Reviews (20)

can't get strings through the beads!
Sure this would be great for motor skills and hand/eye coordination, except that my 2 year old gives up in two seconds since the nylon string will not go through most of the beads! The beads are rough and splintery inside, which snags the nylon string so it won't go through. Very poor design in my opinion, I mean, isn't that the whole point of these things?

The string gets stuck!
These beads are very difficult for my daughter to string together because the string gets caught on the inside of the beads.The beads should be sanded down inside so the string cen be put through smoothly.

Good idea, bad product testing...
This is such a cute, colorful and seemingly great product - BUT, it's very difficult for even Mom to get the string through the hole in the bead.The inside of the bead is painted but not sanded.It's rough inside, making it very hard for little hands and impatient minds to get that string through.You have to get the tip of the string all the way through without touching the bead itself or else the threads get caught and you really have to tug.I called this company 3 TIMES and each time they said they'd send me a new box of beads because they weren't supposed to be like that.By the 3rd box of unsanded beads I finally gave up.The last customer rep said he'd even have it tested for me.Didn't happen. This company puts out super toys, educational and really nice quality - most of the time.Steer clear of this one unless you want to spend hours sanding the insides of 30 small beads!They're basically useless as a "beading" toy for my kids - they do enjoy stacking them, however. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Baby and Infant    2. Learning    3. Toddler    4. Activity    5. Arts and Crafts   

Reviews (2)

Great toy
I bought this for my 2 year old for Christmas. She still plays with it. It is a little hard for her to change to the next picture, but with practise, she can do it now. I ask her what she is seeing and she gives me the full story. We like it.

Explore a New World of Dora
"Say cheese!"Okay, so my daughter (age 3 yrs 9 mos) is a little confused.She thinks her new Dora View Master is a "camera."But she loves viewing a 3D Dora story on this viewer screen almost as much as she does the TV screen.At first I had to show her how to insert the reel right side up.The yellow handle on the right-hand side is easy for her to shift. Limited by reel size, the stories are brief (seven scenes per reel).It helps if the viewer is already familiar with Dora and the characters. Three or four lines of text accompany each scene.Since my daughter can't read, she makes up her own story to go along with the picture.While the text includes some Spanish words (such as agua, amarillo, and azul), this toy is more entertaining than educational.Two of three stories ask the viewer to identify colors. The view master is made of durable plastic.The reels last as long as they aren't torn or bent (no easy task in a house with a toddler and preschooler).The toy comes with three reels entitled: Rojo The Fire Truck, Dr. Dora, and The Golden Explorers.All stories are based on the earlier TV season (no starcatching!) ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Activity   

Reviews (17)

Pound for Pound
My 17 month-old grandson immediately fell in love with the Pound A Ball when he opened the present and after a short lesson in holding the hammer went right to performing as the toy said he would.He had no trouble pounding the balls through and after some iterations, even put the colored balls in the right holes before incessantly pounding on them.Needless to say, it was his favorite toy much to the chagrin of my daughter and son-in-law.I would highly recommend this toy.

Excellent toy for a 18 months old!
I bought this toy as a Christmas gift for my 18 months old boy based on the reviews posted by other parents. What a great toy this is! I had the Pound A Ball delivered to my work and immediately opened it. It was a lot of fun to play with (even my co-workers played). The balls are a little hard to pound through at first, but after trying a couple of times, the balls went through fine. Even my son was able to pound them with no problem. I only wish there were extra balls available to purchase (my son already lost two). Overall, this toy can sustain a lot of abuse, it's easy to clean and keeps kids entertained for hours.

