In the summer Florence and I went to Cayla’s Tea Party at London’s most famous toy shop Hamleys to launch the doll ‘My Friend Cayla’. From the off Florence was smitten and I knew then, watching her and all the other girls at the party, that Cayla was going to be a massive hit for this year’s Christmas lists!
We made this video at the party.
She has, as pre,dicted gone on to make the top Christmas lists everywhere and at Dream Toys last week, where the top 72 and final top 12 are chosen by toy retailers, she of course came in the top 12!
So, who IS she? Well, she’s a pretty but rather ordinary looking dolly who comes with a hair brush and mirror, dressed in leggings, a T. Shirt,, a denim jacket and trainers. Her hair is long and blonde and ready to be brushed; so far, so ordinary. Yet… Cayla is far from ordinary!
My Friend Cayla is an interactive doll who uses Google to answer questions put to her. She can actually have a real conversation and when asked something unsuitable is programmed to ask the child to instead ask their parents the question. She is censored on lots of things including important things like Christmas secrets and you can even censor her to your own personal taste too so if you don’t want her to talk about, oh, I don’t know? Carrots say, then she won’t!
She does get a bit stuck sometimes and you have to ask the question again but for the most part she’s pretty smart! Ask her to tell jokes and she will, ask her a question about the world and she will… You can even ask her about her own family and life which she has a back story for and she also thinks she’s pretty funny, giggling at herself when she speaks. she’s certainly got a personality!
She uses speech-to-text technology and once you have downloaded the free app to an Android or IOS smart device she uses Bluetooth Wireless Technology to run. She will only be able to use all of her play capabilities if she is connected but she can be played with without. Indeed Florence played with her without even linking up for a few weeks and loved it, she loves it even more now that she can interact!
The reason we waited is because we didn’t have an iPad or phone and she does not work with BlackBerry of which we DO have. I have also heard of lots of problems with other makes and it seems iPad and iPhone are the things you really need to get Cayla working. If you weren’t planning on buying one anyway (which we were) then it makes her pretty expensive!
However, IF you do have an iPad or an iPhone then she works really well and I can’t see many little girls being disappointed with her. Florence just likes looking through Cayla’s photo album and having a story read to her by Cayla which is something that all comes with the app. We’re not so keen on Cayla’s hair which is very difficult to brush and gets matted easily but overall she’s a very interesting dolly and worthy of her place in the Christmas top toys list. Very clever!
Cayla costs £59.99 and will sell out quickly this Christmas I imagine. If you can get hold of her and have a little girl then you will most definitely be flavour of the month!
We were sent a #My Friend Cayla’ for the purpose of an honest review.
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