Here at Rock Father HQ we have sort of an infestation… stuffed animals and plush toys. Some of you know the feeling, and earlier this year, I attempted to combat their increasing numbers by declaring “A Moritorium on All Plush Toys and Stuffed Animals Except for those Specifically-Requested by The Rock Daughters.” Sometimes, I have to make exceptions. There’s a lot of cute stuff out there, and you never know what is going to catch the eye of the little ones. But what if kids could actually create their own plush toys? That’s where HAPPY TOY MACHINE comes in, and when they asked us to create a custom design, that was a prospect impossible to resist.
Addie and I sat down at the computer to start designing her own custom plush using the interactive Toy Builder on the Happy Toy Machine website. There was a choice of “Plushlings” or “Smushables,” and we went with the Plushling… eventually deciding that her toy would be a dog. Starting with a “blank canvas” of sorts, we were able to customize every aspect of the toy. The color… the eyes… eyebrows… the mouth… nose… special graphics… the possibilities were nearly endless, and I just worked the keyboard while my 3½-year-old called the shots. I showed her each possible option and let her pick. Once the design was to her exacting specifications, I asked her to name the dog. Without even hesitating, she said “His name is Doozie, Daddy. Doozie the Dog.” 
I still have no idea how she came to that decision, but within a few moments, we’d checked out (Regular Size: $24.99 + $5 for “Super Soft Plush) and added a set of “Doozie” stickers ($4.99). Soon, Doozie’s Birth Certificate was delivered via email. He was officially born on April 13, 2013. He lives in the Cloud Castle, enjoys reading, and his favorite food is Ice Cream… all options chosen by Addie. For the next couple of weeks, the daily question was “Is Doozie coming today?” On April 25, Doozie arrived.
And was immediately loved:
And quickly became a nap time buddy…
Doozie has been a member of the family for a couple of weeks now, and he’s quickly become one of the go-to friends for the day (Addie typically picks a couple of dolls or plush to be her companions each day). He’s gone on adventures, and has already been photographed in several sleepytime spots.
And one thing I really like about Doozie? THIS:
MADE IN THE USA – a tag you don’t see very often, especially on toys. Sure, you might pay a little more for it, but the quality is worth it.
Happy Toy Machine has a variety of products available in several different price ranges. If you’re looking for something a bit different, I highly recommend letting your little one(s) build their own toy. Oh, and if you happen to like Addie’s creation? You can actually buy a Doozie of your own!
The Rock Father Rating: 5/5 Flawless Victory!
FTC Disclosure: As noted previously above, Happy Toy Machine invited us to try out their Toy Builder. Our custom plush toy (Doozie) was provided free of charge for the purpose of review consideration. All opinions are that of James Zahn, with influence from his children. They’re usually spot-on!