Dangerous Toy!
Our daughter received this toy as a gift, and her arm got stuck in one of the holes at the top while reaching for a ball as it went down.She nearly broke her arm trying to get it out (luckily we were supervising and stepped in).Also, the balls are hard to pound through the holes and since the base is not attached to the main piece, the two separate constantly.This toy was a huge disappointment! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Activity    2. Learning    3. Wacky    4. Baby and Infant    5. Toddler    6. Hand-Eye Coordination   

Editorial Review

Part of the Ships N' Space collection from Kids "R" Us, this valance measures 80 inches by 13 inches. It's made of a 70% polyester and 30% cotton blend and is colored a solid navy blue with lots of varied white dots for stars. Many of these stars have four points coming off them so it looks like they're twinkling. The fabric is doubled up so that the pattern can be seen from either side, or the whole valance can be flipped around if one side fades after too much exposure to the sun. The valance is sewn with a tight blue stitch and comes ready for hanging. All you need to do is slide the curtain rod (not included) through the long slit that runs along the top of the valance. Safe for machine wash cold and low tumble dry. --David Morel ... Read more

Reviews (5)

good, dependable bath toy
I received this toy as a gift for my son and honestly I wouldn't have bought it but my son really took to it. It was one of the first toys he would "pretend play" with, and it was fascinating to watch him play with it in the tub.

Of course, he prefers filling up the mommy duck with water and playing hide and seek with the baby ducks in the bubbles when we have a bubble bath. It is interesting to see how many different ways of playing (with what seems like such a simple toy) he come up with. I think this toy would make a great gift and I'm happy to have received it.

It would be interesting to see if in the future they add some magnets to the front and backs of the ducks so they could trail along in the bath (my son tried it after watching some baby videos, haha).

Very challenging to open and get the ducks back inside
My 16 month old daughter loves ducks. This toy was fun at first, but the back of the mother duck is very hard to open, even for me. Once it's open, she leaves it open which causes it to fill with water. The little ducks are easily lost in a bubble filled tub. So the mother duck gets most of the action. Overall it's not that great a toy. It's stiff and hard for wet hands to manuever.

Finally, an easy-to-clean bath toy!
Why do so many bath toys have holes in the bottom, allowing bath water to enter and moulder and render the toy disgustingly no fun?

Hurray for BRIO and their sweet duck family -- no holes!!

My 14-month-old got this toy for her birthday and she loves it!With a little help to hold momma duck's lid open, she has no problem putting the baby ducks away, then taking them back out, then putting them away again.

Hands-down, our favorite bath toy!! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Baby and Infant    2. Bath Toys    3. Learning    4. Toddler    5. Bath    6. Activity   

Reviews (14)

uses the imagination
Now my 6 yr old son and 1 yr old daughter can share this. There are multi colored fish, octopuses, etc. the kids can use their minds to create a virtual aquarium. Much better than the floating dolphins that lost my kids interest within a couple of minutes.

lots of fun
My son loves the bath fish.When not bathing, he likes to get them out and put them back in the containter.He likes to chew on them because they are squisy shoft but they hold up well and don't break into pieces.In the bath tub he loves to stick them to the side of the tub and we love to stick them on his forehead and chest.He will giggle and take them off.Lots of colors and variety of sea creatures to learn about.

awsome toy
my daughter loves these bath fish.She is two and has discovered that they stick to the skin and gets such a kick out of sticking them to my forhead while I am bathing her. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Baby and Infant    2. Bath Toys    3. Toddler    4. Bath    5. Activity   

Reviews (3)

Disappointed
My almost 3 y.o. dd loves Dora. I thought this toy would be great for her so I got it for her. I am very disappointed. The biggest problem is that she wants to wear it as a backpack and it is NOT a backpack. I had to tie straps to it so that she can wear it. The toys inside are cheaply made. She does play with the plastic map once in a while, but that is it. Everything else is ignored. I wish I had saved my money on this one.

Mucho Ripoff
I had high hopes when I ordered this toy. Know that it is NOT a backpack. The one handle on the top is the only way to carry it.
The stuff inside is nothing special... stickers, crayons and cardboard pieces. We were very disappointed. Dora fans deserve better.

star closure ripped upon delivery
The set is addorable and my 2 year old loves it.when it came to us there was 2 strings on the stqar closure that were coming out.Well of course my child is two she pulled the string on one end and the whole zipper fell out.I was slightly disapointed but she loves her little backpack I just have to remind her don't put anything in the star. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Learning    2. Pretend Play   

Reviews (1)

