Showing posts with label bath toys for baby. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bath toys for baby. Show all posts

Thursday, August 14, 2014

Haba Fit Together Building Block 27pc

Haba Fit Together Building Block 27pcHaba Fit Together Wooden Building Blocks Set Plus My First Blocks Wooden Set

My daughter saw this set in a museum's play room. My grandson who will be 3 in Dec. started playing with them and unlike other toys these blocks held his attention for quite a while. She asked me to purchase this set for him since he enjoys playing with the blocks whenever they visit the museum. She then decided to have a set available for him at home. I went on to Amazon and took a look. I then purchased this set and also the smaller 13 piece set so that altogether my grandson would have a set of 40 fit together blocks to enable him to build larger things. These blocks are fantastic. A toddler can fit them together and let his imagination run wild. They do not topple over like regular blocks because each block has a hole which allows another block that has a knob to fit into the hole effortlessly. The colors are bright and the wood is smooth and will last forever. The set contains many different shapes and sizes so that a child can build something simple or elaborate. No matter what my grandson builds it always comes out perfect since there is no right way to play with these blocks. I do admit that the set is somewhat pricey, but it is well worth the money. This is not the first Haba purchase I have made. Each of the items look as new as the day they arrived. They last forever and kids find Haba games and toys interesting enough to keep playing with them for hours and months at a time. Each time they play with Haba toys it's as if they are playing with the toys for the first time. Haba toys and games are not cheap but you buy them once and they never have to be replaced. I recommend anything made by Haba. As far as I know there have never been any recalls due to faulty manufacturing or using lead or other lethal ingredients in their paint. Their toys are kid friendly and age friendly. Easy to handle non breakable wooden toys that will last forever. Haba is a name you can trust and once you buy one Haba toy you will definitely be tempted to purchase more. They have a tremendous selection of toys for all ages, from infants up to teens. The toys range anywhere from infants rattles etc. to board games for all ages. Quite a few of the Haba games that are meant for young children have no loose pieces so nothing can get lost. The pieces are attached to the boards in different ways depending upon the game. If the game includes dice they are quite large or sometimes are in a plastic container that cannot be opened and are shaken while in the container. The boards in the Haba games are either made of wood or some other very durable materials. None of the Haba items that I have purchased over the years have ever broken or fallen apart. Excellent products, well made and kids will find them intriguing enough to keep playing with them for hours.

Even *I* like to play with these. I wish they weren't so expensive because I would have preferred two sets...one set is kind of limiting as to what you can build. But I would rather have something NOT made in China for this price than to have the company cut corners and risk substandard manufacturing! These end up in my child's mouth almost as often as they end up building something.

Anyway, my very active 15-month-old can stack blocks thanks to these...the secure way they fit together is helpful for little hands. Even if those little hands mostly prefer to knock DOWN things that are built from the blocks!

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We got these for my son's 1st birthday. At first, he just enjoyed watching us build, then he'd knock them down, but now at 19 months, he's become really good at stacking them himself and making towers. I love how these fit together they're a bit like legos for toddlers, but more fun than Mega Bloks or something similar. The weight to these (compared to a Mega Blok) is great.

Also, my two older boys play with them since they are so fun for building with. They use them in combination with their unit blocks (something every boy should have!)

So far, the paint/stain is holding up well. I was worried that they would chip like so many other colorful wood blocks we have, but these hardly show any damage despite the fact that we just throw them loosely into a basket for storage. The unpainted blocks have a few small dents, but over time, they will hold up great. I can see this as being a toy that we will keep stored away for grandchildren. It's a very well-designed, unique toy!

Read Best Reviews of Haba Fit Together Building Block 27pc Here

These are awesome! So much fun, the whole family enjoys them. My 16 month old can fit the pieces together and build her own stacks, while my 3 year old build huge towers. Way better than those plastic mega blocks, worth every penny.

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These blocks are a gem for so many reasons and your child from age 1.5 years onward will LOVE playing with these blocks! My thoughts are below:

1) They are well made and colorful these blocks feel very study and they are sanded down perfectly to a nice smooth finish. Also many of them are painted beautifully in vibrant colors that will make it more interesting for your child to create block towers. After heavy usage by both of my toddlers, who like to knock high towers down with a lot of force onto their play table, I can say that I have not noticed any of the blocks cracking, breaking or chipping paint.

2) The lego type design means that your child can build high towers and stay occupied for much longer than they could with regular blocks in fact, I am constantly amazed at the block formations that my son was able to make with these blocks starting from age two. Due to these uniquely designed Haba blocks my kids have been able to build very high towers that keep them occupied for quite awhile. My children have even built towers with these blocks that were almost as tall in height as they are!

3) I advise purchasing two sets of these blocks I originally ordered one set and found that it was simply not enough blocks to build with. After I ordered a second set, my kids had the amount of blocks necessary to hold their interest and to create large towers.

My kids ages 1.5 and 3 years love these blocks so much that I am looking into getting a third set so that they can build even larger creations. I realize these blocks are pricey. However, the quality of these Haba Sticky blocks is amazing and their unique lego like design will mean that your kids can create so much more with them than they could with regular wooden blocks. Buy a few sets they are worth the splurge!

