Mattel's Sing-a-ma-jigs are a small stuffed or plush toy that is battery-operated and designed to entertain. Once engaged, they chatter and they sing. Put them in a group and they even harmonize. They are, as I believe the company said, a hoot! If you haven't seen them, make sure you take a moment to watch this short introductory video to see them in action.
Buy one or collect them all but the more you have, the more fun for all! Build your collection one by one or in multiples; in small groups or in whole choruses.
REVIEW
Sing-a-ma-jigs are a small but surprisingly cute and addictive musical plush toy. (Mattel calls them dolls.) Their ability to harmonize with other characters is fun and, as I said a moment ago, the more you have, the more fun you will have. They are designed for children aged three and up but they are highly entertaining for adults, too. They feature three ways to play: song, harmony and chatter and those functions are activated when you press their hands and tummies.
They were first released in 2010 and I believe they were discontinued as early as 2012. With the exception of some keychains, I believe they were all the same size, measuring 12 inches in height and they require two AA batteries.
Not everyone thinks the Sing-a-ma-jigs are cute. Personally, I think they are at least when you consider their hidden talents but I am definitely not a fan of the Mickey and Minnie Mouse versions. I do find them creepy. How about you?
MODELS
There were numerous models released on various themes with each character having a unique song. Themes including Basic, Halloween, Christmas, Birthday, Easter, Valentine's Day, Independence Day, The Hits, Japanese Exclusives, Duets and mini Sing-a-ma-jigs on keychains.
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE SING-A-MA-JIGS?
Anyway, this next video takes a deep dive into Sing-a-ma-jigs in which vlogger lulaloopsey shares her extensive knowledge and research on the toy line. She actually questions why Sing-a-ma-jigs were so quickly discontinued despite that fact that they achieved such huge popularity but was unable to find any discussion online about what happened to them. That is definitely something that would be interesting to learn more about.
CURRENT VALUE
This page was originally written in 2010, when Sing-a-ma-jigs were released. Since then, as mentioned above, these dolls have gone out of production and I cannot find any of them on Amazon. However, when I turn to eBay, I find a host of new and used Sing-a-ma-jigs. A bit of value research on my part reveals that in the last three years, the prices on eBay have ranged from $15 to $350. The listings that command the higher prices are either a group of Sing-a-ma-jigs or a particularly rare one. New ones, of course, will always command a higher price than a used one.
WHERE TO BUY SING-A-MA-JIGS?
There are definitely still enough Sing-a-ma-jigs available on eBay to allow you to create your own chorus or to simply expand your collection. Click here to see which ones are available todayon eBay.
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
Welcome to our resource or index page for new, retired and vintage Fisher-Price toy reviews. Here you will find information and links to a number of pages that review in greater depth and provide technical details about some of the company's toys designed for children of all ages.
EIGHT GREAT FISHER-PRICE TOYS
When my children were young Fisher-Price offered some great, quality children's toys. However, they cannot hold a candle to today's Fisher-Price toys, which include a much larger selection of toys that are all made with improved safety measures with your children in mind. These newer toys make ideal gifts for birthday and Christmas because they can be chosen with a child's age in mind and because they are made by a reputable company.
If you are looking for an out-of-production toy that evokes feelings of nostalgia, you will find some of them included on this page, too. Be sure to note that vintage toys do not meet todays safety recommendations and are likely not safe for young children.
Included on this list are:
Discovery Cottage Brilliant Basics Hug 'n Giggle Baby doll. Christmas Sing-a-Ma-Jigs Zoo Talkers Little People Animal Sounds Zoo Laugh & Learn Fun with Friends Musical Table Laugh & Learn Love to Play Puppy Corn Popper Octonauts Vegimals Go Baby Go! Poppity Pop Muscial Dino
The toys you find here are arranged in no particular order. Each of the title links will lead you to a page that provides an in-depth review of that particular toy. I know there is an inspirational choice here for you.
This is an old one! My children thoroughly enjoyed playing with the Discovery Cottage in the 1990s. I have fond memories of this toy because of that fact.
The Hug 'n Giggle Baby doll is a delightful toy that was produced in 2010 and intended for the youngest baby girl and once adopted by your daughter becomes a treasured doll.
This Little People-themed toy from 2011 introduced young children to wild animals. My young grandson was here recently. Learning animal sounds was definitely something we did during his visit. This toy would have been a brilliant addition to our play.
Released in 2008 and reissued in 2011, the Musical Table is great fun for children aged six to 36 months. With or without the legs, allowing it to be versatile for babies and toddlers.
