No comments about Playskool Mr. Potato Head Indiana Jones Taters of the Lost Ark, Idaho Jones Spud.

5 comments about Hasbro Transformers Ultimate Bumblebee Figure.

1. I would not recommend this particular model of Bumblebee for young children. He is intricate and complicated to convert which works out perfectly for the Dad of the young child who really wants to play with the toy himself anyway:)



2. This is a great toy. WE bought it for Christmas at Walmart [...]. It iss cool. In robot form, it talks , in car form it sings songs etc....My 5 year old loves it, except way too hard for him to switch back and forth, like most of them. but, more durable!!! Great toy [...]



3. My boyfriend and I grew up children of the 80s. He loved transformers as a child, and when the movie came out last summer, he couldn't get enough of the film. For Valentine's Day this year I decided to surprise him with the electronic Bumblebee. As it turned out, from of all the gifts I have ever given him, this was THE biggest hit. He immediately took it out of the box and began playing with all of its features. His eyes lit up, he talks, there are radio tunes that it plays (Bumblebee, not my boyfriend). It's really just a neat gadget that I know he will treasure for years to come. Definitely a winning purchase!!!
   *Please note that it takes four AA batteries.



4. I got this product for my son for his 5th B'day and he loved it. The tough part came when I started transforming it to a Car. Man, that took me about 1.5 hours, even with the instructions. But once you've done it once its quite easy the next time.
   
   But I must insist, its a clever design and I and my son love it. Some people who saw it, loved it. I love the sounds it has. Its got some intelligent thingy which detects if the car is moving fast or slow and increase or decreases the speed of the engine sound with the speed. I thought that was really cool. Its also got some nice lighting functionality which I thought were amazing, espcially in the dark. All these sounds and lights in the car mode. Not much lights in the Robot mode but, its got some cool statments which the kids tend to memorize.
   
   Ohh one thing, it does not balance well in the Robot mode when standing but its not much of a thing as you can get it stand somehow.
   
   All in all I think its one of the best toys but more as a collectable. Kids will love it if they love Transformers.
   
   I guess the educationational value would be when a kid actually uses his brain to transform the thing from car to bot and vice versa.
   
   Thanks to Hasbros for the creativity.



5. I just ordered Ultimate Bumblebee in the mail less than a week ago and it arrived today. I unwrapped it and finally (once I had gotten it out of the five layers of packaging) I was able to hold it for the first time. And wow. What a toy. Ultimate Bumblebee is BY FAR my favorite Transformer. With so many moving parts, lights, sounds, 17 phrases and 9 songs, what's not to like? Bumblebee stands about four inches taller than the Leader Class Megatron, which is already saying something. Just wait. In vehicle mode when flipped up to show the underside of the car, it is still about two inches taller than Megatron. I was in awe. There are no real let downs to this toy. The only things I can think of are these: 1. The shoulders are a pain to lock into place each time you transform it into a robot. 2. Well, I don't really have a second thing. That's how awesome this toy is.
   I would very very very very very very very very highly recommend this toy. Though little kids may need adult help transform it, but that's not a problem. the video instructions on trasnformers.com really help.
   No transformer collection is complete without ULTIMATE BUMBLEBEE!

5 comments about Hasbro Playskool Step Start Walk 'n Ride.

1. I brought this toy for my 10 month old girl, she is learning to walk on her own and takes her 3 year old brother chairs and pushes them across the floor. So I thought this toy would be perfect for her. So far she only walked behind it a few times but loves the toys on it and like to be pushed on the ride on. My three year old also loves this toy even though his legs are too long for it. I paid 20 dollars for it and it is well made for the price and the length of time a baby can use it.



2. This is a cute walk 'n ride toy and it seems durable. It was SUCH A PAIN to put it together though. Instructions were clear it was just hard to cnap pieces into where they belong. I hurt my hand doing it and I'm not an idiot that can't put things together (we are IKEA experts in our house). My 10 month old seems to like it and she has already been pulling herself up on and and trying to take a few steps with it in the walk mode. She has no idea what to do with it in the ride mode but there are a few fun things to do on it. It's not an activity toy as much as it is for walking/riding so it might not keep your abby occupied unless she/he is pulling up on it and using it for that purpose. But my daughter is finding that great fun so far. I guess it's worth the trouble of putting it together. HAve fun!



3. I bought this product for my nephew's 1st birthday. My brother reports that it is used every day with enthusiasm and is helping my nephew learn to walk. He loves to push it around all over the place. Sometimes he gets it going to fast and his little legs can't keep up, but that doesn't stop him. It's a wonderful buy for kids.



