I always seem to fixate on boy’s toys over the Christmas season and that’s kind of a shame because I always glossed the Barbie section in envy over all the cool stuff she had.
Here’s a double shot from the Simpson’s Sears 1979 Catalog, click on it to embiggen it.
AKA Brian Heiler author of "Rack Toys: Cheap, Crazed Playthings" and co-editor of "Toy-Ventures Magazine". Co-Host of the "Pod Stallions" podcast. Host of the Brick Mantooth Youtube channel, painter, designer, writer, mental health advocate, toy collector, Mego, and Mego Knock-Off enthusiast. I have large feet, ADHD and I live in Canada. Talk toys, not others. 
PlaidStallions Action Figure Archive
Knock-Off Book
The Photo Studio looks like it was painted by Peter Max!
Wasn't that Barbie van used for another toy line as well? (I seem to remember reading something about that on Plaid Stallions a while ago.)
Whenever a well-meaning relative gave me a Barbie doll as a gift, my little brother and I would soon develop innovative ways of torturing it to death: taking the head & legs off, bending the knees back-and-forth until they popped, and my favorite: using the body parts, Lego, tape & rubber bands to make "cars" we could then race across the kitchen floor.
Most of my girlhood wish list items were 80s–specific (He–Man, Transformers, etc.) but I recall also really wanting an Erector Set, Capsela, and other awesome things my older cousins had. 🙂