As parents we are always trying to find fun ways to teach our kids important life lessons that are entertaining and engaging. When you think of ways to teach your kids those lessons, watching a TV show may not always be your first answer, but what if we told you there was a show that did just that!
Today we are sharing with you a show we were recently introduced to and that is Barbie Dreamtopia! It is a series of mini episodes that take place in a fairytale land called Dreamtopia featuring Barbie and her sister Chelsea. Together they embark on various adventures that are not only fun but demonstrate valuable social and emotional lessons. It is colourful, it is fun, the kids love it and we have been hooked ever since!
One of the episodes that stuck out to us was “Keep On Looking ’til You Find It | Barbie Dreamtopia: The Series | Episode 4.” This episode was all about perseverance and we found it very relatable with Emily and the triplets. Barbie and the Elephant King both lose an important item and Chelsea’s dog Honey goes missing, so together they head out in hopes of finding their missing items and Honey. As their search continues, Chelsea worries that they may not find Honey, but Barbie says they cannot give up and they have to continue searching. They receive some unexpected help from the Glitter Balls, who lead them in the right direction and they are able to find Honey and Barbie and Elephant King’s missing items.
The lesson of perseverance is something I think we can teach Emily and the triplets almost daily. Just like the episode, Emily and the triplets are always losing something. Whether it’s a favourite toy or their sippy cups, someone is always missing something throughout the day. Many times, they simply give up when searching for their missing item or become frustrated that they cannot find it. They then come to Dan and I and want us to find it for them. We try to encourage them to keep looking and tell them it has to be here somewhere, followed by asking them where they last had it, just like Chelsea did when asking the Elephant King where he last wore his crown. As the parent, we pretty much know all the spots where an item could go missing, so we give Emily and the triplets a list of places to look first. About 9 out of 10 times, they end up finding what they were looking for and are so excited when they do.
Perseverance is just one of the many lessons learned from Barbie Dreamtopia and others include patience, team work, inner beauty, and communication. Barbie was such a big part of my childhood and I know it will be the same for our kids. Barbie can also be a very influential character for many kids, so it’s nice to see her influence used to give such valuable lessons and teachable moments.
What’s amazing is that there is also a Learning Through Dreamtopia Activity Guide available for parents to use after each episode. The activity guide provides you with an activity to do with step by step instructions, as well as discussion question. The Dreamtopia activity guide is a great way to interact with your children after an episode and to start a conversation about these lessons. After watching “The Gemonstrator | Barbie Dreamtopia: The Series | Episode 3,” we were excited to try out the activity with Emily, Jackson, Olivia and Levi. The activity was called “Fun With Fruit” and the lesson was inner beauty.
The instructions for the activity were very clear and easy to follow and the discussion questions were great for relating our activity back to the episode. Emily and the triplets were so excited to see the fruit on the table and they immediately started touching them and asking what they were. I had them try to guess what each fruit was and what they thought the inside would look like. Their reactions when opening up each fruit were priceless and they were all brave enough to try some of the fruit! Just as Barbie and Chelsea learned that the gems were inside the rocks, Emily, Jackson, Olivia and Levi learned that the inside of the fruits look very different from what they thought they would from the outside. I really enjoyed doing the activity with the kids and it was a creative way for them to interact with the episode from Barbie Dreamtopia!
For those of you looking for a series to watch with your kids, we highly recommend Barbie Dreamtopia and all it has to offer. It is a great way for you to bond with your children and who doesn’t love Barbie!?
You can catch the show weekly on Treehouse airing Saturday and Sunday mornings or catch-all the latest episodes on YouTube. Make sure you also visit the “Learning Through Dreamtopia” website for fun activities to do with your kids.. They will love it!
We want to hear from you – Tell us about what you and your kids learned from Dreamtopia in the comments below.
This blog post is kindly sponsored by Mattel. Opinions are our own and we only partner with brands we truly love prior to being contacted.
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