Editorial Review

This is what Barbie's "happy family" looks like: a gorgeous couple, charming tots, and a well-trained dog, tooling around the 'burbs in a Volvo wagon. Whether they are on their way to a family picnic, or a road trip (provisions for both are included), Barbie's family is almost irritatingly model. Still, the 19-inch, powder blue V-70 is a good investment for Barbie fans. Its full of cargo (two car-seats, toys, cooler, suitcase, traveling essentials, etc.), and has a number of movable play features, such as rearview mirrors, seatbelts, gas tank door, collapsing back seat, and hatchback door. No dolls are included (though one of the car-seats makes lullaby and baby sounds), so kids can pick dolls that define their own "happy family." Three, "AG 13" button cell batteries are included, but will need replacing. Warning: Choking hazard due to small parts; not for kids under 3 years. Diane Beall ... Read more

Reviews (13)

odd- the dolls don't fit
This vehicle is attractive for children who have Happy Family or any Barbie items, however the dolls DON"T fit. Except for the babies you can't get the Dad all the way in.

Now Barbie and I drive the same car
Years ago Barbie had a Mustang and I had a Mustang. But I was left behind when she got a Ferarri.
Now we are back in sinc with a remarkably realistic replica wagon. I think most kids will just love having a Barbie sized
match available for their Mom's car!
And as to those who lack the co-ordination to get the dolls into the car.. I didn't have any problem with it at all and I have arthritus and lack the manual dexterity I had as a kid but I had no difficulty with it. Only thing I would change about the car is the color.. My own Volvo is a very attractive and very Barbie lipstick red!

LOOKS REALLY COOL... TOO DIFFICULT TO GET DOLLS IN AND OUT
I REALY LIKED THIS CAR... CAR SEAT FOR RYAN AND BABY NIKKI...
BUT GETTING THE DOLLS IN AND OUT IS A REAL CHORE. MATTEL DOESN'T MAKE THE SAME KIND OF BEND KNEES ON THE DOLLS LIKE THEY DID WHEN I WAS A CHILD, AND THE DOLLS JUST DON'T GO IN AND COME OUT VERY EASILY. NONE OF THE "DOORS" ACTUALLY OPEN, EXCEPT FOR THE BACK HATCH. VERY FRUSTATING FOR A CHILD. THE BABY SEAT WAS NEAT THOUGH...PLAYED LULLABY MUSIC TO SOOTHE THE BABY. IT WAS ALSO HARD TO RYAN AND BABY IN AND OUT OF THEIR CAR SEATS......MATTEL SHOULD TRY AGAIN ON THE FAMILYMOBILE.

Too frustrating!!!!!
My 4 year old daughter received this toy for Christmas along with the Happy Family dolls. She loves the dolls themselves, but this car is an endless source of frustration for both of us. It is nearly impossible for an adult (and completely impossible for a child) to get the toddler and baby buckled into the backseat and no one in our family is able to get the adults in the front seat. This is my third child and we have had many toys in our house over the years, but none has ever been as poorly designed as this car. I would return it, but my daughter loves having a car for her family. I strongly recommend AGAINST buying this toy.

This is a happy playset
My daughter loves playing with this playset. She has no problem assembling the pieces. It is sturdy and kelly likes to have Midge and family come to visit.We like the presents,food,and the doggy. We have all the asssesories . Barbie and Ken look so happy and nice. This playset encourages happy( family) play . Kelly and I would recommend this for you and your Mom . ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Nice doll, love it!
This doll is WONDERFUL. I got her for Christmas 2004 and so far i think she's AMAZING. She comes w/ many highly detailed accessories, such as gifts for Nikki, and the outfits are very realistic for a grand-mother! If you love Barbie, you must buy Grandma! (I named her Jane) I'm 12 years old and still love dolls so i think you will love this doll, too!

It's alot of fun, especially if you have the entire H.F collection! A must have for a kid!

Perfect addition for a classic playset
I feel that the Happy Family collection is a must have basic for any child's collection.

