Editorial Review

As kids move their Matchbox cars along this circular snowy mountain road, the cars hit the hazards along the way. This playset lets your child control the rescue mission. Easy-to-work knobs operate the motorized lift, which rescues cars that have crashed or sunken into the pool of thin ice in the center of Ice Mountain. An included rescue vehicle assists cars that have been buried under the avalanche on the lower level of the roadway. Kids can use this set on its own or combine it with other Hero City vehicles and play centers to create a bigger city. This set requires three C batteries (not included) to operate. --Cristina Vaamonde ... Read more

Reviews (55)

It's great as long as you can keep it working
My 5 year old son received this toy as a gift for his birthday.He had asked for something else (the slimecano), but due to the bad reveiws of that product we purchased this instead.He surprised us all by forgetting all about the slimecano.He loved this toy.He plays with it and the Matchbox Ferris Wheel set (his other favorite) all day long.. atleast he did until this broke.

The Crane mechanism is poorly designed.The gearing inside of it does not handle the stress of being moved manually, or being hung up (as will happen when a car falls under its path of travel - a common occurrance).After 3 weeks of regular play, one of the gears inside the crane broke loose from its anchor (in the side of the crane body), leaving the works a jumbled and broken mess.No more crane.

I was extremely surprised to see this happen so quickly.My son has been playing with the ferris wheel (another motorized matchbox set in the same line) since Christmas, and the rotating wheel has stood up to considerable punishment from him without a problem.It still works after being jammed and turned by hand often.This, however, is not so forgiving.

I contacted Mattel today to see if I could purchase a replacement crane (or body with the proper gear anchor intact, only to find out that they are sold out.I can only imagine, based upon a quick glance at the reviews on this site that their stock was depleated by warantee replacements.For further evidence of this, the Mattel rep did agree to send me a 'voucher' for $23 (the supposed average retail price of the toy - not from where I'm sitting, look at the price on this site!).When I asked her if I could use it to purchase another ice mountain, she said yes, but I might want to consider a different toy, and that I could purchase multiple toys up to the limit of the voucher (I'm not sure, but I think she even suggested a 'hot wheels' car or 2...no promotion for that phone rep!

All in all, he was delighted to receive it and despondent when it broke.Mattel is trying to make good without alot of arguing on my part, so I'm not too unhappy.The only thing they could have done better, in my opinion, was better engineer the toy from the start.

A big hit with our kids!
My husband and I gave this toy to our 6-year-old on his birthday.Since I had read some of the reviews, I expected it to be quite difficult to assemble.My husband was at work so I had to put it together myself while our three kids "helped."There were a lot of steps to assembly (and 29 pieces) but it went together quite well.I wouldn't discourage any parent from purchasing this product.It's worth the money and initial effort!Our kids ages 8, 6, and 3 are enjoying all the different levers, lifts, roads, and great sound effects. It sparks their imaginations.

Bad
I ordered this gift for my son for Christmas.Had the toy all put together less then an hour and it stopped working.Had a replacement sent out and that one didn't work from the start.Was not a happy parent. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Vehicles    2. Die-Cast    3. Play Sets   

Editorial Review

Drawing, coloring, and painting are just a few of the many activities your toddler or young child can enjoy at this simple table and chair set. Featuring a natural wood finish that would fit in well with a wide variety of nursery and playroom themes and color schemes, the set comes complete with a simple wooden table and two matching chairs. The table measures just over 19 inches high, the square tabletop measures approximately 23.25 inches along each side, and the two chairs have seats that measure approximately 12 inches high.--Chris Burns ... Read more

Features

• Table and 2 chairs
• Constructed from hard wood
• A great place for snacks, art projects and more

Reviews (1)

Joshua loved his table and chairs
I bought this set for my grandsons 2nd birthday.My son found it very easy to assemble and my daughter in law loves it because it is a lovely piece of furniture.My grandson loves to sit at the table and look at books or build with blocks.This is a sturdy set that will last for many years. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Preschool    2. Furniture    3. Toddler Furniture   

Reviews (21)

Son LOVES his H2
My son recently got the Hummer 2 for a gift and he loves it.I have read some reviews regarding the steering problem so I emailed Little Tikes and asked about it.They told me if the steering wheel came with silver screws then they would some me new ones (new ones are black).They said they are sending them out and I will switch them right when I get them so I don't have problems like some people wrote previous.As far as the toys go, my 2 1/2 year old loves it and can drive/steer it pretty good.Just another great toy from Little Tikes, what else would you expect.

