Features

• Size: L 98 in; W 62 in; H 53 in
• Water slide
• Wading pool
• Twin dolphins and ball water sprayer
• Rainbow shade arch

Reviews (14)

Thinking about it
I`m looking for a toy that will be both good inside and out. I know this is for outside but if you have the space and want a cool place to chill out, this might be it! I haven't purchsed this toy but it looks like a lot of fun! The only reson I rated this toy 3 stars for durability is because of other reviews. I know I said I don't have it yet but I could'nt write this review without giving it stars. So don't decide if you will buy this toy because of me.

Disappointing
I agree with the other disappointed review. The rainbow didn't curve, the dolphins didn't stand up, and the pool kept deflating (obviously a hole in it). Too much work for a nice sunny day when I just want to go out and play with my toddler, not work while my toddler plays. I'm going back to a standard plastic pool after this experience.

Spring & Summer Fun
This kiddie pool is fantastic for my active 15-month old daughter. She gets excited seeing the dolphins and loves walking under the rainbow.The bright colors get her attention very quickly. ... Read more

Editorial Review

"Sunsparkle" Pony's Celebration Castle requires basic construction, but putting it together with a grownup will be a fun adventure, as Pony lovers see the charming structure taking form. Once finished, "Sunsparkle" (an included and somewhat rare Pony) can happily trot around her master bedroom, vanity room, disco, kitchen, and a bathroom. Each room features furnishings or appliances that have clever innovations, such as a stove that doubles as a kitchen sink. There's also a working elevator, full-length mirror, hot air balloon, two balconies, tableware, Pony clothing, and a brush for "Sunsparkle's" mane. As a gift, a sparkling pink, child-sized crown is included. To top it all off, the castle features charming music and flashing lights on the disco dance floor! Required: 3, 1.5-volt "AA" batteries.Diane Beall ... Read more

Reviews (277)

Great Toy
I read all the previous reviews and I was concerned about things falling off the castle.However, the only thing that comes apart is the attachable heart and sometimes one side of the hot air balloon which is easy to attach by an adult.I have a 2 1/2 year old and she is not destructive and she LOVES this toy.I think you should disregard all the negative reviews and PURCHASE this toy.I have not regretted it in the month we have had it.The Dance Studio is great, too.
If your child loves My Little Pony then, you HAVE to BUY the CASTLE.

my little pony celebration castle
This toy is a piece of junk.Keeps falling apart.Would not recommend this toy to anyone.

Cute as heck!Be prepared to glue the pieces on.
I have to give this castle an A + for how it looks.It is just plain cute!The castle comes with some very fun playing pieces, flower pot, kitchen sink that the ponies can open with their magnetic hooves, and, plates and forks that are fun.Cute design.The poor aspects of this toy are: It is poorly manufactured and I was close to taking it back until I decided to super glue the pieces on.After that, I was much more satisfied with the overall product.We threw out the crown - piece of junk that you couldn't wear anyway and the hot air balloon was tossed because it was "tired" looking but I kept the basket part the balloon went on so the ponies could stand on top of the castle.We have a little bit of difficulty getting the music to play when the pony steps on the platform and the stickers were out of control!I am hesitant to buy my little pony playsets, but we love the quality of the ponies themselves and my daugher who is 4 and I have spent a lot of time braiding the ponies hair and brushing them to look cute!Should have bought more ponies instead of the castle... ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Preschool    2. Animals    3. Horses    4. Dolls    5. Pretend Play   

Reviews (8)

Finally a LeapFrog toy my son and I both agree on!
LeapFrog products have disappointed us in the past, so it took a lot of research on my part to consider a LeapPad for my son.Overall, I'm satisfied with the quality of this toy, but question the overall educational value of the LeapPad books.It amuses my son for hours a week, and when traveling, which we do frequently, it's a godsend.William took to the LeapPad immediately, and was able to operate the features of the books with little assistance.He's not yet 4, but instinctively follows along even though he may be working a Kindergarten book.

LeapFrog has very few books that are microphone enhanced (only 7 so far), and the stores don't seem to stock them.My husband was able to find one at Staples of all places, but he didn't happen to notice it was for 1st graders.My son was so thrilled, we opened it anyway.Initially I thought the microphone feature was ridiculous.I couldn't understand why a parent would want to hear their little one chatter back to a noisy machine.Part of the purpose of this toy, is to encourage quiet time, and learning.Right?Well, this feature has proven to be entertaining, and actually has the potential to be educational especially when working on phonics.A pair of headphones really comes in handy when listening to your child play the microphone enhanced books.I definitely recommend a set!