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Taggies Ring Ring Telephone

Taggies Ring Ring TelephoneFirst, I'll say that all three of my kids, especially the older two, like to play with this. However I was a bit surprised when I opened it up in person because online, it looked more red to me... but in reality the whole back side of this toy phone is pink, and several of the taggies are in pink/purple tones. I like the phone and think it's cute, and we love the taggies concept. And I don't want to get into the whole girl-toy boy-toy debate, but if you are someone who will mind your little boy playing with a pink phone then I thought you'd want to know this.

So my baby is only 8 months old but he had a hard time pushing the button on this phone to have it make noise. The button is kind of hard to find really, I think it was supposed to be underneath the 2 or maybe the 5 but it is inside the soft plush of the phone and moves aroung a bit. Otherwise the phone is cute, it isn't real fancy, I bought it for the taggies since my other kids have liked tags as babies. We will see if my baby now likes them as well.

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Batteries died within 1 month. There is no opening anywhere to change them. Now it is making horrible sounds. Material is piling already.

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I think all the taggie products are excellent. This particular one plays music. My Granddaughter loves to chew on the tags as well as push the buttons.

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My daughter loves this little phone! The only thing is, you can't change the batteries when they go dead! .

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Monday, July 14, 2014

VTech Stacking Animal Squares

VTech Stacking Animal SquaresI love it, especially for the design, functions and sounds combination it has. My 11 months baby like it too; nevertheless she cannot fully use it yet.

Our 7-month-old baby granddaughter was fascinated with this toy. Its sounds and colors are not overwhelmingly loud or intrusive and the toy is easy for her to handle as well. She loved it!

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Baby toy must have at my home. It so funny and enjoy my life. It's will be ceation for baby Brian.

Read Best Reviews of VTech Stacking Animal Squares Here

If this is the only toy we bought with us my DD is happy to play with it, but she doesn't seek it out. I have yet to get her interested in stacking the blocks but that may happen in the coming months as she just turned 1. I do wish VTech would learn to use softer tones and more songs as the high pitched repetitiveness is a bit much on some days.

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We bought this as a first set of blocks for our daughter. Even though she was too young to play by herself when she received it, she still liked to watch my husband or me stack them for her and to listen to the various stories and sounds it makes. She still loves it now that she is bigger (5 months) and can play with it on her own. One of the best toys we found to improve fine motor skills, and baby will have a good time for sure!

Chicco Animal Cottage

Chicco Animal CottageI bought this toy for my daughter on her first birthday. As a kid, my brother had an older version of this toy and I was expecting that when I puchased the Chicco Animal Cottage. In that sense I was a little disappointed. The plastic is much thinner and flimsier, the doors pop open easily without using the key, and the animals can fit through some of the holes at the top meant for the shapes. That being said, it is still a fun toy and both my one and four year old enjoy playing with it.

I ordered this toy because my two year old had mastered his other shape sorters and I really liked the fine motor component the keys provide. However, upon receiving the toy I was a little let down. The reason being that the animals fit into the regular shape spaces. This means that a child can put the animals through the shape holes and since they fit, they think they've done the task correctly. This toy requires hands on for parents (which isn't a bad thing) so your child won't be able to play on his/her own without garnering a false sense of correctness. Also, the plastic locks are not very sturdy and seem as though they will break easily. I have seen older versions of this toy in other settings and they did not have this issue. So if you can find a used one at a garage sale buy it. If not, I would pass on this toy.

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I really dislike this toy. The keys and locks are nearly impossible for my child to use and she gets very frustrated. I'm glad this was a gift but am completely baffled at how many lame toys are produced. Don't they have focus groups for this kind of item? We hate it. Do not buy.

Read Best Reviews of Chicco Animal Cottage Here

This toy is great! I have a son tthats3 and has a learning disability his therapists recommended gettting him a shape sorter we ordered this one.....it was a little spendy but well worth it! I like that it has shapes to put in the holes, animals that you have to put in the right holes and the keys are alot of fun for the kids to have to figure out which one goes where!!! I would definitely recommend this toy to anyone who has a little one it is great!

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Color-coded animals, doors, and keys? And the concept of a master key? This toy may not be Playmobil quality but it's a mini-zoo's worth of fun. As the two-year-old said, "open the green door. green door and the yellow door. and white door. and people in it. the doors go open it! oh no! I locked it I locked it! I lock door. I lock door. I see it now."

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Sunday, June 29, 2014

Munchkin 3 Pack Mini Ducks Boy

Munchkin 3 Pack Mini Ducks Boy, Colors May VaryI ordered these for my son for Christmas thinking I was getting the fireman, police officer and doctor one and instead I got a sports one and my son really would have liked the other one better. I read later "colors may vary" but this isn't colors varying this is the whole costume the duck is in. The ducks themselves are nice but should be clearer in the description.

I have not received these items need information about this request thanks

I have not received these items need information about this request thanks

I have not received these items need information about this request thanks

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I only wish we had the choice to pick up characters, like a consumer mentioned, I would have liked the doctor, police officer and coach...

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I try not to buy squirting toys due to the potential for bacteria and mold growth. I was unaware that these were not just small sealed rubber ducks, but squirting toys. They are cute, but not what I was looking for.