An annoying but much beloved toy, the corn popper will have your new walker doing laps! It was first produced in 1957 and it is still being produced today. You can buy the one today here on Amazon.
This toy series was inspired by a 2010 television program and consists of little people who are half animal and half vegetable. Great for imaginary play based on the series.
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That's it for my list for today. Stay tuned for additional reviews.
Are you and your children fans of Fisher-Price toys? Do you have a favorite toy by the company or maybe multiple favorites?
eBay is also a great place for replacement pieces for toys that you already own. I have a selection of them in my eBay store, too.
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
With Fisher-Price's Go Baby Go! Poppity Pop Musical Dinosaur, your baby will be learning about the cause and effect of his actions and he will be having fun while doing so. Read on to find this toy reviewed in a bit more detail.
The Poppity Pop Dino is a brightly colored dinosaur-themed toy that comes with six balls in various colors. To use it, your baby hits a roller or drops a ball into the dinosaur's tail or onto his back and the action, in the form of popping and music, starts up. The balls hop inside and outside of the toy and, as a result, your baby chases after them again and again. If a ball does pop out, your baby is on the move retrieving it. Balls don't go far on a carpeted floor, which is perfect for the less mobile baby and, as baby gets a bit older, moving the toy onto a hard floor allows the balls to travel farther. While all of this action is happening, one of eight songs and additional sound effects will play.
TECHNICAL DETAILS
Tagline: Prehistoric Poppin' Pal.
Age Recommendation: Children 6 months and up
Size: 17 x 7 inches
Batteries: Requires three C batteries.
Model Number: W1392
UPC: 7445047323379
Release Date: 2011
Current Status: Available
Instruction Manual: Available on Mattel's website here.
ORIGINAL VIDEO ADVERTISEMENT
SUMMARY
This is another entertaining Fisher-Price toy that is functional and durable for very young children. Older children, however, often wind up sitting on the toy and ultimately breaking it since it was not constructed to hold their weight. It is therefore recommended you buy it to encourage your baby to move and know that it will not be a great toy for an older child.
WHERE TO BUY YOUR POPPITY POP DINOSAUR
This toy is still available at retail and yes, you can still find a Poppity Pop Dinosaur here, on Amazon.
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
With the Brilliant Basics Hug 'n Giggle Baby, Fisher-Price created an ideally sized doll for your baby or toddler’s enjoyment. This soft plush doll is a bit different than most dolls because she is electronic and will giggle and coo when you squeeze her tummy but she can still be machine washed. I think that makes her a particularly great choice for your little girl.
She is perfect for toddlers because she is huggable, because of her giggling and cooing and because of her interesting facial details. Her sounds are quiet, which definitely is appropriate for a younger child at play and at nap time. She is, as one parent said, not too big nor too small and she holds her shape. Initially, your daughter will enjoy the sounds, then she will learn to hug and kiss the doll and then she will learn the parts of the body. By then Hug 'n Giggle Baby will be a treasured toy.
TECHNICAL DETAILS
Age Recommendation: Children 6 months to 3 years old
Length: 10 inches
Batteries: Requires two AAA batteries.
Model Number: V6939
UPC: 027084994070
Release Date: 2010
Current Status: Retired
Instruction Manual: Available on Mattel's website here.
WHERE TO BUY BABY HUG 'N GIGGLE
Since Hug 'n Giggle Baby is not made anymore, you will have to turn to secondary resellers to find her. As I check today, I see both new and used dolls available. Find your Hug 'n Giggle Baby Doll by clicking here, to eBay. Since the doll is no longer being made, you will have to pay a bit more if you want and can find a new one but there are some perfectly good used ones available, too. Just make sure that the seller says the doll has been tested and is working!
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
If you came here searching for Fisher-Price's Santa Sing-A-Ma-Jigs, you are already aware of this unusual toy and have likely seen him or at least some of his cousins in action. For those of you who have not seen these chattering, singing, and harmonizing creatures, let me introduce you in this brief review.
They were very popular when they were released and the Sing-A-Ma-Jigs made it onto Time Magazine's list of the Top 10 Toys of 2010 and were named Toy of the Year in 2011. The tagline for this series of plush toys was "For kids and kids at heart, the Sing-A-Ma-Jigs" and they did appeal to people of all ages.
Santa was the original Christmas-themed release but eventually there were other Christmas versions, including the singing snowman and reindeer as shown above.
THE VIDEO
This short YouTube video will give you an idea of what the toy was all about.