Waste of Money
We purchased our Hummer for our daughter for Christmas. Now that the weather is getting warm we have been trying to let her ride it. We had the same issue she could not steer it. It was even hard for my husband and myself to steer the Hummer. We called Little Tikes they sent us a new steering piece that was supposed to fix the problem. We got the new piece and still the same thing. We called little tikes again and the said we needed to take it to one of their service centers. So the Hummer went to the service center and came back the same way. Again we called little tikes and they finally agreed to send us a new Hummer. We just received the Hummer and the steering wheel is put together different so I believe little tikes knows about the problem but the new Hummer doesn't steer any better then the old one. The Hummer looks really cool but it is not worth the money.

the car has a bad message
not saying that everyone isnt entitled to their own style but what about the other ethic groups who like their music also all the rock and roll there arent even any childrens song on the car ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Ride-Ons    2. Motorized   

Editorial Review

Mighty indeed! This Tonka backhoe is aptly named. Riding high above the ground (11 inches) on large, rugged tires (4.5 inches indiameter), it's constructed of heavy-duty steel and durable plastic. Realistically styled after a full-size backhoe, it has a long steel arm for digging deep or scooping up rocks and dirt. The backhoe can swivel a full 360 degrees on the truck bed, making it easy to load dirt into other trucks or get to those hard-to-reach rock piles. There's a sure-grip handle on the side of the arm for lifting and lowering, and another handle at the base of the arm lets the "driver" extend or retract the work bucket for scooping and dumping. The backhoe sits on strong steel axles that have been tested with a 50-pound load. With a lifetime guarantee to back it up, the Mighty Backhoe is built to withstand all the rough play your kids can dish out. --Chris Burns ... Read more

Reviews (14)

But .....its not a backhoe.
It looks like a cool toy, but it really isn't anything like a backhoe you would normally see on a construction site.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Backhoe
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Cat-backhoe-loader07.jpg

Built Strong for Hours of Play
We purchased the Tonka Mighty Backhoe and the Tonka Mighty Dump Truck for my son for Christmas this year.As a child, I had numerous Tonka trucks, and I can remember how much fun I had playing with them.Although plastic has replaced some of the parts that used to be steel, these trucks are still built strong for hours of fun play, either indoors or outdoors.As for the backhoe, it has a strongly-built cab and handles for the child to hold on to while operating the backhoe.This is an improvement from when I was a child.The backhoe bends in two places, so picking up small objects is very easy.The wheels are made of a sturdy plastic.I highly recommend this fun toy.Combine it with another Tonka vehicle to give your child hours of construction fun.

My 3 year old grandson loves favorite trucks
I bought the backhoe, dump truck and the back loader and recently purchase the crane for him.He takes them everywhere he goes. His father takes him to see the real ones at work and he know what each one is called.

They are very durable.Great trucks. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Vehicles    2. Construction Vehicles    3. Preschool    4. Push and Pull Toys    5. Die-Cast   

Reviews (19)

DISAPPOINTING AFTER A FEW USES!
This toy is great at first, after a few uses it stopped working,I cleaned the inside and the battery compartment out of all solution and it still did not work.I did not overfill just stopped working.Good for a cheap thrill that is about all:O)

Great! --- if it wouldn't croak so quickly ...
This bubble machine's life is VERY limited. We had one for a few weeks and got another for a birthday present just in time as the first one croaked. Now 2 weeks later the new one is dead. I will keep returning it to get it replaced throughout the summer because the idea is fantastic and the kids LOVE it (the dogs too). I guess you get what you pay for. $12 for a couple weeks of entertainment is pretty good.

Fun while they (yes, we've been through 3) lasted
Great fun to begin with, tons and tons of bubbles.

Unfortunately we haven't had one live more than a week or so - we don't overfill it, we clean it with each use, we store it indoors, we replace the batteries to verify that isn't the issue, etc.

They simply aren't durable. ... Read more

Reviews (28)

Wiggles and giggles
My son is now 4 months old and got this item when he was months old. This toy has always been around him. From crib to rocker to carseat. He loves the brite colors and little extra noises that hang off of it. This was the first toy to make him giggle out loud! Placing it on his lap in his rocker and playing the music he has learned to do a little wiggle dance to the music and giggle when he is able to activate the toy on his own. When we get ready for our travels out and about he squeels with delite when its placed in his carseat with him. Dont know what i would do with out this cute toy. I hope everyone else has had or will have enjoyable experences with this as we have

LOVED IT SINCE BIRTH!!!
My daughter got this as a gift when she was 2 weeks old.She is now 5 months and it is still one of her favorite toys.Wonderful colors and music to stimulate baby.I told all my friends that were having babies and they allgot one too.

Wonderful product for the price!Great gift idea for new baby!!

My daughter also has the little touch leap pad and loves it!

We'd be lost without this!
I bought this toy for my son when he was three months old as a Hanuakkah present.I thought it was neat looking but I'll admit that I bought it on a whim without knowing if it was something he would even like.Needless to say, my son LOVES this toy!It's small enough that you can easily toss it into a diaper bag and take it out with you, and there are enough activities to keep babies occpied for a while.Even though my husband and I are starting to get sick of some of the sound effects, this is one of the few toys we have that can placate the baby when he is fussing.He loves the colors and the variety of sounds and music.This is one "impulse buy" that I am glad I made. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Baby and Infant    2. Learning    3. Talking    4. Teaching Toys    5. Electronic Learning Aids (ELA)    6. Electronic    7. Music    8. Stuffed Toys    9. Musical    10. Electronic Learning Aids   

Features

• Brings hours of high-energy fun
• Ledge and side walls for safe-play
• Heavy duty vinyl

Reviews (53)

Fun, but poor quality
Kids love this type of toy.It is one of the most sought after activities in my house.However, it didn't even take one day after filing up the jump-o-lene, that it started to deflate.I definitely am not getting my moneys worth!

