Franco Kids Bedding Super Soft Comforter and Sheet Set, 5 Piece Full Size, Gabby's Dollhouse

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For all of its wholesomeness, Gabby’s Dollhouse is also a brand targeted towards an era in which only the strongest IP will survive – from DreamWorks Animation’s earliest involvement, says the company’s head of TV development, Teri Weiss, who commissioned the show, it was “a franchise, not just a TV show – a capital-F franchise” with toys and other brand extensions marketed hard. A giant mascot version of Gabby already appears as an attraction at Universal Studios in Florida, with more Gabby planned for the forthcoming DreamWorks Land, which will open there next year.

The show was initially aimed towards girls, which is how the fanbase skews, though the Gabby fan in my home is a boy, and the creators say the way they think about preschool play is “very gender neutral”. They point out that many of the cat characters are boys: “We love having things where boys do so-called ‘girl’ things and girls do so-called ‘boy’ things and it’s all just imagination and creativity and fun – and everyone can play,” says Johnson. The Playroom: Let’s go for a ride with Carlita and her outgoing personality. Race around the playroom, build castles, play basketball or even tennis! Games galore in the playroom! Try, test and learn: Make as many fun experiments as you like - nothing can go wrong in Gabby’s Dollhouse! The Fairy garden: Follow Kitty Fairy to her garden of wonders with the most enchanting activities from star drawing to singing with flowers! Guests attend a Gabby’s Dollhouse event on 12 November in Los Angeles. Photograph: Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for DreamWorks AnimationMeet the cutest kitties ever: Pandy, Cakey, MerCat, DJ Catnip, Baby Box, Carlita, Kitty Fairy and Pillow Cat.

Casting Kraner was quite the process. DreamWorks, which commissioned the show in 2017, auditioned 1,500 actors on screen, then sent Johnson and Twomey 500 to whittle down. When they saw Kraner, they just knew. She had “natural spontaneity”, says Twomey. “Even when she would make mistakes, she would improv, like, ‘Oops!’ – and that’s so growth mindset,” says Johnson. The Bathroom: Dive in with Mercat and share her passion for Spa Science by making your own bubbly potions!Gabby wears cat ears, sings cheerful songs about science and says things like ‘miaow-mazing’. Photograph: DreamWorks The Music Room: Always dreamt to be a cool kid and play with a band? Time to get loud and try all kinds of instruments: piano, xylophone and mixing board await! Join DJ Catnip and make all your musical dreams come true! Still, Johnson says she and Twomey aren’t too involved in the toys. They do have “world Gabbification” in mind, but they are not talking about the bottom line. “It’s very powerful, our position of creating children’s media – we take it seriously,” says Johnson, pointing out that as adults, we tend to remember the shows we loved as kids. One day Gabby’s fans will grow up, she says, and when they err they may find themselves saying “whoopsie, I made a mistake”, she says, slipping into song. “OK. Like: that’s cool. Our plan is working!” Layered on top of the show’s old-school inspirations are references to internet phenomena, such as cute cat videos. (At one point Johnson and Twomey decided to “catify everything”, says Twomey. Almost everything on set has little ears – “the toaster’s catified, the refrigerator’s catified” – which has proved useful for merchandising). Another inspiration was something many parents dislike: YouTube unboxing videos. Yes, says Twomey, the endless clips of children opening toys can feel “a little creepy” – but the videos resonate with kids. “Then it was like, well, who doesn’t love to open presents? What’s better than that? So how do we make this … not creepy?” The idea was to “make that more story based, more narrative”.

Use it with the Bakey with Cakey Kitchen and MerCat’s Primp and Pamper Bathroom (each sold separately) to build up your own Gabby’s Dollhouse world. Plus, you can even slide the room right into Gabby’s Purrfect Dollhouse (sold separately) for more ways to play out your dollhouse adventures.

Do my children have to have seen the TV program to enjoy a toy action figure from a show?

You hope that the idiosyncrasy – and the sense, among parents, that this is a show first and not a vehicle for the sales of toys – will survive the turbo Franchise treatment long term. Get ready for a cosy night in with Pillow Cat in the Gabby’s Dollhouse Sweet Dreams Bedroom. This deluxe Gabby’s Dollhouse playset is filled with fun details and surprises to explore, bringing the magical room from the show to life. The Bedroom: Cuddle up with Pillow Cat, hear your favorite bedtime story, play dress up with your cat friends!