Cry Babies Doll Guide

Do kids love crying babies? They do now! A new toy out now in the US, the Cry Babies doll, is trying to bring some of the realism into taking care of dolls.

Cry Babies dolls are made by a toymaker in Spain called IMC Toys. These dolls are bestsellers in a few European countries but…will your little one like a Cry Babies doll?

Here’s our parents’ guide to Cry Babies dolls so you can know BEFORE you buy. Let the water works begin!

Check the price of Cry Babies dolls on Amazon.

1. A Cry Babies doll is a cute, interactive baby doll that cry tears.

A Cry Babies doll does exactly what it says on the box…cries. Your little one’s doll cries REAL TEARS (ok, water) and shouts when the pacifier is removed.

The Cry Babies doll will keep going until the pacifier is put back in her mouth or she is laid down and rocked.

The noises don’t stop there, though. When she’s happy, a Cry Babies doll will coo, giggle, and babble just like a real baby.

A Side Note About the Crying

Some parents have voiced concerns that the crying sounds…inappropriate. To us, Cry Babies dolls sound like babies crying not something else. However, we can see how it could be interpreted differently. Perhaps it’s like those drawings in which some people see an old woman and others see a young women.

Scroll down and watch one of the unboxing videos to decide for yourself.

2. Each Cry Babies doll comes with 2 accessories.

Your little one’s Cry Babies doll will come in a cute cardboard car seat. You’ll need scissors to open the box and it’s unlikely that the car seat will survive the procedure.

Each doll comes with a pacifier and an animal print onesie. The pacifier is tied to the Cry Babies doll so your little one doesn’t lose it. You can take the pacifier off, but at your own risk. If your little one does happen to lose the pacifier, you can soothe the Cry Babies doll by laying her down and rocking her.

The animal print onesie is soft, cute, and tailed (yes, there’s a tail on the onesie).  It’s also removable via velcro on the back.

Little ones love changing doll clothes but this may be slightly difficult for Cry Babies dolls. The doll is only about 12 inches long, so it’s too small for preemie baby clothes. It could possibly wear Baby Alive or other similarly sized doll clothes but…

This baby’s body is not cute.

There, we said it. Without the onesie, Cry Babies dolls are hard plastic, tiny bodied (in portion to the huge head) and quite mechanical. The water compartment for the tears, the battery compartment, and the multiple screws holding everything together are extremely visible when the onesie is removed.

You’ll definitely need another hooded bodysuit with footies to cover all this machinery up.

3. A Cry Babies doll is for 18 months + but we recommend ages 4 and up.

Cry Babies dolls instructions state that the doll can be used for 18 months and above. There are no small parts and the doll is only 12 inches long so we can see how Cry Babies dolls should be appropriate for this age range.

However, we recommend them for ages 4 and up. Below the age of 4, little ones are still putting things in their mouths, dropping things on the hard floor, and playing roughly with their toys. Cry Babies dolls are study when compared to other interactive dolls, but they definitely aren’t built for wear and tear.

Besides, part of the appeal of a Cry Babies doll is nurturing and caring for the doll. Many children under 4 will take out the pacifier, put it back in, and carry the doll around for a bit, but their play is likely to be limited. Children from 4 to 6 will probably get more play out of a Cry Babies doll than any other age group.

4. Just 2 AAA batteries…thank goodness!

Cry Babies dolls require just 2 AAA batteries and the first set is included.

Finally, an interactive doll that doesn’t binge on batteries and takes the cheap kind. Including the first set was a nice touch by the toymakers because it allows your little one to start playing with the doll out of the box.

Keep in mind that the included batteries are for the TRY ME setting in the store, so they won’t last that long.

Be sure to read the instruction manual inside so you know how to fill and operate the doll before play starts. We’ve added some tips below in case you lose the instruction manual or want to know even MORE before you buy a Cry Babies doll.

5. Cry Babies dolls are not for water play.

Yes this doll cries buckets full of water tears, but the doll itself is not for water play. You can’t take them in the bath or pool because of their mechanical parts. Getting the doll itself wet may rust the screws, corrode the batteries, or ruin the speaker for crying.

Want a doll for water play? Check out the Adora BathTime baby dolls.