The writing aspects of the toy encourage me for the future.We have 2 writing books, in addition to the writing book that came with the unit, and they have gotten a lot of use already.When in writing mode, it's one on one interaction between parent and child.These books work without the pencil insert, and sometime William opts to work them that way.Unlike some of the regular LeapPad books, the writing books are educational in my view.The Kindergarten books show children how to trace letters & numbers, work mazes, draw shapes, and so forth.I question the age recommendations on the books though, as my child has already mastered the Pre-Kindergarten book, and understands a good portion of the Kindergarten book.LeapFrog has recently added more writing books to their library, so they are not as limited as the microphone books.My biggest problem with the writing feature is that erasing crinkles the pages, and the lead leaves grooves behind.It might have been better had LeapFrog designed this product with a dry erase type of insert, and coated the pages with plastic.That probably would increase the cost of the books, but how many tracing letters & numbers books do you need?

This brings up another problem I have with the LeapPad in general.The books are expensive.If one pays the suggested retail price for this product, and adds just 2 books, that's big bucks!I personally don't think the books are worth the suggested retail price, so I bought a bunch at 50% off, and plan to stock up when the next sale comes along.

We have encountered cord malfunctions too.The first time it was user abuse.My son bit the stylus pen, and must have damaged the cable.William is a lefty, and even though the cord is long at 16", it must annoy him, because it's installed on the right side giving right handed folks more room to work.I recently discovered the replacement pen is malfunctioning too.I went ahead and order 2 more pens at $5.00 each.Toy stores carry replacement pens, but they don't sale the stylus pen yet, so we have to wait 2-weeks for another.Because of this, the LeapPad is a somewhat supervised activity.I definitely don't trust my son with the Magic Pencil yet, and since I've already paid $15.00 on replacement pens, I can't quite image how much more I'll be pouring out on additional books, and batteries.I've replaced the batteries once, which isn't bad considering he played with his LeapPad for hours upon hours during our recent trip to New England.In addition, I don't trust him to remember to put both the book and cartridge back in his backpack when he's done.Thus, for the meantime, I control those aspects of the toy.

The LeapPad Plus Writing & Microphone Learning System works with the entire LeapPad library, except for the My First LeapPad books.LeapFrog selects the maximum age recommendation of this product to be 8-years old, so that it will confuse consumers into purchasing the Quantum LeapPad four-years later.This platform is compatible with the Quantum library, so there's no need to buy another LeapPad.This irrates me a bit, but overall I am satisfied with this toy, and my son loves it.

Great educational toy.
My 3 year old daughter received this as a gift.It's the same as the LeapPad, except that it has the added writing feature and microphone feature.The writing pen is the same as the LeapPad, except that you can twist the stylus to allow real pencil lead to come out, and then you can write on certain LeapPad Plus Writing books.The downside of this is that after they write on the book, you have to erase it!But you can also opt NOT to use the pencil lead.(You don't need it for the large majority of books).I simply took the stylus out and let my 3 year old play without it.For those who already own the LeapPad Plus Writing system, you can buy a separate microphone attachment.But this system has both already.

I would say that 3 years old is the youngest age that I would try this system, and probably 4 years old is better.My daughter knows all the letters and their sounds already, but she still enjoys the simpler books, like the Princess Book, over the more academic books, like the Phonics program books.

It's a pricey toy, and I still think that reading old-fashioned books is more important.But for a certain subset of kids, having the electronic features makes it more interesting.If you're trying to save money, then just get the systems without the writing or microphone features.You will still get a lot of benefit.

The younger kids, like ages 3 and 4, will still need parental supervision, although they seem to learn how to use it quickly.My 3 year old knows how to insert the cartridge, press ON, and tap on the "GO" sign on every page.

We're very happy with this item, and I would buy it again!

Excellent for early writing!
LeapFrog does it again! I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that they keep coming out with the best educational toys. My 5 year old daughter loves hers! She won't put it down, she wants to play with it first thing in the morning and it's the last thing she sees at night (besides me:) What a wonderful toy, and I feel good about it because it's educational and she loves it because it's fun! You can't lose:) ... Read more

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

Editorial Review

Centered around a rotary circling a fountain, this colorful little village is home to a schoolhouse, where Kathleen teaches class; a grocery store, manned by grizzled shopkeeper Sam; and a grassy town square, where a little boy, Eddie, rides around on a skateboard. Any of them can hop onto the xylophone, guitar, or saxophone stand and perform a music concert in the park. The roadway and sidewalk spin, allowing Sam or Kathleen to cruise around in a car. This toy offers toddlers lots of colors, sounds, movement, and fun, with numerous accessories. Three C batteries are required (but not included). --Andy Boynton ... Read more

Reviews (14)

My 2 1/2 yr. old loves it!
This is the kind of toy that brings out the imagination in children.Our daughter loves to play with it everyday.She liked the video when we first got it but doesn't ask for it anymore.This toy keeps her busy enough to forget about the TV.I like that!

Great for kids of all ages.
My three-year-old and my eight-month-old both love this toy.My baby loves putting things on the road and watching them/trying to get them back off as it spins.My older son loves role-playing, especially with the school portion.It is a very big set.I underestimated how much room it would take up.The volume is a little loud.I also wish they would have made more than one song for when the road is spinning.Gets a little grating after a while.Still well worth it.