Won't last long
I have the "castle" version of the Jumpolene.It too popped the bottom chamber after about 6 months.I have to blow it up again every day.But, it lasts about 5-6 hours and only takes 30 seconds or so to inflate with an electric pump...so not the end of the world.

The chamber you bounce on popped the other day.I can inflate it again, but it only lasts about 30 minutes.

Zero for Two
I ordered one last year and zone 4 and 6 didn't hold air. I had no problem returning the product but this review is for the actual product.I ordered one again in November and zones 2,5 didn't hold air.Very poor product in regards to quality control. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Outdoor Play   

Reviews (6)

one more time...
This doll is so beautiful I really could not chose if I wanted the redhead with the peridot dress or the tawny colored hair with the red dress or the pale blonde in the purple dress.At this price?I bought them all!They are so utterly beautiful. The stunning, long hair is pale blonde, instead of the red or tawny hair, and the grown is purple this time (know my cousin Mary is going to love that!), but again so sophisticated. The makeup is perfect, not too little, not too much. Everything about these dolls is perfect. Sheer understated perfection.

One of the most beautiful Barbie is last couple of years.

okies, I got both red and green ones!
This doll is so beautiful I really could not chose if I wanted the redhead with the peridot dress or the tawny colored hair with the red dress.At this price?I bought them both!They are so utterly beautiful. The stunning, long hair is tawny, instead of the red hair of the green one, and the grown is red this time, but again so sophisticated. The makeup is perfect, not too little, not too much. Everything about these dolls is perfect. Sheer understated perfection. The hair is not Tawny dark blond, the grown not is not fire-engine read, but a cool, subtle with a lighter accents.

One of the most beautiful Barbie is last couple of years.

What a gorgeous Barbie
She is so utterly beautiful.The stunning, long red hair and the green grown are so sophisticated.The makeup is perfect, not too little, not too much.Everything about this doll is perfect.Sheer understated perfection.The hair is not brassy, the grown not a vivid green, but a subtle period shade with a lighter accent.

One of the most beautiful Barbie is last couple of years. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Dolls    2. Fashion Dolls   

Reviews (29)

one year old and have had to replace tires
We purchased this motorbike for my 4yr olds birthday last year...it is true the back training wheels do wear out..it is mainly rode on a concrete patio and driveway and ours goes fine in the yard...just last week I called the customer service # to find out if I could order replacement wheels and they gave me the name of the local service center..although it was about 60 miles away I called them and they shipped me the new wheels for a total of only $30...to me it was worth the money for the new wheels...I put the new wheels on myself and it has been going fine ever since...Although this is an expensive power wheel I would purchase this again

WE LOVE THIS TOY!!!!
We bought this for my sons 2nd birthday it was easy to put together and within 10 minutes of giving it to him he had it fiqured out and was racing around the yard, he thought he was big stuff because he now had a dirtbike that looked like his daddy's. It is a Great toy and I HIGHLEY RECOMMEND IT. The battery will last all day sometimes two days and takes 18 hrs to charge, it has been worth it seeing the smile on my sons face when racing around with his dad outside.

Great Ride On !
I bought this ride on for my 4 year old son for Christmas.It looks like the price has going up and also the shipping cost how going up as well.Good thing i bought it before Christmas when it was on sale and the shipping & handling costs were at a discount or i would have looked into purchasing a different ride on toy.

All in All, my son loves riding this battery operated bike.At first he was a lil scared to ride it, but he got used to it fast.He doesn't want to get off of it.The education value of the ride on is that he is learning how to go in reverse, steer, stop and go, almost like learning how to drive a car. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Preschool    2. Ride-Ons    3. Motorized   

Editorial Review

The Little People Animal Sounds Zoo features six different animals--polar bear, seal, monkey, lion, bird, and elephant--and environments for children to interact with. Each habitat floor has a small paw print that elicits the animal's sound when pressed with a finger or when the appropriate animal is placed on it. Each animal is made of soft, squeezable plastic and is about 3 inches tall, perfect for small hands. Children will enjoy the various sounds, animals, and habitats, especially the monkey. Hit the purple handle and the monkey shoots up a vine into the trees and shouts, "Ah-ah-eee-eee-oo-oo!" as he tries to grab a banana. Also included are two fence pieces and a small plastic car for the zookeeper. Requires three AA batteries (not included). --N. Mered ... Read more

Reviews (52)