Neat concept but too easy from the top
The idea of this box is very neat.You can put little things inside and then it is a game for the child to learn the locks and get in it.But, why bother?The two doors on the top have no latch or lock and just a little finger size notch to pull them open (see the second photo).They were easy enough to discover by my 2 year old and so he lost interest in the other locks and latches.Plus, if I were to have designed the box I would have put a divider inside to have more then on compartment since there are so many doors.I did see one similar but made by another company with a divider inside at a discovery store after I bought this one. It does state for 3 years and up so I guess I will put his away and see if he likes later.Too bad! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Learning    2. Puzzles    3. 3-D Puzzles    4. Activity    5. Wood    6. Foam Puzzles    7. Jigsaw Puzzles    8. 100-999 Pieces    9. Pegged   

Reviews (7)

Another rave review!
This is an excellent and VERY STURDY toy for your child. Highly recommended for age 1.5 - 2.0 or thereabouts. My twin girls are a little late in developing fine motor skills, and these big sturdy pieces (with interesting rattles inside) have been great for playing while working on some important coordination and manipulation activities.

I didn't mind the short tether on the hammer - it helps keep them from using the hammer on stuff they shouldn't. :)

Great, fun toy
This toy was given to our little one when he was two and he just loves it.It gives him an outlet to bang on something without destroying it and it really keeps him occupied for a little while.He loves the fact that it looks like a tool bench and that he has his own hammer.That hammer has whacked quite a few thngs around the house, including the cat, and it doesn't hurt anything like the drywall, baseboards, etc.Really a nice toy and one that won't destroy other things in the house.It's easier to use than the wooden ones plus you don't have to worry about splinters.Some of the nuts are harder to get through than the others, but it really makes a nice challenge for him.

Excellent toy!
This toy is great!My son received this when he was a year old and now he is 13 months.Right now, he prefers to remove the shapes, shake them, and bang them together.As he gets older, I know that he will enjoy hitting the shapes in the bench, but he only does that occasionally now.It is a great value and definitely worth buying for your child. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Baby and Infant    2. Learning    3. Toddler    4. Activity    5. Shape Sorting   

Reviews (2)

Very Creative
I look for toys that inspire creative play and exploration of the world. I want toys that have more than a button to push. I also want toys that are fairly quiet and easy to play with for little kids.

This rug fits all of these requirements. The colors are bright. The rug is very sturdy. My one complaint is that it does not roll up into a very small cylinder thus making it take up some space when it's 'put up'. The small matchbox cars fit perfectly on this rug. However, even the toddler cars that are bigger work fine on the roads. IT is big enough that two kids can play with it at the same time without running into each other too often. IT is longer than it is wide. Young arms can reach across the whole rug while pushing a car.

Excellent choice.
Well worth the money.
Enjoy.

Fun play rug
We bought this rug for our 17-month old daughter, who is the recipient of many of the toys we wish *we* had. Right now, she's more enamored of having her own play space than she is interested in the neighborhood aspect. But, the rug is quite fun, with houses, a duck pond, zoo, park, school, etc.--all in slightly "off" perspective. The lanes on the streets are the perfect size for matchbox-sized cars, for when your little one is older, but toddler-sized cars work just as well.

All in all, I'm very happy with this purchase. It seems a durable, colorful rug. It's long, providing lots of play space. Its no-slip backing should provide safety on tile or wood floors (though we have it on the carpeted floor of our living room). The best aspect? Our daughter keeps her blocks and cars on the rug--instead of everywhere else underfoot. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Activity    2. Mats    3. Preschool    4. Learning    5. Games    6. Wacky    7. Tabletop Games   

Reviews (116)

Not a winner in our house
We were very displeased with this product.The pieces come off way too easy and the worst part about it is that when baby starts to tumble backwards the toy comes with!My daughter also cannot use the toy to pull up on either.We got a much better playskool one for $5 at a yard sale.Sorry I wasted my money on the other one.

Doors come off!
My son loves this toy.He got it for Xmas, and is still playing with it even though he is an excellent walker.The problem is that the "doors" come off very easily, leaving a groove perfect for my little one to climb onto!The cart is also so lighweight that even before he could walk on his own, he was able to pick it up and fall when putting it down sideways.

