My baby is 4.5 months old. And she LOVES to jump, so I thought that it was very important that I get something that will help her jump on her own so that I can get some work done. I can't spend 24/7 with her and holding her (like she wants me to). I did A LOT of research before I even considered getting this product. This is what my research have concluded. My research included reading hundreds of different forum posts, reviews online, university research, and even the journals of pediatrics.
IS IT SAFE FOR A 4 MONTH OLD TO USE THESE JUMPERS AND EXERSAUCERS?
All of the research that I have done all said that it was ok for a 4 month old to use these jumpers and exersaucers (even when they cannot sit up on their own). As long as their head is strong enough and they can hold their head up on their own, then it is ok for you to put your baby in these.
DOES USING THESE JUMPERS AND EXERSAUCERS HINDER DEVELOPMENT?
All of the research that I have read on, said that for babies that uses these and babies that do not use these, their developments in regards to learning how to walk, crawl, motor skills did not change from the babies that used these jumpers and from babies that did not use these jumpers. So no difference in development was shown. So this also means that babies did not show any development improvements from using these either.
I added the information above because I had the same concerns before I purchased these jumpers and so I hope that my findings will help you make your purchasing decisions.
Ok, now back to the product review.
PROS: This jumper is MUCH CHEAPER in price than any other jumpers that I was able to find out there. This jumper is only $39.99, and most other ones at the store is $79 and more.
So for the price it is very good. There are multiple levels that you can adjust the height of the product so that this can grow with your baby. Lots of toys to keep your baby busy. The seat cover can be taken out to be washed.
CONS: This item is not very bouncy. I originally wanted it because I needed something bouncy for my baby. So the seat does not bounce at all. It does swivel 360* degrees though, but so does all of the brands that I have seen (Fisher price and Baby Einstein). Fisher Price and Baby Einstein have better jumpers (called jumperoo). The Bright Starts Bounce Bounce Baby Activity Zone, only the bottom base part moves like a trampoline but not a very good one. My baby wants to be able to jump her whole body, not just push the base (where her feet is) up and down. Toys on this jumper are not electronic, none of it play songs and does not light up, so my baby got bored really quick.
So this item went back.
Baby Einstein jumper is better than this Bright Start one but the seat for the baby is really loose. So I don't feel that it is safe for my baby to sit in it.
It is more jumpy and bouncy (like a bungee jumping ropes). It has a lot of toys to keep baby busy. But none of the toys are electronic, none of it play songs and does not light up. So for $79, I expected more bells and whistles. I'm not paying almost 2x more for bungee ropes.
I ended up getting a Fisher Price (Jumperoo) instead. They have 3 different themes (jungle, ocean, and discovery). I got the discovery one. All of the other ones are very similar, just with different themes fabrics, colors, and animals.
Why Fisher Price?
Same price as the Baby Einstein at $79. Lots of toys to keep baby busy. But the Fisher Price Discovery Jumperoo there is 1 toy station that lights up and sing songs :) Yeah!!! My baby loves the music and the lights. On the Discovery one it is a piano, and she loves musical instruments. The seat on this one moves at 360* around so that baby can enjoy all of the toy stations. Same bungee jumping cable like action like Baby Einstein. Seat cover can be taken out and washed. 3 height level adjustments to grow with baby.
So I ended up getting the Fisher Price Discovery Jumperoo and keeping it.
Baby loves this jumperoo so far.
I forgot to add that with all baby products and toys, it is NOT recommended that you leave your baby sitting in these things for prolong periods of time. You should only leave your baby in these for 20 minutes at a time. And you can have them play in these multiple times a day, but don't just leave your baby in these for hours. And you should always be there or nearby to keep an eye on your baby while they are in these. Don't leave your baby unattended.
I hope all of these info helps.
After reading other reviews I was skeptical because people always say "You get what you pay for" but I went ahead and purchased this for my granddaughter anyway. She is almost 5 months old and LOVES it!! She wants so badly to sit up like the big people so this is perfect! She needs a pillow under her feet for now but I'm sure it won't take long for her to grow into it. It was easy to put together, all pieces fit nice and snugly so no worries of them coming out. The toys are fun and colorful. If you don't have $100 for a fancy one, this is a great purchase for the price.
According to the other reveiws I read about different toys, I think one of the biggest problems people run into is that they are in a hurry to put things together, don't read instructions and then it doesn't work right. Take your time. It is for the safety of the child for crying out loud!
