According the Chicago Tribune, long reigning queen of the girls’ toy aisle, Barbie, has a new competitor for the hearts and purses of young girls today in the shape of the Internet. It appears that girls today spend on average 7 hours per week playing on computers, which is twice as much as four years ago.

Studies indicate that young girls spend an estimated seven hours a week playing on computers, twice as much as they spent four years ago. Children begin playing on the computer around age 5 1/2 — the same time at which girls typically begin taking up Barbie, according to a 2007 study by market research firm NPD Group.

This means that Barbie has some serious work to do in order reinforce her dominance of the female orientated toy market.

I wouldn’t worry too much for Barbie though, the lass has survived for almost 50 years so I wouldn’t expect some new fangled electronic gadgets to seriously threaten her. The Bratz on the other hand are posing something of a threat with their hip-hop styles… but remember that fashion fades, style remains. Barbie is ever so stylish.