Wonderful!
Yet another great by Fisher-Price. My son gets hours of enjoyment out of these toys and his imagination goes beyond all boundraies when playing. All Fisher Price People items are wonderful for children. Hands down. ... Read more

Reviews (18)

greatest toy to keep the kids from being tv junkies
I must say!!! this is the best thing i've purchased for my kids yet!!!. I dont know what some people are complaining about with the platform not being very strong. While we were building it which took a nice 5 hours we had to stand on the top platform to work some of the screws in and it held my brother inlaw who's pushing 200 lbs without a problem. the ladder is spaced far enough apart so my 18 month old cant get up without help but my almost 5 year old is all over this thing. All they want to do is go out and play. I highly recomend this toy. My back yard looks like little tykes land.

Awesome Set for Kids
My kids are 8, 4 & 2 and they absolutely love their playset.We bought it back in the spring and they have played on it everyday that they possibly can. Sure, it took us about a day to get it together, but it was well worth it.My kids will play all day on this thing.Even the neighbor kids come and play with no problems.We usually have kids from age 12 and down on the playset.It holds my weight on the swings/teetertotter.The fort does seem a bit unstable, but it does hold a lot of weight.The only problem I have with it, is my 2 year old can't climb the ladder on the back or the rope ladder, so we have to lift her up.We even removed one of the big kid swings and put up her baby swing.

Well worth it
I don't agree at all with the negative product reviews for this swing set. Although it took my husband and father the better part of a day to put it together, once assembled it was obvious that this was a quality product. We did have to anchor it to the ground, but I would have done that regardless of the type of swing set we bought. The fort is solid and is able to hold my 4 year old and her two cousins at the same time. The slide is a good height, the rope ladder is tight and shows no signs of wear after months of play, the swing spacing is adequate for kids to get on and off when others are swinging. I question whether the other reviewers had the swing located in a proper place in the yard to allow room to move in front and in back of the swings. The only problem I had was that water collected in the teeter totter-a simple hole drilled in each side eliminated that problem. I'm very happy with the swing, much prefer this over a metal set that might rust or a wooden one that would splinter. I would definitely recommend this set to others. ... Read more

Reviews (21)

Got after seeing the Dr. Phil Show ;0)
I just bought this for my 2 yr old son, after seeing the Dr. Phil show I thought it couldn't hurt to try his way ;0) I just got this doll and will start to potty train my son, so I am not sure if it will work yet or not. I hope so. But the doll, both my kids love, my 7 yr old daughter and my 2 yr old son. They both love to play with the doll.

As others have stated, it is a little hard for the little ones to feed the doll. You do have to push the cup or bottle in the mouth all the way or it will drip out. But my daughter has mastered that task now, my son still needs me to help feed the baby doll. I gave them an old baby bib of my sons to put around the doll's neck when they feed her, that way there isn't much to clean up if it does drip out.

The way the doll wont leak is what I love. She will not go potty until you sit her on the potty. That is great! No mess that way and that was well worth it for me. The little diaper they give you are on the cheap side, and hard to get on the doll. But the clothes are off the doll more than on with my kids.

I wish they had this doll in a boy though but this will work just fine I think. I would recommend this doll to anyone, very cute for all ages, esp' the potty training age ;0)

what a great way to help potty training
This doll has a pretty, very cheerful face and works well.We put our own bib on her because she does leak while drinking (but it is only water).We also like the powder, and her clothes dry out quickly.My daughter loves this doll and dramatically improved in her own potty training.We clap and cheer for the doll and give her a sticker too.Easy way to make potty training more fun!

Good at first, but then becomes annoying
I got this doll for my daughter when she first became interested in potty training, and it was good for demonstration purposes.

My problem with this doll is what others have stated:

1) It is too difficult for a young child to feed. You'll basically end up giving the paper her bottle and cup or you'll watch your child squirt water all over the place and then wonder why the doll doesn't have to go to the potty.

2) The diapers are a piece of junk, and your child won't be able to put it on, so that will be frustrating.

It's good to demonstrate the concept of going to the potty, but you and your child won't find it an effective toy, and it's really just taking up space now. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Fun toy!
This is a fun toy... My daughter is a Thomas fan & she loves this. She plays with it for hours at a time. It could be a little more stable, but these kind of toys never are!

Great toy for Thomas Lovers
I bought this toy at another store $10 cheaper than remarked online here. Its great! My son is 21 months old and he absolutely loves it.Being an active 21 month old the toy can withstand his activity level! I would have prefered nylon myself, but the material used is not really that flimsy at all. I've three very large dogs that climb in and out of it too! So that should account for something also. Great toy, colorful, large and fun for all!

Not worth it
My 4-year-old is so disappointed. Thomas is ripping after only a few uses. I was disappointed when we opened the package and saw that it was made from the thin papery material used in disposable medical booties and gowns.

