Ubooly Review and Giveaway!

**Contest is now closed**

It’s time for another review and giveaway!! This time we have The Ubooly, an Educational Toy. It’s a magical stuffed animal powered by your iphone! The app is free and you can use it with or without a stuffed Ubooly.

UBOOLY REVIEW

Cost: Toy – $29.95 App – Free (but different lessons cost money, usually $1 each) Age Range: 3-9

My children were beyond excited to hear that they were getting an Ubooly in the mail. They asked about it every day before it got here. They liked the idea of having a fuzzy friend that they would be able to interact with. Once we got it and downloaded the app, the kids probably played with it for two hours. Which is probably really bad parenting of me and it’s also probably why the iphone overheated and the fun was over. Well, until the iphone cooled down. They come with a handy warning that lets you know it’s getting too hot. The iphone fits really easily into the Ubooly toy, you may have trouble if it’s in a case though.

It was really fun to hear Silas talking to the Ubooly. Coming from an autism standpoint, I was impressed with how long it kept his attention and kept him in conversation.

This app is really smart, your child is able to converse with it and it will understand them as they talk back. It’s always starts with a greeting and saying hello to your child using their name. As time passes and you do more with it, your Ubooly will get to know your child better. You can customize almost everything, even how your Ubooly looks!! Silas’ has glasses. You can even tell it all of your child’s likes, dislikes and hobbies from their database. Although it’s a rather small database, I imagine that it will grow over time. The toy still is really dynamic despite the small database. Ubooly can also recognize when it’s in the room with another Ubooly and will begin to converse with it.

I really like the website (The Ubooly Lab) where I can go and choose what my kids are learning about on the Ubooly. I can purchase Education and Interest Packs (usually $1) and our Ubooly will already know to cover that topic with our kids the next time they play. I get full progress reports of what my child has done and what they have learned. It’s pretty cool.

Most people know I’m not big into “educational” toys because I really feel like outside of school, a child needs to play. I sometimes think “educational” toys take away from what they could be learning by exploring their environment and being outside, doing what kids do. That being said, I definitely let my kids have their share of media time and this is a pretty great way to spend that time. It’s not just all these educational lessons, Ubooly mixes in the learning while encouraging pretend play, art, getting up and doing an activity or exercise, and much more. Ubooly does not promote stagnant video game behavior. I feel like it’s a really good guide to help Silas start using his imagination more while playing into his interests. I can see this being a really great autism tool.

It’s really funny when Isaac comes running and tells me he needs some obscure object. He always says “because Ubooly told me I need it!!”. The Ubooly then makes the object into all sorts of things for him to pretend with.

UBOOLY PROS

In Silas’ own words “nice and does things I really like, tells jokes, plays games and does other stuff”

“My favourite thing about the Ubooly is he has a cardboard box room and he can talk” – Isaac

• The app is free.
• It lets me customize what my kids to learn.
• It promotes pretend play.
• I get to see their progress with the toy online.
• It gets them up and moving, drawing, playing, exercising, etc.
• You don’t need the toy to play.

 

UBOOLY CONS

“My least favourite thing is that he gets to do more things than me” – Isaac

“He takes too long to answer me” – Silas

• It overheated my cell phone with extended use.
• Small database of interests and hobbies to choose from.
• I get a bit annoyed when Ubooly wants him to use something like the TV remote for a game…but I get over it.

*****GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED!!****

It’s easy to enter!! Just leave a comment on this post for your chance to win an Ubooly (valued at $29.95) and a $30.00 credit to your Ubooly Lab. To earn an extra entry please tweet about this giveaway and include me @pluckymama and Ubooly @Ubooly using the hashtag #UboolyLab. Here’s a copy/paste you can use:

I entered to win a free Ubooly Toy! http://bit.ly/1912eTs via @pluckymama and @ubooly #UboolyLab

CLICK HERE to get to their Facebook page.

FOLLOW UBOOLY ON TWITTER

Contest closes on June 24th!

This is an endorsement in which I have been compensated for. All opinions expressed are my own.

 

 

*****GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED!!****