Buy Bright Starts Bounce Bounce Baby Activity Zone Now
Kept our little guy entertained long enough to get a few things done around the house. Durable. Easy to put together. Affordable. For as quick as he was in and out of this stage (they DO grow up so fast!), I'm glad I didn't waste our money on anything more expensive. What I also REALLY like is that it isn't overly filled with too many flashing lights or toys. And you can turn the sound off, which came in handy with our three year old who kept wanting to hear the music... over and over again...
Read Best Reviews of Bright Starts Bounce Bounce Baby Activity Zone Here
I went back and forth over buying this type of Bounce Seat for my baby, I kept asking, does she really need it? She was playing in the high chair, and on the floor. Eventually I broke down and bought one when she was six months as she had lost interest in her floor gym, and sitting in the high chair while I did a bit of kitchen work didn't really provide much chance for movement.
I'm so glad I did, baby loves this for short periods of time. Long enough to get the dishwasher running and wipe up the counter, it's perfect. Of course I would never leave her in this for an extended period, that's not what its meant for.
The price is great, I needed a budget model, I mean how long does a person really use something like this, babies grow so fast. Also, I didn't want something huge taking up our floor space, this is not "mini" by any means, but it does have a slightly smaller footprint than other choices. My baby doesn't care for lots of electronic noises and lights (nor do I), this is a toned down version of some other louder, noisier bounce Seats.
The platform is adjustable so baby will get use out of this item as she grows. It's also easy to wipe down. The center seat spins freely with a bit of effort from baby, it's not sticky/choppy for baby to turn in.
If you get creative you will find places to link a few more favorite toys to this item, I have Lamaze Play & Grow Freddie the Firefly Take Along Toy hooked onto the giraffe and a few Bright Starts Lots of LinksSolid Colorshooked onto the small turn toy. Baby's favorite toy that comes on the seat is the flower rattle and the flexi green teether.
I would buy this again or give as gift.
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I wanted something I could park my baby in now and then that would give him the opportunity to stand (his new favorite thing). I looked at various other options doorway jumpers, jumperoos, exersaucers and decided they were way too expensive for what they were fancy baby parking lots with an overabundance of noisy, flashing junk (or, in the case of the doorway jumper, a formal invitation to our first emergency room visit).
Honestly, the ROI on all the extra features built into those other options isn't worth it. if you spend any time at all playing with your kids, they're going to develop just fine without the help of an expensive hunk of plastic and springs.
I digress.
This is one of those things you quietly congratulate yourself on buying every time you look at it. My son totally loves it, and the number of different toys attached seems perfect for a 5-month-old brain. In one session, he'll sometimes make the round and play with everything, but more often than not he'll focus on one or two things. (The spinning monkey is a particular favorite.) I attached some rings to the purple "anchor" and hung a rattle from the giraffe thing, and they blend in really well. I would say he consistently plays for a good 15 minutes before making noises to be picked up, which for my kid is pretty fantastic.
The orange platform is hard plastic and attached to the legs with tight bungee bands. It gives a little when the baby straightens his legs, but it's not like a trampoline or anything. I'm glad there are three different levels you can mount the base at (easily) because in just two weeks, my kid's feet are flat on the base. (They're supposed to rest lightly on it with their toes.) Either he's grown an inch in two weeks or the bands have stretched out. Either way, we have two more levels to go!
The only thing I don't love is that the paint on some of the toys is kind of sloppily applied. It hasn't flaked or anything, but it is a constant reminder that my son is gnawing on a piece of plastic coated in chemicals.
Assembly was easier than it looked at first (p.1 of the instruction booklet looks like a schematic for a spaceship), and while it's not super sturdy, I don't see it breaking or collapsing on my offspring anytime soon.
tl, dr version:
It's thirty-five dollars and it's not a death trap!
Your child will never know how much it cost!
If you want to park your baby standing up but you'd rather fund their 529 than spend $100 on an annoying space-hog you'll have to somehow get rid of in six months, this is the product for you.
I like it, anyway.
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My daughter was given this bus when she was 14 months old. From the start, she loved taking the people in and out and taking the luggage out (she can't put them in yet). Over the last few months, she has really been attached to it, dragging it with her all over the house. Of course, as any parent knows, kids' toy preferences change, but overall this is a winner. Four little people and four pieces of luggage--not to mention the luggage bay doors, which come off too--make this a very interesting toy!