While I'm sure I can return it, that won't fix my son's disappointment. This toy was not worth it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Outdoor Play    2. Playtents    3. Camping   

Reviews (15)

Great for all ages!
My 4 1/2 yr. old daughter and 16 month old son love this.My daughter actually tought my son how to play.It has been so neat to watch them play together.

I love toys that bring my kids together and this is one of them.After my son, I let my daughter "teach me" how to play as well.We had fun.

This set also makes itself easy for clean up.There's a place to put the balls and the bat in the base for easy storage.I thought this feature would be a pain, but it's easy and saves space in our already packed garage.

You won't regret buying this!

The best toy yet.
My son absolutely loves to play ball with the toy. Thanks to this toy he has become a wonderful ball player.

Great for young kids
My 2 1/2 year old just loves playing with this.You can also play with it in the houseon rainy days.The bat is a perfect size for toddlers so they are able to swing it better! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Sports    2. Sports Equipment    3. Baseball   

Features

• Asssembles in minutes with no tools
• Folds and stores compactly for easy transporting
• Sling seat adds comfort and holds either 1 or 2 children
• 5-point harness system for each child
• Meets all ASTM standards

Reviews (19)

Quick N EZ - Best Buy
I am an avid cyclist who needed to maximize my time in the saddle by including my son on my rides. I searched all the brands from Wike on down to the Schwinn's and Insteps. I am a big believer in the right equipment for the right job.

Value:
This trailer although it may not last forever, it should last a long time and is well worth the money spent; $79 at Target. Especially compared to trailers at $300 and up. Bottom line is how much do you bike, and how frequently will you use the trailer?

Durability:
I used it for the second half of last season (2004) and it still looks new and has little wear. I put approximately 1000 miles on it so far. On days where my son is not with me I load it up with approx. 65lbs of weight (50lb bag of charcoal and a case of Poland Spring water)and use it as a trainer.This weight approximates two small children and it holds up just fine.

Fun Factor;
My son loves going out on rides with me. It has a small pouch/cup holder sewn on each side of the interior, great for a sippy cup and a bag of snacks. It also has a trunk of sorts in the back. A flap that has snaps all around the perimeter of the rear, big enough to put an extra change of clothes and picnic things, or sand toys if you are visiting a playground on your journey.

Safety;
It comes with a basic small reflector on the bottom left of the rear. My opinion is this is not visible enough, get yourself a blinking reflector type light, approx. $10-15 in any bike shop.Mounting it may be a bit tricky, I cut the fabric at the bottom and clamped it on to the frame.It also comes with that neon orange flag, which can be spotted a mile away. And the base colors of blue and yellow stand out pretty good too. The harness,/hinge is a spring (with a safety cable through the center of the spring) that flexes, if you lay the bike down the trailer stays upright. The spring also flexes when you are riding to absorb some of the shifting of weight when your little guys move around back there, making it more comfortable that solid connections.


Pros:
1) Price, $79, you can't beat the price/value anywhere.
2) Quite, I'm used to a bike that makes no noise, and this did not let me down.
3) Bright colored fabric, help you to be seen, along with the neon orange flag.
4) Your own personal cheering team to "Go faster Daddy", and you really can't beat that!

Cons:
1) Floor is made from same fabric as the main compartment, this might be the first failure in the unit as my son gets bigger and heavier. Some more expensive models use a plastic tray as a base.
2) Needs a better light in the rear.
3) Once you get your child one of these , you will not be able to go for a solo ride anymore without dealing with tears and pleads to go "ridin" too.


One very important recommendation, after you install your hardware and hook up the trailer, do yourself and your child a favor and put something heavier than your child in the back. Then ride it for a good long ride. Do a few panic stops, brake on corners, get used to the weight back there, it is very different than what you are used to without it. Don't learn while your little Man or Lady is back there.

Be safe and ride till your legs fall off.

Dave

Family outings are a breeze!
We live in an area where we can bike to pretty much everyting, and we were a little concerned about using a traditional child "seat" on our bikes. This trailer has turned out to be a fantastic addition, well worth the money. We have had our son in it since he was 7 1/2 months old (he is now 18 mos) and we have used it to bike to breakfast, to the store, etc. There is plenty of storage room in the back,and the shield is great for misty/windy days. I wouldn't recommend using it with infants unable to hold themselves up well, as the harness is not that strong, but once they can sit up without support the trailer is great! We have no worries about our son toppling out in case we were to fall (which has happened, and the trailer stays upright), either. Enjoy it!

