I remember Barbie’s Malibu Beach House from my own childhood. A girl in my class had one and we all thought it was just about the best toy ever created. She was the girl we all wanted to be that year because not only did she have the Malibu Beach House AND Barbie’s horse and car but she also went to Disneyland in Florida for her holiday! She was a pretty lucky girl eh!

My friend Angela and I didn’t have a house of our own unfortunately (we had lots of dolls and accessories – Angela even had a Barbie horse -so don’t feel too sorry for us) and we used to spend ages making one out of boxes and things we had at our disposal. It wasn’t quite the same of course but we still had fun pretending.

Anyway, when I was asked a couple of week’s ago if I’d like to review the 2015 version of Barbie’s famous abode, I simply couldn’t resist! It’s gone through many transformations over the years from the cardboard first edition in 1961 to the eighties version that I used to look at so longingly and now, in 2015, it’s an utterly amazing pink mansion with a spiral stair case and special clip so that Barbie can glide up the stairs!

Pictures borrowed from this post on GoodHousekeeping.com.

So the Dream House arrived and I set aside a whole evening to put it together assuming it would take FOREVER! But in actual fact it only took me two episodes of ‘Catastrophe’ and that was WITH wine so I reckon stone cold sober and it could be done in around half an hour. I usually find myself recommending people don’t leave the toy building until Christmas Eve but actually, you’ll be fine if you don’t get around to putting this one together until then. It’s straighforward and very easy but I DO think the instructions hold it back. They were the hardest part to work out and instead I found this ‘how to’ video on YouTube which was very helpful.

I’ve just realised while watching this back again that I put the two chandelier stickers the wrong way up as I thought they were lamps – whoops!

When Florence saw it for the first time she actually gasped and I KNEW that would have been my reaction when I was little too. It’s a real show stopper of a toy and absolutely PERFECT for the BIG Christmas present! And it IS big it has to be said. I think if we weren’t moving in the new year we wouldn’t be able to house it in our two bed flat as we simply don’t have the room to spare to such a big toy. You definitely need some space for this one but boy will the children love it!

Florence’s friends have been around to play a few times since we got it and nobody is interested in anyting else. They all flock straight to the Malibu Beach House and the Barbie box. I have to say, I don’t blame them!

So all in all it has been a success. We had a teething problem with a broken piece of the hosue which was just an error – these things happen. Mattel sent out a replacement part immediately and it didn’t really affect the play much anyway, or at least Florence didn’t let it. I think Florence is over the moon with it and Jimmy seems to like it to but for an entirely different reason to his sister. To her dismay he likes to take the doors off, stand on them, and pretend he’s ice skating… Boys will be boys I guess!

The only down side that I can find is that we have the Barbie box spilled all over the living room floor daily but when we move this will all be different as it will be housed in Florence’s new bedroom! A really great christmas present in the eighties is an even more fabulously great gift in 2015!

 

The Barbie Malibu Beach House has an RRP of £99.99 and is recommended for Age 3+.

We were sent the Barbie Malibu Beach House for the purpose of an honest review.