6. These are NOT Baby Wow dolls.

Some of the listings you see online for Cry Babies dolls will say Baby Wow.

Cry Babies dolls are NOT Baby Wow dolls.

Baby Wow dolls are other interactive dolls made by the same toymaker, IMG Toys, but have completely different functionality (one talks, another crawls) from Cry Babies dolls. They are also more expensive than Cry Babies dolls.

Check the price of Cry Babies dolls on Amazon.

You don’t want to be confused and buy the wrong one.

6. A Cry Babies doll is NOT an inexpensive version of Luvabella.

Since Cry Babies dolls are interactive baby dolls, they are in the same category as another doll called Luvabella. Luvabella dolls are high tech and about 3 times the price of Cry Babies dolls.

You may be inclined think of these dolls as inexpensive versions of Luvabella but the functionality is different. Luvabella has hundreds of movement and sounds as well as loads of sensors, microphones, and interactive toys…but she doesn’t cry real tears. Cry Babies dolls can only do about 5 things: simple and straightforward.

Thinking about getting Luvabella instead? Read our parents’ guide first.

7. Choose from 3 Cry Babies dolls in the US, but there are more…

The original 3 Cry Babies dolls are available for sale in stores in the US and on Amazon:

Lea

Lala

Coney

There are other dolls currently sold in the UK and Europe that you can find on Amazon and that may eventually be in stores in the US.

Bonnie

Lammy

Lady

Be sure to only buy if the listing says “Ships from and sold by Amazon.com.” You can see the seller and shipper above the Add to Cart button. There are counterfeits and used dolls in the market so don’t buy only if it says “Fulfilled by Amazon.”

There is another new Cry Babies doll named Katie, who is a bit different from the other Cry Babies dolls.

Katie:

• Sips water from her cup
• Comes with a sippy cup and straw
• Is slightly bigger than the other Cry Babies dolls
• Is more expensive than the other Cry Babies dolls
• Uses 3 AAA batteries instead of 2
• NOT sold in the US yet

Editor’s Review of the Cry Babies Doll

What We Like

• Cry Babies are super cute baby dolls that do what they say on the package.
• A Cry Babies doll is a simple doll with simple functionality and only a few inexpensive batteries (good battery life).

What Don’t We Like

• The doll is too small to fit preemie baby clothes so you would need doll accessories.
• You need to empty the doll when not in use or it may leak. You will get tired of doing this.
• There’s lots of confusion about the doll, the type, the maker…everything. Oh, and there are no downloadable instructions.

Final Verdict

Cry Babies dolls are super adorable and actually do what they say they will do: cry. Your little one will enjoy the messy tears and the incessant noise. However, as a parent, you will probably get tired of what she likes about the doll.

Check the price of Cry Babies dolls on Amazon.

Want More of Cry Babies Dolls?

Check out some unboxing videos from our favorite Youtubers. Keep in mind that birth certificates, bottles, and burp cloths do not come with Cry Babies dolls.

Care Tips for Cry Babies Dolls

Since there is no downloadable instruction manual for Cry Babies dolls and very little information on the toymaker’s website, we decided to include some useful tips for your little one’s Cry Babies doll.

• Parent help will be needed to unbox the doll. Oh, and you’ll need scissors too.
• Have a washcloth or towel handy because Cry Babies dolls make a bit of a wet mess. Don’t worry…little one’s will love it.
• Make sure the Cry Baby doll is off and the pacifier is in her mouth before you fill the water.
• Use bottled water (not tap water) for the doll. Tap water can include excess calcium and other minerals that will damage the inner tubing of the doll over time.
• Fill the water compartment in the head about ¾ full. If you don’t put enough water, the tears will be small. If you put too much, the Cry Babies doll will leak when laid flat.
• Slowly fill the water compartment because its capacity is only about 80 ml (about half a bottle of water).
• If the tears aren’t flowing, press the button below the water compartment a few times. This button pushes the air out of the tubing and should get the crying going.
• When the doll is not in use, pour out the water. Cry Babies dolls have a tendency to leak even when OFF if the water is left in them.
• To make the doll stop crying, push the pacifier in firmly. Otherwise, it may pop out.

Check the price of Cry Babies dolls on Amazon.