Through their play Barbara imagined their lives as adults. They used the dolls to reflect the adult world around them. They would sit and carry on conversations, making the dolls real people.

One project Handler took on in the 1980s was Barbie and the Rockers. Once home Ruth Handler reworked the design of the doll and named her Barbie after the Handlers' daughter Barbara. Handler went on to found a company Ruthton Corp.

Ruth Marianna Handler (November 4 1916 – April 27 2002) was an American businesswoman born to Jewish-Polish immigrants Jacob and Ida Moskowicz the president of the toy manufacturer Mattel Inc.