Editorial Review

If your child (or your budget, or your yard) is too small forone of those monstrous cedar outdoor play structures, check out theHide & Slide Climber, a miniature version of the same idea. Itsbrightly colored (yellow, red, teal, and purple) plastic sections snaptogether quickly, and they won't rot. A red 40-inch slide leads downfrom a platform 26 inches high; underneath there's a crawling andhiding space. It's very stable--the two large "feet" on the side panelsmake the unit almost 60 inches wide. Requires adult assembly, but not asecond mortgage. --Richard Farr ... Read more

Reviews (15)

A good, basic climber and slide
My in-laws purchased this slide for my son's second birthday.He has enjoyed it quite a bit already.It's durable and not too big if you have a small space.

Great slide and climber
I bought this for my twin girls who are almost 2.5 years old and they simply love this slide. I was trying to decide between this Hide and Slide Climber and the Kangaroo Climber and I chose this one, and I am glad I went with this slide. Six months ago my girls played on the Kangaroo Slide at a friend's house and loved it, but I found the Hide and Slide Climber to be better for older toddlers as they have to climb two steps to get on to the slide, and then the slide is higher and of greater length, so they can slide faster and longer. I would not recommend this slide for young toddlers (less than 2 years) but certainly for preschoolers, I think this slide is a great buy.

Happy Dad
I just purchased this for my daughter which will we turning two in a couple of weeks.She loves to slide and climb on things so I think she will like it.It took me along time to pick one of these out,I really liked the age range on this toy.I think you get more for your money this way. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Activity    2. Outdoor Play    3. Toddler    4. Pretend Play    5. Gadgets   

Reviews (6)

GREAT GREAT GREAT
I got this toy as a gift and it was so much fun and now my brother cant say I cant swim AND I TRY NOT TO TEASE HIM ABOUT IT BUT THIS TOY IS FUN AND FAIRLY CHEAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

awesome
my kid is 9 years old and he LOVES this cruiser. my older kids actually get in the pool and play with it too. they are 16 and 19. it is safe and all around just a great item. its inexpensive too! ---probably one of the kids most favorite toys!!

I WAS TRICKED
I purchased this after reading the reviews and the age limits and I am angry. When it came age stated on the box was a much younger age limit and a maximum weight of 80 pounds that was stated no where. Picture of a young child was on cover of box looked like a baby gift for a 12 year old. It was for a birthday present and had to be given, but I was not told the truth in the description by Amazon.I feel I was stolen from.Item cute as can be though. ... Read more

Reviews (29)

Great Toy
I had read a lot of reviews on this toy. My husband and I purchased this for our 4 year old daughter. It took us awhile to finally decide. What a great toy and made very well. The battery last very long. I just let her play with it and the end of the day we take in the battery and recharge it. She loves it! It does spin wheels are certain surfaces,but she has figure it out back and it up a little and move forward again. We are glad that we decided to get it and it made her birtday complete.

go go power-wheels, Power-wheels power makes 'em go!
We love this truck, my daughter just got this Barbie Jeep for her 3rd Birthday and she is just thrilled with her new toy. Assembly was a bit more work then the reviews made it out to be. My first thought was to let the store put it together but after reading the reviews on this website that said it was "quick+easy" my husband and I decided to give it a try. It took about two hours (we took a few break's.)
We took our daughter to abig field where she could practice her steering and get a feel for the gas pedal.
This toy also has great developmental benefits such as eye-hand & eye-foot coordination. It also helps to stimulate their imagination.

great fun for all kids
I loved this jeep it fit's two kid's witch is great so if your child has a friend over they will not feel left out my daughter drive's her 2yr ols brother around in this jeep all the time they drive it every wher. My 2yr old climb's on it all the time is very durable I have even drive it. It is alot of fun and it help's my daughter how to pay attention to wear she is going sence she has to watch where she is driving. I would recomend this jeep to anyone it is well worth the money
... Read more

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

Reviews (4)

Excellent!!!!
The table is the perfect size for little ones, it easily fits six pre-schoolers.I bought this item for my two children (2 and 3 yrs old) and they absolutely LOVE it.We have the matching sand-box, which I also highly recommend.

The table surface is a rough, simulated-wood finish, but wipes clean easily.The table is very sturdy, the benches can support an adult, and the umbrella fabric is much better quality than I expected.

Assembly took about 10 minutes and is easier with two adults, one to hold the table in place, and one to install the (12) screws.I installed all the screws without pre-drilling any holes and used a manual screwdriver.It was not excessively difficult, although assembly would definitely have been easier had the batteries for my cordless drill been charged.I would not recommend attempting to assemble the table by yourself, although it can be done.

This is a great product for little ones and I would recommend it to anyone with a pre-schooler.

Best table
This is the best kids table I've ever seen. The plastic won't give splinters like a wood table would. It is heavy duty so it won't tip over. The umbrella is tall and wide. This picnic-style table is perfect for small kids because there are not individual chairs for them to have to pull in and out and fumble over. They can easily step in and sit down without tripping or falling. It is comfortable seating for 4 small kids. But by the time they turn 6 years old, they will be too tall for this table. Buy it for your small ones. I'm extremely happy with ours!

