“A home for Barbie wherever she explores the great outdoors … the swinginest camper on wheels!”
Released in 1970 by Mattel, the Barbie Country Camper playset took Barbie and friends from the playroom to the imagined wilderness without sacrificing style or comfort.
Designed with a colourful groovy aesthetic that aligned with style at the time, the camper was Barbie’s home away from home. The camper sat atop rolling wheels and included a sliding side panel, tilt-up windshield, movable steering wheel, kitchenette table, rooftop luggage rack, foldout camp table, a pop-out tent, two stools, and two sleeping bags. Some of the interior elements, such as the fridge, stove, and decorative elements, came in the form of decals to be applied out of the box. Dolls were not included.
As was typical in the world of Barbie, the toy included details that a child might be familiar with from their own life — such as a road trip — while injecting a little glamour into the experience.
COLLECTOR CONSIDERATIONS
Mattel consistently expands Barbie’s world by going beyond the creation of a fabulous wardrobe and circle of friends and family to provide an extensive range of playsets that enable imaginative adventures in luxurious accommodations and familiar travel destinations.
The Country Camper let kids take Barbie and friends on new adventures, while the many Dreamhouses released by Mattel over the decades offered luxe dwellings for Barbie and an escape into a fantasy world for children. Playsets such as Barbie’s Country Camper, Barbie Dreamhouse from Mattel (1962), Barbie’s Friend Ship from Mattel (1972), and Barbie Bubbling Spa (1983) are highly sought after by collectors of the iconic doll and the objects that made her world enticing.
Watch a vintage commercial for the Barbie Country Camper playset on the Toy Tales YouTube channel.
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