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Tuesday, June 17, 2014

Manhattan Toy Snuggle Pods Travel Toy

Manhattan Toy Snuggle Pods Travel ToyI am very disappointed with the quality of this product. It is so flimsy and poorly made. the fabric wrapped around the arch keeps twisting no matter how much you keep straightening it and the worst part is that the arch doesnt stay erect at a 90-degree angel when locked in position. it limps to almost 45-degrees which is so frustrating. I am giving it 2 stars and not 1 because i can take the miniature snuggle pod from the arch itself and at least have my little one play with it as a separate toy in itself. What a waste!

Very good quality product, clips on to everything & is very secure. Good alternative compared to other lesser products where the clips are so weak they can't grasp anything.

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Sunday, May 25, 2014

Fisher-Price Laugh and Learn: Learning Kitchen

Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Learning KitchenThis is one of my son's Fisher-Price toys that he actually plays with. He is 17 months and is not interested in things that just make noise and flash lights anymore. With this toy he practices putting the shapes through the holes, turning on and off the light, putting the food on the shelf in the fridge, and putting the pan on the stove, in the oven, and in the sink. We also ask him questions and talk to him about the toy so he learns various foods and kitchen items. All toys are more fun for kids when you interact with them!

With four settings, I don't get as tired of listening to this toy as I do others each setting has different phrases and music that keep it interesting for the child and adult. I don't think he'll play with it for too much longer, but we will probably get it out again as soon as our next child can sit up.

After reading other reviews, I also wanted to say that our son has never pinched his fingers in the door and spends a good amount of time opening, closing, and moving the kitchen around. He used to pinch his fingers all the time in our real kitchen cabinets, so maybe this is a live and learn thing.

The only thing I would change is a way to keep it closed and a handle so it could be moved around with the pieces inside.

UPDATE: My son continued to play A LOT with this toy until he was 26 months old and we bought him a Kidkraft wooden kitchen. Even then he still played with this for a few weeks until I finally put it away. Granted, he is very into kitchen/cooking type activities, but I really think you can't go wrong with this toy from about 6 months and on, for boys or girls! We spent many hours playing with this together.

I was hesitant to buy this toy after reading reviews about babies' fingers getting smashed. I'm a hand surgeon, so the whole smashing fingers thing goes against most of my principles! However, the kitchen looked so fun that I thought I'd give it a shot, and return it if the risk was real. I closely supervised my 8 month old for a few weeks she totally loved all the songs and sound effects, but never got fingers caught anywhere. Though, her favorite thing to do is swipe down all the "groceries" (comes with milk, carrots, and ketchup) that I stack on the shelf of the fridge door.

I tried to close my own fingers in the door, and really couldn't figure out how this could smash fingers. I compared the toy we received to the one in the manufacturer pics ... the door has been redesigned since those pics were taken (I'm assuming in response to the finger-smashing thing). You can see the difference in multiple pictures, but especially the 4th one from the left on the Amazon site that's kind of an oblique view with the door closed. The white part of our door is cut so that there's a 2 inch segment that can actually touch the blue base, but the remainder of the door has a space so that fingers can't get caught.

Reviewers also commented that their kids knocked the kitchen over. My little girl did that a few times at first when she didn't know how to swing to door of the fridge open on the hinge. Once she figured it out, it didn't topple except when she pushed it over on purpose we can tell by her giggles and proud face. I only gave 4 stars because the "range" on the first kitchen we got didn't play music when you pressed it. The range on the second one worked, but the ball above it that you roll (which happened to be one of her fave parts of the first fridge) didn't play music reliably. So, a little lacking on the quality control, but still worth it once you get one that is fully functional.

If you have Fisher-Price Brilliant Basics Baby's First Blocks, the round, triangular, and square blocks from this set also fit through the door in the fridge part of the kitchen!

Just noticed the current selling price is the retail price... I happened to get this for 40-50% off, which is a good value and what I think the toy is actually worth. Not sure that it's worth the full retail value, especially when I've gone through 2 that don't work 100%.

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This toy REALLY held my 10 month olds interest, she loves it BUT she has smashed her fingers twice in less than a week! It opens and closes too easily, the fridge door is too light compared to the sink side and when slightly moved one side always falls shut on the other. Since she likes to move it around her little hands keep getting caught. All babies are curious and cannot be expected to leave a toy sitting where you leave it. Since she is so entertained with it we took the center hinge out so that she can still play with the two separate parts.

Read Best Reviews of Fisher-Price Laugh and Learn: Learning Kitchen Here

I read on the saftey issues other people had and adjusted the toy:

Put the hard side of velcro on the bottom of the toy so it will "cacth" on carpet. This will hold the toy in place and it wont topple over as easily. If you have hard wood, simply apply the soft side of the velcro to where your child plays with the toy (its just tape and will come off when cleaned). As for the pinching finger, if you have the toy on foam flooring, it makes it not so easy to close the fridge door.. child hasnt pinched fingers for the months she has played with it.

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This is a very cute toy. My 1 year old daughter got it for her bday and enjoys playing with it. The only real issue with it is that the two sides fold up too easily and her fingers get caught in between the two pieces and she of course cries. I've taken it away from her for now until she gets older or we figure out a solution to it not closing on her fingers. I've read some reports of the same thing happening to other little ones so I'm not alone on this.

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Thursday, April 17, 2014

Fisher-Price Bright Beginnings Baby Baseball

Fisher-Price Bright Beginnings Baby BaseballDad played with it for 10 minutes. My one year old zippo! Don't waste time or money with this toy. A boring dud.

we had a bday party for 5 babies turning 1 and this was one of the gifts, all 5 of the babies had their turn playing with it. the bat and the ball were the most played with but they liked the stand also. only thing was the ball didnt stay on the stand very well.

