A few days ago, Tim and I were talking about how Darah’s imagination has started to really run wild, and how much fun we are all having with her as she engages in pretend play. She’s been playing mermaids for a long time now, but she’s finally expanding into more adventures, be it giving a tour of Rapunzel’s tower (her junior bunk bed), inviting carefully selected stuffed animals to rather elaborate tea parties in her room, or building fairy rings in the morning and coming back to check on them as soon as she comes home from school (the fairies drag fun stuff they want to play with inside the fairy ring and they also leave a little treat for the one who built it!).
So when I saw the Hallmark commercials for the Interactive Storybooks and Story Buddies, I knew that it was something that would give Darah a lot of joy. A stuffed dog that responds to you? That’s not unbelievable in the least to her. It’s the kind of thing that makes perfect sense to her, actually!
These books and plush toys are so much fun. If you haven’t seen the commercials, the basic idea is that the animal will respond by making various noises when you read the story about the animal (certain words and phrases spoken aloud will elicit a response). My child loves to be read to, and she also loves to play with stuffed animals (I’m too embarrassed to tell you how many she has, but I can tell you that they completely fill 3 enormous tubs in her room). The Hallmark Interactive Storybook and Story Buddies are perfect for her, as reading and pretend play join forces!
Bell is super soft. Her electronic elements inside of her do not make her any less fun to love on and play with. Also, she’s really beautiful! See?
I’m also really impressed that Jingle and Bell, the two adorable husky pups featured in the holiday Interactive Storybook line this year, not only respond to the book, but they also respond to an audio cd that comes with them and to some online and mobile games. So the fun keeps going long after your child has memorized the book! Hallmark also offers extra books for all of their Story Buddies so that you can add to the collection at a later time.
Bell and lots of other totally adorable Story Buddies are available at Hallmark online for $34.95. I believe that Hallmark has made a great effort to ensure that this toy a really good value. We are loving Bell so much and will definitely be purchasing another book!
Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader is going to win an Interactive Storybook and Story Buddy (the Story Buddy received will be a surprise)!!!
Be sure to enter my other current giveaways, found on the sidebar of my page.
I received a complimentary product for review purposes. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are strictly my own.