As long time fans of Baby Annabell from Zapf Creation we were recently sent a Baby Annabell Alexander doll and the Baby Annabell medical scanner to review. Both suitable for aged 3 years plus, the medical scanner is a great accessory for the updated Baby Annabell doll range and it has fast become a favourite toy.
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| Review of the Baby Annabell Medical Scanner and Baby Alexander doll |
Baby Annabell Alexander is the male version of Baby Annabell although other than eye colour I think the actual dolls are the same, but they have different colour clothes and accessories (blue or pink). The 43cm interactive dolls react to touch and movement to make play time more responsive and fun. We reviewed an earlier version of Baby Annabell and there are a few updates in this model which I cover below. Blue is my middle daughter’s favourite colour so guess who her new favourite doll is? That’s right Baby Annabell Alexander.
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| Giving Baby Alexander a cuddle |
Baby Annabell Medical Scanner Review
The Baby Annabell Medical Scanner is a great toy to add to your Baby Annabell collection (although you can use it with any doll). It takes 3 AAA batteries (not included) and comes with the medical scanner and 10 accessories. The scanning unit has a hand held scanner you can unclip from the unit, when the unit is turned on and the yellow bar on the scanner pushed down it starts making scanning noises. After 8 seconds it shows an image on the small screen explaining what is wrong with the doll and the suggested treatment. Using the accessories: stethoscope, plaster, thermometer, syringe (injection), spoon, medicine bottle, cream, medicine pot or tablet box you role play to make them better and then press the flashing red cross button to confirm they are fixed (these are my interpretation of what each accessory is).
The scanner makes a variety of noises including some which sound like talking in a foreign language, but I think it’s just to sound like talking so it works it all countries, I’m pretty sure it’s not an actual language.
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| The Baby Annabell Medical Scanner and included accessories |
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| Using the toy scanner to check if Baby Annabell Alexander is ok |
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| Making Baby Annabell Alexander well again |
"Wait, is it an emergency? Quick call for back up on the phone" (which neatly clicks on to the side of the unit). There is a drawer on the side on the scanner where you can keep some of the essential kit, but you will probably want some sort of doctor's bag to keep all the kit in safely and possibly the scanner too. The screen is fixed in place (and doesn’t fold down like it looks like it might).
Most of the buttons on the scanner are just for display and likewise the accessories are mostly non moving plastic (except for the plaster which is fabric with velcro). I like this because it means there are less really small pieces to lose. The lid of the tube shaped container comes off, but the medicine bottle ones are all fixed on (or at least I can’t make them move). The pieces are all a nice size for little hands and for the Baby Annabell Alexander doll. You can insert the thermometer into his mouth and the stethoscope fits my 4 year old well. There is just enough prompting from the scanner to encourage role play without it taking over and effectively scripting play.
The scanner comes with an instruction booklet which is also available online. The instructions are all pictures so they can be followed by pre-readers.
The scanner comes with an instruction booklet which is also available online. The instructions are all pictures so they can be followed by pre-readers.
This toy is hugely popular with my middle daughter. She happily sits for some time repeatedly scanning and fixing her baby. My 8 year old daughter loves to play with it as well and it has been involved in lots of games of doctors (and even vets) since it arrived. I think it is a great buy.
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| Finding out what is wrong with Baby Annabell Alexander this time |
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| Checking Baby Annabell Alexander's temperature |
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| Giving Baby Annabell Alexander an injection in his ankle as suggested by the Baby Annabell scanner |
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| A plaster on Baby Annabell Alexander's wrist |
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| A toy phone clicks on to one side of the scanner |
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| The other side of the scanner has a small drawer some essential supplies can be kept in |
Baby Annabell Alexander Review
Baby Annabell Alexander comes with: a bib, a bottle (and lid), a dummy, a pendant and the clothes he is wearing (a hat and sleepsuit). To make him interactive he requires 3 AA batteries. Unlike BABY Born dolls Baby Annabell has a soft body and formed plastic limbs and head. This means she can’t be positioned to sit on her own easily, but makes her more comfortable to hug.
After a while if not interacted with he will go into battery saving mode, but if you want to make batteries last even longer he can be switched off with the on/ off switch (you access the on/ off switch and battery compartment by opening the velcro on the back of the sleepsuit and his back). To wake him up from battery saving mode you can insert the bottle or dummy or move the switch off then on again. The included instructions are primarily pictorial and you can access them online if you lose the ones he came with.
When switched on Baby Annabell Alexander will make various noises and minor movements for instance he burps and babbles if you pat his back, makes sucking movements and noises when he has his dummy in or is drinking and he farts and giggles too. When Baby Annabell Alexander is tired he makes a yawning sound and can be rocked to sleep, he will then snore gently for a while. If you do something he doesn’t like he will cry (with real tears if you have given him water to drink, otherwise it will just be the noise of crying). Just like with the earlier version to get him to drink from his bottle you need to fill it with clean water, insert it fully into his mouth and squeeze it to force the water in (it doesn't suck the water on it's own).
After a while if not interacted with he will go into battery saving mode, but if you want to make batteries last even longer he can be switched off with the on/ off switch (you access the on/ off switch and battery compartment by opening the velcro on the back of the sleepsuit and his back). To wake him up from battery saving mode you can insert the bottle or dummy or move the switch off then on again. The included instructions are primarily pictorial and you can access them online if you lose the ones he came with.
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| Making Baby Annabell Alexander well again with a cuddle |
What are the differences between Baby Annabell versions?
The Baby Annabell Alexander we received is the latest version of the 43cm Baby Annabell doll from Zapf Creation. While the difference between Baby Annabell and Alexander is mainly about the colours of the clothing and accessories the differences between versions is greater. The only difference I'm aware of between the current girl and boy dolls is the boy has brown eyes while Annabell has blue (neither has any anatomy). This version has new patterns on his bib (which says Alexander Lamb) and sleepsuit, the dummy is now heart shape and the bottle shape has changed slightly too. The newer doll is more reactive to movement, the motor is a little quieter and the plastic limbs are slightly softer. The most significant change between this version and the previous one I reviewed though is this new version no longer wee’s and doesn’t come with a nappy. This is a good thing as far as I’m concerned, because I'm not really a fan of weeing dolls.
The release date of this version of Baby Annabell Alexander doll was September 2019 and I believe the last version we reviewed was released August 2016 although looking online there seems to be versions with the same clothes and without the nappy.
The updates to the latest Baby Annabell 43cm Alexander doll are subtle, but I think they make him a much better doll. My children are happily playing with both models side by side.
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| Baby Annabell Alexander and the accessories he comes with |
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| AD Gifted: Baby Annabell products from Zapf Creations received to review |
***Disclosure: we received these items for honest review. Links to Amazon are affiliate links***
As a dad of girls dolls and babies are always a popular toy in our house. With a few baby Annabelles and other similar brands. Our girls love to interact with them. The scanner would be great to add a new aspect of play with the doll. Another great review.
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