| Featured in: | Infant and Toddler Products Are Tough to Outsell (12/1/2005) Plugging In Junior (11/1/2005) Toys in Motion: Videos & DVDs |
TDmonthly Review:
What Is It?
This combination educational DVD and interactive plush toy lets baby watch television with a cuddly companion who laughs and sings along. The DVD develops children’s learning abilities by enveloping them in an interactive environment where they are led through lessons by a trio of barnyard friends. They can join Tiny the dog, Tickle the lamb or Dot the cow (who’s recommended for ages 12 to 36 months) as they help build vocabulary and motor skills while always managing to have fun. And the plush version of the cartoon sits beside them, taking part in the story and helping them learn, too.
What We Thought
Although the doll and television should be synchronized, probably due to our bad sound system, we could only get it to work a couple of times. When it works right, the doll comments on what´s going on onscreen, "talks" to the other animals, or sings along. I acknowledge that the concept of the interaction between the doll and the video is very interesting, but in our reality, I don´t think it actually added that much to the experience. Our 1-year-old loves the video and the plush doll on their own merits. She calls them both "Shiny!" for some reason. She will stand at the television and call, "Shiny!" when she wants to watch it.
Why They’ll Want It
Although my daughter is a little older than the recommended age for this toy, she loves the little songs that the animals sing, and often asks me to sing them. The doll talks and sings when you press its belly button, too. When watching the video, Sarah names some of the objects that appear on the screen, and "dances" to the music. There is a version for older babies that I may look into … I´m sure she´ll like it if "Shiny" is in it!
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