Love it!
I absolutley love this walker (and so does my son)!My son is now 10 months old and loves to walk.We received the FP Brilliant Basics Walker as a gift, but we soon found out that it wasn't for us.It was lightweight and flimsy.Everytime my son tried to use it, it would push ahead of him and he would end up on his knees or on his face...not exactly the right way to help a baby learn to walk.

My MIL bought our son this walker and he just loves it!The speed/traction control feature is a must!Gone are the days of him falling on his face or to his knees.He can actually walk across the room with this and it doesn't fly out from under him.

Yes, the mailbox doors come off very easily, but so what?!My son likes to take them off and play with them.When the doors are off, you can put a favorite toy there instead.My son loves to push around his stuffed animals.

Overall....great, sturdy walker for the price.Very pleased! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Learning    2. Activity    3. Walkers   

Reviews (22)

minor disadvantages
Great toy!My daughter loves it. The music choices are interesting.When the child plays on her tummy however, she may roll to her back and hit it with her head.Watch your baby constantly when on tummy. When on back as she got older she managed to kick it and it fell over. I'd buy it again!

Fun for many months!
My baby got this toy when she was 4 months old and used it until she started to crawl at about 8 months.It works well in both modes.She really likes to spin the part under the mirror.When she got big enough to kick and grab the butterflies she would often kick the whole thing over but she never hurt herself on it.Definitely one of her most used toys!

My little boy's favorite toy
My little guy loves this toy. I tell everyone to get this. He can easily roll around underneath this toy. He gives me the biggest smile when the music comes on. The funny thing is my husband and I find ourselves humming the various tunes too! This is a great buy! ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Fun with fitness
The Yogateers Play and Learn System is great fun for my kids. Along with having fun with yoga, they are getting fit at the same time!I highly recommend the game for children of all ages.Have your children take a deep breath, relax and learn the benefits that Yoga has!!

Great Fun
I purchased this kit for my daughter and she is having a great time learning yoga. It has calmed and strengthened her.

What a great way to share yoga with your kids!
I've been practicing yoga for just over a year and wanted to share yoga with my 8 year old, Lucky.He just loves it!For him, it's a game - he loves pretending he's a dog or a warrior or a tree.For me, it's a great way to spend time with him and impart the benefits of yoga.Now that the new school year has started, I've noticed that he has been more focused and has handled the stress of being a big third grader just fine. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Sports   

Reviews (8)

fun and creative
i got this art set two monthsagoi loved it i only wish there was more stuff

Enjoyed
I got this for my three-year-old neice for Christmas and she had the best time with this.She loved it- the "crowns" are really small...so they didn't really fit (which was a little frustrating for her), but she has found more joy in just simply carrying her many "knick-knacks" around the house in the little suitcase...which she loves.

Cute but thought there would be more
My daughter liked this but I really thought it would be better quality. The tiara's they have in there are quite small and you have to put certain stickers in certain spots. Everything I just thought could have been made easier for a little girl to just go and have fun creating and you really need to be there walking them through it, which isn't bad. We had a good time spending time together doing the projects. I just would have liked to see better quality and tiara's that fit.
Overall though for a princess fan she will still love it cause she isn't going to be picky like the parents:) ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Arts and Crafts    2. Craft Kits    3. Princesses   

Reviews (1)

The tags are the best part
My daughter got this from her great grandparents for her first Christmas this year and she loves it!She loves the tags because it gives her something to chew on yet she gets suprised whenever she hits a bump with the crinkly stuff in it.It fits well in her hands and doesn't roll too far away.This ball is great and provides many many hours of entertainment. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Learning    2. Baby and Infant    3. Hand-Eye Coordination    4. Stuffed Toys    5. Stuffed Animals   

