Best Pals {Review & Giveaway}

 

BEST PALS… NO MATTER WHAT

Our Story:

Created by Kathy and Janet Lennon

We have always called each other “Best Pals”. we grew up holding hands and taking special care of one another. It has always been our dream to record our favorite childhood songs and to recreate our homemade rag dolls so lovingly made for us by our Mom and Nana in 1949. We want other children to know the joy of holding soft little dolls in their arms, listening to sweet music, and sharing special moments with their Best Pals; because after all our years of working and playing together, we are still Best Pals….no matter what!

 

 

 

Best Pals Dolls- Kathy and Janet

Each doll is priced at $25 retail

Recommended for Ages 3 and Up

Every child deserves a Best Pal. These soft 16” rag dolls were inspired by a pair of handmade ragdolls given to Kathy and Janet Lennon on Christmas morning in 1949. They are soft and cuddly- perfect for playtime and a great companion for naptime or bedtime too! They are available in 6 different styles the original Kathy and Janet dolls, along with Lily, Sofia, Isabelle and Danny Boy.

Best Pals Tin Tea Set

Suggested Retail Price: $29.95

Recommended for Ages 3 and Up

Playing tea party with favorite dolls and friends is one of the best pastimes imaginable! The Best Pals Tea Set completes the scene.. This sturdy tin tea set has service for 4, complete with colorful serving tray and carrying case for storage and travel. The adorable Tin Tea Set includes: 1 teapot, 1 serving tray, 4 cups, 4 saucers, 4 plates and 1 carrying case.

Best Pals Sing Together CD

Suggested Retail Price: $20.00

Recommended for All Ages

This award-winning CD features timeless sing-along songs such as Aba Daba Honeymoon/Animal Fair, (I love you) A Bushel and a Peck, Candy Man, Doggie in the Window, Inch Worm (2 & 2 are 4), Let’s Go Fly a Kite, Little Child (Mommy Dear), Pick Yourself Up, and  Whistle a Happy Tune. The CD also features two brand new original songs, exclusive to this album entitled My Little One and My Very, Very, Very Best Pal written by Janet’s husband John Bahler and granddaughter Lia. Kathy and Janet sing with Janet’s three granddaughters Lia, Ana and Jenna Bernhardi, who also perform with them on stage in Branson, Missouri annually.

My Thoughts:

Recently Best Pals sent me two of their original dolls Kathy and Janet to review along with the Best Pals Tea Set and Best Pals Sing Together CD. I have three little girls- ages 7, 5 and 3. When we opened the package my three year old was the only one home and she immediately told me that the doll with blonde hair- Janet was her sister Shannon and that the brunette doll- Kathy was her (Hannah). My other daughter has strawberry blond/red hair so unfortunately she was left out, however that hasn’t stopped all three of them from playing with these dolls together. I’m amazed at how well they are able to share and the imagination that has spurred from these non-electronic toys. I’ll admit we have quite a few electronic toys in our house and it’s sometimes difficult to find toys that aren’t electronic, it seems like every doll out there has something inserted in them so they can talk or move which I think has caused children to loose some of the art of creative play that I remember as a child. So I was  very excited that my girls were thrilled with these toys that didn’t move or talk or have a screen attached. I also really love the look of these dolls- while they are a little vintage in style I think they are much better then most of the dolls in stores today that look way too made up and about seven years old then they should be, which to me just isn’t the style or message I want to be sending to my little girls. The Tin Tea set is adorable and well made. I like that it’s not plastic but that my three year old can play with it without my fear of her breaking it. My only concern with the tea set was that the carrying case it came in is made of a cardboard material so you have to be very gentle with it. For some reason the serving tray doesn’t fit quite right when you try to put it back in the case so my kids have already bent it trying to put it back in and ripped the carrying case. Other then that the plates, saucers, cups and actual tea party set pieces are great. The music on the CD is delightful and I was thrilled to hear songs I recognized from my childhood. It’s fun upbeat music but still peaceful enough to be played during a tea party with these dolls. Overall I was very impressed with Best Pals and would definitely recommend if you have children. (Not only do they carry the original Janet and Kathy dolls but they also have three multicultural dolls and Danny Boy- named after the Lennon Sisters’ first brother.)

Buy It: All Best Pals products can be ordered at www.bestpals.net. They also have a store locator on the site for people who would rather shop at a local store.

Win it: Best Pals has generously offered one of my readers the opportunity to win a complete prize package.

Mandatory Entry: (Must be publically following this blog to enter) Head over to Best Pals and leave a comment here letting me know which of their products you like best.

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Giveaway is open to U.S. residents only. Ends March 1st at 10:00 PM (PST). A winner will be chosen using random.org and notified by email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond after contacted by email. If winner does not respond, a new winner will be chosen.

Disclosure: This review is based on my own honest unbiased opinion. I was sent product free of charge to review but was not compensated monetarily.