VTech - Slide And Talk Smart Phone

CUSTOMER REVIEW



This is a great toy phone! My 2-year old loves my iPhone (I don't blame him) so most of the toy phones we've bought do not hold his attention. This phone DOES though so I am so happy we stumbled across it! He loves pushing the buttons and watching the screen. It's fun for him to just slide out the keyboard. The box says it's for 2+ but I think he'll get a little more out of it in a few months, but his language is a slightly delayed. My 6-year old likes it too, which is surprising because he has much more advanced toys to play with like a Nintendo DS. If your toddler likes sounds, buttons and your cell phone, I definitely recommend this toy!

Just Play Doc McStuffin's Doctors Bag

CUSTOMER REVIEW



My kids can't stop checking out our vitals since we bought this. They're huge doc fans and this is a great thing for little girls to play and practice make believe. And super cute and girly!

Furby Pink Cubes Boom Plush Toy

CUSTOMER REVIEW



OK to start off here's some quick answers for those wondering in all their reviews:



1 - It CAN be turned off. Pull & hold the tail for about 5 seconds. Furby will yawn & go to sleep, & stay that way until shaken or the tail pulled again. Other Furbys won't wake it.



2 - Yes, only Booms will work with the Boom app. However quite a few sections of the old (2012) app will work with Boom as well, adding quite a bit more fun to the Boom



3 - It IS easy to 'set' what personality you want. Repeatedly feed for the "foodie" (I call him fat Furby). Repeatedly turn upside down for evil, swing from one foot for hyper, play lots of music for diva, & repeatedly tickle to change to the last personality. It takes about a minute or so doing the action to get it to change.



4 - For those "adults" that get annoyed with Furbish, my 12 yr old learned what their words mean in one day. A 12 yr old. There's some translations on the fold-out that came with Boom, & both apps have dictionaries/translators. Boom will also 'learn' more English the more you play with it. My kids have had there's since early September & they speak more English than Furbish.



5 - When you need to change batteries push the small 'reset' button for 2 seconds before closing it up. This will make sure all sensors work properly. It will not reset its personality or the progress it made towards speaking English or remembering other Furbys.



Hope this helps you or your children get the most enjoyment out of a great toy!



We own a peacock, black/pink triangle, & black/white zigzag Booms

HedBanz Game

CUSTOMER REVIEW



We bought this game for our son's 10th birthday--not knowing what to expect, but the entire family (including our eight year old daughter) really enjoyed it. The concept is incredibly simple. Pick a card, place it on your (supplied) head band so that everyone except you can see it and begin asking questions as to what you are. "Am I an animal?" "Am I a food?" etc. Once you get an affirmative answer, your questions get more granular "Am I a fruit?" "Am I a dessert?" etc. Of course you are free to ask any question aside from "What am I?" The game comes with a sand-glass timer, and if you are unable to guess what you are before time runs out, on your next turn you can either get a new card (and lose a point) or continue guessing what you are. All in all, a very fun game for everyone in the family!

Disney Sofia The First Talking Sofia and Animal Friends

CUSTOMER REVIEW



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Our family has reviewed several of the Mattel Sofia the First toys, and several of them have been disappointing. This has all changed with the Sofia the First Talking Sofia and Animal Friends doll. The doll looks and sounds just like Sofia, works each time an animal is placed in front of her amulet.... and best yet - our 3 year old daughter (who happens to be a huge Sofia fan) loves it.



Notes-



- In order to get her to work simply put an animal (only one at a time) in front of Sofia's magical amulet - and watch the interaction.



- Comes with the Sofia doll, Robin the Robin (which does not look like a Robin), Mia the Bluebird, and Clover the bunny. Each of the animal figures are 2 to 3 inches in height so they are big enough that they can be kept around small children.



- Make sure that you take Sofia out of the *Try Me* mode in order to get to her to interact with her animal friends.



- Sofia is about 9 inches in height and she fully moves and bends.



- When pressed the amulet causes to speak - even if an animal is not around.



- Sofia's shoes and dress can be removed.



Final Verdict - So far the Disney Sofia the First Talking Sofia and Animals Friends is the best of the newly created Sofia toys. Our daughter likes the size of the doll and how she is able to interact with her animal friends. My wife and I like that the doll is well built and it works every time our daughter plays with it!



