Our Review of Mattel's My First Barbie Dolls: A Sweet Starting Point for Preschoolers
The My First Barbie line, new for 2023, features larger and easier-to-dress dolls.
Reviewed by Marisa LaScalaSenior Parenting & Relationships Editor
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It seems that 2023 is the year of Barbie, thanks in large part to the "Barbie" movie, and Mattel is expanding the scope of the pink universe. In addition to the huge line of Barbie Fashionistas sporting different skin tones, hair choices and body sizes, there's now a smaller line called My First Barbie that is meant to bring younger kids into the Barbie fold.
The line includes these four dolls, which range in price from $10 to $14:
• My First Barbie Malibu
• My First Barbie Brooklyn
• My First Barbie Teresa
• My First Barbie Renee
My First Barbie dolls and accessories are for preschoolers ages 3 and up. The dolls wear tiny choking-hazard-size shoes, so they're not for babies and toddlers. But My First Barbie clothes are easier to put on than regular Barbie clothes, and that makes this line a nice starting point for 3- and 4-year-olds and gratifying for any child who struggles a bit with fine motor skills. Some items, like handbags and necklaces, are printed right on the outfits so kids are not struggling to put accessories on Barbie.
Also, the world of My First Barbie has less glitz and more focus on imaginative play. "I was pretty surprised at how quickly my 3-year-old took to caring for the doll," one of our tester parents told us. "She had no idea what Barbie was but immediately knew what to do with her. She brushed her hair, put her down for 'naps' and sat her in the empty bathtub to get 'clean.' Oh, and she named her Janice."
We've rounded up the 15 initial offerings in the My First Barbie line for 2023. At the bottom of our list, we include some traditional Barbies that could also make good gifts for 3-year-olds. For more on what makes My First Barbie different than a traditional Barbie, see our notes below the list.
My First Barbie Dolls
There are four main iterations of My First Barbie. Like they say in the movie, they are all Barbie. The one that the movie would call "Stereotypical Barbie," with blonde hair, is nicknamed "Malibu" in the My First Barbie universe. She wears pink, comes with a pink pet kitty and has a blue hairband that matches her blue heels.
Brooklyn is also a popular version of My First Barbie. Note that all of the My First Barbie versions are featured on a My First Barbie YouTube series that plays on the Barbie YouTube channel. So like with so many other things, if your kid gets hooked on the videos, they may also want all the dolls. We like Brooklyn's curly hair, purple dress, and her matching purple poodle.
The My First Barbie doll with straight light brown hair is named Teresa. (Remember her? Barbie's friend?) Teresa's dress has a belt printed on it and a fun multicolored skirt. She cares for a blue pet bunny and comes with a pink, bow-adorned tennis visor she can wear. All of the Barbies come with a large-sized brush so a kid can brush their hair.
The My First Barbie doll with long black hair, named Renee, takes care of a brown pet squirrel (!). The accessory she comes with is a pair of flower-shaped sunglasses, and her colorful skirt has flowers on it as well. Don't be fooled by the shoes — they look like sneakers but still have heels!
Deluxe Sets and Accessories
This slightly more pricey edition gets you Brooklyn with an outfit change plus a few extra accessories. The doll is decked out in a party dress with a present to carry. For after the party, there's a moon-and-stars printed nightgown and a pink sleeping poodle. Accessories include a unicorn eye mask, slippers and a bow headband.
There's also a deluxe set available for Malibu. She wears a mint-colored party dress and carries a bow-shaped purse. Her pink kitty wears a sleep mask. She comes with a nightgown and sleep accessories, but note that you can buy pajamas and sleep accessories as their own set too, shown below. There's currently no deluxe set for Teresa or Renee.
Your child can put any of the My First Barbies to sleep wearing this colorful unicorn nightie. The unicorn-themed bedtime set comes with matching slippers, a sleep mask, a unicorn plush animal that Barbie can cuddle and even a frosted donut for breakfast for her to nibble when she wakes up.
Ken knows how important the beach is to the world of Barbie! Your preschooler can dress any My First Barbie in this splashy set that includes a bathing suit, a straw sunhat and orange sandals. The flamingo can be another pet or a toy (your kid can decide!) and Barbie gets a fruity drink, too.
Any of the My First Barbie figures can head to the dance recital wearing with this tutu with pretty printed-on details and attached bow. There's a dance bag as well as a tiara, pink ballet slippers and a bouquet plush for after she performs her big solo number.
Whether Barbie is having a sea-themed party or is going to one, she can don this purple dress printed with a shell purse and mermaid scales and carry the purple-heart balloon. Other festive add-ons include a birthday cake plush, a pair of strappy blue heels and a purple headband.
My First Barbie does not have her own Dreamhouse (she's also too big to fit into the traditional Barbie Dreamhouse). She does, however, have this bed which is sized for the larger My First Barbie dolls. One doll can lie in the bed and another on the trundle. The set also comes with a puppy, a purple teddy bear, a clock and bedding.
