This toy has got real aaaah factor - and that's just the grown-ups (well, the mums and nans anyway !). I already love the CBeebies In The Night Garden programme, not least because it's a nice, quiet, wind-down-for-bed show that the little ones can watch without getting all hyper just before bedtime.
Igglepiggle is Juliette's favourite character - she's even made up a little song to dance to, along the lines of "Igglepiggle Wiggle Giggle" ! - so when I was given the chance to review an Igglepiggle Goodnight Friend, I already knew we were on to a winner. What I didn't expect was for me to be as impressed as Juliette !
The main element is obviously the Igglepiggle character toy. It's soft and squidgy, well made (I pulled at all the seams to check !) and resistant. But the pack contains so much more than just another soft toy. It has slippers and pyjamas that you can actually take off and put back on again, which is rare for pre-school soft toys. This helps your child develop their coordination and manual dexterity but also allows for a lot of creative, imaginative play. He also has his bright red comfort blanket which attaches to his hand with velcro so this again allows a lot of creative play - in our house, we've had "oh no, Igglepiggle's all sad because he can't find his doudou" (the French word for a comforter, the girls are bilingual !) and "Igglepiggle's playing hide and seek with his blanket, come and help me find it" (which usually involves searching her bedroom from top to bottom because she can't remember where she's put it !).
But the best accessory has to be the little lantern which really lights up, then turns itself off after a few seconds. It reminds me of the Glow-worm toys that used to (or still do ? I don't actually know if they still exist !) light up with a reassuring glow if you cuddled them. It's a brilliant way of progressing from a permanently switched-on nightlight to a dark room with an Igglepiggle lantern if you get scared. It's also great if your little one needs to go to the toilet in the middle of the night because Igglepiggle can light their way (or at least give them a few seconds' light to get to the nearest light switch). The lantern needs 2 AAA batteries but - oh miracle of miracles ! - batteries ARE included in this toy !
And last but not least, there's a little bedtime story book that you can look at with your child and then leave her to "read" it to Igglepiggle. Getting your child to help with putting Igglepiggle to bed not only gets them into the right mindset for going to bed but, if you play the role of naughty Igglepiggle who won't go to sleep, also helps them learn through play how annoying it is when they won't go to bed without a lot of fuss. Just for that, I'd buy it !
This is a really lovely playset that allows you endless hours of fun with all the accessories as well as the reassuring night-light aspect of the little lantern. Top marks !
star rating : 5/5
RRP : £19.99
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