LOOOOOVE IT!!!
I just bought this for my kiddos and WE love it. As far as coloring goes and getting food or what not off the surface it really doesnt seem like a big deal to me. The groves arent so deep that you cant clean it off. Besides if the child is coloring from a coloring book i dont see an issue. Even if it where one page there are always ways....**rolls eyes at other comment**
The umbrella is an awesome size, i thought it was going to be the really small cheap fabric flimsy kind...its really good quality. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Preschool    2. Furniture    3. Outdoor Play   

Editorial Review

Raise the roof with Dora the Explorer! This huge dollhouse not only talks--it's bilingual! Unfold the sturdy plastic house to reveal several rooms, plus a second story upstairs. Press the picture frame to hear Dora talk about her family, or open the fridge to hear about how hungry she is. Six different accessories can be manipulated to produce more than 20 phrases or songs in both English and Spanish. The house is only partially furnished with built-in kitchen appliances and table, boom box and picture in living room, phone on one wall, mirror in bathroom, and miscellaneous illustrations of shelves in the bedrooms. Dora, her Mama, her Papi, and their couch are included. Also, this Toys "R" Us exclusive version comes with three bonus figures--Diego, Boots, and Swiper. Additional accessories and furniture must be purchased separately. Still, from the ringing doorbell to the oven that lights up and talks, la casa de Dora es espléndida. When open, the house is three feet wide by one and a half feet tall. --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (84)

Dysfunctional Family House
Bought this for Christmas for my then 2 1/2 yr old, I bought it in early November so I found the house, bonus figures and some extra furniture easily at TRU. Although my daughter does play with it now and then, I have 2 major complaints: #1 as others said - the figures don't fit the furniture well, and slide off too easily. (They should be more rubbery and pliable, and smaller!) My daughter puts all kinds of other toy characters in the house, but her favorite thing is to try to lower the roof- which she can't do since the buttons are on oposite sides of the house. This function is the most desirable to her yet it's made in such a way that it is only a source of frustration, even now at 3 yr's. I also think the price is high for what you get, especially since the "talking" house doesn't really talk much, and the furniture sets don't have talking features at all. The only other set I might purchase will be the pool set since my daughter is a big fan of the pool.

Missy
My daughter got this as a christmas gift.We were finally able to get the furniture for it by April.The doll figures are too big for the kitchen table and the bathroom.The bathroom furniture barely fits in the bathroom. Dora's Mom's legs do not bend at the knees, only the dad's.She cannot sit at the kitchen table right and most of the figures fall off the chairs -it takes some skill to get them seated.Dora's mom cannot sit good on the living room couch either.The figures are too big for the accessories.It is cute, but I would not have bought this for a doll house.

Great Toy
If your child loves to watch Dora the Explorer this is the toy for her.My daughter loves to push all of the buttons and she repeats the Spanish that Dora says.It's a great toy and I recommend it to Dora loving children! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Dolls   

Editorial Review

Guess what! Dora the Explorer has jumped on the royal bandwagon! This intrepid explorer is now a fairy tale princess with magical hair that grows when the jewel in her crown is pressed with a wand. Dora talks and sings, too, in both English and Spanish: "Vamanos! Let's go to fairytale land! Will you brush my hair?" The 14-inch-tall plastic doll is not designed to be cuddled so much as played with and groomed. She is attired in a satiny yellow gown trimmed in pink and purple, and has a brush, barrettes, and magic wand. The magical tresses emerging from the hair-growing tube are quite realistic, although grownups, at least, might be a little unnerved at the sleek brown hair oozing in and out of Dora's head. Still, children are experts at suspending disbelief and accepting weirdness in the world, so they probably won't mind a bit. Four AA batteries required (included). --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (36)

Not as happy as I thought!!!!
We bought this for our daughter Brittney (39 months), she wanted it so bad, then after a few days she just stopped playing with it. I don't think she's into the hair brushing and that sort of play just yet. She still loves dora's house, and her other dora dolls which include star catching dora, cowboy dora, buenas noched dora, magic surprise dora and some other ones.

A review for my Sister
The first day my sister ever saw this item, she wanted it for her birthday, but she got it for Christmas. Thanks to our best friend, Pat, now living at Bethel Retirement Home. When my sister got this, she thought that Dora looked cute in the box. My sister really likes the song that Dora sings. One time, my sister combed Dora's hair too much and too hard. Then it didn't work. My father fixed it on the day he got batteries for my MindMania Spelling Clip. Last, my sister doesn't play with Dora oftenly. Dora uses 4 "AA" batteries (included.)- Cristian and Alejandra Mojica.

3 yr old likes maybe too much
Dora is still doing okay considering what she has been through since Christmas.Her pretty hair do was taken out of its rubber bands fairly quickly.She has gotten an unrequested hair cut, luckly not much was cut because I caught my daughter in the act.She gets played with somewhat often even by visiting children.I do sometimes have to take Dora away when the kids start fighting over her.She doesn't look as good as new anymore, but well loved. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Dolls    2. Fairies    3. Princesses    4. Toddler Dolls    5. Ethnic   

Reviews (46)

Hard to Pedal and Steer
This tricycle is not worth the money, especially for younger kids.neither of my children could steer or learn to pedal on this, we bought the plastic bikes, and off they went!Maybe this is a good bike for the child who know how to pedal and ride, but definitely not worth it for a first bike!!

This thing rocks!
Bought this trike for my 18 month old daughter.At first she would not ride it, because it was not like her stroller (in her words "not stoller").After running into another kiddo cruising through the neighborhood on one, she quickly changed her mind.

Now we can't keep her off of it... woe is me when we go through the garage to get to the car!There is no glue stronger than my daughter's grip on the handlebars of this trike.

She is now 26 months old, and we've twice made the requisite adjustments to the trike (very quick and easy if you take the safety handle off and flip the trike over).She has become very confident riding it with "no touch the bar, daddy" supervision... even with the occasional two-wheeled turn while going down the neighbor's hill.(Don't buy the hype... sharp turns at speed will cause this trike to overturn, just like any other trike will.)