Malibu, Brooklyn, Teresa and Renee all get a seat at this tea-party table that comes with four bear-shaped chairs. It's the grandest set of accessories in the My first Barbie line, and includes a rolling tea cart, a teapot and four cups, six desserts and a display as well as two mischievous kittens.
This adorable pack of accessories doesn't come with a My First Barbie doll, but it does include a right-sized chalkboard, backpack, laptop, water bottle and more. Your child can turn Barbie into the teacher or the student. Remember that My First Barbie is scaled a bit bigger than traditional Barbie, so these accessories might be a little weirdly large for a normal Barbie doll.
This second kit of accessories is for the kids who can't get enough of cute little animals! The puppy and kitty can be set up in the dog house and the pet bed, complete with two pet toys, pet bowls and a bag of food, all sized to look right with the My First Barbie dolls.
Last but not least in the My First Barbie line is this pack of birthday supplies. That little creature in the middle is a unicorn (anything is possible in Barbie's world!). The gift box opens up, and the cake comes along with a slice of birthday cake on a plate. There's a pet bear and two straw cups for good measure.
Barbie Dreamtopia Rainbow Lights Mermaid with Light-Up Tail
If you decide to bypass the My First Barbie line and go straight to Barbie-Barbie, there are good choices for preschoolers there, too. Let the Barbie animated movies be your guide and consider the more fantastical, less fashion-model sort of Barbies.
This light-up mermaid Barbie from the Dreamtopia series, for instance, has more than 25,000 five-star reviews on Amazon. Kids activate her tail lights (haha) by pressing her necklace or dipping her in water, which makes her a popular bath toy.
Your preschooler won't be dressing her much (she's half fish, after all). But this Barbie can one day sit in the Dreamhouse pool and wear regular Barbie's jacket.
Barbie Pup Adoption Doll & Accessories Set
This regular-girl Barbie is all about role-playing adopting a dog and her puppy. There's color-changing magic: If you fill the dog dish with cold water and put the puppy's face in it, its face turns "dirty." This Barbie can fit into all regular Barbie clothes, furniture, vehicles and homes. She's a little smaller and tougher to dress for young kids than a My First Barbie, but if you don't want to invest in the My First Barbie line and do want an cute and innocent set, this could be an appropriate starting point.
What is the difference between My First Barbie and regular Barbie?
Here are the primary differences:
✔️ My First Barbie is — let's just say it — less sexy, more sweet. She does not have an hourglass figure, her dresses are simple and frilly, and her makeup is minimal to nonexistent (depending on whether you think she's wearing mascara and pink lipstick). If regular Barbie's va-va-voom nature troubles you, or you worry that a blinged-out doll sends weird signals to a young kid (looking at you, much as I love your spirit, Barbie Extra Fancy), My First Barbie is a less complicated choice.
✔️ The dolls are different sizes. My First Barbie is bigger, at 13.5 inches tall. A traditional Barbie is two inches smaller, at 11.5 inches tall. That makes a My First Barbie easier for young kids to care for and pose because her limbs are not as teeny tiny. Retailers sometimes refer to My First Barbie as "a preschool doll" whereas regular Barbie is "a fashion doll."
✔️ Their clothes are different sizes, too. We like that the My First Barbie clothes are easier to put on. They're simple sacks with hook-and-loop closures up the back that little hands can easily pull apart or attach. The accessories, like the shoes and sunglasses, are too small for kids under 3. But they are larger than regular Barbie accessories, so they're more manageable for many kids to handle."My daughter is working on learning to change her clothes," a tester parent told us, saying that though the clothes are easier, there is still a learning curve. "We've been helping her but she's trying on her own. She got My First Barbie's headband and shoes on and off by herself."
✔️ My First Barbie sports a flesh-colored bodysuit. She doesn't look totally naked when you take her clothes off. It looks like she's wearing a strapless bathing suit or shapewear.
✔️ My First Barbie has a softer, more posable body. Her torso is more like soft rubber than hard plastic. "Her knees and elbows bend into a few different positions," our tester says.
✔️ The My First Barbie line has fewer items in it. Maybe because this line is new, there are fewer clothing options, plus there's no Dreamhouse or car for a My First Barbie.
Jessica (she/her) is a freelance writer with several decades of experience writing lifestyle content and evaluating home and parenting products. A mom of two teens and two cats, her previous work can be seen in American Baby and Parents.
Marisa (she/her) has covered all things parenting, from the postpartum period through the empty nest, for Good Housekeeping since 2018; previously, she wrote about parents and families at Parents and Working Mother. She lives with her toy-collecting husband and daughter in Brooklyn, where she can be found helping out her team at bar trivia or posting about movies on Twitter and Bluesky.
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