4. Our son showed no interest in this toy as he was learning to walk. He much preferred cruising with furniture. Now that he is fully walking, he occasionally pushes the cart around, but still doesn't enjoy sitting on it as a car. I don't think its a particularly bad toy, its sturdy, colorful, and does what it is suppose to do. It was just something my son wasn't excited about.



5. Cute little car. My 10mo son doesn't walk yet but enjoys playing with the spinners and buttons. It's too light to pull up on so when he tries to stand with it he topples over and then it's not fun anymore. I'm sure it'll be better once he can stand by himself to walk with it or ride with it.

5 comments about Hasbro Electronic Hyper Slide.

1. My 7 year old son got this for Christmas this year and my husband and I love it as much as he does. Not only have we played against each other but we enjoy playing it on our own, it is rather addictive. It is small and compact enough to fit in our luggage that we plan to take it with us to Maine for our family reunion this summer. This is the perfect game to have on hand for rainy days or for when the kids complain they are bored. You honestly can't go wrong with this game, I plan to give this as birthday presents this year for all my son's friends.



2. I "accidentally" found this toy on Amazon with their "people who bought this, also bought this" section. It was a little expensive, but the reviews were excellent so I bought it. I am so glad I did! Not only does my 8 yr old son love it, but I love it too! It really gets your brain working. I highly recommend this to anyone, even 40 yr olds!



3. It was a Xmas gift for my 10 year old granddaughter and it wasn't easy to figure out the instructions and she is very intelligent and I am too for that matter. But, she really did not seem as interested as I thought she would and it was very disappointing for me to see my grandchild not get the wonderful Xmas gift I envisioned....and hoped this would be. Sorry, this game is not that involved for very intelligent children and even the younger children seemed bored with it.



4. Whether you are going solo or with 2, 3, 4 or more players, this one is totally fun and fast! I highly recommend this, it is so worth the price. The only drawback is someone getting way too intense on keeping it going - then laughing and starting over.
   
   I appreciate the fact that all pieces are stored within the unit. The only thing I have to complain about at all is the fact that sometimes I simply can not hear what color is being called out. The game is not one of the annoying ones that are so loud you can't stand to turn it on - but you better listen good!
   
   Totally fun and fast!



5. This is a really fast-paced game, and the children (ages 8-12) have really enjoyed it. I have, too! They've only played it a few times since Christmas, so I can't speak to the product's durability, but it appears to be well constructed, and the puck holder is a godsend (if my kids can lose something, they will).

5 comments about Nerf N-Strike Recon Cs-6 Dart Blaster.

1. as the title said it's almost as good as long shot I just wish the extra clip came with it (stoking holds extra clip) but great toy i'f had it for 5 days and I like it so much I play with it evry minute of the wekend day!



2. This gun jams all the time, my friend had it for about 5 hours... and it jammed i mean jammed hard that bullet would not come out even with pliers so he had to return it and he got another one he had that one for about 3 hours then it jammed the same way as the other one and then a diffrent friend got it and it jammed the same way don't get this gun, save your money.



3. This is a sweet toy for someone pretending to be rambo or a navy seal or james bond. If you are going to use this to fight other ppl with other nerf guns then its going to let you down. The thing looks like an assualt rifle, but how many assualt rifles do you know that only have 6 bullets. Nerf wars deserve high ammo capacity.
   
   Honestly the steamline darts aren't as accurate and go just about as far as the suction ones out of the $8 maverick that is also 6 shot. The maverick has a smoother cocking action because it is a revolver not a clip. The clip would make reloading easier but the clip is useless because the gun only comes with one. Eventually hasbro will start selling replacement clips (June 2008) and you can tape two clips back to back and carry 3 or 4 clips on this gun, but for additional $. Also as it only uses fancy streamline darts you can't scavenge the darts off the battlefield as easily.
   
   Buy a maverick, better yet buy two mavericks instead a a sack of tag darts, much more fun for the same price.



4. I'm an adult but I still have fun with this nerf gun. The clip is very cool to have. It has pretty good power but could be better. I will probably mod it. The muzzle that goes on the front just weekens the power so leave it off. The clip holds 6 darts(wish it held 10). I think you can get extended clips(not sure).
   
   Con: I have to make sure my friends don't shoot my cat with it, lol.