Best of all, a few spins around the block gets her tired, and with good timing, that means more time for daddy and momma to be together ;-D

difficult to assemble, broke
This trike was complicated to assemble.The handlebars keep breaking loose from the front wheel due to a poorly designed attachment mechanism.Some of the plastic assesories quickly broke off but they were not much use anyway. ... Read more

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

Editorial Review

Geared to smaller children, this life-sized dollhouse has large rooms and a sturdy wood construction that will hold up to heavy hands. Measuring 51 inches tall, 32-1/2 inches wide, and 13-1/2 inches deep, this four-story dollhouse has high ceilings that accommodate any 12-inch-tall fashion doll. On the first floor is a hip living room for entertaining guests (other dolls) The second floor features a small kitchen and dining room with a superb city view. A glamorous and comfortable bedroom suite takes up the whole third floor while the fourth hosts a pet parlor and an intimate penthouse lounge. Dolls can ride from floor to floor on the working elevator that moves when kids crank the handle. The uptown dollhouse also comes with 14 pieces of retro-looking furniture that are durably made of wood and don’t have any small parts that could potentially break off. Once kids supply the dolls, this stylin’ pad will provide hours of creative play. --Cristina Vaamonde ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Uptown Dollhouse, kids love it
We purchased two of these dollhouses, and the girls love them.Some of the furniture broke, or the fabric came of the foam, but was easily repaired.This is the reason why I give it a four, instead of a five.The overall deal is very good, since it's very tall, has a working elevator, and does include furniture.Each room has a different decoration, which allows the young imagination to project whatever dream they wish into a action scene.

Was relatively easy to put together, though it took at least 30 minutes for each one (We bought two), can't recall if it was longer.A cordless screwdriver/drill (though there are some places where those didn't fit) makes it go much faster.

Disappointed
We purchased this dollhouse for our daughters for Christmas and had a nightmare experience.We waited until Christmas Eve to put it together because there was no place to store it.We were missing one side of the roof, but got 2 of the other half so we had to cut the hole for the elevator.One of the floor pieces wasn't lined up properly so we had to cut a piece off the left side and glue it to the right side.One of the back panels wouldn't fit in its slot so we had to scrap some of the edge off to get it in.All in all it took us about 3.5 hours to make all the modifcations and get it together and it was a very unpleasant experience.Had it not been right before Christmas I would have sent it back (and I would have been able to get customer support).Now that it is together, no one can really tell what we went through, and our girls love it.

Go and get this for your little girl !!!
We got this for our 4 year old and we love it !!! Its very colorful and sturdy !! It is big so you will need alot of space in the room for it. It wasnt to hard to put together, one piece of the furniture came broke so we will have to re-glue it( all furinture is made out of wood )but other than that we are very happy with this doll house. I read on another report that the elevator was hard to crank up and down and on our doll house that is not the case !!! I would buy this for your daughter and I think all ages who still play with dolls would enjoy it !!! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Dolls   

Editorial Review

Fisher-Price has produced a dream dollhouse with all of thecharm of a decorative Victorian townhouse plus the realistic modernfeatures of electronic lights and sounds. The pastel pink faux-stoneexterior unfolds to reveal a spacious six-room interior. In thefloral-tiled kitchen, the refrigerator and the oven light up, and thetelephone rings. In the bedroom, the fireplace glows and makes acrackling sound. When the terrace doors are opened, kids hear birdssinging in the garden. The house comes with an array of furniture andaccessories, plus Mom, Dad, and little girl figures, two beds withbedding, chairs, window boxes, potted plants, and a hope chest, just toname a few. The dollhouse measures 20 by 13 by 28 inches when closed andrequires three D batteries. --Jane Snyder ... Read more

Reviews (139)

Townhouse is a great investment
I bought the Townhouse for my 2 1/2 yr old.I read all the reviews before hand to help decide between this or the Sweet Sounds.I am very pleased we chose the roomy Townhouse without the recorded voice sounds that I believe would have been annoying after a while.My daughter and her older cousins can easily spend hours playing with it.I found it to be plenty durable and have had no problems with the wiring (I picked mine up at the store in lieu of shipping).The only neg comments I have are that it seemed a bit pricy and if you don't have a Toysrus nearby, the accessories are very limited at other stores.I was very happy though with the amount of accessories that came with the Townhouse, which made the $20 difference from the Sweet Dreams house worth paying.I love hearing my daughters imagination at work with this toy and would highly recommend it to others.

Best dollhouse choice for ages 1 and above!!!!
As much as I LOVE Playmobil, I think Fisher Price outdid them on this one....I debated and debated and researched all the possiblities and finally decided on this dollhouse.I decided against the Playmobil Victorian House and the Playmobil Fairy Tale Castle due to the toy store saying that there were a lot of pieces that come apart with the Playmobil models, as where with this Fisher Price model, it was one piece.My daughter was 2 when we bought this dollhouse for her. She is now almost 5 and still loves it. She has gotten a lot of use out of it.Her 8 year old cousin has gotten a lot of use out of it.Her 3 year old brother loves it and her 1 year old sister loves it.We bought accersory sets, as well.All of which are little child friendly.I have to say, this set came with a lot more than the Playmobil sets.You have to buy nearly all of the accessory parts with Playmobil. However, this past Christmas,our daughter asked for the Playmobil Castle. Since she really liked her Playmobil people etc., we thought okay we'll try it.What a mistake and money waste that was!!!I sat there for over 3 hours with my husband putting this thing together.She loved it on Christmas morning and that was about it.Fast forward a few months, I went down to the playroom to spend sometime playing with the kids.I asked my daughter if she wanted to play with the castle.No, I want to play with the dollhouse, she says.So we go over to the dollhouse and play with it once again (with a Playmobil cat).Meanwhile, my youngest daughter, the one year old, is over there taking apart the castle.To make a long story short,GET A DOLLHOUSE THAT IS ONE PIECE!!!You will not regret it.Only an adult can keep putting the Playmobil ones back together.Who has the time to do that, much less deal with the frustrated child who gets upset that it keeps coming apart.I love the Fisher Price model.I love the realistic furniture, people and accessories.You will love it, too....