Excellent Buy!
My dh and I have been researching the different types and brands of infant/toddler bike trailers out there for several months. All along I kept looking at this Instep Quick 'n EZ trailer and thinking it was the best out there. Not only did I find it to constantly receive high marks on quality, but I also found it to be quite inexpensive. Not cheap and shotty, just not nearly as expensive as some of the other makes and models. After all our research, we decided on this trailer, and so my dd received it for her 1st birthday a couple of weeks ago. And let me tell you, we have NOT been disappointed with our choice. The trailer is very well made, extremely easy to put together/take apart, a cinch to attach, and even easier to pull. There is plenty of room in the trailer for us to stash our daughter's bottles, a diaper and wipes (incase she needs a change), and couple of toys for her to play with along the way. The 5pt harness is a breeze to work and leaves no question as to weather baby is in securely or not. This is definately a great trailer to own!! We give it 2 Thumbs Up and 5 stars across the board! :D ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bicycle Accessories   

Reviews (8)

Very Educational 'n Fun
I bough this for my 4 year old. He had just started with "Phonics" at school. This toy helped a lot. He made many of the words that they work at school on, but when he starts putting new one, and changing some letters, he was pretty happy that he created new words. He took this toy to show and tell a couple of times, and the teacher said it was a "Big Hit" with the rest of the class. It does though fail in it's limitaions of words. There are some words that are not programed in, and the voice just makes the sound of the letters for it, and the child would not know what the word sounds like. But then again some of these words may be too advanced for the children. All in all it is 5 out 5 for my child, I only gave it 4 because of the word limitaion.

Wrong Letter
I purchased this toy a month ago.Now, it reads letters wrong.I'll put a J in the space and it will say S.I love this toy but, now, I need a new one.Otherwise, a great idea.Also, the Leap Frog DVD's are amazing.My 21/2 year old can spell simple words on command!

Tinny sound, but still worth it
I was delighted to find out the magnets from the Fridge Phonics Magnetic Letter set also work with this!So if you have both, you can spell out double lettered words (such as "dad" and "mom" (and it is programmed to read those words, as well!)

The only problems we've been having with it are related to the tinny sound.The Fridge Phonics Magnetic Letter set sounded nice, but the Word Whammer sound quality is poorer.I know I had a hard time telling "Find the 'F'" from "Find the 'S'".Lucky for us adults, if we know what word it wants us to spell, we know which letter, but it confounds the kids.

If it weren't for the sound quality the toy would be *perfect*.It is really well designed, and very effective at keeping the kid's interest long enough for them not to realize they're learning while they're having fun.If you don't mind needing to translate what the machine said every so often, I highly recommend this. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Learning    2. Electronic Learning Aids (ELA)    3. Electronic    4. Alphabet   

Editorial Review

Serafina, the pampered snowy-white companion of Princess Anneliese, certainly does not lack self-esteem. This chatty kitty burbles over with more than 75 one-liners, including, I am quite the talented kitty, and I love looking pretty. Squeeze her paw, stroke her back, kiss her nose, and Serafina responds with words, songs, purrs, head tosses, tail wags, and, of course, meows. Additionally, when her human friends set up Serafina's jewelry box next to a CD player and insert Serafina's Adventure (included), signals from the CD and jewelry box cause Serafina to do her feline thing! She'll also respond to the Barbie as The Princess and the Pauper and other Serafina DVDs and videos. Measuring a good 22 inches from pink-tipped ears to long fluffy tail, Serafina has blue eyes, a gem-studded crown, and a matching heart-shaped locket, as well as a brush to keep that lush pelt sleek and smooth. Her jewelry box requires one 9-volt battery (not included), and Kitty herself requires three AA batteries (Try Me batteries included, but you'll need fresh ones). --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (42)

Daughter loves it!
My 5 1/2 year old daughter went on and on and on about wanting this item for Christmas. So, her Grandma and Grandpa bought it for her. She was THRILLED!!! She absolutley LOVES this cat. She pets her, carries her around, and combs her fur. My daughter LOVES watching the "Princess and the Pauper" DVD with Serafina. It does run through quite a few batteries, but even when the batteries have died, my daughter STILL plays/interacts with her. This is one of her favorite toys!

Great toy for $20.00, but I wouldn't pay more
I bought Serafina for my 6 year old daughter at a Wal-Mart store for $19.88 (the website says $27.88).At $20.00, I can say that it was a good buy.Some stores are charging $30 or $40 and I wouldn't recommend paying that much for it.

Pros:Moves, talks, and purrs when you interact with it.Works alone or with the included CD and the movie.

Cons:It sounds a little too mechanical when it moves and the sounds are a little on the loud side.It sheds white fur a little when brushed and it sounds demonic when the batteries are almost dead.

Overall, I would say that it's worth $20, but I would say they could have made the mechanics run more silently.