5 Stars

Furby Diagonal Stripes Boom Plush Toy

CUSTOMER REVIEW



The Furby BOOM is the second generation of the new versions of the Furby. They come in many cool colors and designs such as pink/polka dots, black white/zig zag, teal/peacock, etc. Furby's Boom technological features have also advanced been upgraded quite a bit since the previous version. The Furby Boom still comes equipped with led eyes that change shapes based on their expressions, moods and overall needs. You can customize your Furby's personality/attitude by how you treat him, this is not as simple or predictable as it sounds and the Furby Boom has twice as many responses as the original so it ensures that each Furby Boom will be unique to their owner and it's fun to watch over time. Some of the things you can do with your Furby are Feed him (with or without the Furby App), tickle him, Shake him, pull his tail (which now also works as a default sleep mode), play him music and so much more.



My 6yr old loved her Furby but eventually over time and excessive play she wore it out so we bought her this one and she flipped out she was so excited! Her little 3yr old brother loves it as well and it keeps them both entertained for ages. The age is recommended for 6+ but the Furby Boom is extremely well built and quite durable, as long as you take care of them they would be the perfect entertainment for any child ages 3-16 so the Furby Boom would make a great gift for any child, boy or girl, young or teen. And yes he burps!



App Info Update*: As of November 3rd 2013 The Furby Boom App and original Furby app is compatible with both Apple Ipod's or Ipads and Android Systems. To download on Android tablets/phones just go to the Google Store. The App has lots of really cool new features such as collecting and hatching virtual Furblings (babies) to fill your city. You can raise virtual Furblings and play games together also create virtual food, furby checkups, showers and more.

VTech Sit-to-Stand Learning Walker (Frustration Free Packaging)

CUSTOMER REVIEW



This toy was instrumental in helping my son to walk. He pushed this toy all over the house day and night. The toys on it light up and make noises. There's an educational mode and a music mode. My son's favorite part is the phone. He pretends like he's talking to daddy. This toy is very sturdy. My son has pulled himself up on it numerous times and it's never tipped over. I also noticed that it doesn't seem to go too fast. Other walkers I've seen take off and leave the baby to fall on his face. This one is perfect. I recommend it to everyone. My son was walking on his own after 1 month of using this.

Play-Doh 24-Pack of Colors

CUSTOMER REVIEW



Play doh is play doh where ever you buy it. But in this set, you get 24 3oz cans for $15 (or $12 at wal-mart). The 4 packs of 5oz cans (the normal size) go for $2 all day long at toys-r-us or wal-mart. You get WAY less play doh for your money buying this pack. It's at least 1.5x more expensive this way... Just sayin'

Snap Circuits Jr. SC-100 Kit

CUSTOMER REVIEW



The best point in favour of this product is that it is lego style toy that does not intimidate a child with intricate electronic components. My 6-1/2 year old daughter started playing with it and was very excited to have completed her first project to light a bulb with a switch. Theories of electricity followed naturally when initially the bulb did not lightup. I showed her the shiny metal strip beneath the connectors and explained conductivity a little.Another major advantage is that there are mostly no wires, and the components are hidden from view, giving it a very un-complicated look that a child can easily comprehend. This difference makes possible for my daughter to actually play with it. The only problem seems to be the quality of plastic used. It looks as if it might break if a component was bent while snapping in. Still, I highly recommend this product.

LEGO Minecraft (Original) 21102

CUSTOMER REVIEW



I finally got a copy of this set so I can write an actual review. I find many reviews on Amazon are negative because of item availability and aftermarket pricing. So here is an actual review of the set, not the market. Please see the customer image gallery for my build uploads.



Design: This set uses a modular design. If you follow the instructions, you get eight distinct modules, four above ground and four below ground. You can arrange these in dozens of different ways to create tiny cave networks and a multi-layered effect. The caves have several different kinds of hidden resources that you can only see when you take the top layer off. The overall effect of the design is a pretty good representation of the Minecraft world.



Build Quality: Pretty solid, I'm happy to say. This set does not sacrifice build quality for detail (which many LEGO sets unfortunately do). You may find that the tree tops pop off when you're rearranging the different modules, but everything else sticks solid.



Fun Factor: This was a really fun build. Because it is a microworld, you can easily tell what each piece represents as you are clicking them into place. Once complete, it's really fun to create different arrangements with the modules. Even with just eight modules, you have quite a few options. I hope I can get a second one to customize the microworld even further.



Value: I was happy to pay $34.99 for this set. For Minecraft fans, I don't think you'll be disappointed. For Minecraft/LEGO fans, it's simply a must-have. You get 408 pieces, which is about $0.085 per piece. For a licensed set, that's actually below average. Of course, that's probably because it relies so heavily on 1x1 tiles and plates. Still, you get eight 6x6 plates, quite a few bricks, and a brick separator. I thought the brick separator was a nice touch for separating all the tiny plates. There are only three exclusive pieces for the Steve and creeper heads. You get an extra Steve head, so if you add a red brick (or whatever color you want), you can make a second adventurer. To piece this set together on BrickLink dot com would cost about $50-$60.



