The other day, I stumbled upon a doll review on YouTube for SmartGurlz: the World’s First Coding Robot for Girls. Invented by a mom, Sharmi, who was frustrated with the toys available for her daughter, Nina, SmartGurlz are “friendly self-balancing robots and action dolls that engage and encourage girls to learn to code. Connected via smart phone or tablet, SmartGurlz allows girls 6 and up to immerse themselves in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM).” They are currently available online via the SmartGurlz website.
There are two elements to SmartGurlz. First, you have the STEM aspect of the line. The real star of this product is Siggy the Robot. Siggy is a segway, a two-wheeled, self-balancing scooter. You may have seen them being used by mall cops or tourists taking segway tours in major cities.
Siggy can be controlled via an app, available for Apple and Android devices called SugarCoded. Using the app, you can make your Siggy “dance, do tricks, drive in circles and navigate over surfaces inside and out.” Siggy has lights, as well. It’s scaled for most 11″ dolls and can hold about 6 ounces of weight.
The second aspect of this line is doll that comes with Siggy. Eagle eye readers, upon seeing the dolls, will know exactly what caught my interest. The dolls are identical to Chinese Fashion Doll Kurhn! Each Siggy comes with a different rider: Jen, Jun, Zara, Maria and Emma. Each doll has a bio and unique interests. It’s clear to me that they made a deal with the people behind Kurhn when they were working on SmartGurlz, because their faces and articulated bodies look nearly identical to the Kurhn’s that are being released currently. While I like all the dolls, my favorites are Jen, Maria and Emma. Zara is interesting, as I’ve never seen a black Kurhn doll before.
Jun looks identical to my Anniversary dolls. Jen seems pretty basic, too, but she has adorable freckles, which I love! While the dolls seem like a bit of an afterthought when you look at the marketing of SmartGurlz, they are definitely what caught my eye when looking into the line. Kurhn’s are one of my favorite doll lines. (They’re so pretty!) Inside the free app, you’ll find an e-book that will give you a more in-depth look at the doll of your choice.
SmartGurlz are available to buy directly from the website. Zara is a pre-order, which should ship in October. The rest of the girls look like they’re ready to ship! They are currently on sale for $79.99 (regular price $99.99).
What do you think of SmartGurlz? Let us know in the comment area!
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