Buyer beware
My daughters got this dollhouse and the Loving Family Dollhouse for Christmas this year.I liked this one more for a few reasons (more furniture included, bigger floorplan, etc., cute and not annoying sounds like the other one, etc); however, after a month of use this dollhouse is breaking down.I've already had to glue some of the backing back on the dollhouse.The wiring is all messed up - when you push the fireplace, nothing happens, the stove now activates the fireplace, the phone rings when the doorbell is pushed.I've tried time and time again to get ahold of someone at Fisher Price.They just have a recording that tells you to call back - how convinient for them!!!After two weeks of trying relentlessly to get ahold of them, they told me switch out the batteries - THIS DOES NOT WORK!!!Now I can't get ahold of them again.I now longer have the box - it is a huge box and most people throw it out after assemnbling the house.If you are buying this house -KEEP THE BOX - you may have to return it within a few weeks.Also, if you can get a hold of someone at Fisher Price, don't hang up before getting another solution other than replacing the batteries.Like I said, it doesn't work and you'll likely have a hard time getting a rep on the phone again. If your daughter doesn't mind not having the lights and sounds, this a great dollhouse, but if she is looking forward to using all the features that you are paying top dollar for, keep in mind that you may need to exchange the house within the first month or two of use - keep that receipt and box handy! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Dollhouses    2. Dolls   

Editorial Review

Though it looks like a toy, don't be fooled: the Nintendo GameCube is a powerful video game console that rightly deserves its place among the other next-generation game systems. In fact, its playful, appealing design and small size (the unit is a not-quite-cubed 6 inches) aren't the only features that set it apart from the others.

For starters, Nintendo has quite clearly made this a game-only machine. It doesn't try to play your CD collection, run your movies, read your e-mail, or store your MP3 files. The company has concentrated its efforts on games. All the prelaunch titles we've seen play smoothly, with bright, fast graphics and great sound. Nintendo says its engineers have removed traditional bottlenecks that have, in the past, slowed down processing. New components designed by IBM and MoSys, as well as a large-capacity secondary memory cache, keep instructions moving through the system's microprocessor (MPU) at peak levels. In English: the GameCube is optimized to push speed up while pushing costs down; hence its position at the lower end of the price spectrum.

The GameCube is the first Nintendo video game system to use a disc-based medium rather than cartridges for its games. Moving the software to disc media generally means lower development costs for the publishers, which, in turn, trickles down to the consumer not only in price, but also in availability and quality, as it's then easier to try out untested game ideas (Pikmin, anyone?). While most other systems likewise have their games stored on discs, the GameCube's 3-inch format is smaller than everyone else's, and is so designed to fit in a shirt pocket as much as to deter would-be software pirates.

Of course, the main advantage of the GameCube is that it's the home field of one of the world's premier game designers: Nintendo. While powerhouses Electronic Arts and Sega make games for all systems (including this one), you can play Nintendo games only on a Nintendo system. And Nintendo, you might recall, has been hitting them out of the park since it started with Donkey Kong. In fact, here's a roll call of characters and series you won't find on the other consoles: Mario, Legend of Zelda, Perfect Dark, Metroid, Kirby, and, of course, Pokémon. A few names that the GameCube will share with the other guys: Madden, Tony Hawk, Sonic, Batman, and Star Wars.

The system also comes with four built-in controller ports, so you can easily plug in extra controllers and let friends join in for the multiplayer games--it's even got a built-in handle so you can easily move it to a friend's house. It comes with two memory card slots for saving your progress through games, and there's the capacity for future expansion into the world of online gaming.

In short, the GameCube isn't an all-in-one entertainment system, and neither is it the most powerful of the modern video game consoles. But for video game enthusiasts who want to stick with their favorite characters, its value cannot be beat. --Porter B. Hall

Unit Specifications

• MPU (Microprocessor Unit): 485 MHz custom IBM PowerPC Gekko
• Graphics Processor: 162 MHz custom ATI/Nintendo Flipper
• Texture-Read Bandwidth: 10.4 GB per second (peak)
• Main Memory Bandwidth: 2.6 GB per second (peak)
• Pixel Depth: 24-bit color, 24-bit Z buffer
• Sound Processor: 81 MHz custom Macronix 16-bit DSP
• Sound Performance: 64 simultaneous channels, ADPCM encoding
• Polygon Performance: 6 to 12 million polygons per second (peak)
• System Memory: 40 MB
• Main Memory: 24 MB MoSys 1T-SRAM
• Disc Drive: 128 ms CAV (Constant Angular Velocity) system
• Data Transfer Speed: 16 Mbps to 25 Mbps
• Media: 3-inch, 1.5 GB capacity disc
• Controller Ports: Four
• Memory Card Slots: Two
• Audio-Video Output: Analog and digital
• Dimensions: 4.3 by 5.9 by 6.3 inches (height by width by depth)

Reviews (264)

Have it ...DEAD
Two words IT (...). Nintendo revolution comin in 2006 cant wait for the systems controller A controll stick and and one big DUB button...NOT!!!!!

Worst gaming console out of Xbox, PS2, and this one.
Let me just start this review by saying that i used to be a huge fan of nintendo. Its games were great and beyond addicting, the graphics were pretty good CONSIDERING the gaming systems back then and overall it was just a wonderful system. I also used to have all of the portable systems to including gameboy advance, sp, color and the normal gameboy.

When gamecube came out, all of this changed.

If you go to the stores you will see that this system is much cheaper then the rest of the systems, over $50 cheaper, (therefore making it a worse system then PS2 and Xbox.) If you look at the controllers you will see that they are horrible gimicks. It looks like someone has taken all of the buttons and placed them randomly around the surface of the controller. Also, the size of the buttons are completely "messed up." The "A" button is twice the size as any other button on the controller. The "B" button is smaller then the xbox's "black" button. The "y" and "x" button are just long strips that look retarded, and overall the controller just looks like its from another planet and is extremely confusing when you are trying to play a game, unless you are used to it. The only pro i give this controller is that its extremely comfortable unlike the Xbox and PS2 controller, but thats nothing to brag about Xbox's and PS2's controller makes more sense and are way better then this "hunk of junk."
The gamesystem itself is actually ok. Its quite small unlike the other up to date systems, just a small cube, (hints the name "gamecube") making it very portable and easy to travel with if you want to bring it to your friends/family's house to play. Xbox's and PS2's are much harder to do this, considering they're size is much bigger then nintendo gamecube's size.

