Product Review: Poofin Star *Fun* (3+)
What’s your story? What makes you special?
The dream of the Poofin team, Julia DeVos and Ann Bowar, was that the Poofin Star pillow toy would give kids a way to express and communicate their individuality so that they feel special, understood and empowered. The two moms, who have 6 kids between them, met at a Montessori preschool when Julia’s oldest child was 3. The Poofin Star was designed to provide a soft comfort toy for kids that also allow them to express their own uniqueness through soft pillow charms that fit perfectly into the pillow. A few of the charm categories your child can choose are; Dog Breeds, Sports, Activities, Food, Animals, Symbols and Poofins for Good. The Poofin has already quickly gained attention by the Creative Child Magazine and won in the Soft Travel category in their 2011 Toy of the Year.
I was excited by the super soft Poofin in person and it definitely exceeded my expectations for me and my daughter. The star is quite a nice large size (dimensions are 23″ diameter by 1″ deep) and come in colors red, blue or pink. The star has a zipper up the back and a small little hole in the front to place and pull out charms. The five unique charms Brooke chose were even more adorable in person and included; Grilled Cheese, Kitten, Blue Eye, Books and Planet Earth. These five items definitely describe her current favorite things and it is so fun to have a showcase of her charms. There is also a lot of additional room inside her Poofin for many more charms and I am excited to add to her collection.
There are a lot of unique things to do on the Poofin website. There is a Voting Booth to give a thumbs up or down on the next design batch of charms. The Poofin team adds charms throughout the year and change the online voting booth every two months. Another great feature of the Poofin charms is that you can create your own through the online Poofin factory. You can scan and upload pictures or artwork under 2 mb and choose between 6 different colors for a personalized charm at just $3.50 each. I love the idea that Brooke could have a charm with grandma or her favorite cat, Spike. I have also fell in love with the Poofin Star blog that talks about the importance of self reliance, self esteem and self confidence.
Fun Q&A with co-creator Julia DeVos:
What was your ah-ha moment for your Poofin creation?
Not sure it was Ah-Ha but more instinctual and seemed to fit for kids at this time in their lives of so much technology and issues of bullying. Having a nurturing toy that celebrated individuality, sharing conversations and helping kids feel that it is OK to be YOU felt really good to us!
What charms would you pick for your own Poofin?
Artist, Kitten, HOPE, LOVE, Heart, Planet Earth, Bike, Yoga, Peace Sign, Sunflower, Skier (not out yet:) and many custom charms of my kids, family, friends and pets!
Poofins are made from 100% polyester materials and inks and dyes are PCV-free and are machine washable. The zipper is plastic and certifiably lead-free.
Extra Fun: Poofin has a Flickr page for your child’s picture uploads! www.flickr.com/photos/poofin
List Price $17.99. Charms are $3.50 each.
Momma's Bacon 
Pingback: Product Review: Poofin Star Halloween/Holiday Charms (Age 3+) « Momma's Bacon