Conclusion: If you can get it for MSRP of $34.99, it's a buy. I wouldn't suggest paying collectible prices, as LEGO will undoubtedly be producing more of these, and will probably create different Minecraft sets in the near future. At least I hope they do. I would love to add more modules to this set, and I'll be interested to see tiny zombies, skeletons, and mob animals.



A note on aftermarket sales: This set is incredibly popular. I imagine that LEGO was surprised by the demand. The aftermarket prices have come down to ~$60, which is still way to high. But that is how a collector's market works. Lots of people on here are rating the set low because they paid 2-3 times retail for it, which is the buyer's fault as much as the seller's. Many people are also upset with the behavior of sellers who list these sets at high prices, which seems really weird to me. It seems like buyers who are willing to pay those prices should be happy for the fact that the sets are available at all. Buyers that pay that much and then get bent out of shape about it need to look to themselves. Prices go up on collectibles like this because enough buyers are willing to pay for it, simple supply and demand. If you or your kid is wanting this set, just sit tight. There will be more available at retail price soon. If not, just get some LEGO bricks in Minecraft colors and make your own. You'll be a lot happier.



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Monster High High School Playset

CUSTOMER REVIEW



I'm no stranger to large playsets. My daughters have had several including the tower from Tangled, a Disney Princess castle (the Enchanted Tales hot pink one), Barbie's Diamond Castle and Dream House and others. All of them have been big, bulky, hard to store and a nightmare to put together. Monster High is the latest craze, and my soon-to-be six year old HAD to have the school to go with her dolls that she already had. I knew what I was getting into... but was pleasantly surprised.



If you are worried about accuracy, Monster High School is meticulously detailed. There's a locker area, a cafeteria and a school room. It boasts a basketball court but the "court" is simply a hoop on the side of the school (and it comes with a black basketball!). But the details are not the best part... when you first get it out of the box it looks kind of like a closed coffin, and not too big... but it keeps folding out and you end up with two good sized rooms (with floors!) and an upstairs area. These houses without floors are ridiculous... and it was awesome to see that this would not be an issue with this set! I was actually surprised at how big it is overall, and best of all - it closes right back up, locks up and even has a handle. This can easily be stored in a closet, under the bed or behind a door when not in use. It's not going to be a huge bulky play set. I could even reasonably see them taking this over to a friend's house to play with after they have the knack of opening it by themselves! The design is great, and I hope more companies will take a cue from design.



Assembly is a cinch (there isn't much of one). There are a few lights to hang, two moveable spiderweb lantern holders that can be moved around and clipped in various places, a pair of columns for the front with gargoyles... nothing too extreme. The school is already stickered and ready to go! It comes with a page of extra stickers but they are just for adding your own touches, the school has its decals on right out of the box! Very impressive! You can pop this out and the kids can be playing with it within minutes without hovering over you waiting for you to finish construction on the house.



The only downside are the accessories. It comes with a lot of them, but many have to be assembled, such as the cafeteria tables, the rolling cart, the benches (part of the "basketball court" I assume, but the kids use it for extra classroom seating) and two desks. There's other goodies that are ready to go such as various creepy foods and classroom supplies. The little working skull locks for the coffin lockers were another nice touch.



Overall, this playset is a big hit. There's plenty of room for lots of ghouls to haunt the halls and it's cute to see my kids practicing math and spelling by playing "school" with the Monster High characters. Imagination is where the educational spin of this comes in, but for those kids that have it, they will actually enjoy using their dolls to teach one another and will be practicing skills needed for school without even knowing it. If you were on the fence about this one due to fears about size or being unstable... then fear not!



Positives:

+Very little assembly required (maybe 10-15 minutes to sort the pieces and snap the furniture together)

+Bigger than expected

+Nice decent build

+Not a bulky eyesore! Folds up for storage with a carrying handle

+It has FLOORS!

+Accurately depicts Monster High

+Lots of little details and accessories

+Reasonably priced considering what you get (bought mine from Amazon for $79.99)



Negatives:

-The stairway to the second floor can be hard to lock in place

-The second floor could have used a column to help support it. The stairs keep it from collapsing but you won't be playing with that level too roughly.