Little People Zoo grows on you
My son received this toy for Christmas when he was 1 year old.He tried all the sounds immediately and by the time we heard the little blue bird for the 5th time, he was scared of the lion, Bear and Elephant sounds.It is a very loud toy.However all the "scary" stuff aside. My son who is now 2 1/2 tends to play with this a bit more now.It's still loud and he still doesn't like the sounds that the lion and the bear make but he can accurately identify each animal and make his own sounds to correspond with them.My main concern was that the zoo keeper was the first item "lost" and Fisher Price has no way of getting a replacement keeper.That was the most appealing part to my son at first.And I tend to wonder if there were more pieces lost could a parent get a replacement or would we have to replace the whole thing?
It is a cute toy and I found that for just the animals my son was happy to play and cart them around the house...but as he gets older he tends to play a bit more with the toy as an additional part to his little people collection.
I also find it harder and harder to add on to this set..the petting zoo or baby zoo animals are harder to find and the zoo train has been MIA on almost all toy sites and that was the most appealing addition.

GRRREAT toy!
My daughter received this as a Christmas gift when she was 9 1/2 mos old.She loved it from the start and still loves it today at 14 1/2 mos old.She LOVES pushing the buttons to hear the sounds that lion, polar bear, elephant and a bird make.She loves making the "boing" and the monkey sounds, too!In fact, we used this set to introduce her to many different animal sounds.Since she was (and in many cases still is) unable to pronounce the name of the animals, we taught her to make the sound that the animal makes.For example, a lion and bear growl, and so does she.We made up a "chomping" sound for the camel and a "Ppppbbt" for an elephant.It sounds silly, crazy even, but it worked for us.When asked for a certain animal, she's able to make the sound, and pick out the animal all by herself.This toy is fantastic!

For laughs!
This Little People Animal Sounds Zoo is great for laughs!My 2 year old literally fell over laughing with the first sight-and sound-which happened to be the monkey.Several reviewers commented on the fake animal sounds, but this IS a toy, and it is hilarious. I even smiled at the cute "rar" the lion made. Kids love it, and it makes me laugh watching them enjoy it and enjoying it with them.True, all toys are best with on/off switches. It would be nice if this had one.So far this is the funniest Little People set I've seen, and we have 6 different ones.Enjoy!As always, test it out first if in doubt or save the receipt and return it if you don't like it. :) ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Preschool    2. Baby and Infant    3. Toddler    4. Activity   

Editorial Review

With this well-designed, double-sided easel, preschoolers can enjoy the advantages of creative expression on an upright surface. The easel's frame is made from sturdy wood left in its natural state, with thick pressed board used as the bases for the art surfaces. One side of the easel has a 24-by-24-inch, green chalkboard, and the other side has a 24-by-24-inch, white dry-erase board.Two removable, washable trays are included to attach to the easel (one with molded spaces to hold paint jars and brushes). The easel requires simple assembly, but no tools are required and all bolts and plastic bolt covers are included. Some thoughtful design aspects include an adjustable height feature, a convenient, built-in paper towel holder, and two metal clips to attach paper for painting. Included in the set are some art supplies to get started: four large, no-spill paint jars, six small jars of poster paint, four paint brushes, a package of colored chalk, six dry-erase markers, a foam eraser. This set was a winner of the Dr. Toy Best Classic Toys Award, and it would be a winning addition to any playroom, family daycare home, or preschool. --Marcie Bovetz, mother and former children's librarian ... Read more

Features

• One side is a chalkboard, the other a dry-erase board
• Paint jars included
• 48" tall
• Double-sided easel

Reviews (11)

Not worth the money...get something more durable!
This easel was a gift from a relative.When they told me it was expensive, I had NO idea!This easel is definitely NOT worth the money.It is not very durable.The screws came out with little prodding as my children were using the easel to draw.Eventually, enough screws came out & got lost that it is no longer usable.

We also had a Little Tikes double easel that we love.We got the Little Tikes one about 3 months after receiving this one as a gift.This one is currently in a corner of our office unusable.The Little Tikes one gets regular use and is incredibly durable.

This easel is for an older child who won't use it on a regular basis...if that.

Also, the paints WILL stain carpet & will not come out even with a professional steam cleaning.I would throw them out when you receive this product and replace them with water-based paints!

So disappointed!
I loved the bright colors and simple design and thought this was going to be the BEST easel. Well, I was wrong!

1. Both of the trays broke within 3 months of having this easel.
2. My 2 yr old son figured out how to unscrew the plastic screws and then piece by piece he kept gradually taking it apart till we finally lost so many screws that the whole easel is useless.

What a waste of money!
I wish I had bought something less expensive and more durable.

