Gund Monkey "Mambo"

At this point, I've bought this monkey five times - for friends, the children of friends, extended family members, and charitable donations. This dude is awesome.

The first time, I found him after hunting pretty extensively through the entire FAO Schwarz store in New York. I was looking for a gift for a newborn, and none of the other stuffed animals really lived up to snuff. It's hard to beat this dude for softness, cuteness, and huggyness. He's cute, he's soft, he's squishy, he's got the right heft and the right size. I don't like stuffed animals that have hard bits (other than the eyes); animals with joints tend to be less cuddly and less durable. I also think stuffed animals are more satisfying if they're of a certain size; beanie baby types tend to be too small to get a decent hug out of. "Mambo" is a little small for a full-sized adult hug, but he ought to do fine for any child, and he'd be a perfect companion-sized dude for an infant. The other thing about Mambo is...Read more

I love this monkey. He's so cute and just the right amount of squishy. I can't say how durable it is, as it isn't played with by a child, but it appears to be sturdy. Besides, it's a Gund, and they have a great reputation. However, I don't feel I can give it five stars without it actually having been kid-tested.

As far as being asked to rate its "educational value," I rate it high precisely because it doesn't have any electronic or even noise-making components. Children learn a lot more from being able to use their imaginations and make up a different story every time they play with something than by being directed how to play with it, much less sit back and watch something move and/or talk and call it playing.

I bought this stuffed monkey toy in order to increase my purchase to $25 to qualify for free shipping so not much thought went into it. I think I ordered it on Feb 14, and it arrived Feb 18.
He is a cute little guy, soft material and soft to squeeze. Looks good quality. There doesn't seem to be anything that would make him unsuitabe for a newborn to chew on. Unlike many toys he has no blue or pink colouring that makes him unsuitable for an unborn child gift. I can't say anything about durability as I have just put him aside for when my baby arrives.
I definitely recommend him as he is as cute and soft as you want a stuffed toy to be.