Cute toy
We got this toy for our daughter's 4th birthday. She wanted a real cat and this was our solution to not going to the pet store. She LOVES it. We didn't buy it for educational purpose's, we got it just for the fun. She doesnt let it outta her sight for long. Her 2 year old sister also enjoys trying to steal it away from her. It is a battery monster, and it definately does sound like a demon when the batteries are running low which is kinda creepy. So we just turn it off when we are needing to put new one's in. The jewelry box hasnt yet worked, but peyton our 4 year old doesnt know that, she pets it and play's with it enough that she gets plenty of interactiveness from it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Princesses   

Editorial Review

I have to admit that I am no fan of kids' electronic music makers--hearing the same bleeping and blatting tunes for hours on end is a sure-fire way to drive me crazy. But the Sing With Me Magic Cube has a number of charming features that set it above the fray. First of all, the 5-inch cube itself is a pleasing object, ruggedly constructed, with rounded rubber corners that invite the hands. Then there's the music: "Old McDonald," "Itsy Bitsy Spider," and other standard kids' songs played on five instruments (piano, guitar, drums, tuba, and flute). The innovation here is that as each tune plays, instruments can be added to or taken out of the mix with a push of the matching button. It's a clever trick that might help develop a child's ear for the different parts of music. One minor complaint is that the Orchestra button behaves differently from the instrument buttons: when you push it, the song that's playing stops and a new one starts. This is one of those toys that claims to be based on the latest brain research and promises to stimulate your child's mental development through music, but even if it's not much more than a glorified rattle, it will amuse your child without driving you too crazy. Requires three AA batteries (not included). --David Stoesz ... Read more

Features

• Features favorite songs and musical instrument sounds
• Winner of Dr. Toy and Parents' Choice awards
• Song book and instructions included

Reviews (23)

My child loves it! I love it!
This is a great toy. It is really durrable, easy to work and safe. It has been dropped a lot. It's even been dropped on cement and down wooden stairs. I got it from a garage sale and her 3 kids were really rough with it she said. And it isn't cracked, scuffed or broken in any way. I'd recommend this toy for every child!

A very nice musical toy
I've been very pleased with my purchase of the Sing with Me Magic Cube.I gave it to my niece on her 1st birthday.Her father is a musician and her mother is a singer, so I wanted a gift that would help promote musical interests.She loves the Baby Einstein videos (e.g. Baby Mozart) which feature classical music, so I decided to get her something that would teach her many of the songs that she is likely to sing when she starts school in several years.

She loves singing and dancing to all the songs on this cube.(BTW, the toy is purely instrumental only ... no vocals ... she has learned the words from others around her who sing the words to the music.)I don't think she understands exactly how to turn the individual instruments on and off yet, but she has lots of fun hitting all the buttons trying to get it to play her two favorite songs -- Old Macdonalds Farm and Itsy Bitsy Spider.

This toy is sure to last for a very long time, as it has thick rubber knobbie corners that cushion it when dropped.

Excellent even for adults
I bought this toy for my one year old nephew, but am having a hard time letting go. It is soooo cute and I find myself singing along with it and choosing the instruments I want to hear. I know I have to let it go... but it's going to be hard. This toy is as great as other reviews indicate. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Activity    2. Musical    3. Preschool    4. Learning    5. Electronic Learning Aids (ELA)    6. Electronic    7. Baby and Infant    8. Music    9. Electronic Learning Aids   

Reviews (26)

'The King' has broken his arm...
This is the 4th male doll we've owned from Mattel to have a broken arm.We've had three seperate Alan dolls from the Happy Family Collection with this problem.I must say that the company was very good in handling this, so I thought it must have been unique to the particular doll.My 8yr old then received King Dominick as a gift.Lo and behold, his arm was broken in no time at all, but unfortunately not before all of the packaging had been disposed of!So, let's see if I can exchange this with no box and no reciept.I'd like to say I'd never buy these again but the girls beg for them!
I,too, would have liked to see a seperate Julian doll.I have 4 girls close in age who like to play together so someone has to use the 'pretend' character- the Ken masquerading as Julian.

This Ken Doll is U-G-L-Y
This is one of the ugliest dolls I have ever seen in my entire

life.His hair looks like a wig, and his face looks like a

monkey.He makes me sick.I really think this doll should be

taken off the market, as it is probably going to give some

small children nightmares.I hope I never have to look into

the face of this hideous doll again.Thanks.

disappointment
Disappointed that Tutor Julian is not sold as a separate doll.My granddaughter loves playing with her Barbie/Ken doll (Princess and the Pauper) but wants a Julian doll.Can't find one anywhere. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Princesses   

Reviews (16)

Response to
(...)
Call the very helpful people at their 800 number, explain problems, you should be under warranty, they will ship to you with directions on how to fix.We have a Gaucho by the same company and have had some problems but easy remedies.Good Luck!!!

Great for bigger kids
We couldn't be more please with this purchase.We've had it a few months and our kids love it.Both are big for their ages--which makes it hard to find toys that will withstand their size and still be correct for their ages.This toy is tough.I can't think of one bad thing to say about it--unless you count the price---cheaper would be great.We follow the instructions for recharging to the T.The battery will hold out for about 3 hrs of regular play---two kids on and off for about 3 hrs---as fast as it will go.Travels great in the grass--and will go through mud (my son). Faster on hard surfaces.Easy to charge--green light tells you it's done.Also, We love the auto braking!!

