Most of us dream our children will grow up to be happy, healthy and productive adults, but we sometimes wonder how we can help them get there.
Play is an important factor for children to experiment and learn about things they may want to do when they’re older. “Barbie dolls encourage the kind of imaginative play that teaches us that no matter our gender, ethnicity or background, we can make the world a better place by doing work that excites us, challenges us and brings us fulfillment,” says Dr. Jeffrey H. Patchen, president and CEO of The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis.
A fun way to help kids imagine what type of future or career they may want to have is to encourage them to experience different roles, such as pilot, beekeeper, robot programmer, chef or wildlife photographer. As the original female empowerment brand, Barbie was created to show girls that they have choices. She has had more than 200 careers in her lifetime: astronaut, a gold-medal gymnast, a reporter, a baseball player, a paleontologist, and a zoologist, to name a few. For over 60 years, Barbie has been on a mission to remind girls they can be anything. Parents and grandparents are encouraged to share special memories and join in the fun while role playing with the little ones.
Barbie™ You Can Be Anything: The Experience™, opens this summer at The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, and will remain open until the spring of 2021. The exhibit celebrates Barbie’s rich history, allowing kids to experience various different careers that are based on character traits of various Barbie dolls such as adventurer, leader, nurturer, creator and problem solver. Families will see real-life counterparts to the dolls and learn information about their backgrounds, struggles and accomplishments, which they can then use to give little ones more context surrounding potential hobbies and careers.
Some of the real-life role models and inspiring women include Amelia Earhart (aviation pioneer), Ella Fitzgerald (jazz singer), Laurie Hernandez (Olympic gymnast), Katherine Johnson (NASA mathematician and physicist) and Florence Nightingale (pioneer of modern nursing). Families can make memories as they experience different featured careers and even capture the moment with a Barbie box photo opportunity so that decades from now, kids of today can share the memory with their own grandchildren.
Member Preview: July 18-31
Instead of just one preview day, members and donors can get an exclusive sneak peek with behind-the-scenes access starting July 18, as the exhibit is in progress. New interactives and exhibit elements will be added each week leading up to the public opening on Aug. 1.
Barbie™—You Can Be Anything: The Experience™ is supported by Franklin Pest Solutions.
