Life

The New Barbie Power Wheels Van Is So Cool, You'll Want To Trade In Your Own Car

by Lindsay E. Mack

Drivable Power Wheels cars have been hot ticket toys since the 1980s, but the newest versions are kind of mind-blowing. In fact, the new Power Wheels Barbie Dream Camper is more tricked-out than some adult vehicles. Your kid can tear up the backyard or local park in this bad boy, pretending they're on a camping adventure in the wilderness.

With a maximum driving speed of 5 mph, the Power Wheels Barbie Dream Camper can cruise over both hard surfaces and grass with ease. If you're concerned about children putting the pedal to the metal, there's also a high speed lockout that only parents control. Your little speed demon can't get too out of hand, thankfully. Oh, and the camper is also equipped with power-lock brakes, so there's a little extra peace of mind. It's powered by a 12 volt battery, which is included along with the charger. Hey, at least your kiddo won't have to stop for gas.

The camper is also made for sharing with friends and siblings. Designed for kids aged 3 to 7 years of age, the vehicle can seat two children with a max weight of 130 pounds. As far as settling arguments about who gets to drive, well, that's another story entirely.

But the extreme attention to detail is what makes this camper truly special. Check out the driver's seat. There's a make-believe GPS navigator (voiced by Barbie, naturally), as well as a sound system with 3 preloaded songs. You can also use the MP3 jack, so your kid can listen to any song, podcast, or audiobook while cruising around the backyard. Honestly, this dash is nicer than the one in my adult-person car. It's spiffy.

The back of the camper folds out into a travel kitchen, so your kid can serve up s'mores, hot dogs, and more campground fare. There's even a little pretend fire pit for roasting those treats. So even when the camper's battery is low, your kid can still enjoy playing with the attached kitchenette. Well played, Power Wheels.

There's even a seat for Barbie. I mean, the camper designers thought of everything.

As far as toys go, the Power Wheels camper is definitely more of a big-ticket item, and not all parents will drop that kind of money on a toy. Plus, storing the car may be an issue for some households, because it could eat up garage space needed by the actual family car. For some families, though, the camper would make an extra-special birthday or holiday present for the kids. Most any elementary-aged kiddo would absolutely love to take this fancy camper out for a spin.