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my daughter received this as a gift for her first birthday, and i must say it was very disapointing. giving her a plastic spoon to play with would have kept her more entertained. dont waste your money on this! we're hoping the toys r us store will take it back

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My nine month old son loves this toy. He enjoys carrying the bat and ball around. Perfect size for a future baseball fan. He does not play with the stand. Great deal if you can find it on sale

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Thursday, April 10, 2014

Fisher-Price Little People Disney Princess Songs Palace

Fisher-Price Little People Disney Princess Songs PalaceSome times it is easy to decide if your child will like (or love) a certain toy. The Disney Little-People Princess Song Palace is one of those toys. If you have a daughter who like the Disney princesses then she will likely love this princess palace. It features all of the things that are needed to provide hours of imaginative play time. For our daughter (who is 3) immediately fell in love with her palace. She played with it for 2 hours straight, and begged to play with it before she went to bed. Rarely has she been so excited to play with a new toy.

I also feel that it will likely have some staying power. Most of our daughter's electronic toys have a tendency to fade after a week or two. They seem to be high on gimmick and low on long-term playing power. Because of the variety of princesses and the ability to integrate the princesses into story-lines it offers hours of imaginative play.

Notes-

Comes with Snow White and Cinderella, but more princesses can be purchased separately.

One of the coolest features is that when a princess is placed on the peg in the middle of the dance floor they will either state their name (in their true voice) or play a familiar phrase or song.

The dance floor has two small *cups* that will hold the princess and allow them to dance and twirl on the floor. In addition to the dance the palace also plays ball-room music.

-Assembly is a bit of a pain please allow about 30 minutes for assembly. Others have mentioned it but the assembly is not intuitive and can be a bit frustrating.

Two volume settings.

A tea pot int he kitchen make a tea pot sound and other sounds.

The front door play a quick but regal sound whenever the doors are opened or closed.

The elevator on the side of the palace is a bit difficult to use. It really does not go up or down easily this is probably our biggest complaint on the palace.

The Palace does come with some furniture including a bed, table, and two chairs.

Final Verdict This is a very easy recommendation for any little girl who enjoys the Disney princesses.

4 1/2 Stars

My hubby and I bought this palace, the additional princess dolls (set of 6 sold at Target) and the additional sets with the princes (sea carriage with Ariel and Eric is adorable!) all for our 2 year olds birthday. We opened the palace and she has not stopped playing with it since. This has become a toy that gets played with every single day. Our 5 year old loves it, too! This castle is a HUGE hit in our house. It has so many cute phrases and song clips from each of the princess movies. When you place the dolls on the center circle of the dance floor, each princess introduces herself, says a few character phrases and then sings a song clip from her movie. Our girls adore this feature. Our two year old claps in excitement and dances along with the songs. It's so cute. The palace also encourages the girls to be creative and use their imagination while playing. It came in a few easy to screw in and snap together pieces. You will need a small Phillips head screw driver to assemble some of it. Nothing major. No defects with our pieces. It took us about 10 mins to assemble, including peeling the stickers off the sheet and placing them on the pieces. This is a classically sturdy Fisher Price quality toy, it is colorful and fun. Each room or accessory has a sticker that incorporates parts of the Disney Princess movies. Example, Rapunzel's tower has the floating lanterns and a baby Pascal (her chameleon) painted on the wall. Another room is about Cinderella, the bedroom has the three good fairies from Sleeping Beauty. Our girls totally love the castle and all the dolls that we purchased to go with it. Their little imaginations run wild making up stories about being invited to the ball etc. Seeing our little ones happy makes us happy parents. No complaints from this family. If your little one(s) adore Disney Princess the way ours do, our advice is: buy this castle! :-)

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I was so excited to get this for our 3-year old who LOVES Little People but have a mixed experience with it.

I can totally see how as a kid, this toy would be AMAZING.

As a parent, however, I have had some frustrations:

1. The first castle we bought only recognized some of the princesses Cinderella thought she was Rapunzel and we couldn't even get Tiana or Sleeping Beauty to work at all (from the expansion pack). I would imagine this is a fluke, but we had to get right back in the car and return it (bought at Target for less than this Amazon price). The good news is they accepted it fully put together as defective, but I would definitely suggest testing the base before putting the whole thing together.

2. Speaking of assembly, you absolutely must have very skinny Phillips Head -we had a heck of time getting a screw driver tiny enough and long enough for some of the screws/pieces and you have to be very careful not to strip them in the process.

3. For a more expensive toy, some of the pieces we warped based in how it was packed (in ours the bedroom floor is slanted instead of flat).

4. Our daughter is already frustrated with the ONE SONG that plays for the dance floor sometimes you can hit another button to make it stop, but most of time it doesn't and you have to wait for it to finish. It got old to her (and me) very quickly.