-Could have used another desk or two, but that's a minor quibble

Lionel Polar Express Train Set - G-Gauge

CUSTOMER REVIEW



I was surprised to see the negative reviews on this product, but after reading them I think most of them were from people that did not read or understand the product description. This is a 'G' scale toy plastic train with plastic track that is battery powered and is controlled by an R/C unit.



I have not seen another 'G' scale set with better quality equipment and features for the price. The engine has built-in sound that makes a steam 'chuff' noise synchronized to the speed of the engine. It also makes a steam brake release noise when it stops. It has a bell sound and whistle that you can control from the R/C unit. It has 3 speeds in both forward and reverse directions. The speeds seems very prototypical. The speed is also momentum controlled - the train speeds up and slows down at a measured pace just like a real train. The detail on the engine is quite good for a 'toy' train.



I had the same experience with the included batteries as others - they barely moved the train for a few minutes and then conked out. I replaced the standard batteries with alkaline ones and it ran for about 10 hours before needing replacement. I have switched to a compatible 9.6v rechargeable battery that works great, is cheaper to run, and environmentally better.



The packaging states the set is for kids 4 years or older. Both my 4-1/2 year old and 2 year old can run the train with the R/C controller (and did not stop playing with it for almost a week). However they do not have the dexterity to couple the cars or snap the track together. I would guess that a 5 or 6 year old would be able to assemble and operate everything without adult help. They have banged the engine, thrown the controller, and knocked the coaches around quite a bit without any damage.



For model railroaders or anyone who wants to tinker, you could add lighting to the coaches fairly easily. I think the train would work well outdoors if you want to try creating a garden railway. I do wish Lionel would make more track options - an 'X' crossing and R/L hand switches would allow expansion to a true train layout instead of just an oval or circle.



I don't think you could find a better quality radio controlled toy 'G' scale train with so many features for such a low price.

LeapFrog LeapPad2 Explorer Kids' Learning Tablet, Pink

CUSTOMER REVIEW



We gave the original leappad to my 4yo daughter last Christmas. She absolutely loved it. In fact she loved it a little too much, as it started to interfere with bedtime. Unfortunately I accidentally left her leappad on an airplane. She was crushed.



Fast forward to a few weeks ago. I saw the announcement for the leappad2 and thought this might be a way to make up for my mistake. We preordered from Amazon, and it arrived today. If you have the original leappad, here are some differences that I noticed:



* I couldn't open the box without tearing/cutting it. Leapfrog seems to have glued down every flap. I was hoping to open it, download the apps, configure it, and repackage it so i could wrap it up as a present. But that wasn't possible without damaging the box.



* It is definitely faster/snappier. The upgraded CPU is a noticeable improvement.



* The battery covers are significantly improved. With the old one, you could use the stylus to pop off the covers. The new ones snap firmly into place. There's no way my daughter will be able to remove these...



* Just like the original, you get to pick one app. But I'm pretty sure the app selection has changed. The choices now are roly poly picnic, hamster music, a leapfrog video, or an ebook.



* Unlike the original leappad, The package only comes with one stylus, which is already connected to the leappad with the included string.



* Leapfrog appears to have added a new connector for the stylus string below the stylus slot. This should help children who are lefties. (like my daughter)



That's all I can think of for now. I'll update this review as my daughter plays with it. I am certain she is going to love the front camera.



PS - I am just an average person that actually paid for this. I'm not some professional mommy-blogger that got a free 'sample' in exchange for writing a glowing review. All of these reviews that predate 8/1/2012 seem a little contrived, don't you think?



EDIT #1 (8/3/2012) - Within the leappad connect app, I could install all apps that I PURCHASED for our original leappad on to the new one. It would not allow me to install the free, selectable app that came with the purchase of the original leappad.



EDIT #2 (8/5/2012) - If you search the internet you can find two codes for two free apps, "Alphabet Soup", and "The Book of Super Awesome Stuff." I had previously downloaded these apps to our first (lost) leappad. Leappad Connect would not allow me to install these on the new Leappad 2. Not sure why. I am going to open a support ticket with Leap Frog. I've already had an open ticket regarding the lost leappad, so this might be related to that. I guess what I'm saying is that this might not be a problem for others...



EDIT #3 (8/8/2012) - One of my daughter's favorite apps is the Music app. There are 5 songs that are preloaded. She plays them all the time. She loves music, so I can't wait for the official MP3 upgrade thats supposed to come out this fall. I hope Leapfrog will not overcharge for it...