Now on to the games. The games are actually "ok." They are obviously geared more towards kids considering that 75% of their games are rated "E" for everyone. Now this doesn't mean that the games are bad. Gamecube does have some great games such as Mario Kart Double Dash, Metroid Prime Echoes and Resident Evil, which are all very fun and challenging games to play.

The graphics for this system are ok, they're not bad, but they're not great. Considering the mind blowing graphics on Xbox, Gamecube doesn't even come close to this, and i think that if they are going to come out with a gamecube #2, they need to rethink how good and accurate the graphics will be in comparisn to the other systems that are coming out around the same time as the sequel is to gamecube. The only problem with the graphics on the gamecube is that its very colorful and adds more of a "kid" like theme to it, most of gamers are over 13 and prefer Xbox and PS2.

The sound on the Gamecube obviousely depends on the game, but is usually pretty average. Its ok, but once again, its nowhere near how good it could be if nintendo put some more time into making this sytem.

More problems with the gamecube are that you are not able to upload music onto it from CD's like you are on the Xbox. There is also no online capability like their is on Xbox and PS2 which is an extremely fun experience playing with other people online but once again, Gamecube fails to add another great feature into its poor system. You are also not able to watch DVD's like you are on the PS2 and Xbox which is another wonderful feature if you don't have a DVD Player, but most people do now-a-days. Another one of my few pros that i give gamecube is its extremely quick speed in both loading and gameplay. You hardly have to wait anything for it to load, and when your actually playing, the speed is rather impressive, might even be as good as Xbox, definetely faster then PS2.

Overall i think that Gamecube was extremely rushed in terms of time so that it could come out around the same time as Xbox, (PS2 was made over 1 year before both of these systems came out) therefore was nowhere near as powerful and fun as the Xbox console. It is very obvious that Nintendo is definetely geared towards younger kids, but the fact is, is that most of the gamers now-a-days are definetely over thirteen and are playing more of the "adult" games. I think that if Nintendo had put some more time into creating this system, it could have been way bettter then it is now. Thats some advice for you guys nintendo for when you make your sequel to gamecube!

Graphics: Pretty average graphics, nowhere near as good as Xbox and PS2's graphics though.

Speed: Very fast, one of the few pros for gamecube is how quick it is in terms of gameplay and loading time.

Gameplay: Ok, not great, but definetely not bad. Not as fun gameplay as PS2 and Xbox. (In my opinion.)

Online: No online capabilities for the gamecube which is a huge downfall, perhaps one of the reasons why nintendo is quickly slipping in economy.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME????
This really stinks.My cousin has it and he likes it.But the buttons are too far away.THIS STINKS!!!!Dont buy it.THIS STINKS!!!!!! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Video Games    2. Gamecube (Game Cube, Game-cube)    3. Consoles    4. Bundles   

Editorial Review

LeapFrog's range of educational toys is exceptional, and this interactive flipbook really has that "wow" factor. In the box it looks like an innocent book, but once assembled it provides absolutely hours of entertainment with a preschool teaching focus. The book reads the text to the child, then its magic pen allows the child to touch the text and reread difficult words. Rather like a computer game, the pictures in the page also respond to touch. Each page has two to three games on it where the child has to answer questions on the text or the pictures. The child only needs to respond with the pen, so children as young as 3 can easily play all the games. LeapFrog has made sure that this two-sided book packs in all the elements of a balanced preschool curriculum. Numbers, phonics, prereading, and numeracy skills come alive through the activities. Both nonfiction and fiction text are included with a variety of musical activities. There is even a volume control on each page for weary parents on those long car journeys! Be prepared with four AA batteries (not included) and a small screwdriver. The instructions included are not specific, but the illustrations on the box are self-explanatory. Perfect for a rainy day or a long journey, My First LeapPad provides great value for the money, as your child will be entertained and educated for hours. --Jo Fitzgerald

My First LeapPad is a sturdy unit with an integral speaker and a magic pen, which reads the spiral flipbook included with the set. Other books and cartridges can be bought and used with the same unit. My First LeapPad flipbook consists of both an interactive story introducing the characters of Leap and his family, and (once you have flipped the book) a selection of interactive games pages which encourage learning of numbers, colors, shapes, and music making. A pleasant and encouraging voice reads the story, which is written on the page, or if just one word is touched, the voice says that one word, encouraging word recognition. In game mode, the voice asks the child to find a specific number, color, or object and gives praise when the child succeeds. The pad is easy to use, provided children remember to always touch the Go button with the magic pen every time they turn a page. If they forget, the pen will read from another page, which causes much confusion! After a few tries, mine soon got the hang of it and could play independently. Everything is worked using the pen, including the volume control, and the pen is impossible to lose as it is attached securely to the unit. In comparison to their interactive PC games, the LeapPad failed to hold my children’s attention for prolonged periods, and although I found it amazing that the pen could recognize so many different words and objects, they were less easily impressed. There is no movement, unlike in a PC game. On the other hand, the unit is portable, so can be played anywhere, unlike the PC. The unit certainly has lots of educational value and is well made and durable. A large selection of interactive books can be purchased separately, so once the children are comfortable using the magic pen, they can try other activities. They can also choose more difficult material, ensuring that the pad grows with your child. --Rachel Elvidge

In common with other LeapFrog products, My First LeapPad is exceptionally well designed to be both educational and fun. The unit itself and attached pen are chunky enough for little fingers, and the single large button, integral carrying handle, and bright color will make it appealing and easy to use for preschoolers. My First LeapPad comes with a ring-bound book and accompanying cartridge which fit easily into the unit (you also need four AA batteries, not included). Placed right side up the book reads through a simple story, and when turned over the reverse sides contain a wealth of activities and games to play. For anyone who hasn’t previously seen the unique way that simply touching the pages with the pen produces voices and noises of all sorts, it seems like a miracle! Even for those who are familiar with it, it is still endlessly fascinating, and each page has lots of scope for discovery. The clear English voices read the story in sentences or single words as well as introducing games and activities involving music and instruments, shapes and color, reading, numbers, counting, matching, and much more. Each picture reveals a whole world of sound effects, voices, and speech from the characters according to the individual touches the child makes with the pen on the page. This makes play genuinely interactive and absorbing, and hugely valuable in terms of learning and pleasure. I recommend this product highly; it is suitable for all levels of learning between under 3 years and over 5, with each age range getting different benefits at different stages of development. --Caroline Parsons

