Sophie la girafe | Born in Paris | Natural Rubber | Designed for Teething Babies | Awaken All 5 Senses | Easy to Clean (616324)

It is a well-loved teething toy that ticks all the boxes for ease of cleaning, holding, portability, size, and teething relief. The texture is soft and rubber for babies sore gums, helps with discomfort, and helps with soothing. The design of the giraffe is easy to hold for babies, the baby can hold it a couple different ways.

My husband gave me a strange look when I announced that I bought an almost $20 squeak toy, but after having this for six (6) months he now understands that it was worth it! The product description of this toy seems a little whimsical when it describes how it is a toy for all the senses; however, I am 100% sold. Besides the smell (it doesn't really seem to have a scent), I would argue that this one toy does entice my baby's sense of sight, touch, taste, and hearing. Summary of the PROS: - Color, I like that this toy is not obnoxiously bright blue, pink, green, yellow and orange! Every other toy is an eyesore. - The squeak is slightly annoying (like any squeak toy) but it really does make my baby smile when we are out and he gets fussy - The rubber is soft enough that my baby can chew on it without injuring himself and not too soft to puncture (the chewing sound does make a rubbing rubber sound that makes me cringe, but baby loves it). - The "small" parts, I like that the legs, neck and head are small enough for my baby to grab and chew on without being too small. CONS: - Slightly expensive, but worth it in my opinion. - Another mom friend said that the squeak sounds similar to that of her dog's toys so the dog likes to play with this too. Having two (2) dogs that love squeak toys I am amazed that my dogs have not touched this toy. - I wish there were real instructions (not just vague information on the box) concerning cleaning. If the squeaker gets wet it sounds like Sophie has a serious cold for a few days until it dries. Along with this I am also potentially concerned about mold or anything growing inside - no worries yet but I can see how this may occur. It may sound strange that all of my PROS seemed to have CONS attached, but I would like to be clear - I would buy this product again and I would highly recommend this product to anyone with an infant.

I honestly think that the first thing that caught my eye while reading the reviews was the review where a Dad was taping on You tube his reviews of USED Sophies. Ok...that's just disgusting and knowing that it is a teething toy and will be going into your child, grandchild, niece, nephew, friends or whomever's mouth - SHOULD YOU PURCHASE IT USED??? That being said, I have purchased a NEW Sophie for every one of my grand kids. I didn't want it being handed down to siblings because its a teething toy and will be going into their mouths to help ease teething pain. The other reason, is because even at older ages (almost 2) and getting those pesky molars, they were still using it. They even knew which one belonged to whom! I'm also not naive enough to think that these aren't dirty inside of them. Especially when I realized that Sophie has an opening for moisture to enter. When you think about it, what about all of those tub toys that are submerged and the child picks them up to play and learns that if you squeeze them the water (sometimes very dirty water) comes out of them. What do you think is growing in them? Yet, I don't hear the big hullabaloo over bath toys that people are making over Sophie. Please don't be foolish enough to think that the dirty water isn't finding it's way into their mouth. I've seen one of my grandchildren use it like a drinking fountain! Needless to say, those types of bath toys are not purchased by this grandmother any more and if I catch any of them using it like a drinking fountain, it immediately goes into the garbage. When I really started reading all of the information about the mold growing inside of the Sophie, I think that part of the reason I was so upset, was because it was happening in a toy that my grandchildren LOVE to this day. When they were teething, it never was far from their side. I feel like someone has punched me in the gut! I've been duped! How could this happen to a toy that we all loved so much and did what it was supposed to do...calm our teething children or grandchildren of horrible teething pain. I just feel a little betrayed and yes, I'll be honest; angry at myself for not thinking this could happen to a toy that is in the mouths of our children where moisture can enter the little hole that is in place for the squeak. As a possible solution, because you shouldn't complain, unless you have a possible solution; why don't we take the squeak out?! Our kids don't need to appear as if they are playing with a dog toy. Removing the hole and corresponding squeak, may solve both of the problems - no allowance of moisture to get inside poor Sophie, and no squeak to make our kids look like they are playing with something we purchased in the pet aisle! I love Sophie and my grandchildren love(d) Sophie. It did what it was supposed to do and it did it very well. That's why I have given her 5 Stars. They were also REAL. No fake ones here and I can honestly say that I have never purchased anything from Amazon without doing my due diligence. We can't see what we are purchasing, or smell it, taste it or touch it. Its the very least we should do and I'm not slamming Amazon. I buy from them on a regular basis and love them. I truly put this "blame" on my shoulders. I'm an intelligent person. I should've realized that this could happen just based on the comparison to the tub toys alone. I truly hope that Sophie manufacturers can find a way to fix the issue because it really is a great product.

