Encourage Roughhousing with WWE Brawlin’ Buddies by Mattel

I’m betting that most of you have seen or (at least) heard of WWE, right? If you haven’t, then surely after last night’s groundbreaking announcement, you’ve at least heard the buzz that has been going around. For me, WWE goes back for quite some time. I remember watching it when I was little and though my younger brother grew quite fond of using me as his sparring partner, I enjoyed the show. It wasn’t until I got older that I developed a great amount of respect for the superstars and divas of the WWE. In addition to all of the wonderful things that they do for the community and numerous charities, this bunch is the epitome of celebrity. Not only are they insanely talented athletes but they are also some of the best actors in the business. Every single night is a show, an event for the masses. A wild concoction of a Broadway-like performance crossed with the intensity of the Super Bowl. Cool, huh?

Not too long ago, I actually won a family four-pack of tickets to a local WWE event so we took the kids along for the trip. After that, they were hooked. Convinced that the “big boob guy” would always be the winner of every match, they jumped and cheered for their favorites. While Daddy and I are partial to the infamous “Attitude Era” led by the one and only Stone Cold Steve Austin, it has been fun watching the kids enjoy the magic of WWE just as much as we do. On the contrary, however, I’m not too thrilled that they (much like my brother) have begun trying to mimic their televised counterparts. Sure, I’m all for learning and practicing self-defense but turning our living room into a wrestling ring and play fighting on another is certainly not ideal. Can Mom recommend a tag-team championship, please? We’re all on the same team here! No fighting! Thankfully, the WWE is on my side with this one and now the kids can get into all of the action without anyone getting hurt! Introducing WWE Brawlin’ Buddies!

With WWE Brawlin’ Buddies by Mattel, the little ones can enjoy all of the body slamming, catch phrases, submission moves, flying, flipping, and then some without taking the risk of getting any booboos.  It’s a parent’s dream – active play without anyone getting hurt!

Parents may know about Rough and Tumble play – a play pattern sometimes known as “roughhousing” – that can involve chasing, falling on one another or wrestling. Mostly, it involves plenty of healthy active play and physical contact! Mattel looked at how kids engage in active play and developed Brawlin’ Buddies to provide a new way for younger boys to safely recreate the action of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) superstars, while encouraging physical connection.

These plush figures at about sixteen inches in size are perfect for little hands. Similar to how one would play “house” with a doll baby, kids get a kick out of playing wrestling with all of their favorite superstars. Whether they’re competing with friends to become the new Unified Champion or if they’re teaming up with one another for the ultimate tag team competition, the encouragement of active play is enough to peak my interest and, definitely, theirs. Oftentimes, I’ve found that (especially with) little boys, their pent up energy during the cold winter is hard to tame. They want to run, they want to goof off, and they want to roughhouse. While most of these activities are typically best done outdoors, I am thrilled to see that there is finally a product that allows them the fun and crazy play while still, somewhat, remaining (even the slightest bit) calm. To put it simply – when they try suplexing from the “top rope,” better known as the couch, it is a scary sight that often leads to some sort of an injury. However, when their WWE Brawlin’ Buddies do the same, it becomes a show. It is play; imaginative, creative, and active.

Brawlin’ Buddies are available in many characters including WWE superstars John Cena, Randy Orton, Sheamus, Brodus Clay, Kofi Kingston, Zack Ryder, Rey Mysterio, Ryback, and (our version) The Rock. I was actually quite excited that we received The Rock as our Brawlin’ Buddy.

After seeing him in many family movies as well as in the ring, I believe that his character gives children a wonderful perspective on things. There is “ring time” just as much as there is down time and I think that the equal amount of the two helps kids realize that there are appropriate times for each. They now play wrestling with their little Brawlin’ Buddy during the day but, later in the evening, when we cuddle up on the couch to watch our favorite superstars in action their Brawlin’ Buddies sit by their sides as a soft buddy to snuggle with.

Each of the WWE Brawlin’ Buddies is a small, plush version of its superstar counterpart and, from the tiny tattoos to the facial expressions, depicts each real-life character to a T. They even have a compilation of catchphrases and sayings for each and every character. These things are, truly, so much fun and I’ve even caught Daddy playing along!

BUY:
The WWE Brawlin’ Buddies are available for purchase directly through the Mattel and WWE Shop websites, respectively, as well as online and in-store from a vast majority of toy retailers nationwide for an ARV of $29.99 each.

CONNECT:
Be sure to keep up with WWE via their social media outlets on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date on all of the latest news, possible giveaways, newest WWE superstars and divas, biggest WWE Shop sales, and more!

The kids and I (and Daddy, too!) have had an absolute blast with our Brawlin’ Buddies and, even though my current personal “big boob guy” favorite is Randy Orton…

…The Rock is my all-time family favorite! And these WWE Brawlin’ Buddies are certainly a new family favorite as well.

*Randi received the above product(s), free of charge, to facilitate this review. All opinions are those of the reviewer only.