My First LeapPad learning system by LeapFrog is a portable electronic toy incorporating the format of a flip-over book which teaches children to master skills such as writing, basic numbers, ABCs, phonics, listening, and comprehension. The desk layout includes a side handle and a special touch-sensitive pen which gives children the opportunity to develop the coordination required when they begin to write. With the pen the user can activate the different activities such as touching pictures to hear them come alive, touching words to hear them read aloud, playing a game by pressing the lily pad sign with the magic pen, activating a new page, listening to music, or adjusting the volume. The unit comes with an activity book, Leap’s Big Day. Leap is a frog with a happy voice and an English accent who introduces us to his family and different activities on each page. Although the toy is labeled for children aged 3 years and over, the activities are not incredibly difficult and would also suit a slightly younger child. For example, number work only goes up to five, and the page on what Leap will be when he grows up gives the child a number of pictorial choices and they have to select just one answer to say what a firefighter would need at work (hose, hat, boots), or what a doctor would need (stethoscope, white coat, etc.). All activities require use of the pen, which does require a steady hand at times. More books are available to buy separately, with titles such as Leap to the Moon, featuring Leap again, and Pooh's Honey Tree, which features Winnie the Pooh. The books are double-sided with a story side, which is interactive, and an activity side. The battery-powered toy provides preschoolers with a good introduction to interactive learning aids, including computers, and promotes readiness for reading and writing. --Sarah McNamara

This is a nice-sized interactive electronic learning game by LeapFrog. It consists of the LeapPad unit with carrying handle and a small, easy-to-maneuver electronic pen attached. There is a compact microchip unit which plugs into the side and a cardboard flipbook which attaches to the front. The book has two sides: a story side and an activity side. The sound is activated by touching the green Go circle on the page with the electronic pen. On the story side of the book this triggers a female English voice which reads aloud the words on the page. Your child can then touch each word with the pen to have these read aloud, or touch objects and characters on the page to hear them speak. There is a lily pad and a note symbol at the bottom of each page. When touched with the pen, the voice leads your child through games such as finding objects and people on the page. The activity side is centered on learning games such as parts of the body, colors, shapes, and counting. My First LeapPad is designed for preschool children to teach prereading and premath skills. It contains over 30 games and activities and is indicated to be suitable for ages 3 and over. My son will sit and play with the LeapPad on his own for a short time, but is only 3 and a half, and prefers me to help and guide him a little. My First LeapPad is a good learning aid and value for money as the flipbooks can be replaced with different books in the range to keep your child interested in learning. --Julie Illingworth

Learning to read has never been so fun, until now. This interactive system is an ideal tool for teaching various skills important in early years. My First LeapPad teaches ABCs, numbers, phonics, prereading skills, and premath skills. When children encounter the LeapPad for the first time, they may choose to participate in an interactive story book Leap's Big Day (included) or alternatively they may play 30 games and activities. If they choose a story they will be amazed at how involved they can become and how much they will learn. The games and activities on the reverse of the flipbook feature counting and singing songs as well as a section on parts of the body. The LeapPad comprises a spiral interactive flipbook that when used with the integral magic pen enables the story to come alive! The child may touch words and hear them read aloud or if they touch pictures in the story they too will make appropriate sound effects. This system is certainly an innovative concept that makes learning to read exciting while also challenging. --Tiffany Prescott ... Read more

Reviews (255)

I think this is an excellent educational toy
My daughter loves it. She is 3, and we got this as part of her Christmas this past year. She has no problem pressing the Go button, knowing what to do, etc...it challenged her each time...and she found it very interesting. She has not tired of it yet and it has been nearly 5 months. now though, she is ready for another one, as she has mastered all of it. It is great for learning numbers, colors, shapes, etc., and has lots of games that they can play. I love the fact that is has music too.

Malfunctions after about 6 months-both of ours did
We bought this for Christmas 2002.Our daughter was a little young for it at the time, so we didn't give it to her right away.When she started using it, it wasn't long before the stylus cord wore down. LeapFrog replaced it for free, but then other problems started.The cartridges weren't being read properly.Again, LeapPad was helpful to get it working again.Now even cleaning the cartidges as recommended doesn't make it work properly.Either the pen isn't working again, or there is an error message about wrong cartridge.
We bought the pink version in 2004, thinking surely it would have improved by that time.We ran into the same problems right away, within 4-6 months.

Now we have about 7 books that might or might not work...very disappointing.

We have the bigger kids regular LeapPad in pink, too.We have not had trouble with that one.

Great educational toy, but issues with product quality
I agree with other reviewers about this product.It is a good educational toy for 2 - 3 year olds.My son played with it all the time.However, I have had issues with the quality of the product.

As mentioned by another reviewer, sometimes the cartridge is not accepted by the machine and it says "Oops, this isn't a Leap Frog cartridge."I spoke with a customer service representative from Leap Frog about this and he said to blow in the cartridge slot of the machine, as well as the cartridge itself in case any dust had settled on the connections.We still had the same problem and I was able to return the product to Leap Frog and get a new one.Then we had the same issues with the replacement.

Another problem was teaching my son to carry the Leap Frog by the handle and not dragging it around while holding onto the pen.The cord of the pen is now almost torn out of the machine and now it no longer works.I don't know whether I will be purchasing another My Frist Leap Frog again, so that my 2nd son will be able to play with it when he's old enough.We have a lot of the books and cartridges. ... Read more

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

Reviews (49)

awesome!!!
I would not have thought much of the item based on packaging but we received this as a gift and it is my 2 1/2-year old's favorite. She loves the thing. It is now one of our favorite gifts to give. I have not heard of any problems and all the parts are sturdy. It is very cute to see how every little girl 'knows' to sling it over her wrist (I don't carry my purse that way..) Although, we are as likely to find trains and matchbox cars inside as we are to find the lipstick. Definately a great little item!