Yes, I am essentially writing a love letter to a rubber squeaky Giraffe. There are a few things my baby and I use everyday, and would be a little lost without. Sophie is one of those things. I am a new mom, and one of those people that has to read every review and weight out all of the pros and cons, so I knew what to expect from Sophie before we received her. The Cons: She is basically a dog toy. Some people were concerned she might be a choking hazard(?). The squeaker stops working if you get it wet. She smells like natural rubber. Some children are not interested in her. Sometimes the spots can start to wear off. She is not cheap. This toy has been on the market for over 50 years and is considered safe, so that addresses the possible choking hazard issue, and the other complaints are open to individual interpretation. Despite the price tag we decided to give Sophie a chance. I am so glad we did. So now here is the love letter part. Dear Sophie, We love you, you french vixen! The first day I took you out of the box and washed you(keeping a finger over the squeaker!), I found that you were constructed better than expected. Sturdy, durable, slightly textured, soft rubber. You are BPA, PVC, and Phthalate free. SAFE!!! Your spots and large eyes were very attractive! Your rubber smell was definitely noticeable, but it wasn't a bad smell, its kind of sweet. I actually liked it(the smell has faded)and my son seems to like it too. I showed you to my three month old, and gave you a squeak. The rest is history. His face lit up with immediate interest. His other teething toys are heavy, hard to hold onto, and frustrating because he can't get them all the way into his mouth for a really satisfying chew. You Sophie however, are light weight, flexible, and have a nice shape making you easy to hold on to. My son can chew on your soft legs and head for hours without hurting his sensitive little gums. He easily passes you from hand to hand, and actively works to pick you up once he has droped you. You are also the only toy he can squeak on his own, making you even more appealing. What's not to love? When my son is given a choice between toys you win out every time, and are never more than a few feet away. You are easy to clean(a wet cloth or wipe is all it takes), durable, and highly entertaining. On more than one occasion in public(several restaurants, 2 holidays at the in-laws, a movie theater, the Borders Cafe last night, ect., ect., ect.) a level ten melt down has been avoided by your sudden appearance and friendly squeak. In fact we just purchased a back up so you can be at home and in the diaper bag, because we would be in trouble if we lost you. Thanks for being so great Sophie, and looking forward to many more adventures together. <3 <3 <3

I’ve had 4 children in the past 6 years and this is probably the 7th Sophie I’ve purchased because all of my kids love gnawing on her! This one came with an adorable extra little mini Sophie on a keychain that is about 2” tall. It’s easy to clean and easy to hold. Kids loving chewing on her head and feet. I typically buy each child a new one because I have read that mold can develop inside. I clean by hand but you could probably dish wash on top rack

After 3 years of Sophie ownership, I finally feel pretty qualified to give an accurate review. Right out of the box I fell in love with it, but my son did not. I attribute this to him being a little too young (2 months old). When he hit the teething stage though, he wanted nothing but Sophie. She is very soft which I think helped contribute to his favoritism (along with the rewarding squeak she makes). She reminds me of the vintage toys of my mom's I used to play with when I was growing up. I read some reviews about people's children chewing right through this. Unless you have a little vampire, I can't see how this is possible. Granted, the material is thin but ours has held up all of this time. I also read a review about its legs being a choking hazard. As with any toy you need to always supervise your young child. There is no way your child is going to choke on this thing if you are there to supervise. The legs that stick out are attached to a GIANT body that you can pull away from your infant/toddler quickly and guess what? When you pull on the body, the legs come with it. My son is now over 3 years old and Sophie is still his favorite toy. She has enjoyed family vacations, joined us at the dinner table (putting in more than her share of high chair time), endured a hospital visit, gone to the beach, played in the sand, gone camping, to sleep-overs, is a must-have at bedtime and she is still going strong. Most of her spots have faded/disappeared now which is no wonder considering all she has been through and that the dye used is natural. She has payed for herself a million times over and I wouldn't hesitate to purchase her again. $18 is nothing compared to the excellent companionship she has given for years. One note of advice if you want the squeaker to last.....be very careful not to get water into the squeaker when you are cleaning it. If you do, let it dry thoroughly before letting your little one play with it. Ours still works, but I can see where the squeaker would get ruined if you get too much water in it. I guess your happiness with Sophie will depend on: 1) your expectations of it and 2) your child's feelings towards it. I can't guarantee that your child is going to take to Sophie like mine did. Because of all the hype with this toy, please do not expect it to be the be-all-end-all in children's playthings. Take it at face value. It's an adorable squeaky giraffe with a big smile on her face. Do not expect it to "babysit" your child or stun them with too many lights and loud noises. It doesn't require batteries, just imagination. Something kids today could probably use more of.

Both my kids love Sophie my 6 month old daughter and my almost 4 year old son. It is so worth the money, with our next child we will buy another so they they have their own as well. Children love this toy and have for years. I wanted to address some of the things in other reviews though as well, specifically those that have given horrible reviews of Sophie. First off she is pricey for a few reasons. First off she is made in France and therefore has to be imported to the US for sale. Secondly since it is BPA free and made of natural rubber and food safe dye the cost of making the product so that it is safe for our little ones is higher. The other thing I wanted to address was those reviews talking about it being dangerous. You shouldn't be leaving a infant or a child under the age of 2 maybe even 3 unattended at any time no matter what they are playing with or what they are doing, your just asking for something potentially bad to happen if you do. I don't care if they are in a jumper, play pen or anything else infants and young toddlers should always be supervised. I don't think those reviews even took place because Sophie's legs are not long enough to do what the reviews state, gag a child maybe but they can gag on their own fingers, choke a child to turn blue no not at all. Also Sophie has been around for over forty years I had one as a child and so did my mother. If it was not safe for children to have the company would have been told that they could not sell them a long time ago. In fact it has only been recently that Sophie is even available in the states my mom got hers while her dad was stationed in France and my grandfather bought mine in France as well because she was not available in the states. As far as being a glorified dog toy. Far from it, yes it is made from rubber like a lot of dog toys but thats where the similarities end. Yes she has a squeaker but she is not the only baby toy that squeaks nor will she be the last. Babies are stimulated by the noise and love it, its enriches them. You can go to walmart or target go to the baby section and I can guarantee you that you will find toys the squeak. Yes, the paint does come off over time and that is because of the natural paint they use. I would rather the toy dull and know its safe for my children to chew on then have a toy comtaminated with lead that they are chewing on and you never knowing that lead is in said toy. Over all she is a great toy for any child and it will last for many years. My neice is using the one my brother bought my nephew ten years ago, they last and are well worth the cost despite what you may think.

I've gotten this for a few babies after seeing how my granddaughter loved it. So I got it for my teething great grandson and he took to it like it was his BFF. Reviews were somewhat misleading and mentioned poor quality and bad odor, but the ones I got were just fine.