SANTA CLAUS
The Santa Claus Sing-A-Ma-Jig was a cute little Santa-themed plush toy. He was a fun-loving guy and had three ways he liked to interact with you, which included chattering in his own gibberish language, singing Jingle Bells, his favorite Christmas carol, or singing with his other friends. While he could join in the chorus with the others, he sure stood out from the pack in his Christmas colors of green and red. In addition to entertaining you with his performing ability, he also made a great Christmas decoration.
SNOWMAN
What wasn't to love about this snowman-themed Sing-A-Ma-Jig? He was adorable and he also sang Jingle Bells, chattered, or sang in harmony with his friends.
REINDEER
The Reindeer Sing-A-Ma-Jig was another adorable choice. He sang We Wish You a Merry Christmas, and, of course, he chattered and sang along with his friends. I am sure he was meant to represent Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer though he was not licensed nor sold as such since The Rudolph Company tightly controls the copyright and trademark to that character.
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
Your young child would love going to this zoo! It was yet another quality children's toy playset made by Mattel and Fisher-Price, designed to encourage lots of imaginative play and learning.
With this set, your little one learned to recognize animals through sight and sound. He or she also learned to recognize the animal habitats, which included grasslands, north and south poles, jungle and water.
HOW DID IT WORK?
The set is electronic and recognized wild animals when your child placed a toy animal figure on a peg and pressed it down. It then named the animal and, with a second press, provided the associated animal noise. The set came with a lion, gorilla, polar bear and a zookeeper named Jack. Of course, the set would not have been complete without Fisher-Price's usual assortment of fun music and phrases.
ADDITIONAL PIECES
Additional pieces that could be collected for this set included animals that were sold individually, like an alligator, hippopotamus, camel, leopard, elephant, ostrich, seal, dolphin or gorilla. Additionally, three of the animals came with a book and finally, there were two vehicles. The first, a safari truck or jeep, which came with a zookeeper named Eddy (who had a frog on his shoulder) as well as a lion cub, a giraffe and a food or animal feed bin. The second, a train with a Ferris-wheel car, came with a a zookeeper named Michael, a white tiger and a koala bear. These additional animals greatly enriched the set and the vehicular toys added an entirely new level of play value.
TECHNICAL DETAILS OF THE ZOO:
Recommended for Children Aged 1 1/2 to 5 years old
Bilingual English and French
Requires 3 AA Batteries
Original Box Measured 25" (W) x 16" (H) x 5" (D)
Release Date 2011
Retired 2014
Model W1710
UPC Code 746775033514
BUY YOUR ZOO TALKERS PLAYSET & REPLACEMENT PIECES:
As mentioned above, this set was released in 2011 and discontinued in 2014. This means that it is difficult to find a complete set. However, you can still find it on eBay where resellers do the work to find the discontinued items that you are looking for. Sometimes you might find a new and therefore complete set; other times, you can find a gently used and nearly complete set. You will also find some of the additional animals and the vehicles. Once again, you will find them in new and in used condition. Click here to see which of the Fisher-Price Zoo Talkers itemsare available on eBay today.
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
Your young
child will love playing with Fisher-Price’s Laugh & Learn Fun with Friends
Musical Table. This toy features four
modes with more than 50 songs and activities and four corners for learning fun.
Each of those corners has a character that lights up and encourages your child
to explore. The legs are removable so the youngest child can sit and play. Put
the legs on and enable your slightly older child to walk around the table.
TECHNICAL
DETAILS:
Recommended
for children aged 6 to 36 months.
Bilingual
English and Spanish. Requires 3
AA batteries. Measures 22
by 5 by 16 inches.
UPC Code 027084631357
FIND YOUR MUSICAL
TABLE
This toy was
first released in 2008 and re-released in 2011. At some point since then, it
was retired. You can still buy it but you will have to turn to eBay. When I
checked today, there were a couple available but more of the more recent DJ
Tables. See for yourself what Laugh & Learn Fun with Friends Musical
Tables are available today by clicking here to eBay.
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
Follow along on our review of Fisher-Price’s Laugh and Learn Love to Play Puppy, a wonderful and affordable gift idea for the little one in your life. Puppy is a soft, cuddly toy who responds when your child touches with various silly sayings and sing-along songs including familiar ones like the Itsy-Bitsy Spider.
Puppy is designed to be played with while also helping your young child learn the alphabet, numbers, colors and parts of the body. You chose one of two modes: learning or musical. As a fun bonus, his dog collar lights up or twinkles to the beat of the music.
A version of this dog, with slight changes and a even a new name, has been released pretty much consistently by Fisher-Price since 2003 and buyers continue to praise the quality and educational aspects of this toy.