Absolute Joy
My son got the Polaris Sportsman 700 12V Quad for a Christmas Present and he loves it!When he goes riding on it he does not want to get off of it.He goes riding for about an hour at a time and the battery still doesn't act like it is ran down any.It keeps up with the riding lawn mower, so it goes fast.We only have grass to ride on, so it has no problems going over grass.I haven't had any problems with this product what so ever.My parent's are going to by my nephew one as well, because we all feel this is one of the best ride on toys ever! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Ride-Ons    2. Motorized   

Reviews (58)

My baby's first toy
This was the first toy my little boy took any notice of.I have a very cute picture of him at 2 months old reaching out and discovering the crinkly wings.Now at 5 months, it's his constant companion in the car.He loves to feel the different textured wings, teeth on the rings at the bottom, or crunch the crinkly wings.
All of the Lamaze toys are great, but Freddy is my favorite so far.It may seem a little pricey at first, but you'll get more mileage out of Freddy than out of 5 other, cheaper stuffed toys. And as other reviewers have mentioned - he's machine washable, so you don't have to worry about him getting dirty.

Must Have!!!
This is a must have toy for your little one.I purchased this about a month ago and it is my daughter's favorite toy.It has to go everywhere with her!She is teething so Freddie is constantly in her mouth and I make sure to inspect him quite frequently and have not found any problems at all!!Defintely worth the money!

This toy is AWESOME!!
I bought this toy because it was so bright and colorful with a lot of different items to pull and play with.

My daughter LOVED starring at this toy ever since she was a month and a half old. This is definitely her favorite toy. Now at 3 months... she's constantly holding it in her hands and trying to "eat" it. haha.

I sometimes put it in her basinette when she's going to take a nap... so she'll have something to look at.

I LOVE this toy! I highly recommend it... even though it's pricey (almost stopped me from buying it) but it's well worth the money. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Learning    2. Baby and Infant    3. Hand-Eye Coordination    4. Stuffed Toys   

Reviews (2)

Great Buy
This is a great bouncer for kids under the age of 6.And it is safe for 2 kids NOT 3.My two boys (3 and 4) love it.But when their 4 year old cousin joins them it's all about bumping heads, falling on each other and crying.It's much safer than some other bouncers that I have purchased.The sides are all strongly netted and the entrace into the bouncer has a strong velcro to close it up for SAFE jumping.

Worth the Price, Very fun Bigger is Better
We were very pleased with this.It has a large jumping area and enough room for larger children.The slide on the back is awsome.My children loved going down it.Its overall very large and high off the gound seems better than the small ones. There is more to keep the children intertained more to interact with. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Outdoor Play   

Reviews (4)

Great!
Another of my 3 year old's collection - he loves it and has mastered it well.Very well done.

Finding Nemo
My son loves this game. He likes to read with it. I think it is a nice addition to the collection.

Great game !
My 4YO son loves this cartridge. The children have a choice of reading the Nemo story or playing one of four games. My son does not really like the story, but it is cute. Admittedly it is difficult for an electronic toy to beat mom's reading!

The games are great. They all have multiple skill levels and are fun and challenging. I often have to force my son to let his Leapster "rest awhile". His favorite game is trying to find the fish in the deep dark ocean. On level 2 words are displayed and you have to find the fish by listening for where the word sound is the loudest. Unfortunately, there are a limited number of fish, but my kid hasn't noticed, he is happy every time he finds one. And, instead of sounding out the A like they do with the other letters, they say "Ay".

The Nemo cartridge also has a hide-n-seek game which teaches comprehension skills. Various Nemo characters and props appear in bubbles and the Leapster asks a question such as "Who helped Nemo escape from the tank?" and the child would need to select the "Gill" bubble. I haven't seen logic games like that on the other cartridge we have.

Overall, the characters are cute, the games are educational and my kid loves it. I'd give this more stars if that were possible! ... Read more

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

Reviews (6)

Lemon of a toy
I bought this ride on toy for my 3 year old daughter since she enjoyed her older sisters' jeep, I thought it would be fun for her to have her own.It worked for about a week and then never worked right after that.I bought new batteries for it, but nothing worked.It does not run very fast, if at all.It would go and then stop, needless to say my daughter will not even go in the car now.Maybe I just got a lemon car, but I was very disappointed in this product and would not waste the money on another one like it.

Grocery Getter
This VW was purchased for my daughter when she was too young to drive it. At 1 yr she was afraid of the electric engine noise. At 2 she could push the pedal but did not understand to keep her foot down and she had not enough strength to turn the wheel. At 3 years she was ready to drive! It has been reliable and durable. The batteries are still good after all this time but I have kept up on keeping them charged throughout the year even when not in use. This car is one-wheel drive and therefore does not go on anything except for carpet and perfectly level pavement. Does not go in grass or gravel at all.