Excellent!
My daughter got this purse for Christmas last year when she was 18 months old. She is still playing with it all of the time! She loves to take her purse everywhere, just like mommy does! :) She is so proud of her purse that she is constantly showing it to people. Her favorite things out of the purse are the lipstick, keys, and card case. She loves to put her own items in the purse as well. This is a very cute set!

Cute, very cute
I wanted to get my only little girl her own purse, so she could be like mommy... I have 4 children, 3 year old b/g twins, and 8 month old b/b twins. she got this purse when she was 18 months and she has some new "favorites", but this was a hit anyways. She loves the lipstick, and the sunglasses case (we bought her disney ones) and the mirror. But there are better ones out there, we bought her some chapstick and a little better "plastic" lipstick to keep in there, we supervise with capstick. The keys and phone are the only things she didnt pay attention to, because we have better ones. SO if you dont have the things that come in this purse, its great, but we did... so I have bought her other purses, that she likes better ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Learning    2. Baby and Infant    3. Toddler    4. Activity    5. Pretend Play    6. Fashion Accessories    7. Play Sets   

Reviews (21)

Builds Dendrites
We gave my son the Jeep Fire Rescue for his 4th birthday. I put it together, about 1.5 hours but easy, even the decals.I was impressed with my son's ability to negotiate curves, speed, switching to reverse and when he needs to, and when to stop.We are working on doing a figure 8 and he is progressing along very well.In the yard or driveway, I think he is building some major dendrites working with this toy.He loves it!

Great Buy
I bought this toy formy grandson at a ToysRUs store-it was only $250 plus tax, and I assembled it. Store wanted $25 to assemble, but I didn't do it to save the money. I did it because it my special gift to him. I did it in the house and trouble getting it outside-lucky my one door is 36" wide and by tilting it, I got it out. It is a heavy well made item. The hardest part was putting on the rear bumper as the holes didn't line up great, and I did it by myself. I also had trouble distinguishing between which screws to use. I bought the extended ToysRUs 1 year warranty, but cancelled it 4 days later when I learned that they believe it only comes with a 3month manufacturer warranty. The truth is that it comes with a full 1 year warranty and 6 months on the battery. In effect the warranty I bought and cancelled would have only extended the manufacturer's by 3 months. My grandson loves the shovel that comes with it. It will take patience to teach him how to drive it. He was using his left foot, looking everywhere but where he was going, didn't always have his hands on the wheel, was playing with the sound buttons, etc. It hurts when your foot is run over, too. He said it was his best special toy ever, and I enjoyed every minute of it. He won't be 3 till May and getting in and out is tough-he grabs the emergency light post to get in, so I worry if that will break. I can't wait to fill up the fire extinguisher for him. Be prepared to get holes in your lawn-he wanted to use that shovel all the time. But all that fun we had for an hour or so was more than worth the money and time I put in.

Worth The Money
I just purchased this jeep for my 2 1/2 year old son. He is big for his age & fits into the jeep perfectly. It is much larger than all of the other Jeep's we saw in the store.I cant imagine buying any other Jeep. The kids would out grow the other ones really fast!!

Also, I did get mine on sale. (...) You have the option to have it put together for an extra $20, but we passed. Only took about 30 minutes to put together. Not bad at all. I would strongly recommend that you pick the Jeep up if you can, the shipping charge is ridiculous!

The battery seems to work great. The little light is so cute! He loves to turn it on.

Overall, this is a great buy. You are better off to spend the extra $30 & have a larger Jeep that will last for years!! ... Read more

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

Reviews (47)

The best!
This and all little people playsets are soooo worth the money! My oldest daughter who is now 4, has been playing with the house and other sets since she was 1.She now shares them with her 10 mo old sister.I love seeing my girls play together, especially since they have a 3 yr difference between their ages.This is the kind of thing you start collecting when they are babies and keep adding to it as they get older and they keep playing with it more and more.It really helps the imagination, its fun, and its fun for parents to play too.I just really reccommend all of the little people sets.If you have your 1st baby who is having a 1st birthday and you are not sure what to get, go with this house or the farm.Those are good to start with. I am buying my niece one for her 1st birthday.

A great Little People product!
Our daughter was given this when she was 12.5 months old and she adores it (as well as her other Little People toys)!

What we (and she!) love
*sturdy product (she initially tried to use it as a stepstool...)
*Little People are a good size for small hands and mouths
*great sound effects (mostly!)--her favorite is the potty flushing noise!


What we wish could be changed
*overall color scheme of the house is rather girly--pink, purple, mint...but this is a toy that both boys and girls will love
*the computer makes a "you've got mail" sound as well as a typewriter sound--it doesn't bother our daughter, but her daddy and I do find the typewriter noise quite amusing!
*the Mommy person has a bottle permanently attached to one hand--a bit confusing for a child who is breastfed and doesn't know what bottles are

Overall we are quite happy with this toy and would purchase it again.