5. This N-strike Blaster shoots pritty well if I remove the baral. I striped it down so that all I am using is the but plate and the triger mecanisum. If I use the baral the darts do go as far. by removing the baral I have lost the use of the sights. Not that I could have hit the target given the loss of range.

5 comments about Cranium Hullabaloo.

1. I was so excited to get this toy after reading all of the awards that it had won. We have a 4, soon to be 5, little girl and a just turned 2 girl as well. I thought that at least the 4 year old could really enjoy it with her sister just "acting" like she was playing along. These girls are both very bright, but I believe that it will take another 6 months for them to be able to really play this together. I may have to sit down with them and just reveiw all of the different shapes and colors and drawings that are on the pads that the game is centered around. I had their Dad sit down with them because I was busy cooking breakfast......I think that someone with a little more patience has to be prepared to sit down with the young ones and maybe review the items with them.......other than that, I can't wait until I get the chance to do it with them.....it seems like a lot of fun for them and my kind of toy....educational.



2. This is one of those toys that gets the kids up an moving. Fun music, fun 'rewards' = "do a silly dance". they LOVE it. I am always looking for ways to 'reach' my boy who has autism. This just helps initiate play.



3. This is a GREAT game. I had no idea how much my two-year-old would enjoy this when I bought it. Not only that, his 8-year-old brother and his older cousins enjoy playing it with him - which is perfect! We often take this game along with us when visiting friends and relatives and it's always been a big hit. It keeps the kids moving, teaches them colors, shapes and objects and best of all lets them be silly.



4. This is surprisingly a LOT of fun. It requires movement and silliness, no sitting still. It is fun for everybody. You get 16 tough and durable pads that you spread on the floor around the room, and a little thing that gives orders (which pad to stand or sit on, etc.) and you need to follow them. Every now and then it declares that the person on a particular pad is a winner!
   It reminds me a little of a combination between the classic "Twister" and "musical chairs". It moves fast, and everybody gets to play because the toy gives the commands, not a person.



5. I purchased this for my 3.5 y/o daughter after her friend introduced her to it. My daughter loves this game! I love how it requires physical activity and mental exercise. It is very easy to learn, the electronic component seems durable, and the mats are easy to wipe clean. Best to play where you have enough room to spread out.

5 comments about Hasbro Playskool Dream Town Rose Petal Cottage.

1. I bought this for my daughter who is 14 months old. And the reason I did is because she has shown an interest in being in her own little space. (she liked to go up under her jumper where it was semi-closed in.) After my husband and I put it together (45 minutes tops.. including stove & dining set) my daughter was so excited about playing in it! She loved that we could look thru the windows in at her and open the door! You could even look thru the chimney (has a mesh lining to keep stuff from falling in).
   I think overall that the quality is very good and durable. Although you cannot use it for rough play. It has a metal frame with plastic connecters (no tools needed for assembly). From the picture I thought the house was plastic, but its actually fabric that completely surrounds the frame. The frame fits inside the fabric and is zipped in.
   The house is light-weight and can be knocked over or easily moved aside. The 2-part door closes shut with magnets that hold it closed. Inside the fabric of the door is cardboard to make it stiff. My daughter didn't realize how flimsy it was and fell right thru it.
   The stove is adorable and simple.
   The set I bought (off of an auction website) came with the table and chairs dining set. I couldn't tell from the picture, but they are inflatable. I thought they were stuffed. The table cloth is not attached.
   Educational value: For playing house. Pretending to cook and clean. Lots of imagination value!
   The extra accessories are expensive. But the quality is good.



2. This is a great toy investment. We like to keep the number of toys limited in our house so we can keep down the clutter. This one has passed the "keep" test! Our daughter spends an hour or more a day going in and out of it caring for her dolls, reading books, or cooking. She has taken ownership of this space and it's a wonderful get-a-way for her. She loves the easy to use door and the peek through windows. She is almost two and it's by far her favorite play item in the play room. Don't wait until 3 to get this house. Worth every penny. It seems plenty durable for her use.



3. We just received this yesterday, I put it together immediately and I haven't been able to get my kids out of it since! They love it! My 17 month old daughter loves playing in it, and my five year old calls it his "fort with flowers on it". It was fairly easy to put together, only took me half an hour or so, and that's with three kids hanging on me! The only thing I would change about it is to find a way to attach the two pieces together. When my daughter sits up against the wall and leans back, it tips over with her in it. It would be a little more stable if they attached some how, but it is still a wonderful, adorable little playhouse. Now we just need to get all of the accessories!



