Briana Koeneman
Why Inclusive Toys Are About More Than Play Time
Toys that reflect real-life differences in skin color, hair, body type and more can help children feel more accepted, experts say.
LEARN MOREPosted: 2:12 p.m. EDT Jun 20, 2017
Barbie's longtime boyfriend Ken just got a massive makeover.
Meet the newest additions to the Barbie Fashionistas line — 15 contemporary and diverse Ken dolls.
Mattel says the new Kens come in three different body types: slim, original and broad.
And they feature a variety of skin tones, hair colors and "modern fashion looks," like the ever-so-trendy man bun.
The release of these new Ken dolls comes a little more than a year after Mattel introduced more diverse Barbies into its product line.
Around the same time, Lego unveiled a mini-figure that uses a wheelchair.
And American Girl started selling diabetes kits for its dolls and even added a boy doll to its collection.
All these new toys have been pretty popular. Mattel's Barbie division saw a brief boost in worldwide sales after introducing more inclusive dolls last year.
And researchers say these toys might even teach children to be more compassionate and empathetic toward people who are different from them.
