In addition to being able to talk, move and dance on its own, the doll can also teach children the fundamentals of coding through an app available on ions and Android devices.

Children can program dance routines through the app that the doll then performs. Younger children can begin to learn to code through a simple "connect the dots" mode, where dragging a finger across the screen creates a dance, which can then be enhanced with additional moves as they press different shapes. 

Read also: Study suggests sex toys safer than kids' toys

For older kids, there is an option for a "block coding" mode, where moves and commands can be manually assembled by dragging and dropping shapes into a certain order. The app and the doll can be connected through Bluetooth, so cables are not necessary.  

Slated for release this fall, the Dance Code Belle will include four songs from the original movie and will be able to speak over 100 different phrases, although it will not be voiced by the remake’s Belle, Emma Watson. 

The new release fits into a more recent trend in toys: promoting the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) field, especially among girls. (sul/kes)