Do Zhu Zhu Pets Have Any Educational Value?

This is the Zhu Zhu Hamster, Num Nums.

This is the Zhu Zhu Hamster, Pipsqueek in Yellow. He chatters, scoots and scurries like a real hamster.

This is the Zhu Zhu Pets Hamster,Chunk, in white.

If you’ve been looking for popular toys to get for your own toddler, preschooler or other young children in your life this holiday season, you’ve probably come across the newest craze, Zhu Zhu Pets. What are they? Zhu Zhu Pets are cute robotic toy hamsters that come in a variety of colors along with a whole world of accessories, from carriers to blankets to hamster wheels to activity tracks and more. Each pet has some life-like characteristics, able to squeal and scurry around just like a real hamster (though without the poop to clean). Each Zhu Zhu Hamster has its own unique personality and accompanying whimsical sounds triggered by different modes. For example, in Loving Mode you pet them, show them affection, and hear them chatter. In Explore Mode they will scoot and scamper across the floor. Things get even more interesting when you provide them with a full on Hamster Habitat.

And in our opinion therein lies where their potential educational value from these toys resides. Real pets like hamsters are a wonderful way to teach children a bit of biology and geography, like where different kinds of animals and animal species come from and their characteristics. For example, Hamsters are nocturnal burrowing rodents that live in Asia and Europe, living as loners after they leave their mothers, and surviving on seeds, grass, fruit and small insects. With Zhu Zhu Pets, you can simulate this kind of learning risk free, start with preschoolers at a very young age, avoid the sadness that comes with the inevitable passing of a real pet hamster (they have a lifespan of only about two and a half years) and for the squirmish among you (like me), you can be at ease with the psychic satisfaction of knowing the Zhu Zhu hamsters are not real rodents!

Below we’ve gathered some of the most popular Zhu Zhu Pets and accessories. Depending on how you use them, these toys have the potential to be both fun and educational learning gifts for this holiday season.

You might consider dressing up your toy hamster with a carrier, blanket and bed, in matching colors. This is the Zhu Zhu Hamster carrier and blanket in purple.

You might also get the blanket and bed. This set is Orange.

It also comes in Green and Pink.

These are the special ZhuZhu Pets (habitat accessory wheel and tunnel). They love to jump on and off the wheel all by themselves! ZhuZhu Pets hamsters sold separately.

ZhuZhu Pets Patches the motorized hamster loves to scoot, scurry and scamper around the (Funhouse environment). Includes large kitchen/living room, connecting hallway and large bathroom areas. This playset habitat has lots of openings for additional playsets.

Special ZhuZhu Pets habitat accessory Spiral Slide and Ramp. Hamsters love to climb the ramp and whirl and twirl down the slide. ZhuZhu Pets hamsters are sold separately.

You could go all out and build your very own magical hamster city! This Surfboard and Sleep Dome set includes, surfboard, sleep dome and connector. The Hamster and Funhouse are sold separately.