Grandma is stockier than the average Barbie doll, so the clothes (at least the form fitting ones) aren't interchangeable.However, it is much more realistically proportioned.Her hair is graying, so she isn't a "pretty" or "sparkly" doll to catch a little girl's eye, but she plays an all important part in pretend play...the part of Grandma!

Although the princesses and fairy dolls are fun, nothing beats the ability to play act reality.I think the Grandma and Grandpa dolls are a perfect addition to the Barbie family, and my kids adore theirs.

The only complaints I have are:Grandma's hair is stiff, so it can't be brushed or styled like other Barbies and there are a lot of little pieces that can be lost.We keep ours in a small box. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Russie loves it
I like BARBIE alot and this doll is VERY educational but don't like her that much because when I got it she had a cardboard doghouse and my mommy says "My dater russie is alergic to cardboard...I think...she ate it once and threw up...I am disgusted at carboard!" So I think this doll should get an acual dog house for ... NOT A CARDBOARD ONE!!!!!!

Russie loves it
I like BARBIE alot and this doll is VERY educational but don't like her that muche because when I got it she had a cardboard doghouse and my mommy says"My dater russie is alergic to cardboard...I think...she ate it once and threw up...I am disgusted at the cardboard!" So I think this doll should get an acual dog house for ... NOT A CARDBOARD ONE!!!!!!

Got it today!
I got this doll today with my friend. I like it a lot. But it is kind of strange that she has built on underwhere!!! Oh well! Other than that I like her!

I Love It
It took awhile before I finally found this doll. We had the accesories long before the this doll came out. My daughter and I both love to play with not only this doll, but Ryan and Allan also. I just wish we could have been able to find Nikki (1st Birthday) by herself.Oh well. We enjoy everything in this collection. Hopefully they will come out with a complete dollhouse. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Fun, Fun, Fun
This is one of the greatest toys. The detail on the grandma and Grandpa are amazing. Make clothes for them. Make a house for the regular family too! It's so fun!

Disheartened and Disturbed
While the product is a welcome addition to the "Happy Family" line and an excellent idea in the ever expanding world of Barbie, my 6 year old daughter and I were disheartened that the "family photographs" included on the sticker sheet did not reflect nor depict the African-American family we purchased, hence, the 3 star rating. If you choose to purchase this particular product be aware that the accessories included will not reflect the product in the box. To a 6 year old little girl this was incomprehensible. She felt it detracted from the realism of the product which affected her pretend play. While we purchase dolls representative of all cultures we predominantly buy African-Amer. dolls because we are.

Play with caution
Grandma and Grandpa Kitchen can be more fun it it were more durable . It is not durable at all. Grandpa went to set down and broke his bones in both of his legs. By the way, he must not be made to sit, only stand. You know that is very hard on an old man!
MY neice was over and she decided she wanted to give Grandpa a break and give him a rest, she went to position him to a sitting position and both of his legs broke! If he were real, we would have to call EMS and send him to the hospital! Poor man!!
This was a Christmas gift to my daughter and she cried her heart out. We only had Grandpa a few days. I was not happy when Grandpa broke his legs either. Not only to mention about the doll, the table and chairs seem to be flemsy as well. Barbie , you just don't make things like you use to!

Granddaughters love this toy
I'm told my 6-year old twin granddaughters love the grandparents' kitchen. I haven't been told of any drawbacks, other than keeping the small pieces away from smaller children. We are also a multi-racial family, and I'm the white grandparent, but the African-American dolls matched their complexions better, so I chose them. I don't think it matters one way or another to the granddaughters. They have white and Hispanic Barbie dolls, too. I think it would be a good idea for the grandparent dolls to be made in Asian and Hispanic versions, though, since the children seem to love them. Having them available to purchase individually, too, would be a plus, so you add on to a collection and have all the grandparents represented.