5. My nostalgia and daughter's excitement totally enticed me to buy this, but really, they could have done a MUCH better job with what they gave some the princesses to say and sing. Snow White sounds beyond antiquated and sings, "I'm waiting for my Prince..." -I'm not overly shielding my daughter from the whole princess thing (obviously, since I bought this), but THAT is the song you gave her to sing? Not something recognizable like Whistle While You Work or anything a bit less old-school? I will say that some of them (like Ariel and Rapunzel) are spot-on, but Snow White and Tiana in particular, are phoned-in stereotypes in terms of sayings/songs. It would have been pretty easy to put a bit more thought into a few of them to make them both true to the character and not parent eyebrow-raising.

Read Best Reviews of Fisher-Price Little People Disney Princess Songs Palace Here

My 20 month old daughter can not get enough of the Disney Princess Little People Palace! The music is just a bonus as she spends most of the time playing with the princesses and her other little people in all the rooms. This is an engaging toy and she loves it. She always enjoyed playing with her big sister's barbie house and now she has one just for her!

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I've been a fan of Little People for years ever since my little brothers played with them as children. They are durable and come with a ton of cool pieces and people to play with. If your child isn't old enough for Legos, this is one of the best toys for them in my opinion.

This castle far exceeded my expectations. First: it's huge. Well over a foot tall and a couple feet wide, little children will love the size. It allows for easy access to all the rooms inside.

Second: the Little Princesses are super cute as you would expect with Little People, but the choices of princesses is right on in my opinion. There are few more universally by little girls loved than Snow White and Cinderella. (You'll be able to get the other princesses, like Belle, Ariel, Aurora, Rapunzel and Tiana and even boys like Beast and Charming with other sets.)

Finally: the castle plays music and phrases from the Disney movies that matches the doll your are playing with. So if you set Cinderella on the right place (dance floor) it speaks specific phrases about her, like "I lost my glass slipper". You still get all the expected sounds from a Little People playset (like the tea pot or door chimes) but the customization is a wow factor for little kids.

All four of my kids, aged 2-13, and even the two boys wanted to play with this set. It is a great toy and I highly recommend it to fans of Little People and Disney.

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Friday, March 28, 2014

Evenflo Splash Mega Exersaucer

Evenflo Splash Mega ExersaucerPROS: Reasonably priced, doesn't require batteries, higher weight limit than most jumpers, interesting toys that can snap out and be exchanged.

CONS: Springs in the legs sometimes snap out of place (easy to fix, but annoying), no 'kickstand' to stop the Exersaucer from wobbling around

BEST USE: Around 6 months in age

4 MONTHS: We bought this when our son was 4 months old, it took him another month to really grow into it. Had it come with some stoppers (old school exersaucers used to have them) it could have stayed still and been less scary, though he adjusted quickly.

6 MONTHS: Ideal age, able to interact with toys, but because child is not really mobile wouldn't object much to hanging out and playing. Would play for 30 minute clips easily.

8 MONTHS: Nearly obsolete. While my son was still within the weight limit, he really didn't like to sit still. He might hang in there for 5-10 minutes, but no longer.

12 MONTHS: Gave it away.

RECOMMENDATION: Worth the investment. It provided a safe, entertaining place for my son to play if I had to run to the bathroom or couldn't closely monitor his playtime because I was preparing dinner or answering the phone. My son loved jumping up and down in it and it was his favorite toy for a while. Once he started standing and walking, he didn't want to be restricted and would fight me as I'd try to put him into the walker (however, he liked to stand and play with it I used it as a blockade between a wall and sofa).



This is one of my 4 1/2-month-old twins playing in the exersaucer. I show the toys that come with it and how they snap in and out, and a chewy fishie that doesn't come with it but you can order on Amazon as well. I also show how well my son fits into it (he is 25" long), as well as give my opinion on how the exersaucer is holding up. Please pay no attention to the dirty diapers in the background, I have two teething twins and a husband on deployment :)

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The good: My 6 month old baby boy loves to rock out in here. I'm very glad I didn't get one with MORE "bells and whistles" because the stuff on this one is plenty, in fact i don't even use all the attachments at once because he gets overwhelmed. I can't imagine the overload from one of the crazy ones that costs more. This thing is plenty entertaining and it totally wears him out.

The bad: At 6 months old and only 70 percentile in height, he is (according to the instructions) already supposed to be on the highest height setting so that he's on tippytoe not flat footed. So that seems rediculous, he would outgrow on height almost immediately. Also, because he's still pretty lightweight it seems top-heavy if I put it on the highest setting AND it also seems uncomfortable because then he is "hanging" from his hips too much and not actually practicing standing -so actually i put it on the middle setting and just sit right next to it and watch very very carefully to avoid any chance of him accidental flipping it. (He can definitely really get it rocking and rolling!)

Read Best Reviews of Evenflo Splash Mega Exersaucer Here

My mother in law continually told me I needed some kind of Exersaucer or jumper or walker for our baby. I resisted because something about giant plastic toys that claim to help develop your child physically makes me uneasy and smacks of commercialism. The little toys all around the Exersaucer looked so overwhelming to me that I thought they'd cause ADHD. I finally bought this, though, to give my MIL a 'win' since I have a very different parenting ethos, and after some moms I respected mentioned how much their kids loved their Exersaucers.