Small Enough for Indoor Use
We got this car for our 22 month old daughter as an early Christmas gift.She loved opening and closing the door and going in and out of the one in the store.Fully assembled it is approx 3ft by 2ft so it's small enough to use and store in the house, which is nice because we live in a condo.My daughter can't steer it yet (it's harder to steer on carpet than vinyl)but she can push the pedal and foward/reverse buttons.She likes to store "treasures" in it and we often find our missing items in there.It's not that fast or powerful but it was able to pull me around in it.I think it's good for younger children and indoor use. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Ride-Ons    2. Motorized   

Editorial Review

This classic is still spinnin' after all these years--and now it's better than ever. The Sit 'n Spin we all know and love has been spruced up for the new millennium with flashing lights and fun tunes. Just press any of the four buttons on the handle, and you're spinning to one of six classic tunes. Sure, it may be a little snazzier than you remember (thanks to the new colors), but the goal remains the same: hours of dizzying enjoyment. Your kids will love taking this whirling wonder for a spin just as much as you'll enjoy watching them. Requires three AA batteries and a Phillips screwdriver for assembly (not included). --Melissa Wilson ... Read more

Reviews (172)

We like this toy
We got this for my daughter as part of her Christmas this past year at 3 years old and she loves it. My son had one of the old ones...we liked it too, but it did not have the lights and sounds. It is very durable too. I think it is a good choice.

They ruined a great classic toy!
I didn't think it was possible, but the manufacturer made the Sit N Spin worse when they added lights and sound. It USED to be a great toy! First, the music is the most obnoxious rockabilly-ish stuff I've ever heard.Second, its way too loud for the children's ears, in my opinion.Third, there is no "off" button for the lights/music (every parent's nightmare).We bought this for our daughter for Christmas, and I took the batteries out after the first day.What a relief!!

can be hazardous
Our 15 month old daughter loves her sit and spin, LOVES IT!.We didn't put batteries in it because we read the complaints about the music.She used it every day.The problem is that whenever we go to move it, the top hand wheel pops off, so you have to pick it up by the entire base.Lesson learned, easy fix, just use more care.Until last night, when she was gleefully smiling and spinning, the hand wheel popped off, and she banged her head on the floor.My baby's not much of a crier, but boy did she cry after that!I may try the liquid nails that another person recommended, because she loves this toy sooo much.Just be aware of the hazard! ... Read more

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

Features

• 18 sound- and motion-sensitive doll
• Looks, feels, sounds and responds like a real baby
• Sucks on bottle, falls asleep, wakes to noises, burps when patted
• Includes outfit, magic bottle, rattle and pacifier
• Parents' Choice Recommended, Good Housekeeping Seal

Reviews (138)

Really Expected More
Santa brought Annabelle to our 4 year old daughter for Christmas.The milk in the Magic milk bottle was dried up upon receipt.Because of it being the week of Christmas we opted to keep the doll and exchange the bottle.The people at Zapf creations were quite curteous, but very disorganized.After several phone calls we did recieve the replacement bottle 6-8 weeks later. You can imagine for a 4 year old it could have been a year; our daughter was very concerned because she was convinced the baby was hungry as there was no milk in the bottle!We tried to find one locally, but they were out of stock everywhere we looked.

After about 2 wks a square piece came off of the back of the bdoll's skull.This was really quite frustrating.As you can imagine at this point we still didn't have a bottle.We were feeling very disappointed as we felt we had paid a premium price for a special toy from Santa along with many of the accesories for our daughter and it really didn't seem to be measuring up to our expectations.

The doll is very cute and her movements are life-like; although, you can hear the mechanism when she drinks the bottle, but this doesn't seem to bother our daughter.My greatest disappointment was in the clothes.The outfits are nearly the cost of real baby clothes, and made very cheaply in my opinion.Several of the outfits we bought were made of terry and the balled up right away.The fact that the closures are velcro just made it worse as the velcro sticks to all the clothes when you store them and they begin to look ragedy almost immediately.

Should I buy this doll?
Its my Birthday in 5 more days,I know that my family members will give me money and im planning to buy baby annabell.Im going to turn 12 i know im kinda of old for baby dolls but hey there fun.I bought a rock a bye chou chou and i love it but i want another baby so i want annabell.It has mouth movement which i think is AWESOME.I read all 100+ reviews some i was touched and some well....not touched.There was one review where there was a 12 year old girl who was going to recieve this doll she made everything for her babyAnd she loved the baby when it came.Im pretty positive i will buy annabell if so i will write a review after my purchase

Yes-Buy her today!!
This is a must that you have to put in your shopping trolley. She is amazing. Baby Annabell is a very realistic doll with a cute romper set with a matching hat and sheep toy. She comes with a magic milk bottle and cute dummy on clip. She does many things, including) cry, drink and burp just like a new baby. All children would get so many hours of use out of her. If you are expecting a baby or are planning one this is a lovely doll to choose for your already born child, girl or boy. They can play with Baby Annabell and feel that they are being a little mum/dad too. I have the old version and the new white and black versions as I am in love with her. I also have Love me chou chou and baby born which are cool too. Baby Born is the best our of the three dolls but if ur darling has these Annabell is the next best thing. She costs abour £34 which is alot of money for a baby doll but your child will not be disappointed and neither will you. Buy her today! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Dolls