Great idea, poorly made
We got this toy for Christmas for our little girl and were highly disappointed in it. The toy itself was a great idea, and would have been a 4 or 5 star if made better.

However, this toy was very very poorly made. From the second it came out of the box it had problems. The latch button on the side was too hard for our little girl to get open to start with. Then, once open, the doors on all of the cabinets and fridge refuse to stay shut and everything just falls right out. On top of that, the space between the cute little kitchen counter and the table is so small that the dolls hardly fit in the chairs in that space it's so tight!

It's really too bad, because if they had put more effort into better design this could have been a great toy, but because of the poor design I do not recommend it at all, that is unless you like to waste your money on toys that fall apart the second you pull them from the box and that your kid can't even get into on their own. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

play set
I love this set...its just another thing to add to my daughters barbie collection.When its raining outside, she plays with it just as she would be playing outside.She loves the birthday things that went along with it, since she got it for her birthday.

Very cute, but disappointing
I bought this expecting a much sturdier structure! The little pieces that come with the set are cute, especially the table and chairs. My daughters have enjoyed everything except the actual playground, because it's so hard to use. Even on a prefectly flat table the whole thing wobbles, and the slide doesn't always stay on. The Kelly playground released a few years ago was a much better set, it never tipped as easily. I do like this set, but I think the pool is a better buy, it's much better made, and the grocery store, which isn't pictured on this site yet, is better still. (If you haven't seen the grocery store yet, it's adorable, and comes loaded with cute little "food" items to shop for).

The best toy for a little girl
My little sister loves this toy she plays with it more than she plays with her other toys she has. She loves it.

Birthday Set
When I first saw this playset I knew I had to add this one to my 9 yr. olds collection.I have been buying her Barbies and Barbie Playsets since she was able to play with Barbies.We both have fun using the sand box and the jungle gym set.Litte Nikki invites all of her friends over also to play.I have purchased all of the Happy Family playsets for my daughter. After the children have played on the swings and in the sandbox, they go for a quick splash in Happy Family pool. Keep up the good work. We look forward to more playsets in the future.

Not too great
This set is cute, but since there is so many little parts the set can be lost. The set can be broken very easily. I wouldn't give this to any kids under five, because any kid could choke. Also this set doesn't come with any dolls so it's sort of a ripoff. I wouldn't really recommend this product, but if you have the whole collection it might be worth it. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Barbie’s best friend Midge and her husband Alan (sold separately) are expecting their second child--a little girl! Happy Family Midge has a magnetic, detachable belly (baby fits neatly inside)--which allows her to transform from very pregnant to unnervingly svelte in a matter of seconds. If only it were that easy! While the magnetic belly isn’t the most life-like example for kids, it does allow younger ones to grasp the concept of a baby growing inside mommy. Midge comes dressed in a lavender floral dress, fuchsia heeled mules, pink earrings, and--of course--a wedding ring. Baby’s accessories include a 3-in-1 crib, changing table, and cradle, mattress, blanket, bathtub, two diapers, as well as tiny teddy bear, rattle, monitor, bottle, rubber ducky, and more. Safety information: This product contains magnets. Do not use around items that are sensitive to or affected by magnetic fields. This set also contains small parts and poses a choking hazard for children under the age of three. --M. Wilson ... Read more

Reviews (32)

Not an educational toy
First of all, this gets children asking questions at too young an age. My daughter is 3, and the last thing I want her talking about is pregnancy. There is no way they should have a toy like this for little girls. They should be playing pretend, and dressup. Children are innocent and wonderful, and we shoud protect their innocense, especially at such a wonderful age.

