AD – One of the highlights of going around the brands at BritMums live was having a look at My Friend Freddy Bear. My daughter is at a very interactive age and I knew she would love it. When I was asked to review one, I jumped at the chance.
More About My Friend Freddy Bear
My Friend Freddy Bear arrived and I had a very excited daughter, desperate to get inside the box. I thought he had a look of a Care Bear; very cute. He is very soft and my daughter was cuddling him like mad.
You need 3 AA batteries to get him talking and you just select the language via a switch on he battery holder. He laughs and giggles, is very loving and enjoys being tickled. He has a sensor if you tip him over and he will tell you to sit him back up. His mouth moves as he talks and bad Mummy enjoyed getting him to pretend to eat my finger (which my daughter loved!). These are some of the basic features without even reading any instructions!
There is a free My Friend Freddy Bear app which can be downloaded on both Android and iOS smart devices. This is where the fun starts. You can add all the special details about your child including their name, birthday and their favourite games and food for example. Connect your app to Freddy using Bluetooth and hit the speak button. My daughter looked a little surprised to here her name come out of Freddy’s mouth but was fascinated.
There are also some fun interactive games to play on the app, including one where you try to flick some coloured fish from one bowl to another. Freddy Bear tells you what to do and helps you out with much encouragement. He also reads out stories, including The 3 Little Pigs, which my daughter enjoyed. These come in three levels so as your child gets older they are challenged further.
I was pleased to see there was a setting that ensured no bad words could be incorporated into Freddy’s repertoire. You can record messages to play back later. We are always trying to avoid swearing and wouldn’t want Freddy to say anything he shouldn’t.
My daughter loves to play with Freddy Bear and he has gone down a storm. She likes tickling and cuddling him. I think as she gets older some of the games on the app she will be able to play more as her understanding and co-odination improves. She usually has a 30 second attention span but this held it for longer than that; a definite plus.
As parents we were a little unsure about his creepy voice at first as it is sounds older for such a young looking bear but this would not bother a young child in the slightest. My husband says he sounds like Lily Savage without the Scouse accent!
If Freddy Bear falls over he will not stop telling you he doesn’t like being upside down until you move him which is flipping annoying! Bear (like the pun?) this in mind if you are ever going on a long car journey! Also, it took us a while to figure out we needed to turn up the volume of our smart devices when Freddy was chatting via the programmed information. He sounded really quiet!
Overall and jesting aside, it is a fun buy, will keep you child occupied for ages and offers a real uniqueness and personal touch.
*I was offered My Friend Freddy Bear for free in exchange for a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
ah this looks really cute! love the idea it connects to the phone! x
I will tolerate all manner of sins and creepy sounding teddies if it buys me a free time with a happy and distracted baby 🙂
#sundaystars
Looks awesome! I've heard alot about these bears since BritMum's. I'm not sure A would be the right age to enjoy him (would probably sling him in the garden) but perhaps for when he's a little older. xo #sundaystars
Great review! Love the photos too! She looks like she loves him 🙂 #sundaystars
OMG I need one of these bears for my little Freddy :o) looks like a great toy. Glad your Gremlin is enjoying him xx
Love your review lilly savage made me laugh I feel like I need to get one just to experience it! #sundaystars
Great review. Very funny! #SundayStars
Back again with #bestandworst. The immature part of my is gutted you can't teach it to say bad words.
Think this would be a hit with my daughter…love the Lily Savage comparison… Sounds like that might get a bit annoying but most talking kids toys are! Great review #bestandworst
Ah I saw Freddy Bear at Britmums and he looked so good!! Looks like Gremlin enjoyed him! #bestandworst
I am so behind with kids toys, that I had no idea who this was lol does it get irritating? So glad she loved it and what a fun thing to review x
oh! that looks cuddly and adorable… for sure my little girl would love it too! Great Review! #bestandworst
This sounds so clever – a lot of similar things with those prerecorded voices drive me mad! #bestandworst
Too cute!! Would love to hear the voice, you'll have to do a vlog review next time!
#bestandworst
Oh wow that sounds really cool! Great review! I might have to get my niece one for christmas 🙂 #bestandworst
That looks cool, as long as it comes with an off switch! We had a similar one from Vtech and, although the Tubblet loved it, every so often you just wanted a rest from it's endless chatter. #bestandworst
He looks quite cute 🙂 We have Scout which Alfie loves but Freddy looks great! #bestandworst
Nice to see that this looks cuddly – often these interactive teddies are a bit bulky and lose the softness that the kids really want from a teddy bear. I know what you mean about the voice though! I get a bit freaked out by the idea of it speaking in the middle of the night! #bestandworst
Great review! This sounds like a brilliant bear and very cute too! I love the fact that it can be connected up and I guess if they provide updates in the future he'll also learn new things! #bestandworst
He does look a bit like a care bear! Love the fact that he reads out stories. I think these types of things always have slightly creepy sounding voices, but he sounds like fun. #bestandworst
Ooooh this looks like great fun! I'm sure my girls would love it, I will bear it in mind for their Christmas lists! Becky xx #bestandworst
My daughter has something similar but not as cuddly looking as this. Sadly she doesn't really play with it just yet but I'm sure she will when she is a little older 🙂
(Stopping by from #bestandworst. Thanks for hosting).
Lovely little bear, looks like your little one loves him. We recently bought a talking henry hugglemonster and my boy loves him. Don't think you can go wrong with a talking toy/bear #bestandworst x
He does have a care bear look about him. Very cute, and the interactive side is brilliant, especially when he can use their names etc! Thanks for hosting #bestandworse
Debbie
what a fab review. Looks like a great bear to buy 🙂 xx
I've heard really good stuf about these cute bears.. I will have to remember them fro when bean is a little older!
He looks a very bear and your little looks like she loves him thanks for hosting x
This sounds like an incrediable toy, I'd be interested to know what the price point is on this. With everything he does sounds like it wouldn't be a cheap buy. I think it would be something that Logan would love
#bestandworst
kids have such awesome toys these days!! Love whine or wine xx
Wonderful review! My 3 year old would love the bear as she loves anything stuffed animal! Thank you so much for hosting #bestandworst
He reminds me of the Teddy Ruxpin bear I had as a little girl. I think Sophie would love this for her birthday – thanks for giving me another idea for birthday presents for her! 🙂
Aww, that picture where she's cuddling him is so cute. I might keep this in mind for a Christmas or birthday as well. The story-telling side of it sounds fab. #bestandworst
Haha love the description of the voice, would sell it to this humour filled family. It looks really good fun, I do think they need to get voices that appeal to adults as well as children, I wanted to throttle the furby we had if he was on his back. Glad she loved it which s the main point. One to consider for our family #bestandworst
Sounds like fun, and gremlin looks so cute tickling him, not sure about the creepy voice though, haha!