Zapf Creations lets little girls take pretend play to a whole new level with the Chou Chou Mommy, Make Me Better! doll. When this lifelike baby doll "cries" because she doesn't feel well, your child can soothe and take care of her with the included accessories, and she'll quickly get better and "laugh" to show it. This doll provides an outlet for creative, imaginative play for children ages 3 and older.
Chou Chou laughs when you press her tummy. View larger. |
Children will love playing mommy and feeding the Chou Chou doll. View larger. |
 | What We Think
Fun Factor: 
Durability:
(what this means)
The Good: Doll makes realistic sounds and offers plenty of unique features.
The Bad: Some accessories might be cumbersome for younger children.
In a Nutshell: A realistic, interactive doll that offers unique, fun features for imaginative fun. | At a Glance
Ages: 3 to 6 years
Requires: 3 AA batteries (included)
|  | |
The doll's cheeks glow red when she has a fever. |
Making Baby Feel Better
Chou Chou only requires 3 AA batteries to get started. A Phillips screwdriver -- and a little bit of patience -- is needed to install the batteries in the doll's rather snug back compartment. Press the button on Chou Chou's back, and she'll start crying. Her cheeks will become red, showing she has a fever. Now, it's your child's job to make her feel better using one of many accessories. Put the pacifier in the doll's mouth, and she'll stop crying; the same goes with the thermometer, which also shows the doll's "temperature." Her fever will persist, however, until your child gives Chou Chou her medicine. Hold the medicine spoon to her mouth, and she'll make drinking sounds. Eventually, her fever will go away, and she will even laugh to show it. Chou Chou also laughs if you press her tummy.
Chou Chou also has a "boo boo" on her arm (it's a red, heart-shaped decal). Your child can make the boo boo feel better with one of the three reusable, Velcro bandages. Or, if she holds the boo-boo in her hand for a while, it will fade.
Chou Chou also comes with a stethoscope. If your child holds it to Chou Chou's chest, she can hear her heart beating. Your child can also give Chou Chou a "shot" with the play vaccination needle. (This might be an especially beneficial pretend-play opportunity for children who are afraid of going to the doctor.)
Life-like Doll Makes For Versatile Pretend Play
We enjoyed Chou Chou's life-like qualities, especially her authentic cry and giggle. And even though Chou Chou is somewhat of a "high-tech" doll, we are delighted with her traditional baby-doll touches: long-lashed eyelids that open and close; a soft body with firm rubber hands, feet, and head; and cute, removable pajamas. These touches offer fun, versatile, imaginative play on their own, keeping her from being limited to the "take-care-of-me" functions.
Our child tester took to the doll -- and to her accessories -- right away. The "take-car-of-me" functions themselves were simple and straightforward to use -- it just took a little bit of prodding to activate the doll's cry. According to the instructions, the "boo boo" is supposed to disappear after only a few minutes, but we found that after more than five minutes our doll's boo-boo did fade, but not completely. Nevertheless, it didn't take away from our child's creative, imaginative experience with the Chou Chou.
What's in the Box
Chou Chou Mommy, Make Me Better! doll with one-piece outfit and hat; 1 pacifier; 1 toy teddy bear; medical supplies including 3 bandages, 1 stethoscope, 1 thermometer, 1 medicine bottle and spoon, and 1 play vaccination needle.
