In September of 2011, the Indianapolis Children’s Museum displayed  Barbie: The Fashion Exhibit. Did you see it?

Through experiential exhibits, the creators shared the history of the Barbie and Ken doll, and focused the exhibit on kids creating art through fashion design concepts.

It wasn’t about cultivating the mindset of Barbie and Ken being the “ideal” but instead, by using multicultural fabrics, light tables and tracing paper, costumes, hair brushes and mannequins-they allowed boys and girls to put on a fashion designer hat and jump fully into the act of creating something.  I’ve been waiting a year and a half for the ‘kid spark’ to ignite so that I could introduce these developmentally unique experiences to our own Wee Friends! And it happened this morning! Inspired by her own sister’s interest and talent in dress/fashion design, Macy sat down to create her own design for a dress. As groups switched with the Blue Bus schedule, friends sat down at the art table and experimented with fashion (and person!) design! We have displayed the designs on the basement door. Find your princess or pirate, ballerina or rainbow color haired Wee Friend!

As we created art, Tami was busy mounting our Barbie models onto free standing platforms.

She filled the sensory bin with an array of fabrics so that friends can design their own garments for Barbie and Ken. She included hair twisties to make draping easier (and to exercise those fine motor, “I’m getting ready to write” muscles.) Who knew Barbie and Ken could be multi-dimensional!!!

In other parts of the classroom: Each week, hours are spent in housekeeping with our friends changing, dressing, feeding, rocking, naming and loving baby dolls.  (and lots of cell phone conversations to moms.)

Today we added Little People to our 3D River Park model.

If it has a tutu and ballet slippers, Elizabeth will find it.

Likewise, where there is a Jolly Roger….Captain Finn is close behind.

In today’s post lunch small groups, Lisa read Ham and Eggs and then created a message board asking friends “Do YOU like ham and eggs?”. Laurie’s group read Eating the Alphabet by Lois Ehlert. Afterward, friends created alphabet letter crayon rubbings with the sand blocks, naming the letters as they slowly emerged to the surface.

Wee Sprouts: Pea pods. Breakfast: Whole wheat toast with peanut butter and bananas. Lunch: Whole wheat pasta with ham and cheese, peas and pear slices. Snack: Goldfish and Craisins.

DID YOU KNOW?

• The Barbie Doll started out as a human being! She was Barbara Handler, the daughter of Ruth and Elliot Handler.
• In the early 1950s, Ruth Handler (a successful businesswoman, a member of a rock band and a Women’s World Cup Soccer player) saw that her young daughter, Barbara, and her girlfriends enjoyed playing with adult female dolls as much or more than with baby dolls. Handler sensed that it was just as important for girls to imagine what they themselves might grow up to become as it was for them to focus on what caring for children might be like.
• Because all the adult dolls then available were made of paper or cardboard, Handler decided to create a three-dimensional adult female doll. Handler took her idea to the ad executives at Mattel Corp., the company that she and her husband, Elliot, had founded in their garage some years before: the (all-male) committee rejected the idea as too expensive, and with little potential for wide market appeal.
• Mattel finally agreed to back Handler’s efforts; and the Barbie doll debuted at the American Toy Fair in New York City in 1959.
• The Barbie doll has been joined by friends and family over the years, including the Ken doll—named for the Handlers’ son—in 1961.

So…how do YOU feel about Barbie? We’re interested!

Have a great day.