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 Talking
The Talk: Interactive Dolls Speak Up
By Karen
Mendez Smith
March
1, 2003
In the
1950's, Mattel's "Chatty Cathy" was a technological marvel-- just
by pulling a string, kids could make her speak to them with a variety
of prerecorded phrases. Magic! I managed to wear mine out in the
first week, but it was pure entertainment, especially when her voice
wore down to a gravelly rasp-terrifying the cat.
Baby
Anabell by Zapf Creations |
Baby
Banter
In the 21st century, talking dolls have maintained their appeal,
but voice reproduction has come a long way. German-designed "Baby
Anabell" by Zapf
Creations is a sound and motion-sensitive baby who gurgles,
giggles, slurps and snores just like the real thing. In Ethnic or
Caucasian models at $49.95, Anabel has an array of wonderful accessories,
too.
Read and Sing Little Leap Plush Toy |
Frog
Dialogue
Leap Frog
has put plush learning toys in a pond of their own. For toddlers
9 months and up, Learning Friends Baby Tad, $26.99, introduces
kids to shapes and colors. Learning Friends Baby Lily, $26.99,
teaches numbers and parts of the body. Toddlers will jump right
in with the Read and Sing Little Leap Plush Toy, $29.99,
which makes the alphabet, phonics, vocabulary and colors a splash
with three learning games. There's also Spanish Little Leap,
$29.99, and Spanish Lovable Lily, $24.99.
Language
Littles’ soft 16” battery-operated dolls |
Euro
Rap
Older children will appreciate Language
Littles' soft 16" battery-operated dolls, $24.99, who speak
25-30 phrases in Spanish, English, French, Italian and Chinese.
Each arrives with removable fashions, furry accessories and platform
shoes-chic in any language!
Raggedy Ann talking doll fom Applause, Inc. |
License
to Talk
Of course, there's a dazzling array of talking licensed characters
waiting to utter kids' favorite movie and TV lines, from Pooh, to
Barney, to Sponge Bob SquarePants. Sometimes, however, simpler is
better. We like the classic soft-bodies Raggedy Ann talking doll
from Applause, Inc.
($24.99), who says only one thing: "I love you."
Now that sounds good in any language.
Writer's Bio: Karen Mendez Smith has been involved in children's
media for over twenty years as a literary agent, writer, and creator
of animated television and film. Co-founder of Satori Organics and
M/Path Press, she is a parent to eight children and five incredible
grandchildren (and counting).
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