4. I purchased this gift for my 4 yr. old granddaughter. She saw it advertised on TV. It was not available or sold out in most stores. I was very happy to be able to order this online. She has it set up in her bedroom and we have purchased additional pieces for it. When purchasing be advised it is only the cottage. But, you can purchase other sets to fill the rooms.



5. If you want to get some sort of house like structure for a child and don't want to spend the hundreds or even thousands it costs to buy a doll house or club house, buy this. It's simple yet very similar to a doll house type structure. The only downside is it can tip fairly easily.

5 comments about Rubik's Revenge Cube 4 X 4.

1. This particular 4x4 Rubik's Revenge cube broke apart after
   about 2 gentle turns. It had to
   be returned by a disappointed purchaser.
   I would have wanted to know that durability
   can be an issue in some cubes.
   
   The ratings for 'fun' and 'educational value'
   are just estimates, assuming cube can
   hold together.



2. I got this for my brother's birthday. He's a pro at solving the 3x3 and was getting bored with it. So he was super-excited when he saw the 4x4 because it posed a new problem. The technique to solve it is different from before.



3. 
   Of course you should follow your own interests and do what you enjoy, but there's also something to be said for having a few skills that seem more impressive than they are.
   
   It's not that doing the Rubik's cube is easy, but it isn't as mysterious as it seems at first. It actually doesn't take a genius. There is a method for solving it, and it is learnable. It requires no more effort than solving one of those video games that you sit in your basement and play for hours with your buddies. A handful of your aimless buddies might be impressed when you beat a video game, but I promise it doesn't travel any further than that. Video games link a little bit more directly to your brain's reward system, with their immediate bonuses for good play and game-over consequences for mistakes. The cube might take a little bit more discipline to stick with, but it certainly won't take up any more time.
   
   Being a bigger cube, with more moving parts- just 56 though, since the center is a sphere- Rubik's Revenge is easier to break. It's not conducive to trying to beat your previous time. You have to make sure all the planes are lined up before giving it a turn. The 4X4X4 seems like it would be much more complicated than the 3X3X3, what with 10 to the 45th possible permutations, versus just 10 to the 19th for the smaller version. But, in fact, it isn't much harder. Here's the trick, and stop reading if you want to figure it out on your own: any N cubed puzzle can be solved by simplifying it to the (N-1) cubed puzzle, and then just solving it from there. (I'm not pretending I figured this out on my own. There are countless blogs and videos devoted to this stuff. Getting help does not devalue the accomplishment. As I keep trying to say, even with the formulas, you still need to struggle and practice in order to really internalize how and why they work.) With the 4 across version, you solve the centers and pair up the edge pieces, then you never have to turn any sections down the midline plane, and the cube converts to a 3X3X3. It turns out any N cubed puzzle can be solved by reducing it to the N-1 cubed version. It's still a different skill and you have to play around with it to get the hang of it, but it's not like a black belt trying to move up a degree. It only took me a couple of weeks, although that did include an airport day. And, it isn't quite as simple as that sounds. There are a few distinctions that require different tricks. Since the 4X4X4 lacks fixed centers, there are a few possible novel situations that can come up called `parity errors.' It looks sort of like when someone takes apart the regular cube but puts the pieces back in wrong and it can't be solved. But the 4 cubed parity errors are solvable although they require some extra fancy little algorithms to memorize. People grumble about these algorithms on some of the web sites, but I actually find them very elegant, in their near-symmetry, with repetitive doings and undoings and minor little twists and turns putting things into place. I could sit and turn that into a metaphor for things in life but right now that feels like a boring idea. Springtime in New England.
   
   I feel like I didn't really get the 3 block cube until I mastered the 4 block. The Rubik's 4X4X4 is fantastic. You will feel grandiose when you solve it, and most people will be impressed. Some percentage of people won't give you the satisfaction of being impressed, but it's still a positive accomplishment since it is always important exactly who those people are. Still, I continue to have trouble knowing what to say when people asked me how I learned it. I used to tell the truth but that leaves people disappointed, like finding out how a magic trick is done. So I've experimenting with various more mystical answers. I'll let you know if I settle on one.



4. I purchased the rubik's 4x4 as a gift for an individual who had mastered the 3x3. The 4x4 was frustrating for him and challenging at times but he had it solved in about a week. Now, he is trying to master it. Soon, I will purchase the 5x5 for him. For someone who has mastered the 3x3 the 4x4 is a must have. It is fun, challenging, and durable.