Happy to own Happy Family Midge
I am 28 years old and far too old to be playing with dolls - but that's another story! what's all the fuss about? My mom never liked Barbie herself, a perpetual ice blond with inhuman measurements even the runway models cannot compare to! Barbie doll has probably given a lot of girls a poor self image. I grew up surrounded by little mannequin blonds and never felt un-beautiful at 4'11", raven - haired, and 110 pounds. I still look like a kid, truly. But, Midge is very, very different. My one complaint: the husband and wife should be offered together in a giftset. And - I still handle her with care. I think she can be fragile if knocked about. Mattel gets a lot of money by forcing us adults to "chase" and "hunt" down hard-to-find items. I saw my first C-section birth at the age of 3 on Phil Donahue and knew exactly how I was born and where I came from. I am not married and wouldn't have children unless I were. I believe that the Happy Family is the only positive product line from Mattel's Barbie & Friends. A true freckled strawberry-blond, she breaks the mold with a gentle face. Her hairstyle is simple and irresistible to style. The baby is adorable and, well, not easy to dress, but cradles into Mommy's arms. Her pregnancy belly is huge and can be left on after "delivery" so little ones can get a sense of what very new mommies look like. Her maternity smock is pretty, though the high-heel mules are impossible for a pregnant woman - just ask my girlfriends! And some maternity slacks would have been lovely. Mom bought me the entire line including the nursery, grandparents, Alan & Ryan, and the new Neighborhood series. I substituted the little red - haired girl for Nikki since I can't imagine Midge and Alan having such a tow - headed little child! Ryan is adorable! We use Pool Party Liana as his fraternal twin sister with her red - blond pageboy. Seeing grandparents is a generational twist I have been waiting for since junior high. We also collected the ethnic line and the dolls are beautiful. Midge's maternity dress layette is fabulous if you can find it with a diaper bag and post - partum slacks and shirt. Overall, this is a teriffic married couple with married parents that support a nice family. Kelly and friends and Chrissy baby give little ones the options of "adding" siblings and this a very realistic view if you total accessories. A child can really envision pregnancy and infant care and it can open up a really good discussion.

Are these reviews of the toy or its morals?
Apparently my child has not learned to be a responsible parent yet since she's already lost the baby (being able to attach to Midge's very un-American-sized waist apparently makes for quite a preemie!) Midge obviously doesn't have drive-thrus in her "Happy" town nor worries about varicose veins in those high heels. I'm also not sure how educational this toy is since none of the kids I know came in magnetic pods but since Barbie and pals have no real human parts (even those of you that can't spell have to know what I mean) I guess that's the only option available. I also don't know about having your best friend - who earlier in the year was a "swan princess" and a couple of years ago was a race car driver - deliver your baby but I guess even Malibu Barbie can work magnets. Just keep Midge and friends away from big brother's computer!

Beautiful doll for a beautiful time in life,
I love this doll. I brougt it to save for my granchildren, since
my kids are grown up now. I wish it was available when I was
expecting.

good job mattle, your most sophistacated doll yet!
all you .. who think this doll is innapropreate are freakishly wrong.pregnacy is an normal thing,not a desises. this is happy family barbie,not porn star barbie. ...this is a family life learning tool, not a discrace. so stop critisizing it. p.s. power to the people who wrote good reviews about this really sophisticated doll. p.s. #2 don't comment my review negtevly. don't even comment my review.... this website dosen't permit that! thanks toysrus and amozon! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

THE INFAMOUS PREGNANT BARBIE!
I HAVE HEARD MANY CRITICAL COMMENTS ABOUT THIS DOLL....MOST OBVIOUSLY, HER PREGNANCY. I HAVE SEEN THIS DOLL PULLED FROM SHELVES, AND SOLD WITH A BIG BELLY, AND WITH A FLAT BELLY. I CONSIDERED IT LAST CHRISTMAS, BUT THIS YEAR I DECIDED TO PURCHASE HER, BECAUSE PREGNANCY IS A BEAUTIFUL THING. I DO NOT FEEL THAT IT IS A BAD INFLUENCE ON YOUNG MINDS, BECAUSE EVERYONE HAS SEEN SOMEONE PREGNANT BEFORE.
I HAVE ALSO INVESTED IN THIS ENTIRE SERIES, AND LOOK FORWARD TO PRESENTING IT TO MY 6 YR. OLD. ... Read more