I must admit, my daughter LOVES this toy. She's a large baby and is having trouble rolling over even now at 6 months old despite tons of floor time and 'exercise'. We bought this around 4.5 months, and I think the Exersaucer gave her a taste of physical freedom that she hasn't been able to enjoy on the floor, and reinvigorated her sense of excitement about using her body. She is very good at standing up and bouncing, even if she can't roll yet. She smiles for joy every time we put her in, and mischievously bounces to her hearts content. She loves the little doo-dads all around the edges and turns and reaches for them. I've seen her really start thriving physically since buying this. The first time we put her in she only lasted 5 minutes, and rarely lasts more than 15-20, but she really loves every minute she's in there.

It's huge and takes up tons of space in our little condo, but it is worth it. I am a hippie mom, and an Exersaucer convert. Let your child have this guilty pleasure if you're like me and on the fence!

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We got this for our youngest grandchild so he could be a part of all the activity when they come to visit. Our kids have a similar exersaucer at home that he uses it is just too much to tote back and forth. This has some differnet options it can spin around and rock even the 3 year old wanted a part of it. It was a great success the activiites keep little John busy so even at 7 nmonths he can be a part of it all.

Love it

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Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Ambi Chirpy Bird - Two in One Whistle and Bath Toy

Ambi Chirpy Bird - Two in One Whistle and Bath ToyThis whistle is darling, and my 17-month old son went crazy as soon as he saw it. Unfortunately, the design is such that the "whistle hole" is very close to the mouthpiece tip, so it takes some careful mouth positioning in order to make the whistle work. My son became immediately frustrated after trying several times to blow into it without success for this reason. We'll love it when he's a bit older and figures out how to keep his lips closer to the tip. Very cute though, and works great!

My girls really enjoy playing with this in the bathtub and even outside the tub. Depending on the amount of water in it you get varying pitches and tones and it really does sound like a bird. Even my older boys kept going back to play with it. The whistle mouth piece is a little short so you do have to show younger kids how to avoid putting much of their mouth over it in order to not block the air hole as other reviewers mentioned. Neat toy overall and certainly a great gift.

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I bought this for my 9 months old baby because she likes to blow into her cups and everything with a hole. We showed her few times how it works but she wasn`t interested. Few days later she took it out of her box and tried to blow it. Obviously it did not work but she did not get upset because she saw it made me very happy. I keep encouraging her and she plays with it from time to time.

And it sounds really good with water, but she gets it without it.

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My twins LOVE having this toy at bathtime. It definitely chirps really easily. My kids will go at it for a long time which brings up another point be prepared to take it away...or face a headache. Thumbs up though on how well it works though! My kids play with it a lot (they're three) and it hasn't broken yet.

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my baby loves it, as well as the whole family. we are waiting to bath our girl to get a hold of this birdie. The sound is really vibrant, just like real bird outside and you can control it easily. water level makes it deeper or lower. it is simply amazing.

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Sunday, March 23, 2014

Taggies Developmental Baby Doll

Taggies Developmental Baby DollThis is a very cute doll, well made, soft, quiet (not all toys need to be heard!) My daughter is less than 1, and doesn't play with it much though.

I got two of these for my twin granddaughters. They were beginning to hold things and chew on everything, so these have been great. They can hug them tight and find the tags to put in their mouths. It's all sewn, so there are no parts to fall off. They're great in the car seats too. Highly recommend them for six month old babies to get them started on toys.

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My daughter has received 2 of this doll as gifts and I kept both! My sister in law recommended and sent some of this brand toy after my niece fell in love with them. The tags on it really do attract their little fingers. The doll itself is soft and lovable. The size is good for even smaller babies, but not too small either.

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I wanted to buy a taggies toy after reading their very catchy marketing. The taggies concept sounds exciting but truth is, babies come across tags in almost every rag toy given to them and they like different fabrics, etc. Back to this toy it is a cheap doll; poorly constructed compared to a lot of rag dolls out there. My daughter is more interested in the item tag than the tags attached. Colors on the doll itself (the pink for example) are so pale... does not interest my daughter. If you want a good rag doll, get GUND first doll. This is now in my charity pile to donate.

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This Taggie Doll was for my grandaughter and she cannot be without it so I have one for the car and one for daycare.I appreciate Amazons quick response and packaging was great.

Thank you

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Friday, March 21, 2014

Infantino Push, Crawl and Sort

Infantino Push, Crawl and SortThis is a pretty decent little toy. It was my 10-month-old son's first shape-sorting toy, and within a few days he had it all figured out. He carries the blocks around with him as much as he puts them in the sorter, but he definitely enjoys them. If you're buying it for the educational value of sorting the shapes, great. If you're buying it b/c it plays (actually sort of decent) music, don't bother. By the end of the first day it was getting iffy if it would play or not, now that it's two weeks old, it hardly ever does.

One word of caution my son can fit the blocks in his mouth. He's never shoved one all the way in, but there's potential for it. Would have liked to see them a little bit bigger. They do however have a small whole in the end of each which I'm guessing is for air flow "just in case." However, b/c of this, it's never a play-with-it-without-supervision toy.

I gave this toy a 3 star overall because of the lights. I had read reviews of this toy other places & it seemed great. But we got it yesterday & although the little plastic pieces that cover the lights are obviously different colors-there's a yellow one on there, as well as red, green & blue, they don't light up that way. They ALL light up red. And it's a fairly dim light, too. I thought maybe it was the batteries that came with it, so I changed them out with brand new ones but the lights are still all red. My baby is only 4 1/2 months old, so I took the shaped pieces away & will save those until he's older. I got the toy mainly to help encourage him to crawl and he does seem interested...but like I wrote, we've only had it one day so far. I like that when he gets older, it's also a shape sorter...one less toy to have to buy later. But really, the fact that the lights only light up red really is disappointing.

