Muppety hugs for even the worst of days...
It's not perfect, but "Big Hugs Elmo" is a terrific toy on many fronts. It's a big, cuddly, welcoming toy -- surprisingly big, in fact, and perfectly sized to for kids in those early years through kindergarten when they really need a friend during a no-good, very bad day.
The toy is durable and soft, although it's not very soft, as others have pointed out. The personality and cuteness, along with the muppet fur, are what make Elmo huggable. The body itself is very stiff (as you might expect, with lots of batteries and electronics to bring him to life), and the arms and legs do seem a bit spindly and fragile (and again, very wiry and hard underneath the fur).
But the toy's interactivity and cuteness bridge the gap, so that when Elmo comes to life, you can't help but want to hug him. The toy offers a nice variety of positive sayings and catchphrases, excellent for kids just mastering their language skills in complex sentences, and he's as cute as he can be -- as...
HUGS AND MORE HUGS FROM ELMO!!
I got the "Big Hugs Elmo" for my two and a half year-old granddaughter who is already a big fan of Sesame Street Elmo. Once I popped four AA batteries into the battery compartment, Elmo started speaking. Next, it wanted to give someone a hug and my granddaughter lovingly obliged. It even sings a "hugging" song. She fell in love with it within minutes and she ended up going home with the new Big Hugs Elmo. Elmo is easy to operate (simple instructions come with the box). The best part I liked is the "sleep" mode. When you lay it down, Elmo tells you he's going to sleep. He will sing a short lullaby and start to snore. What a hoot! Haven't tested out every feature since my granddaughter snatched it away from me, but liked what I've seen so far. The only thing I wish it had is a softer body. Since there are mechanical arms that swing and fold, the arms feel very metallic - not surprising since they are probably metal or hard plastic rods wrapped in fuzzy Elmo material. Other than...
Light-years ahead of Tickle Me Elmo - 4
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