Speaking of overcharging... I was in Target the other day and was surprised to see two "Recharger Packs" for the Leappad 2 on sale. They were $40 each. $40!!! Come on Leapfrog! $30 is at the high-end of what I will pay for a battery. Replacement laptop batteries are cheaper than this. They should be more like $20. It's antics like this that will drive loyal customers to the flood of cheap android devices that will be coming in the next several months...



EDIT #4 (8/17/2012) - This is my last edit. My daughter LOVES the new creativity app. Basically it lets you create animated stories. You get to pick the background, props, and characters. From there you can add movement and action, and a dialog. You can use the camera to replace the face of the characters with a photo. I was impressed. I've also seen that many of the apps are lefty friendly, meaning it will allow you to turn the leappad over so the string isn't stretched when using the left hand. I'm happy with the purchase, and my daughter is happy too.



I have little doubt these will be a hot item this Christmas. If you are thinking you want to get this for your child, don't wait. Otherwise the scalpers will be your only option. (That, or waiting until after Christmas.

LeapFrog LeapPad2 Explorer Kids' Learning Tablet, Green

CUSTOMER REVIEW



We gave the original leappad to my 4yo daughter last Christmas. She absolutely loved it. In fact she loved it a little too much, as it started to interfere with bedtime. Unfortunately I accidentally left her leappad on an airplane. She was crushed.



Fast forward to a few weeks ago. I saw the announcement for the leappad2 and thought this might be a way to make up for my mistake. We preordered from Amazon, and it arrived today. If you have the original leappad, here are some differences that I noticed:



* I couldn't open the box without tearing/cutting it. Leapfrog seems to have glued down every flap. I was hoping to open it, download the apps, configure it, and repackage it so i could wrap it up as a present. But that wasn't possible without damaging the box.



* It is definitely faster/snappier. The upgraded CPU is a noticeable improvement.



* The battery covers are significantly improved. With the old one, you could use the stylus to pop off the covers. The new ones snap firmly into place. There's no way my daughter will be able to remove these...



* Just like the original, you get to pick one app. But I'm pretty sure the app selection has changed. The choices now are roly poly picnic, hamster music, a leapfrog video, or an ebook.



* Unlike the original leappad, The package only comes with one stylus, which is already connected to the leappad with the included string.



* Leapfrog appears to have added a new connector for the stylus string below the stylus slot. This should help children who are lefties. (like my daughter)



That's all I can think of for now. I'll update this review as my daughter plays with it. I am certain she is going to love the front camera.



PS - I am just an average person that actually paid for this. I'm not some professional mommy-blogger that got a free 'sample' in exchange for writing a glowing review. All of these reviews that predate 8/1/2012 seem a little contrived, don't you think?



EDIT #1 (8/3/2012) - Within the leappad connect app, I could install all apps that I PURCHASED for our original leappad on to the new one. It would not allow me to install the free, selectable app that came with the purchase of the original leappad.



EDIT #2 (8/5/2012) - If you search the internet you can find two codes for two free apps, "Alphabet Soup", and "The Book of Super Awesome Stuff." I had previously downloaded these apps to our first (lost) leappad. Leappad Connect would not allow me to install these on the new Leappad 2. Not sure why. I am going to open a support ticket with Leap Frog. I've already had an open ticket regarding the lost leappad, so this might be related to that. I guess what I'm saying is that this might not be a problem for others...



EDIT #3 (8/8/2012) - One of my daughter's favorite apps is the Music app. There are 5 songs that are preloaded. She plays them all the time. She loves music, so I can't wait for the official MP3 upgrade thats supposed to come out this fall. I hope Leapfrog will not overcharge for it...



Speaking of overcharging... I was in Target the other day and was surprised to see two "Recharger Packs" for the Leappad 2 on sale. They were $40 each. $40!!! Come on Leapfrog! $30 is at the high-end of what I will pay for a battery. Replacement laptop batteries are cheaper than this. They should be more like $20. It's antics like this that will drive loyal customers to the flood of cheap android devices that will be coming in the next several months...



EDIT #4 (8/17/2012) - This is my last edit. My daughter LOVES the new creativity app. Basically it lets you create animated stories. You get to pick the background, props, and characters. From there you can add movement and action, and a dialog. You can use the camera to replace the face of the characters with a photo. I was impressed. I've also seen that many of the apps are lefty friendly, meaning it will allow you to turn the leappad over so the string isn't stretched when using the left hand. I'm happy with the purchase, and my daughter is happy too.



I have little doubt these will be a hot item this Christmas. If you are thinking you want to get this for your child, don't wait. Otherwise the scalpers will be your only option. (That, or waiting until after Christmas.