[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] I gave the new Laugh & Learn Puppy to my 2 year old son. He immediately wanted it out of the packaging to play with and push all of the buttons! I think the heart, which changes colors, is a big draw for him, since it is the only light up button. He likes to lay his head on Puppy’s head, push the buttons, and watch the heart change colors.
The new Laugh & Learn Puppy has a lot to offer babies and toddlers. Smart Stages (Explore, Encourage, Pretend) allow the songs and phrases to be geared toward a certain age. For example, for Stage 1 Explore (6mo+), the green number button names numbers, such as “1.” For Stage 2 Encourage (12mo+), the green button gives an example of the numbers, such as “I have 1 nose.” For Stage 3 Pretend (18mo+), the green button says various phrases or songs. Overall the content is great, but I’m a little disappointed that the Stage 3 songs/phrases aren’t geared more toward each specific button, such as songs about numbers for the green number button.
All of the buttons on this new puppy are on its tummy. This is a major improvement. My oldest son had a previous version of this puppy from 2014 with buttons on its ear, hands, and feet. Unfortunately after years of use, 2 of the buttons stopped working due to the wires detaching inside the toy…not easy to fix. Having all of the buttons on the tummy easily solves this problem.
Puppy does have 1 button that confuses me…a small blue button below the heart. The directions say to press and hold to light up the heart. Yes, this is true, but as soon as you let go, it turns off. To me, it doesn’t serve a purpose. It should stay on for 5 minutes or something, kinda like a nighttime light.
Physically, this puppy is very cute. The large, round head is super soft and balances out the hard body. I like how this puppy is built to sit up, but also in a position to give hugs. I also like all of the bold colors. Each paw matches the closest button on the body. For example, the red alphabet foot matches the red ABC button. The whole puppy is color coordinated very well.
The puppy also has multiple textures, which is great for little hands. The ears are fluffy and silky, the head is super soft, the nose and hands seem to be the same neutral texture, and the feet are silky. Even the buttons have a nice rubbery feel as opposed to a hard plastic feel. However, the blue body is…blah. It should be super soft like the head. Maybe it is supposed to represent clothes? But ultimately it feels like a cleaning cloth that my dry skin snags on. Thankfully my son doesn’t seem to care.
A couple other things to note…the battery compartment on the backside has 2 different volume settings along with its “off” switch. Also, puppy is not washable due to the electronics inside.
Overall, the newest puppy has an updated adorable appearance and better features. I am glad I have this new one to share with my 2 year old. He continues to play and snuggle with it!