Parents' Guide to

Barbie Dreamhouse Adventures

By Emily Ashby, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 5+

Friendship, fun, marketing tie-ins in likable Barbie show.

TV Netflix Kids' Animation 2018
Barbie Dreamhouse Adventures Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this TV show.

Community Reviews

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age 5+

Based on 8 parent reviews

zonarocks22
zonarocks22 Parent of 7-year-old
May 13, 2018
age 10+

Barbie show is just what you expect

With much reluctance, I allowed my 8 year old to watch this. Before I get to the cons, there were a few pros: family members are supportive of each other, problem-solving lessons as a team, and a few non-stereotypical gender roles (e.g., Mom is a computer programmer, one of the female characters is a basketball fan). However, none of these could overcome the tiresome roles, typical of this genre: lots of electronics featured (e.g., pop-up TV screens in the kids' bedrooms) and TONS of gender-stereotypes (e.g., teen girl getting upset because she broke a nail, Dad telling Mom she is "pretty" in an effort to make-up after an argument). If your child is going to watch a show, pick something better.
1 person found this helpful.
Sassie522
Sassie522 Parent of 5 and 6-year-old
June 13, 2021
age 4+

Surprisingly good!

I love watching this show with my daughter! Barbie is a much better role model now than she was when I was a kid. I love how each of her sisters are well-developed and have their own interests and personalities, so there are multiple characters for your child to relate to. Barbie shares her (mild) issues and how she overcame them in a vlog, which I think is great for younger viewers that can’t always figure out the morale of the story on their own.

This title has:

Great messages
Great role models
See all 8 parent reviews

What's the Story?

BARBIE DREAMHOUSE ADVENTURES opens as the Roberts family moves into a new home they designed themselves. For Barbie (voiced by America Young), that means lots of room for her to record her vlogs and hang out with her BFF, Ken (Ritesh Rajah). Her sisters, Stacie (Cassandra Morris), Skipper (Kirsten Day), and Chelsea (Cassidy Naber) also love their new digs, complete with features like a DJ station and an indoor basketball hoop so they can pursue their passions. When they're not at home, Barbie and her sisters and friends embark on fun and unexpected adventures around their hometown of Malibu.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (8):
Kids say (14):

As franchise-heavy TV series go, this addition to Barbie's repertoire is refreshingly tasteful. It's essential to know -- and for your kids to be aware -- going into it that everything about Barbie's world probably has a merchandise equivalent gracing the toy store shelves. If your kids are easily influenced by the temptations of this kind of crossover between what they see and what they want, you might want to skip this one.

Happily, though Barbie Dreamhouse Adventures doesn't depend solely on its famous namesake to keep viewers' interest. The stories are relatable to real life, dealing with mishaps, misunderstandings, and comical set-ups, and they're always lighthearted. In every case, kids see Barbie and the rest of the gang making fun memories embracing new experiences and prioritizing friendship and family.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how advertising influences our buying habits. Does seeing products with your favorite characters on make them more appealing? What other similarities do you notice in the items you are drawn to in a store? Is heavy advertising necessarily a bad thing? Do you consider Barbie Dreamhouse Adventures an ad?

  • Kids: How does Barbie's relationship with her siblings compare to yours? What is special about a sibling bond as opposed to a friendship? What kinds of activities do you enjoy doing with your brothers and/or sisters?

  • What character strengths do you see in Barbie? How do they help make her a likable character? What are the dangers to how we think about ourselves if we use fictional characters as a standard?

TV Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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