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Saturday, March 15, 2014

Power Wheels Barbie Lil' Quad

Power Wheels Barbie Lil' QuadMy 2 year old daughter loves this. She rides it all over. Very strong toy. Has been dropped down the stairs on accident and still goes. Withstands weight of older kids that shouldn't be riding it too. My son has one of these too (the boy version) that is over 2 years old and it still works, although battery doesn't hold a charge very well anymore. We have taken that one camping in the sand and dirt and it did very well.

I bought this jeep for my 16 month old granddaughter for Christmas and she loves it. She jumped right on it, and at first when she pressed the button to go forward it jerked forward to quickly and scared her. I thought oh well, come spring time she'll get use to it. All of a sudden she jumps back on and took off down the hallway. She has to learn to steer it straight, but that will come in time. Grandpa says its easy to put together. Its durable and I think it will last a long time.

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I bought this for my daughter's 2nd b-day. It is super cute, durable, and just the right size for her; however, she road it for about five minutes and now won't get on it. I think because she kept pushing the "on" switch versus holding it in the "on" position and it would jerk her back and forth that it may have scared her. She may be a little young for this now but I think in a few months she will like it. Fisher-Price Power Wheels Toddler Series Girl's Lil Quad Refresh

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We bought this item for our one year old and she absolutely loves it. She loves to sit and play on it all the time now. I would definitely recommend this item to anyone interested in purchasing. Easy to assemble, sturdy, and most important of all our kid really enjoys this toy. Only thing I would recommend is that you take time when applying the stickers as they have a tendency to "ripple" when applying to the contoured surfaces.

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We bought this quad for my 19 month old for Christmas, and she absolutely loves it. Not only has it been a joy to her, but my 4 year old loves riding it too. I was surprised at how much power this thing has as my 4 year old is able to cruise acrfess the grass on it. If you are looking for an inexpensive quad for your little one this one is a sure buy.

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Hape Pyramid of Play

Hape Pyramid of PlayI got so sick of cardboard nesting blocks not being able to stand up to what my sons can dish out. I searched for wooden nesting blocks and these popped up. The boys LOVE themespecially my one year old. Simpler than a multi-shape sorter, he can easily put the shape in it's box, then pick the box up and **peek-a-boo** there is his block. He can play this game forever! My older son is 3.5 and he loves to see the numbers, letters and color words. These can withstand his stacking and crashing time and again. These also present an opportunity for the kids to play together.

One small feature that shows how Educo pays attention to detail is the little "lip" on the top (or bottom, depending) of each block. This allows sturdier stacking as they nest in or on top of eachother. This is nice for a 1 year old just learning to build. Once he stacks, it stays giving him an opportunity to celebrate as his tower grows higher!

These are the favorite of the nesting/sorting toys in our house!

We chose these blocks over many others because they are real wood, and have a variety of educational benefits to them. We had a hard time finding a good set, because most of the other sets seem to be made of cardboard or balsa wood, but not these. After growing up with good solid toys, we've had a hard time finding similar quality now. But we are very happy with this purchase.

From the minute we pulled these out, our 11 month old was thrilled, and played with them longer than any new toy we've given her so far. The blocks are made of real wood, and stack nicely within or on top of each other. The tall lip allows for them to be very stable when stacked, and the shape blocks can only go through the shape that fits them, and they fit easily.

Everything is color coded, and there are subtle but well themed choices as far as the sides. For example, the food/animal sides all have things that start with the letter of their block (A -> Apple, B -> Butterfly, etc.). They have the number on one side, and on the shape slot they also have the shape and number corresponding. The colors are vibrant and everything is durable. It is a very well thought out toy, and a lot of coordination seems to have been put into each block.

As for durability, I'm more worried about my floor than these things falling apart. My daughter didn't really throw things before we bought these, but she seems to delight in flinging these blocks around, and she can really get them moving. Most of the time, she sends them horizontal, but occasionally straight up and down. They've hit pretty hard and I can't seem to find any damage to them (or my laminate floor... yet). But despite being durable, they are very light weight, so she can easily move them all over the place.

I can't say enough how pleased we are with these blocks, and I wish more toys these days were made with this level of quality.

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This is a perfect size, colorful, well made,and is very entertaining. The boxes have a raised edge so the cubes don't fall off while stacking.

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I purchased this for my 14 month old daughter. She loves it. However, the shapes do not pass the "toilet paper" roll test, in which you try to pass the toy (or in this case, the shape) through the center of a toilet paper roll. If it fits, it is not safe because the toy can become lodged in a child's throat. I'm not sure why this product says it is safe for 18+ months when the shapes are clearly unsafe. I'm really disappointed because this was my child's major toy for Christmas and she can't even properly play with it.

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My son has played with this toy for 8 months now and can push the blocks through the shaped holes. He also likes to stack and nest them. The fact that he can turn over the cube and get out the small colored block is also helpful; mom doesn't need to be on hand to get them out for him! He has also learned the names of the shapes and loves to tell me the names of the pictures on the sides. Overall a great purchase.