The Puppy I have featured at the top of this page has a purple shirt and paws that are red with a musical note, green with the word hand, yellow with the word foot and orange with the on and off button and controls for the learning or musical mode. He was made in 2008.
TECHNICAL DETAILS
Recommended for children aged 6 months to 36 years of age.
The Puppy shown here is model number C6325 and had the UPC code 027084131413.
Requires 3 AA batteries.
FIND YOUR LAUGH & LEARN PUPPY
If you are not looking for an older version of Puppy, you can find a new version of the Laugh and Learn Puppy by clicking here to Amazon. He has a slightly different name, which is Fisher-Price Baby Toy Laugh & Learn Smart Stages Puppy, but he still represents good value for a well-made, educational toy.
If, however, you are looking for an older version that you remember from the past, you will want to try eBay. You will find all of the versions of the Laugh & Learn Puppy available on eBay by clicking herewhere you will also find many different versions of this toy including pianos, walkers, rattles and more.
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
Review of the Fisher-Price Boppin' Activity Bugs Toy
Tyler on his first birthday
I recently spent ten delightful days visiting my youngest grandson who was celebrating his first birthday. Since it has been over 40 years since my children were babies, I'd forgotten how appealing toys with buttons to push are for tiny tots.
Tyler, like most babies, loves to push and pull, wiggle and turn (and bang on) his toys. And toys with bright colors and fun sounds are especially appealing.
This pop-up toy has four colorful 'bugs' which wobble around when baby bats at them. Then they can be pushed down where they lock in place. Next there is a row of four actions to get the 'bugs' to pop back up – a slide, a pull switch, a toggle knob and a turn knob. A good learning activity that helps baby develop motor skills. A toy especially designed for babies and toddlers in the 6 months to 3 year range.
Happy Birthday, Tyler
Baby Tyler and Big Brother David
Tyler, and his big brother David, really enjoy playing with this Fisher-Price activity toy. And 'grandma' very much enjoyed being at their house for this special one-year-old birthday celebration!
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”
My grandson, David, was approaching his sixth birthday. While checking with his parents as to what toys might be on his birthday wish list, I was told about a recent favorite of the kindergarten set – the Octonauts!
The Octonauts
Being a grandmother with my children all grown and my five grandsons living far away, I'm out of the habit of knowing what toys are popular with today's children. Therefore, I needed to do some research into this latest craze... and thus this review for other grandparents and parents who might not be aware of these adorable toys.
It seems the Octonauts are an underwater exploring crew of eight little anthropomorphic animals who live under the sea in their Octopod and have undersea adventures using a fleet of aquatic vehicles.
The Octonauts began in 2010 as a British TV series on BBC based on American-Canadian children's books written by Vicki Wong and Michael C. Murphy. It's an animated series which appeals to children ages 4-12.
The Octonauts encounter real marine animals in their natural habitats while having adventures. It's rather a bit like a combination of 'Star Trek and the Thunderbirds meet Jacques Cousteau!'
The eight main Octonaut characters include the Captain, Barnacles the Polar Bear, along with Kwazii the Cat, Peso the Penguin, Inkling the Octopus, Shellington the Sea Otter, Tweak the Rabbit, Dashi the Dog, and Tunip the Vegimal.
The Vegimals
The Vegimals Set I Got David for his Birthday
Which brings us to the set I purchased and mailed to David for his birthday – The Vegimals! David has already begun collecting all the main Octonauts characters, so I have added to his collection with this set of five characters which are really cute. They are soft and squishy and measure about 1.5 inches tall. Vegimals are part animal and part vegetable and are a special breed of underwater critters who love making tasty kelp cakes and helping out around the Octopod! They include Barrot the carrot, Grouber the ginger, Tominnow the tomato, Codish the radish, and Tunip the Turnip. Tunip is also the Ship's Cook and Gardener and a regular member of the regular 8-character team.
Toys by Fisher-Price
The Octonauts and Vegimals figures, along with their Octopod and vehicle playsets, are products of Fisher-Price, which is a name I've trusted in toys for children for nearly 50 years.
By the way, along with the Vegimals set, my birthday package included a Mini Gup (vehicle) with Kwazii the Cat, which I learned is David's favorite Octonaut. There are a whole line of these vehicles and playsets, which make nice additions to your child's collection as time goes on. This birthday request became my first-ever introduction to the Octonauts and their friendly Vegimals and I find them adorable. I have to say I am delighted to make their acquaintance and I see a whole bunch of birthday and Christmas Octonauts in my grandsons' future!
David, Age 6
Happy Octonauts Birthday, David!
*Review written by Wednesday Elf on 5/2/15
Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN), Esty (Awin), and/or Zazzle Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”