www.hippychick.com
Dena means everything and everyone. The Diversity range is a tribute to the beauty of all skin tones. Emphasising the tonal richness of races while encouraging empathy, equality and diversity. They can be used as teethers, for stacking, baking or as a puzzle which encourages children to play in a more imaginative way. The flexible material allows the pieces to be turned inside out to form various figures. Platinum silicone is a soft, strong, bacteria-resistant, hypoallergenic and BPA-free material and 100% safe. It resists temperatures from minus 60º C to 220º C.
We spoke to these real parent testers to get their review...
How did this product make your life easier?
Katy: This product does not make my life easier as such, but it is very different to anything we have had before and my son was very interested in them for a lot longer than his other toys. I like how I can use them for play and for cooking/making, this is a really clever design and is great to be able to do different things with one item.
Annie: I really appreciate the fact that these toys are suitable for all ages. My young baby is enjoying being able to safely put them in her mouth to enjoy the texture and squeeze them to practice her fine motor control, and to look at the different colours. I like the fact that I know they are safe and there are no small parts to worry about.
Zoe: The toys can be used from a really early stage (when a baby starts to use its hands) right the way up to toddler and even older. The fact that it is a 12 piece set means that there are plenty of toys for everyone and no squabbles about sharing. They are easy to clean and store and the design is attractive.
Would you recommend this to other parents?
Katie: I would recommend this product because they are so versatile the shape is easy for my youngest to grip and pick up and also nice for her to chew. They help my eldest use his imagination in free play and his hand-eye coordination by stacking them in different shaped towers. They are lightweight and easy to transport.
Nicola: The durability of the product was impressive. I also rate that this product will be a good starter/prompt to talk about race and allow it to start at a young age (books were also recommended to aid with this which is great). I liked that the toys can be put into the dishwasher (easy cleaning is so important!) and that they will grow with the baby so not just a purchase for the short term but will last a long and allow different modes of play.
Anna: The DENA Diversity 12 piece set is great! I love it, my partner loves it, my 2yr old likes it and my 6month old loves it! Our little one has been teething and has been using the product to soothe the aching gums, she also likes to knock it down, we aren’t quite at the stage of trying to stack. The shape of them means she can chew on them really easily and they bend to suit her gum which seems to give instant relief. The products can be chucked in the dishwasher to ensure they are cleaned as they often get thrown around. My toddler likes trying to stack them although they possibly appeal to him the least out of the four of us, I think this may be because they aren’t bright colours (I quite like the fact they aren’t too bright!). He has played with them a little however it’s a little tricky to get them really high and he gets bored. The older two of us enjoy fiddling with them on the table, we also like the fact they can go through various temperatures and are made from silicone – I haven’t had the chance to bake with them but I have used them for chocolate moulds and I made little people. When the kids have grown out of them I’m going to be keeping them in the kitchen. There are 12 of them but you don’t have to transport them all as a handful can be transported and played with. They are squeezable so are easy to transport and won’t break. They are meant to educate on diversity however if I’m honest my little boy hasn’t really asked any questions about the colours which is a good thing as it shows it’s the norm to have different skin colours.
Would you choose this product above all others on the market?
Sabine: If I were looking for a toy that introduced my child to a range of skin colours and full diversity in a fun and easy way, then I would choose this product above others on the market. However, this is a very expensive toy and unless your child has the fine motor skills (and interest) to stack and tower them, then they are quite limited in their scope.
Roxeanne: Yes, I would definitely purchase this product and will be buying sets for my friends children as birthday and Christmas presents. This product is so diverse in its use and colour it should definitely win. It can be used to educate children from all backgrounds about different skin tones and colours and show that any skin colour is normal. When I got this product I lived in a diverse area, but we have since moved to a more typically white area with much less diversity and so I think these toys will also be of benefit when my little one has friends over to play. The multi-use for these toys is certainly a unique selling point, I can’t think of another toy that has quite so many uses.
Leia Jade: It’s a product that can be used by many children of many ages. For lots of different types of activities. I know my child will use these for a lot of years as she grows older she will use them to play differently. At the moment she uses them to look at and teeth on but as she grows up I know she will use them to stack on top of each other and count and tell me the colours.
What changes would you make to this product?
Alice: I would like to see them in a larger size especially for older babies/children. I would also like to see them perhaps to come in different colours as well as neutral colours too. I think if they came in different colours they would appeal to more people too. I’ve not seen these in the shops though, so would like to see them in more shops.
Katy: The only thing I would change about this product is the price. It is a fabulous and well-made product but I don’t think it is a realistic price for parents to pay. The diversity and multi-use is incredible and a very good idea but the price does let it down for me. I would also like to see some different sizes included also!
Annie: In order to make this product more appealing to younger babies I would add some more sensory items to it, such as ribbons or bells. I certainly think this would have engaged my baby for longer and encouraged her to start trying to stack them or place them side by side, for example. Other textures on the toys might also be more engaging for babies.