Each year as Christmas and birthdays roll around in our family, the questions of what makes empowering gifts for girls comes up. It’s not easy to find gifts that celebrate strong women AND that young girls really want.
This year, National Geographic partnered with Mattel Inc. to create a range of new Barbie characters portraying adventurous and brave world explorers.
This post contains affiliate links. Should you click on a link to purchase, it is at no extra cost to you, but I get a small commission that goes towards the running of World for a Girl. Click here to read our disclosure.
For the last 60 years, popular culture has sold the idea that girls love Barbie dolls (and Sindys – hello 80s!). Despite my daughter’s gender-neutral Waldorf school, despite her brother’s old clothes and toys, despite having a mum who doesn’t buy ‘girly stuff’. Despite all this, my daughter LOVES dolls.
Now there is nothing wrong with dolls. In fact:
Dolls are amazing for open-ended, imaginative play.
The issue I have with dolls like Barbies is that they tend to overemphasise stereotypical women’s roles (as mothers, as wives) and pigeon-hole how women should look (glossy blonde hair, impossibly long legs).
But times they are a-changing…
A new wave of feminist dolls
Kudos to Mattel Inc. (Barbies’ manufacturer) they are actively trying to create more inclusive dolls. There are now some plus-size, Latino, African, Asian dolls floating around in the ocean of blonde-haired plastic they’ve created over the years.
Hopefully, soon this ‘minority’ will become a majority and the standard impossibly skinny, huge boobed Barbies will be relegated to history. But for now, it’s a start…
Dolls empower boys too!
My 6-year-old son has a doll. Yep, he has a doll – a boy doll. That he loves. That he snuggles up with every night. Dolls are not just for girls. Dolls are for everyone.
Nowadays, dolls come in all shapes and sizes. There is even a new range of gender-neutral dolls from Creatable World that is a great way to introduce boys to dolls (that don’t come with guns).
Choosing empowering gifts for girls (and boys)
So I’ve been coming up with new and creative ways to show my little girl AND boy that dolls don’t all have to be babies and they don’t have to be dressed in pink.
Whilst going through the National Geographic Barbie range, I’ve been thinking of other products and books that I (as a feminist and educator) would use to next these dolls into the next educational realm.
Presenting a National Geographic Barbie doll and just assuming that your young recipient will work out why this is an empowering gift for a girl and not just another Barbie doll to throw in her drawer is an art in itself.
Tips on how to turn a National Geographic Barbie into an empowering gift for girls (and boys)
- Present the doll with a hand-written card explaining why you have gifted this particular doll. For example, I know that you love photography and I think that you and this doll could become great photography buddies.
- Present the doll in person and explain why you choose this National Geographic Barbie. Show your own interest in photojournalism/ wildlife conservationism and let your recipient quiz you.
- Pair the National Geographic Barbie with other books, products and resources that will inspire your recipient to actively learn more about each Barbie’s job/ passion.
National Geographic Barbies
Here’s the complete National Geographic Barbie collection along with some interesting, educational links to real-life women in these careers.
The perfect way to inspire exploration through play.
Photojournalist Barbie
This is a photojournalist Barbie who travels the world snapping pictures of her small lion cub! I really like her ‘sensible’ clothes although I’m sure that if I was ‘out on the field’ my hair would never be that glossy.
A great present to pair with a
Wildlife Conservationist Barbie is the most sensibly dressed Barbie doll I’ve ever seen! She’s not going to get any mosquito bites whilst she saving the world’s endangered species! Especially with the media’s coverage of the climate crisis, this National Geographic Barbie can inspire some valuable conversations even with very young children. The perfect gifts to accompany the Wildlife Conservationist Barbie are these engaging children’s books on Jane Goodall. Jane Goodall who has dedicated her life to protecting chimpanzees. Visit the Jane Goodall Institute website to find out more about this remarkable real-life wildlife conservationist. Greta Thunberg is the young face of the climate crisis and an important figure for young children to learn about. Her age makes her a very relatable figure. Polar Marine Biologist Barbie is a gem! Ok, she doesn’t come with many gadgets and gizmos. But she’s a powerful example of how popular culture is beginning to dismantle age-old stereotypes. Polar Marine Biologist Barbie isn’t a man and she isn’t white. Use her to teach your children important messages that exploration is for everyone. Find out about the amazing life of Japanese female explorer, Marin Minamiya who conquered the Explorer’s Grand Slam before her 21st birthday! Astrophysicist Barbie veers back towards the style of old Barbies with her long blonde hair and big blue eyes. However, with a few other accompanying educational gifts, she’d be a great present for any little ones interested in star-gazing and space. Pair Astrophysicist Barbie with a huge selection of space-themed products. Don’t forget to introduce your little one to Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson, and Christine Darden. These amazing women helped NASA with some of their most successful space missions despite huge gender inequality and racial prejudice. Another great Barbie option for wildlife lovers! Entomologist Barbie comes with a full playset including toy insects, a magnifying glass and a ‘scientific’ work station. Got a child who thinks all insects are gross? This could be the playset to turn them into nature lovers. Again, it’d be best to give this gift with other resources to bring it up to the next educational level. (That’s the former teacher in me talking!). It would be great gifted together with: Gender equality will only start with education. Gifted alone, I don’t believe that National Geographic Barbies are anything more than a gimmick. However, gifted with a heartfelt note, an inspirational discussion or even an educational book these plastic dolls can become inspirational play figures for young explorers everywhere! Do you think National Geographic Barbies are empowering gifts for girls? If you like our content we’d love to keep in touch! Follow us on Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest or subscribe to our newsletter to keep up with the latest news from World for a Girl. We hope that you are enjoying our unique blend of #girlpower and family travel. Explore some of our popular posts to find out more: 54 Female Explorers from History that Your Children NEED to learn about Women with Capes: 10 Inspirational Solo Female Adventurers In the footsteps of fearless female explorers: Deborah Patterson Fearless, Fierce and Female: The she-pirates who ruled the waves Don’t forget to subscribe and download our FREE Activity Book for Children: Girls Explore Too!
Wildlife Conservationist Barbie
Polar Marine Biologist Barbie
Astrophysicist Barbie
Entomologist Barbie and Playset
Final thoughts on how National Geographic Barbies can be Empowering Gifts for girls.