Great item, but a very pricey
I expected the item to arrive with more supplies and some paper for first time use.My husband and I both agree that the item is well made, durable and the kids love it. The price was just too high, at [$$$] for the item plus shipping, because the item was heavy,this was a [$$$] purchase.Assembly was easy enough, except that the holes on the chalkboard were a little off and it took brute force the line the holes up for the bolt.All in all if I could have returned it without paying another [$$$] I probably would have and spent my [$$$] on art supplies alone.I hope this easel will last through all my children, that way maybe I'll feel justified in the price I paid. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Arts and Crafts    2. Art Supplies    3. Easels    4. Activity   

Editorial Review

Made by Fisher-Price, this electronic learning system is comprised of an InteracTV DVD, which you insert into your home DVD player; a controller; and activity cards based on popular children's television shows. Plug an activity card into the controller, and games and activities featuring that show will appear on the TV screen. Nine touch points let kids interact with the characters, in lessons covering numbers, colors, animals, and more. Cards contain more than 100 learning questions and activities, posed randomly. This model comes with three activity cards--SpongeBob SquarePants, Dora the Explorer, and Elmo's World--as well as a storage case to hold the cards and the DVD. A switch on the controller enables you to use the system on up to three different DVD players--say, in multiple rooms, or at relatives' houses. --Andy Boynton ... Read more

Reviews (225)

Not great but good enough
My daughter likes it, and it teaches well....we got this for her last Christmas and she was 3.She was able to work it pretty well.

Educational and fun!
My son loves this, he calls it his "dvd game" he gets frustrated with the sponge bob game, but it is for older kids, I think all the peopole giving it bad reviews are probably just not programming it right, or they got a bad one, that happens, mine programmed and worked the first try and have had no problems since!

Why did I bother??!!!!
My mother bought this system for my 3 year old son for Christmas.I have an Apex DVD Player and it took a while to get it programmed, but after that it worked great for a short time.Unfortunately my son loved the game so much that he was nearly devastated when one day it just stopped working.I changed the batteries, tried re-programming it, but nothing worked.He just played with the system at a friends house the other day and after seeing his delight, I purchased another system to give it another try - no luck.I can't even get the darn thing to program and now I will have to return a second one!!!By the way, there were only 2 in the store when I repurchased it last week and both appear to have been returned.Maybe they should work out the kinks before using paying customers as test dummies and further frustrating our children at an age that is already frustrating enough!!! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Activity    2. Learning    3. Electronic Learning Aids (ELA)    4. Electronic    5. Math    6. Alphabet   

Reviews (21)

2 players= 2 joysticks
I read one of the earlier reviews that suggested not to get the second joystick, but I ended up buying it anyway. I am so glad I did for several reasons:
1. you cannot select 2 players w/o having a second controller
plugged in.
2. not having to pull one child off the system to allow the other child to have a turn.
We have almost every game for this system, and now both children can enjoy it:)

JOYSTICK DILEMA
I BOUGHT THE V.SMILE SYSTEM FOR MY 3 YEAR OLD FOR CHRISTMAS THE GAMES ARE EDUCATIONAL AND SHE ENJOYS THE SYSTEM BUT IM DISSAPPOINTED THAT THE JOYSTICK HAS MALFUNCTIONED SO QUICKLY MY DAUGHTER GETS FRUSTRATED BECAUSE SHE CAN'T MOVE LEFT,RIGHT,UP OR DOWN. I E-MAILED VTECH WITH THE PROBLEM AND STILL HAVE NOT GOT A RESPONSE FROM THEM ITS GOING TO COST ME $14 PLUS SHIPPING TO PURCHASE ANOTHER JOYSTICK WITH THE HOPES THAT IT WILL WORK AND NOT MALFUNCTION LIKE THE FIRST ONE

Good Joystick
This joystick is well-designed and great for little kids.The colored buttons flash when you're supposed to use them, the main button is big enough so that even very yound kids can be successful using it, and the cord is really long so you can sit anywhere.Even though my three kids are all right-handed I think it's cool that the stick can be reversed for left-handed kids.

One reviewer mentioned the second joystick isn't necessary for two player games.I agree that it shouldn't be necessary but it actually is necessary in the games we've played.Instead of two players playing at the same time, they take turns (this is how 2-player games work in The Lion King and Alphabet Park Adventure).The fact is that the players can't simply pass the same joystick back and forth.The second joystick is required.

I would have liked it if the V.Smile system and the joystick were designed like other gaming systems, whereby if you yank on the controller it will easily detach from the system before the console falls off of, say, a shelf or a tv.That would have been a good feature for a game designed for young kids. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Games    2. Learning    3. Electronic Learning Aids (ELA)    4. Electronic    5. Alphabet    6. Preschool    7. Music   

Reviews (3)

Another Winner for GeoTrax
I knew my son would love this as soon as I saw it as he love bridges and things he can make move.

The set comes with a drawbridge, a sailboat and some cargo.The bridge has typical GeoTrax detail with crabs, shells and other things along the edges and the water under the bridge contains a sea turtle.

Bridge action is controlled with an easy-to-grasp handle that small hands can wrap right around.As the bridge is raised, a bell rings and the gates drop.When the bridge is lowered, the gates automatically go back up.The bell can also be rung by pushing down on the chimney of the gate house.

All in all this is a fun addition to a GeoTrax setup, it is easy to set up and use, and it is very durable, not to mention very reasonably priced.