Editorial Review

This Barbie music maker combines the functionalities of both a CD-based boom box and karaoke machine, by simply adding an LCD screen for tracks, a microphone, and jacks for the mike and headphones. Those who purchase this machine should be looking for something fun, which is what they'll get, rather than high-quality sound. The speakers don't deliver rich stereo, and the mike isn't exactly professional. The two included CDs, however--one "for girls" and one "for boys"--feature a large number of hit pop songs, with both instrumental and lyrical versions. A mail-in certificate is included for the stereo headphones, and an AC adapter. It would be wise to use it: the headphones improve sound and keep noise low at home, and an electrical outlet is less bothersome than regularly replacing the four required "C" batteries. --Diane Beall ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Better experience than others. Better price available!
We got this CD player for our 4 year old for Christmas and after 2 weeks I am still impressed. Reading the other reviews might make you think twice about purchasing this, but I will give you my experience.
I was able to get this brand new for $19.99 by looking around at another store with Big Lots of merchandise at discount prices so do shop around. Battery life is fine as long as you remember to turn it off after the CD is done. I find that the microphone works very well and while it does require you to speak into it from close range it does not sound muffled. We have had several kids play with it and all love it. Atthe price we paid it was worth the chance and I have not yet decided whether to get the AC power adapter. The one drawback is that it is CD only and does not have a radio. Overall a nice toy for a nice price that we hope will provide quite a bit of pleasure to our Barbie crazy 4 year old.

what do you expect?
I cannot believe how many people wrote reviews, saying how terrible the quality of this product was.What do you expect?Some high-tech karaoke machine, that works wonderfully...from Mattel?I don't understand...if you want a great working one buy one at Radio Shack~!If you want just a little cute one for a baby, buy this!No biggy!

Never Worked
We bought this for my daughter for Christmas and even bought the adpater so that she could use is right away.What we didn't plan on was that the CD player didn't work....not once!!We used the adapter and even the batteries and nothing.The karyoke part worked but was very muffled.We returned it and purchased a different one.What a waste of time and money! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Activity    2. Animals    3. Dogs   

Reviews (3)

NOT DURABLE AT ALL
My very gentle 6 year old loves polly pockets so I thought this would be a perfect addition for her collection.In three days it has torn twice.And these are days she's been in school so we are talking maybe 6 hours of playing time.Very disappointing.

A Mom MUST have thought of this!
What a GREAT addition to the world of Polly!This is a MUST HAVE to go with your polly collection.I saves you the constant hunt on the floor for dropped pieces, and keeps them secure without having to try to balance objects.If you're into Polly, you HAVE to get this as well!

GREATEST POLLY POCKET IDEA EVER!!!
MY DAUGHTER PLAYED FOR HOURS WITH THIS POLLY POCKET MAGNETIC MAT AND HER HANGIN'-OUT TREE HOUSE AND ALL THE OTHER MAGNETIC POLLY'S. THIS IS THE GREATES ITEM MATTEL HAS CAME OUT WITH YET FOR THE POLLY POCKETS. THEY ARE HARD TO LOOSE TOO BECAUSE EVERYTHING IS MAGNETIC. OF ALL THE CHRISTMAS GIFTS AMBER GOT THIS IS THE ONE SHE PLAYS WITH THE MOST. WONDERFUL MUST HAVE ITEM!! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Preschool    2. Dolls    3. Pretend Play   

Editorial Review

For slumber parties, naptime, or travel, this indoor sleeping bag makes cozydreaming for fans of The Wiggles. Images of Jeff, Anthony, Murray, and Greg appear on thecolorful polyester outer shell; a brushed tricot lining and 16 ounces of polyester hollowfiberfill encase a sleeping child in soft, lightweight warmth. A self-repairing zipper alongthe side and bottom allows use as a comforter. This machine-washable bag is perfect fortravel or sleepovers, but is also sturdy enough for everyday use. Measures 30 by 57inches zipped and 60 by 57 inches open. --Ava Natov ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Not well made
I bought this sleeping bag for my three year old and he loves it. Unfortunately, the stitching is weak and is starting to come apart after only a couple of days. If I returned it he would be heartbroken, so I'll have to keep it.

Cute but not practical
We bought this sleeping bag at another store because my son is such a "Wiggle fanatic" and he hated the sleeping bag due to it's 100% polyester content. It's hard to snuggle up and get cozy in 100% polyester. Finally we brought it back, really too bad. But children's merchandise should also be as good in quality as what we adults like to sleep on-100% cotton. If you don't mind polyester, it should be a good buy. Otherwise I would not recommend it. ... Read more