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Ruth Handler
Ruth Handler was an American businesswoman and inventor…
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Hello. My name is Ruth. I loved to watch my daughter, Barbara, play with her toys. She had paper dolls, and she would pretend they were all grown up. She imagined they were teachers and businesswomen. But the paper clothes were hard to play with. They would rip and tear all the time.
Watching Barbara play gave me a wonderful idea. What if there was a doll that looked like a grown-up? I thought it would be fun to have a doll you could dress in lots of different outfits. You could pretend to be anything you wanted. You could be a doctor, an astronaut, or a fashion designer. You could be anything you could dream of.
My husband Elliot and I had a toy company called Mattel. I told my idea to the people who made the toys. In 1959, we made my new doll. I decided to name her Barbie, after my daughter Barbara. Children all over the world loved her. The doll helped them play and dream about all the things they could be when they grew up.
I lived to be 85 years old. I am so happy that my idea for a special doll helps children everywhere imagine all the wonderful things they can become when they grow up. It is always a good day to dream big.
Ruth Handler
Hello. My name is Ruth. I loved to watch my daughter, Barbara, play with her toys. She had paper dolls, and she would pretend they were all grown up. She imagined they were teachers and businesswomen. But the paper clothes were hard to play with. They would rip and tear all the time.
Watching Barbara play gave me a wonderful idea. What if there was a doll that looked like a grown-up? I thought it would be fun to have a doll you could dress in lots of different outfits. You could pretend to be anything you wanted. You could be a doctor, an astronaut, or a fashion designer. You could be anything you could dream of.
My husband Elliot and I had a toy company called Mattel. I told my idea to the people who made the toys. In 1959, we made my new doll. I decided to name her Barbie, after my daughter Barbara. Children all over the world loved her. The doll helped them play and dream about all the things they could be when they grew up.
I lived to be 85 years old. I am so happy that my idea for a special doll helps children everywhere imagine all the wonderful things they can become when they grow up. It is always a good day to dream big.
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Ruth Handler was an American businesswoman and inventor, best known as the co-founder of the toy company Mattel and the creator of the iconic Barbie doll.
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What did Ruth see her daughter play with?
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