Bayshore Drawbridge
The Bayshore Drawbridge is another great addition to your kids GeoTrax collection.It can be used in place of three adjacent straight pieces of track.It is made from high impact plastic and is very durable.

No batteries are needed for this kit.A lever actuates the raising and lowering of the bridge.Additionally, as the bridge is raised, a little bell rings and two little crossing gates are lowered to block any oncoming trains.

The only difficulty was assembling the lever to the drawbridge.You have to line up the lever with the keying mechanism and push HARD for the lever to snap on correctly.

If you're buying the drawbridge, then by this point, you have probably purchased many of the other additional kits.It gets to be quite a challenge to include everything into a good layout.

For some great track layout ideas, search on eBay for "Geotrax Track Layout".

All things considered...this is a great toy that will keep your kids (and you) occupied for many, many hours.My kids love it!

Outsanding New Series !!!
I've bought all available Geo Trax toys and built a very fun rail road and track system, of course my child spends a lotof hours playing with them.

This New Series, increases the level with air & sea vehicles, planes and boats are added to previously trains, trucks and cars, to be able to expand in an outsanding transportation set. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Construction    2. Building Sets   

Reviews (4)

Cool but Ionly wanted the construction cars
What I meant by my title is that I already had Rusty and I just wanted the Construction Cars. The cars sway from side to side and they can survive a lot of damage. I was suprised at how durable these were. The sets are a lot of fun because you don't need any additional things to go with it for immediate fun. These toys are really good for a car trip to keep a child busy when they are bored. I would higly recommend getting this set but don't buy Rusty first.

Rusty is good
Rusty is great. i got him as a present for christmas one year he has 3 cars - rusty a dumper and a cement mixer you can use him with cranky or anything with a magnet. he is also in some episodes on a video.

Rusty & Construction Cars!!
The Thomas & Friends wooden railroad gives you Rusty and 2 Construction Cars. This set provides hours of fun for your children because they can use this set to recreate stories about Rusty and his construction fun. Its educational value shows children how man-made things are built and they will probably use this set with thier Lincoln Logs and other construction kits. This is also a very sturdy set, but sometimes the mixer's top will come off and will need a frequent fix-up! Other than that, it's a wonderful set and a great gift idea! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Preschool    2. Vehicles    3. Trains    4. Activity    5. Push and Pull Toys    6. Dolls    7. Train Accessories   

Reviews (44)

Are you sane?
WEll you wont be if you buy this grill!!! My MIL bought this toy for my 21 month old twin boys to play with while daddy grills outside... is this toy a nightmare!!!

First of all educational value... NONE... who wants their TODDLERS (who are in the copying stage by the way) repeating the same rude and innapropriate gas jokes that this grill says? I have heard them making fart sounds with their tounges, and than saying something resembling "that wasnt me!"... TOTALLY INNAPROPRIATE... and my sons thought it was hysterical to grill eachothers faces, and I found them doing the same thing on the real grill (IT WAS OFF... DONT WORRY GUYS), though with the NON TALKING grills they have never had a problem... gee??

DURABLITY... again this toy is broken with wind... who designed a lid for toddlers that falls off if a speck of lint falls onto it... The toy is not made well at all...

ABNORMALITIES (although it cant be abnormal for THIS toy because it happened to all of the reviewers) The food wont stay on the spatula, NEVER so its just soo fustrating, even for me, let alone two toddlers!!! The grill doesnt know what he's talking about because if you put the ketchup in his hand he says it mustard and vise versa, same thing with the fork and spatula... UHG!!! This toy also turned on if anyone walked by it, I mean seriously!!! It would turn on if no one was there... talk about lonely!!! And we DID turn it off and it did say "see ya later" when you pushed the red button, but it still talked!!! But when it got a little soda (and I mean about an ounce) on it... forget it!! I took out the batteries because I thought it was broken but it still talked, and now constantly... AHHH!!! We put it in the closet, and it was getting louder!! SERIOUSLY... we ended up breaking it with a sledge hammer, I am sorry for all of you who wind up with the same problems we faced... We now use our Deluxe kitchen inside, and a cuter grill (that you ca actually grill on it when standing!!) for outside... NO MORE TALKING APLIANCES FOR US

Maybe its just our grill, but this drove us off the wall to the point that we viciously broke this toy... I mean come on.. and I am NOT EVEN EXAGERATING!!!! and the worse thing... OUR SONS WERE PETRIFIED!!! They would scream if it talked to them, they would cry when it would start talking in the night, they thought a ghost was turning it on... So now that this grill is "dead" there is a restored peace in our house... It SHOULD be ILLEGAL to sell such an annoying toy to toddlers... please dont buy this grill

Grillin' Fun
My son received this toy for his 2nd birthday.He couldn't wait to get it out of the box!Once the grill was out of the box, he actually sat for more than 30 minutes and played with it.It's the first time I have ever seen him sit longer than 2 minutes!He loves it! My 6 & 8 year old enjoy playing with the grill with their little brother.Great gift!