5. I was reluctant to buying the toy due to some negative feedback but it's been over a month and a lot of cubing and it's still whole and going. If you don't force it and abuse it it'll hold and not explode in your face:) The only thing that I wish the makers would do is make the cubes permanently coloured....after a lot of cubing one of the yellow stickers is starting to peel off...
   
   I would reccommend this product because it's a lot of fun and the seller was really fast with sending it

5 comments about Deluxe Turntable Scrabble.

1. THE BEST GAME EVER INVENTED!!! I TRY TO PLAY EVERYDAY AND OWN 5 SCRABBLE BOARDS PERSONALLY. With two more hours in a day I could guarantee I could play everyday.



2. The best thing about this version is that the board sits up high enough so that when you spin it around for the next player it clears the the long plastic piece that holds your 7 letters...your letters in their holder won't get knocked off the table or moved. The only bad thing is that the board surface does not hold the letters that well, the little platic grid is not high enough next to each letter piece. If you turn the board slowly it's ok but if you turn the board to fast or you have big fingers then the pieces move easly.
   
   Otherwise all the pieces fit in the botton part of the "lazy susan" design......stores neatly away.



3. I bought this game after my wife and I started playing Scrabble frequently. I thought that the rotating board would be more convenient than using our lazy susan. I also thought the raised grid would be great for keeping the tiles in place. However, for the price I paid, I expected much better quality. Upon opening the box, I immediately commented how cheap the plastic was. As I set the board down, the playing surface was very thin and wasn't really attached completely to the base. It was very thin cardboard and moved up and down when you touched it. On the box, it appears that the tile holders have the information about the number of letter tiles molded into them. But, they are just stickers. I packed it all up and returned it the same day. If I had paid a lot less, I would've kept it. But, it was just too poor quality for what I paid.



4. We have used one of these boards for years and it was time for the new updated version. This is a great item with which to use your brain playing and I highly recommend it.



5. Growing up, we played Scrabble around the kitchen table on our deluxe Scrabble board made of heavy duty blue plastic and raised gridlines. Today, when at home we still play Scrabble on that same board.
   
   This Board I am reviewing is not near the same class. While the board has some neat features: Tiered lazy susan (so the Board can be table level or lifted around 3 inches while still rotating), nice wood tiles with cloth carry bag, sand timer, 4 tile holders, and 1 scorepad, it falls flat is in the actual surface. The visible face is inserted in the board frame like a picture and it is not much thicker (translation-Flimsy). There are raised gridlines running around each square (and this is where my bias comes in) to lock the tiles in. The height of these gridlines is minimal at best so the tiles (with a slight jostle) won't stay where you put them. the thin laminated face board seems to be untreated on the back which makes me suspect that with a little water spill warping will occur.
   
   This review was tough for me because the quality of the board from my past is so much better that it feels sturdier 30+ years later than a brand new board today. Overall, This is a good deal for the price ($[...]), but somehow I don't think it should be labeled "Deluxe".

5 comments about Hasbro Playskool Busy Ball Popper.

1. The toy does not work as advertised. The balls go all over the room and must be collected every single time. The balls do not even begin to "launch" on ours unless all 5 are loaded. If less than 5, the balls just stay in the tube.



2. This toy has been around our home for at least a year and it's still being played with! And most parents know that children attention span as it relates to toys is short! My 5 & 10 year old love helping my infant put the balls in and watch them pop out (I admit, I do too). The music is whimsical and catchy. The only down side is that when the balls gain momentum, they pop out all over the place. And if you have a tiny one that can't retrieve the balls, you'll have to do the footwork. It wont last long though, soon your little one will be chasing all the balls and having a good time!



3. I hate this toy, it's plastic and loud and I don't think it offers the motor skills value of some other toys like the ball pounder. However, it's been one of the most popular toys we've owned. My daughter and all her friends LOVE this toy, and have been playing with it since she was a new cruiser to now, as a 3+ yo. This is sure to be a popular gift for any toddler.



4. I'm not sure who likes this toy more...our son or us, his parents. We just love turning this on and letting it pop all over the place. It keeps us all busy for quite a while. My son enjoys it a lot and is only 10mo old. He puts the balls back and pushes the button to start it up....we just have to fetch the balls when they spew all around the living room!



5. I purchased this last Christmas for my daughter. After 5 months, she is still having a ball with it (no pun intended). I have also bought it for my friend's children because I am so impressed with the fun and learning value of it. Highly recommend :) You won't be disappointed...unless you hate somewhat noisy toys ;)