TOO CUTE!
I own several little people playsets from my now 4 year old son, but when my daughter was born I said Yeah now I get the little house!! I am so glad I did she is now two and she and her brother play with it daily! She loves to bring me the people, take them for a ride in the school bus, she also like to hide them under the bed and say wheres mommy. As to the review that said these have no educational value, No the may not teach her the ABC's or about evolution, or how electricity works, but free creative play, where kids can be kids, and be imagnitive, helps them learn just as much as the teaching toys, I want my children to be well rounded and creative so when there is an issue they can think their way out of it, instead of being told how! So I think Fisher Price has done a great job!, I Love these Little People Toys, and I couldn't be happier with my choice to buy them! ... Read more

Reviews (5)

doodle fun
This toy is a great idea, it is fun, i love drawing so this is cool because im always running out of paper but with the doodle bear you just wash it then you can draw alover again, it is also helpfull with school work because if you are learning a word you can practise writing it on the bear then when you can write it propally you can write it in your school book, also because the pens are washable markers you don't have to worry if you get the pen on you also if the pens run out you can bie some more, also the bear is soft and cuddely.

hi
i think this toy is reallycool
i finnally found a way to keep my kid sister entertained
i'd like to thank the person who came ^ with this idea it saved my life i was in a car crash and i was using it then i could have broken my neck but it stoped the crash

Markers
I emailed the company about the marker issue and they informed me that any of the washable markers on the market will work on the bears. I hope that helps someone make their decision. It sure helped me. The company replied to my email within hours. Very good customer service! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Stuffed Animals    2. Animals    3. Teddy Bears   

Editorial Review

With LeapFrog’s Pretend and Learn Shopping Cart children can have fun and learn while grocery shopping. This interactive shopping cart encourages open-ended, imaginative play and introduces fundamental math skills to preschoolers. Play begins with the easy-to-use scanner attached to the basket. Start by selecting one of three learning modes: Explore, Learn, or Shopping Games. Buddy Tad will start the fun by asking what items need to be scanned. As a child picks and scans the items, Tad will encourage and help them along with fun songs and clues. Kids can learn about colors, food groups, quantities, counting, and healthy facts about food. As with all LeapFrog products, children will develop language skills, reasoning skills, exploration and creativity, cognitive development, and gross motor skills. If quiet play is desired simply switch the cart to the Off position and let your child explore and learn on their own. The shopping cart requires minimal assembly and is made of durable plastic with smooth, rounded corners for small hands to grab easily. It measures 22 inches high and stands sturdily on the wide base and four solid wheels. Requires three AA batteries (not included). ... Read more

Reviews (62)

Great little cart
The buggy could be a bit bigger.There's not a lot of room for any extras.Most of the time my 2 year old takes the groceries out, and puts her dolls in there.As she gets older & realizes the "game" part, I'm sure it will be more fun.I'd recommended for the 3 & over crowd.

Good toy - too expensive for what you get tho!
My 15 month old daughter really loses interest in this toy rather quickly. It's well made and seems to be very sturdy so I don't worry about her or it falling over when she pushes it but the basket is pretty small so she can't really put too much inside of it - other than the play grocery items that came with it. She is just now starting to enjoy scanning the groceries which she finds amusing even tho she doesn't understand what the voice is saying to her. (a little mumbled when it goes into detail about how a cow's milk is white and a goat's milk is pink... for example)A nice touch to the toy is that the scanner will beep when it touches ANYTHING so she can play with other grocery items as well as the ones that came with the toy. That makes it a little more fun. The toy also shuts off after about a minute of no-play.If I had to do it over again, I would still probably buy this for my daughter but I would wait until she was closer to 2 years old.

very small and boring
i wish i would have saved the box,this is a waste of a toy ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Learning    2. Electronic Learning Aids (ELA)    3. Electronic    4. Math    5. Electronic Learning Aids    6. Reading    7. Writing    8. Phonics    9. Counting    10. Activity    11. Pretend Play   

Reviews (11)

Fun even for the little ones!!!
Our son, only 16 months old love this. He played with a similar version at a neighbors house and wouldn't get off. He loves all the buttons. He obviously can't reach the pedels, so he just uses his feet and Feddie Flinstones is way around. I actually like this better than his other trikes because it has a better stearing range (the other little kiddie trikes bearly let him go left or right) and keeps his attention with all the buttons. Though it could use a volume control for when I let him use it indoors, it's an all around good toy.

Cruisin' Fun!
My son loves this trike!He's 2 and near the 95th percentile for height, and he still can't reach the pedals, even with the seat on the closest setting.He really enjoys pushing the trike with his feet, however, and since he's still a little too small even with the highest seat setting, he will be using this toy for many months to come.He loves the music, but the toy is loud and has no volume setting.

Cool Harley
My 2 year old got this for his b-day and the first day he got it he pitched a fit when he had to get off to eat supper.He is now 2 1/2 and still loves it!He does try to run his little sister over though!:)The only problem we have is he still can not reach both of the pedals when he is trying to make it go, and he is tall for his age (most people think he is over 3 yrs old)My little girl, 1 year old, also loves pushing it around and pushing the buttons on it.My biggest complaint is that it is loud.Yeah, I know it's a Harley but there needs to be a turn down switch.At least there is a turn off switch which I am very grateful for! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Tricycles    2. Ride-Ons   

Features

• Frame Construction: Heavy Duty Galvanized Steel--Strong and durable frame material that is built to last.
• Surface Material: Poly Vinyl Chloride --Provides you a heavy duty jumping surface for exercise.
• Frame Pad Material: Polyethylene --Durable material that provides you with added protection.
• UV Resistant Surface--Protects the jumping surface from harmful UV rays.
• Water Resistant Cover--Provides protection against wet weather.

Reviews (12)

i don't understand
my daughter would love a trampoline and i would love to buy her one but i don't know which one to get her.the airzone 8' trampoline seems perfect but i also read the reviews for the airzone 13' trampoline which got terrible reviews.i don't know what to believe.can anybody help?

SO MUCH FUN!!
My [former] friend HAD one in blue..We spent long summer days playing on this toy!! And it was so much fun! But eventually it wore out and now theres a big hole in it. I think it has cause a whole bunch of people jumped on it at once (remember, 2 at a time!!) so much fun, but doesn't last long.

5 stars is yes!
this toy is one of the best my mom have ever bought me thanks! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Outdoor Play   

Reviews (54)

Absolutely Wonderful Toy!
The whole family enjoys this toy! It took us a few minutes to get the sensitivity just right, but once we did, we loved it.My 2-year-old loves to dance and run around to make it play music.My 9-month old laughs as it plays music when she crawls around it.It even makes music when the cat approaches it!This is a great toy.I would highly recommend it!

We Love Musini
My 6yr & 15mo old both love