It's Fun to Watch Her in the Water
Baby Born has sensors on her tummy that cause her to automatically start swimming the minute she hits the water, so there's no switch to worry about and no need to wind anything up. Just insert three AAA batteries (not included) in her back, and Baby Born is ready to swim. Your little girl will have fun taking the doll into the bathtub or pool with her. After Baby Born's swim or bath, dry her off, slide her feet into flip-flops, and cover her up with her mermaid skirt. If it's sunny, her headband and sunglasses will protect her sensitive eyes.

Baby Born automatically starts swimming when she touches water. View larger.

What We Think Fun Factor: Durability: (what this means) The Good: Doll actually swims, easy to operate The Bad: Loud motor In a Nutshell: Easy for a child to use, fun to play with At a Glance Ages: 3 and older Requires: 3 AAA batteries

The design of this toy is excellent: The doll keeps her face out of the water and remains afloat as if she's actually swimming. Her clothing is bright and cheerful, and her pink nylon bathing suit dries quickly after removal.

A matching sequined mermaid skirt (it covers her feet in a split fishtail) matches the bathing suit and gives her an outfit to wear when she's not in the water. Her accessories include flip-flops, sunglasses, and a headband. A small problem with the doll's sunglasses is that they fall off easily and don't fit properly across her nose.

She Swims Fast, but Not Far
For ideal balance, the manufacturer recommends holding the doll underwater until all the air bubbles disappear through the holes in her back. However, the doll's performance was excellent even without removing the excess air. In the event your three-year-old forgets the air-removal step, the doll should swim fine and evenly, without becoming unbalanced or listing to one side.

For optimum results, it's best to have enough water in the tub (or pool) so the doll's legs can kick freely without coming into contact with a hard surface. Touching the bottom of the tub can cause her to swim crookedly. This, however, is not an issue with adequate water levels.

Though the doll's form is excellent and she really does resemble a swimmer, she doesn't actually travel--a positive thing in general because it's the doll's activity that will appeal to your child, not the number of laps Baby Born completes. One minor quirk is that the motor powering this doll is very loud.

What's in the Box
Doll, bathing suit, mermaid skirt, flip-flops, sunglasses, headband, starfish.