Nic From Harrogate Mumbler:
A very exciting new addition joined family Hayes recently, Jenna, an interactive and very colourful doll suitable for the age of 18 months +.She caused great intrigue from all of the kids but particularly from the girls – Trilli (18 months) and Cici (7). Jenna is a very pretty-looking doll with big glass eyes, soft multi-coloured hair and a very soft-to-touch face.
Trilli loved how interactive Jenna was. She cries real tears when she doesn’t have her dummy, put it back in or she won’t stop crying! She also makes a range of 10 other sounds just like a real baby. This doll is great because it comes with changeable clothes and shoes that are easy to put on and take off for little ones. This is also a toy that can be added to with a wide range of accessories available to buy.Overall feedback from the girls was really positive. Trilli has loved pushing her around in her shopping trolley and Cici has enjoyed recreating new outfits for her to wear. This would be a great Christmas present or birthday gift for any child offering a fun way to develop children’s imagination and help them express their feelings.
Vicki from Wakefield Mumbler:
I gave my 2-year-old Hannah, the Cry Babies Dressy Fantasy doll, and within seconds she was cradling and rocking the doll in a soothing way. She also put Hannah to sleep, covering her with a blanket. It just shows how perfect the doll is for developing nurturing role-play!
My Mini-Mumbler adores the new Cry Baby Dressy Fantasy doll, at 2.5 years old, it is perfectly designed for his age, robust enough for toddler play but still encouraging fine motor skills through the use of the dummy, shoes and clothing. The sounds are very realistic (and it’s great that they can be switched off!) and it’s brilliant for promoting gentle, calm play, Mini-Mumbler gets very concerned when she cries and will rock her, pat her back and try to soothe her, which, frankly is adorable!
He enjoyed her cooing and sucking sounds, and laughed when she laughed, and quickly worked out that she was ‘really sad’ when she was either face down or upright, and that he ‘made her happy’ when she was lying down or had the dummy in her mouth. She certainly provided him with some good entertainment and he was happy enough for her to join him in his at-home activities.
The doll itself is really easy to handle for little ones, with its large head and small body, allowing Robin to carry ‘baby’ Hannah around here and there. And the cute outfit is certainly fun to take off, with not as much of a desire to put back on…!
The sounds themselves are very realistic; particularly the crying sound which is a little unnerving as an adult at times, but I can totally appreciate how it enhances play and development for children; making them feel like the caregivers themselves with a ‘real’ baby. After a while, Robin passed her to mummy when she cried saying ‘here mummy you hold it’ knowing that mummy cuddles are the best.
The switch to turn her on and off is on the bottom so it’s easy for parents to get to but not so obvious for children (unless they’re de-robed)– which is a bonus when you’ve decided enough is enough. The tears come from water that is poured into the hole in the back of her head (which is hidden by the hair for the most part). And as soon as she cries the tears really do pour!
I think it’s safe to say it’s a great toy for that nurturing child. And also for one that you want to introduce more nurturing too, such as a new-to-be sibling. Robin certainly understood when the baby was ‘sad’ and ‘happy’ and was perhaps more interested in her crying saying ‘please cry baby’. I asked him what we could do to make Hannah feel better and he suggested his sister ‘Manny help’.
Niki from Ripon & Nidderdale Mumbler:
We were lucky enough to be gifted a Cry Babies Dressy Fantasy doll last month and although I was more than happy to try it, I’ll admit that I was sceptical about the claims that it encourages ‘nurture play’ and empathy in young children.So 2 hours after unboxing it, when my 3yr old son was insisting we make a bed for his new ‘baby’ and acting out his whole bedtime routine, I was shocked!
Whether it is the bright colours, the fact it makes crying sounds (you can turn it off, don’t worry) or it cries real tears, something about this doll really appealed to him and even a month on ‘baby’ still features in his play.
He rocks it, ‘shushes’ it, puts its dummy in, puts it to bed, puts its shoes and socks on, pretends to change its nappy and even sits it on the potty (so we are hoping it’s going to help us tackle this milestone with him too!)
My heart melts every time I see him being so caring and gentle towards his ‘baby’ and for a toy I didn’t think would hold his attention for long – it’s become a firm favourite and won’t be going anywhere, anytime soon!
My Mini-Mumbler has always loved playing with dolls but since receiving the new Cry Babies Dressy Fantasy Jenna Doll she hasn’t really put it down. It’s been sat at the dining table to eat with us, it’s done all the school runs and it’s even been to the doctors with us for a flu immunisation!
She loves the fact that it cries real water tears and spends ages wiping them away with a tissue whilst speaking very kindly and reassuringly to it. She also loves the fact that it has “rainbow hair” that she can brush and style with her bobbles and hair slides. The Jenna Doll wears a cute little outfit that Mini Mumbler can take off and put back on again. She always makes sure it has its coat and boots on before taking it outside!
These dolls are great for nurturing role play and encouraging kindness; they’re also brilliant for teaching and encouraging little ones to get dressed. The noises they make when you remove their dummies are very realistic and their multi-coloured hair can be combed, brushed and styled. The great thing about these dolls in comparison to others on the market is the level of interaction that children get when they play with them. They’re very lightweight too so they are perfect for little ones to cuddle and carry around.
*A sponsored review blog for IMC Toys
