I gave you the heads up about this “new and improved” Dora in a previous blog, but now the day has come… Tweenage Dora is here.
Well, kind of.
She won’t be hitting toy store shelves until November (just in time for Santa to tuck her under the Christmas tree), but her prototype was unveiled last week at the New York Toy Fair.
Brace yourselves mom… here’s what the new Dora has in store for girls 5 years and up:
· An updated Dora with long, luxurious hair and a massive wardrobe
· A complete line of Dora’s girlfriends with accessories galore (cha-ching!)
· Online games that enhance play options for Dora and her pals
Forget about Dora frolicking with her BFF Boots the Monkey (apparently he got the boot) around Snowy Mountain and over Candy Cane Bridge, tweenage Dora, is now a bona fide “heroine,” who has moved to the big city, attends middle school and has a whole new fashionable look. Dora’s growth spurt allows your daughter access to a “rich online world” where she can explore, play games, customize, and solve mysteries with Dora and her new friends.
According to the manufacturer (Mattel), this new Dora dubbed “Dora Links Fashion Doll,” is the cornerstone of a “groundbreaking initiative” that “empowers” girls. I assume the “groundbreaking initiative” has something to do with technology and the fact that the new Dora plugs into a computer. The computer-connected play focuses on online adventures, which gives girls the chance to customize their doll and “watch as she magically transforms right before their eyes.” For example, by changing Dora’s hair length, jewelry, and eye color on screen, the Dora doll magically changes as well.
The folks at Mattel felt it was necessary to age Dora to keep up with her fans. Company execs say they wanted Dora to experience the same things her fans were going through. According to Mattel, the new Dora marries fashion doll play and online experiences older girls enjoy.
The Dora Links Fashion Doll will retail for about $60.
Will you be buying one for your daughter?
Related Articles:
Dora the Explorer is Getting a Makeover: What’s a Parent to do?
Red Hot Trends: Bilingual Toys