For a parent - the two improvements that I would have Playskool make would be something to hold the plastic food in and a on/off switch.Mine does not go off at all until my son activates it but I'm afraid when the batteries start going low it might start going off. The lid on ours does not come off.

Tip Toe by this Toy
We thought this was cute, and both my 2 yr old and 4 yr old enjoy playing with it albeit for very short periods of time. However, the lid comes off more often than it should and it's easy to lose your burgers & buns in the toy box. My biggest complaint about this toy is that it is sound activated, so even at 3am a bump in the night sets this toy off. Take care when walking by as it will loudly say, "FIRE ME UP!", usually just after you get the baby to sleep or some other time you would like quiet. The kids like it, but this toy's cuteness rubs off quickly and it becomes annoying. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Pretend Play    2. Tools   

Editorial Review

With the ever present alien menace threatening Earth, the Power Rangers SPD Delta Squad unites to become the Megazord! This set comes with five extremely durable individual vehicles that, once combined, form the Megazord. Each toy is made of tough plastic that will easily withstand even the worst of monster beatings. The Megazord itself is simple to construct and compact enough to handle easily. The instructions are clear so assembly is made easy. On top of that, with 2 AA batteries (not included) you’ll get the full effect of lights and stomping action sounds. --Chip Quinn ... Read more

Reviews (5)

The best DX Megazord ever
This DX Megazord rocks!! It includes cool sounds and light effect, and it also includes its weapons that are used in the show. And also...... surprisingly connects with my Ninja Storm zords(Dolphinzord and Lionzord's head) which is really cool!! And--ah man, I can't wait for the DX Cyclemax Megazord to come out in stores so I can combined my Delta Squad Megazord with it and creates the powerful OmegaMax Megazord!!

All in all not a bad megazord
My son (4) and I (33) collect Power Rangers Zords. He has several from the first (MMPR) to now the SPD Delta Squad Megazord (newest available) and all in all it is very smooth, easy to transform, and attractive. The only draw backs are that it is a bit small for a megazord (only 10 inches tall or so), and the sword, gun and handcuffs are a bit delicate. The best thing about it is that all the accessories are able to be stowed on the zord itself. The gun and sword blade fit in the green truck (vehicle #2 - the left leg) and the sword handle is the spotlight rig on the yellow armored car. (vehicle #4 - left arm) If they had made it bigger it would be one of the best for design and looks.

a little overpriced
My 8- and 7- year old daughters loved this thing.You could say they're tomboys, but what the hey... ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Action Figures   

Editorial Review

Dora the Explorer fans (especially those with Dora's Talking Casa Doll House) won't want to be without the poseable plastic figures in this gift set. Dora comes with her faithful sidekicks: a backpack and her puppy. Abuela (Grandmother) has a lovely vase of flowers, Diego travels nowhere without his baby jaguar and field notebook, and Boots and Tico get around with their scooter and fire engine. Rugged adventurers, these! Children will enjoy incorporating the figures into Dora playsets (not included), or venturing out into explorations of their own. --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Overwhelming odor
I am very concerned about the strong smell of the figures we just received.My daughter's Dora house is in her bedroom and when I walk in her room, the odor from the new figures is overwhelming.(I have put them back in the box and plan to return them).We bought this set of figures to supplement the ones that came with the house.The ones that came with the house have no noticeable smell, which is in complete contrast with these new figures.It's very disappointing because my daughter loves to play with her Dora house and was delighted with the new characters we purchased.

Fantastico!!
This a review just about the figures. My sister sent them to me after having to go on EBAY and paying an absurd amount for them (she did not tell me how much but less then $50 she said). I told her to forget it, not to buy them, but she did anyway....I think it is absurd to put out a toy for Xmas andfor there to be a shortage....Err...

Nonetheless, the figures are a must for any Dora fan. We do not have the doll house (they do not sell Dora products here - we live in Spain) but my 4 yr old is just as content to play with them on her Mega Block Pirate ship or in herFisher Price farm that she STILL plays with....

I like the jointed limbs and moveable legs....Some of the accessories are alittle Random.....I mean I would have preferred another character figure likeIsa or Benny tothat flower potor fire truck figure!

Also I agree the car they ride in at the beginning of each episode would have been cool...

Poor Abuela...she is literally a barrel....Although it is a pretty accurate steroetype of the abuelas we see here in Spain ! : )
But she can not do much....

I love that they included baby Jaguarand Diego....and theattachable backpack!

All in all, I'd have to say the figures are what my 4 yr old has played withthe most without a doubtof all her Xmas presents....and I can see why ! Having seen the DVD's and videos, she makes up her owns adventures all over the house("First we have to go thru the spooky curtains, then over couch mountain and then try and swim over fishbowl lake!") and it really spurs her imagination - I am actually glad i don't have the dollhouse!!!

The only reason I gave it four stars overall was because of availability problems.....

Adios!

