issues. It has a wheelchair accessible option for dolls with disabilities.
Previously, the Dreamhouse would have been difficult to navigate for a Barbie with mobility limitations. Only a standing Barbie had room. The latest update, however, adds an elevator to allow any Barbie to get up to the bedroom or bathroom and explore the entire home. Mattel is also planning on creating wheelchair accessible campers and other homes in the future.
The Barbie Dreamhouse is 4 feet wide and 3 feet tall. There are 8 rooms and the 3 different stories, including a 2nd-floor pool slide, home-office, and carport. There are realistic touches added, including lights and sounds and you can even flush the toilet if you desire. The kit comes with 70 pieces.
In addition, the price of the wheelchair-accessible Dreamhouses has not increased. Just because it is a specialty item does not mean you will pay a premium price. These dreamhouses are now available at Walmart, Amazon, and Target. The MSRP is $200, but they are currently listed at $179.
We are so happy that the updated version is inclusive, but even better, it goes up and down by pushing a button.