Barbra Streisand Still Plays With Dolls At 67

September 28, 2009 8:10 a.m. EST

Los Angeles, CA (BANG) - Barbra Streisand still plays with dolls. The 67-year-old singer was poor when she was growing up, so makes up for it now by treating herself to toys.

She explained: "I built a doll shop for my dolls because when I was a kid my doll was a hot water bottle. When you don't have things you have to use your imagination."

Barbra believes having no money as a child had a profound effect on her.

Despite being a multi-million selling recording artist, she still worries she can't afford expensive holidays or nice houses.

She told U.S. talk show host Oprah Winfrey: "I still can't believe when I go on a boat that I can actually afford it, because when you grow up poor you're always poor in a sense. There's a part of you that always stays that little girl who never had a doll and all the other kids had one."

Barbra is such a fan of dolls she has been working with toymakers Mattel to create a mannequin of herself.

She saw the finished product for the first time while on the TV show, and admitted she was not totally happy with the end product.

She said: "I worked on this doll very hard. Actually, the hair is a little too silver, the bow is a little short, but it's OK."