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Friday, March 7, 2014

Fisher-Price Play My Way Workshop

Fisher-Price Play My Way WorkshopWe have had this tool set for four months now and my son is still banging around on it. It covers all the basics of a tool set and stores compactly in its own bin. We did not get the "customizable play center" that can go with this; we just play with it on the floor or on a table. My toddler son can use the hammer and saw with ease, but the screw driver and wrench will take a little more work on those fine motor skills. It is made of very durable plastic, but there are no sharp edges. We also have the kitchen set which is equally fun and storable.

I have an almost 4 year old and a 15 month old. Both LOVE this toy. We considered buying another because they fight over the pieces, but figured they need to learn to share sometime. Some of the pieces are a little small, so the 2 year age appropriateness is probably correct. This is our third child with another on the way, so we're not as cautious. Definitely would not allow our 15 month old to walk around with the screwdriver, bolts or nails. I would look for this elsewhere. I only payed $15 for mine.

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This is a good product, sturdy pieces, great for travel. Nothing excessive. This is great also for my 18mos old.

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I love how the toy can store all the parts. Great for taking along. I do wish the saw hung on the rack a little better, it's a bit too long, but overall, fun. The numbers on the little ruler have been great for teaching numbers.

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We bought this after my 2 year old daughter already got hours and hours of play from her Play My Way Kitchen set (which she still plays with). These toys are fantastic. Not only is it fun and entertaining, but it cleans up so easily! Just throw everything back into the box to put it away or take it with you! Highly recommend. I plan on buying the Doctor set next.

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Thursday, February 27, 2014

MAM Mini Cooler Teether with Clip - Neutral

MAM Mini Cooler Teether with Clip - NeutralI bought this teether for my four month old son. He started teething early and uses it a lot. He is now 6 months old and is still using it and already has his first tooth. I like it that he can hold it himself. We have other teethers for him but he ends up dropping them because they have no handle. This teether is not to big. My son puts one side of it in his mouth. I don't think the entire teether is meant to go into your child's mouth. We likes this one so much I bought 2 more for back ups.

My son is four months old and seems to be getting front and back teeth (weird I know.) We have had a hard time finding teethers that help with his pain, most of the ones he likes to chew on we have to hold for him.

This is the first teether he's shown much interest in. He seems to prefer it when it is chilled. The curved design really does seem to help him get it in his mouth. I love the leash but the clip is the same design as the MAM pacifier leashes and I find it a little onerous. It definitely does the job though!

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I purchased this for my daughter at 4 months -it was a bit big then but now at 6 months she loves it. I keep two so one is always frozen and ready for car rides or a walk. I love the little leash that keeps it clipped to her carseat or bib and thus doesn't get lost.

A great little teether.

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I ordered this for our early teether thinking that maybe he could put it his mouth and would help his teeth and gums. However upon recieving ..this thing is massive what baby could get this in their mouth? I did not open and will be returning ASAP wast of money.

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Friday, February 21, 2014

Guidecraft Fraction Action Board

Guidecraft Fraction Action BoardOne of the things that we've been focusing on a bit more lately has been fractions. The focus hasn't just been for the younger two, but also as a reminder for the older girls as well {amazing how things can just `slip' our minds!}. The Guidecraft Fraction Action and Fraction Cups have been a great `hands-on' math toy for just that purpose.

Both the Fraction Action and Fraction Cups are made from an eco-friendly rubberwood and then stained with low VOC aniline dyes, so they are safe for even super little ones to chew and drool on.

The Fraction Action Board is 9.5" square and not quite 1/2" tall and for ages 2 and up. The set has 18 stained wood pieces that fit into the nine shaped spots on the self-storing board: circles, squares and hexagons. Each shape has fraction puzzles of varying difficult ~ whole, halves and thirds.

The Fraction Cups are four great little portable puzzles containing 10 pieces that explore the fractions of halves, thirds and quarters. Both sets come with a simple activity booklet for use with your child.

Our son liked the bright colors and fitting the pieces together like puzzles. For our older girls it gives them a colorful visual reminder for how they can divide things up and still have a whole. The puzzles will definitely be used as a hands-on reinforcement through our school year for all of the kids.

The Fraction Action Board and Fraction Cups are obviously wonderful for teaching and reminding children about fractions, but with the variety of colors and sizes, they can also be used to sort by shape, color, height, and more.

My 16 month son likes this toy. So far he usually just likes taking the pieces out and carrying around the circle and pentagon. But the other day he actually put together the two pieces of a circle. This is a toy that will grow with your child.

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This fraction board is a simple way to introduce basic fractions to a young child through play. The child can learn simply by playing and the parent can introduce vocabulary through play time together!

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Thursday, February 13, 2014

T-Bone Plush Toy Dog From the Show Clifford the Big Red Dog

T-Bone Plush Toy Dog From the Show Clifford the Big Red Dog
  • 2003 Scholastic Entertainment, Inc.
  • From the Kohl's Cares For Kids Series
  • Size from end of tail to nose: 11 inches
  • Size from end of ear to end of ear: 4.5 inches
  • Soft and Cuddly

Our 4 years old grandson asked grandpa to buy him T-Bone and of course the answer was yes. T-Bone goes everywhere with this kid. To bed, the kitchen table, and to grandpa's. He can play hide and seek, and ball, and likes pizza. We couldn't be more pleased with the purchase. He is soft and cuddly, and just the right size for a 4year old.