•  
Even though Kelly was replaced by Chelsea in 2011, the Club 5 Bunch sets are still a good find at garage sales or online. Charming, and much more realistic body shape than older sister, Barbie.
<p><strong>Toy Description</strong></p> <p>Club 5 Bunch sets (sometimes listed as Kelly Bunch Club 5, or Kelly Club Bunch 5) include Kelly and four of her friends, though different sets may have different friends.</p> <p>Each friend comes with her own little accessory, which changes depending on the set&rsquo;s theme.</p> <p>Dolls measure 4 &frac12; inches tall.</p> <p><strong>Play</strong></p> <p>As with any doll, these encourage pretend, storytelling, and role playing, which all help improve a child&rsquo;s ability to express themselves and learn social skills.</p> <p><strong>Observations</strong></p> <p>As mentioned above, the Kelly doll was replaced by Chelsea in 2011. The body form used remains most the same, though Chelsea seems a smidge taller and has a rounder face with smaller eyes. Most kids won&rsquo;t notice, though it did upset many collectors.</p> <p>The size of these dolls is just about perfect for little kids to carry around, and the feet and legs are pretty easy to stuff into a pocket for easy transport.&nbsp;</p> <p>Since these are no longer being produced, many online sellers will be selling them at collector&rsquo;s prices. Grabbing them at a yard sale may prove a more reasonable move.</p> <p><strong>Care</strong></p> <ul> <li>Wash doll hair with shampoo and conditioner when tangled</li> <li>Never use heat on doll hair since this could cause it to melt</li> <li>Avoid using alcohol to remove stains as this could also remove paint</li> </ul> <p>For more tips on how to clean toys, check out our <a href="/Blogs1/The-Cleaning-Guide-for-Toys.htm" linktype="8" target="_self">Cleaning Guide for Toys</a>.</p> <p><strong>Parts and Pieces</strong></p> <p>Each Kelly Bunch set comes with Kelly, four of her friends, and accessories particular to that theme.</p> <p><strong>Concerns</strong></p> <p>As stated above, some people prefer to avoid the Barbie line entirely, as it has not been known to show realistic portrayals of women&rsquo;s bodies, and arguably limits little girls on what they should aspire to be. We&rsquo;ve found the Kelly dolls to be a much better alternative than her older sister, as they are fun, charming, and much more appropriate for children.</p>
Kelly Club 5 Bunch
Date published: 2016-10-10
7.00 / 10 stars

Kelly Club 5 Bunch

by Mattel
current stage2016-10-10

Over and over again, we hear praise for Kelly and her friends. Looking more like the little girls they were intended for, Kelly dolls lack the exaggerated and unrealistic body shape that many people find inappropriate. The Club 5 Bunch sets come with Kelly and four of her friends. The School Bunch includes Kelly, Kayla, Deidre, Melody, and Gia, but other sets may have a different friend selection.

Though Kelly was discontinued in 2010 and replaced by Chelsea in 2011, the sets are still available from sellers online, such as Amazon. The Chelsea doll is not all the different from Kelly, and most kids won’t care about the name change or the slightly altered look. 

  • Kelly Club 5 Bunch
Kelly Club 5 Bunch
Overall7.00
This measure how often, for how long, and how many different ages will play with this toy. A great toy will be loved for years, and is still wanted as the child grows.
Replay
  • 8.00
 
This measures the quality of the materials and production processes used.
Quality
  • 7.50
 
This scores how well a toy encourages critical thinking, pattern recognition, and memory improvement.
Cognitive
  • 7.00
 
Including both gross and fine motor skills, this measure how much this toy engages and challenges physical mobility, body awareness, and coordination.
Motor
  • 7.00
 
This measures how likely a toy is to spark social play between children or how well it teaches socially healthy behavior.
Social
  • 8.00
 

Product Specs

Age 3 - 7
Made in China
Recalls No
Batteries None
Materials Plastic
Choking Hazard Includes small accessories
Date Reviewed 10/10/2016

Where to Buy

Amazon $90.00
Pros
  • Encourages role playing and exploration of social situations
  • Can be stuffed into toddler sized pockets for easy transportation
  • More realistic appearance
  • Each set comes with themed accessories
Cons
  • Some people avoid the entire Barbie line due to an unrealistic body image
  • Some people object to the Barbie body image for young girls
Detailed Review

Toy Description

Club 5 Bunch sets (sometimes listed as Kelly Bunch Club 5, or Kelly Club Bunch 5) include Kelly and four of her friends, though different sets may have different friends.

Each friend comes with her own little accessory, which changes depending on the set’s theme.

Dolls measure 4 ½ inches tall.

Play

As with any doll, these encourage pretend, storytelling, and role playing, which all help improve a child’s ability to express themselves and learn social skills.

Observations

As mentioned above, the Kelly doll was replaced by Chelsea in 2011. The body form used remains most the same, though Chelsea seems a smidge taller and has a rounder face with smaller eyes. Most kids won’t notice, though it did upset many collectors.

The size of these dolls is just about perfect for little kids to carry around, and the feet and legs are pretty easy to stuff into a pocket for easy transport. 

Since these are no longer being produced, many online sellers will be selling them at collector’s prices. Grabbing them at a yard sale may prove a more reasonable move.

Care

  • Wash doll hair with shampoo and conditioner when tangled
  • Never use heat on doll hair since this could cause it to melt
  • Avoid using alcohol to remove stains as this could also remove paint

For more tips on how to clean toys, check out our Cleaning Guide for Toys.

Parts and Pieces

Each Kelly Bunch set comes with Kelly, four of her friends, and accessories particular to that theme.

Concerns

As stated above, some people prefer to avoid the Barbie line entirely, as it has not been known to show realistic portrayals of women’s bodies, and arguably limits little girls on what they should aspire to be. We’ve found the Kelly dolls to be a much better alternative than her older sister, as they are fun, charming, and much more appropriate for children.

Manufacturer's Description

We were unable to locate the manufacturer's description as these are no longer in production.

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