Fun, creative toy.However, too much hoopla over the pieces
I ordered the doll house and the figures at the same time on Amazon about a month before Christmas.When my daughter opened them Christmas morning I was very surprised to see that the house did in fact come with some people including Dora, Boots, and Diego.So, now because I bought the separate set of people, we have duplicates of Dora, Boots, and Diego.This isn't necessarily a bad thing, butI would have saved some money and not bought the additional set of people had I known before.The figures are very durable and a great size for little hands.Unfortunately, Tico doesn't stay on his scooter, and I agree with another reviewer that it's tough to get the figures to stay seated on the furniture.
I'm please with the quality of the house and figures.There are plenty of bells and whistles.This type of toy encourages use of imagination and exploring social skills. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Dolls   

Editorial Review

This enchanting activity game will keep younger kids happily distracted, whether it's played indoors or out. A cute, blue elephant blows 30 feathery, vinyl butterflies from its 4-foot trunk into the air. The trunk, made of flexible plastic, stands straight up when the small, quiet motor in the elephant's bottom is turned on. Kids use mesh nets (four included) to capture the most butterflies, same-color butterflies, or just catch 'em period. Requires four C batteries, not included. --Diane Beall ... Read more

Reviews (234)

THIS WAS A WASTE
THIS GAME WAS A WASTE OF TIME BUYING. IT BLOWS NO BUTTERFLYS MOTOR SUCKS AND WHEN IT DID IT WAS LIKE 3 EVERY 60 SEC. WE TOOK THIS GAME BACK. THIS GAME IS THUMBS DOWN.THE KIDS WERE SO SO SAD AT THIS GAME.

No good
I bought this toy for my daughter who stated it was the only thing she wanted for her birthday.It was fun the two times that we played, but on the third time, the motor wouldn't start.I payed almost 20.00 for the game and 7.00 for new batteries for it.It was definately the shortest amount of fun I have ever paid 27.00 for, and my daughter was sorely disappointed.This toy is junk.

Not so much fun
My daughter got this for Christmas when she was 3, she became easily irritated that it was over so quickly, the butterflys shoot out in 3 seconds and it takes 2 minutes to get the game ready.She played it once.Since then it's sat in our closet.She says we can get rid of it now. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Games    2. Board Games    3. Preschool   

Editorial Review

This talking book comes with an interactive "magic pen" that works like a hand-held computer mouse pointer. Children can opt to turn the paper pages and listen to the story read with different voices for each character. Or they can interrupt the read-aloud session to play with the magic pen (permanently attached with a wire). They can point the pen tip to any word on a page and hear it pronounced, or touch a picture and hear a sound effect (such as "Strike one!" for the baseball bat). Very similar to the popular Living Books computer games, this 10-by-11-inch book is more portable than a home computer. Stories in this set include Lil's Loose Tooth, Richard Scarry's Best Word Book Ever, and Winnie the Pooh in A Sweet Good Morning. The set also includes a paper piano keyboard and map and human anatomy games.--Gail Hudson ... Read more

Reviews (398)

I would pick this over the writer's Leappad
I have both a LeapPad+Writing and regular LeapPad like this one, and I can honestly say that the extra writing feature is not worth the extra money.Stick with the LeapPad regular and get a lot of LeapPad readers.Make sure that you don't buy this if you have babies that tear things up, though.My son has all the LeapPad books, but half of them are unsalvageable because of my toddler that likes to chew on EVERYTHING.The LeapFrog customer service is awesome, though... they have replaced my books for $10 each so I don't have to go out to buy new ones!

Best Toy I have ever bought
I bought a pink and purple LeapPad for my daughter when she was three for Christmas. She is five now and still plays with it every single day. Everytime a birthday or Christmas rolls around she asks for more LeapPad books. This toy has been a godsend during car and plane trips, hotel and restaurant entertainment, and any other situation when children need to sit still.

She has learned the alphabet, numbers, spelling, and reading from countless hours on this pad. She owns several books and each get used all the time. I think this is honestly the best toy invented in a long time. She has been able to figure it out because it is well thought out for the young user. They can hit the stop button with the pen to stop it, or hit the Go button to continue each story. Each book also has games and other activities, so they are well worth the money.It is impossible for my daughter to get bored with it because each book is countless hours of reading, games, music, and excitement.

I encourage all parents of young children to buy this LeapPad. It is well worth the money. It is a toy that they will not grow out of in a short amount of time because the books range in ages.It is not only educational but very durable. Our LeapPad has been dropped countless times and is still intact.The only complaint I do have is that it tends to consume batteries quickly and you need a screw driver to take off the cover to put new ones in. Other than that, that is the only negative I have to say about the LeapPad.

Toooo sloooowww for my boy
My boy has the attention span of a 4 year old. Why? Because he is 4 years old. He has no patience for the slow pace of age-appropriate leap pad materials. The learning games are too short, too slow, and too repetitive for him. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Electronic Learning Aids (ELA)    2. Alphabet    3. Phonics    4. Reading    5. Talking    6. Electronic    7. Math    8. Counting    9. Learning