Elmo goes "Boom" as he crashes on the floor
Written: Jul 03 '01
|
Product Rating:
|
|
| Durability: |
 |
|
|
Pros: Great colors, cute characters, musical instruments
Cons: Falls over constantly, slightly obnoxious sounds
The Bottom Line: Cute and safe, but the toy spends most of the time on its side.
|
|
|
| dequebec's Full Review: Sesame Street - Parade Pull Toy |
Many parents of patients treated at our pediatric clinic inform us that their toddlers love "anything with Elmo". And who could disagree? Sesame Street characters delight younger kids and parents alike with their inviting facial expressions and huggable frames. As cute as this pull-along train is, however, it may disappoint children by its instability-who wants to pull a train that falls on its side every few seconds?
The Sesame Street Parade Pull Toy sports a series of three joined train cars each driven by one of Sesame Street's most lovable muppets. Big Bird, of course, leads the parade on his horse-shaped car, yelling to the crowds through a bright blue megaphone. He is followed by Elmo and Ernie, each in their own cars. Like Big Bird, the other characters play roles in the parade band: Elmo has a little pair of cymbals and Ernie has a snare drum in his lap and drum sticks in his hands.
When pushed or pulled, the characters simulate the motions one might see in a little band while the sounds of a percussive jingle emerge from the train. Elmo's cymbals crash together (in time with the beat of the jingle) and Ernie strikes his snare drum with his drum sticks. The head of the horse Big Bird is riding goes up and down. How clever! On the other hand, the contrasting sound of the wheels on the cars and the crashing of cymbals.drums can get a bit obnoxious for older listeners (i.e.parents, clinicians).
Each car is around 8 inches tall and 6 inches deep. These dimensions prevent manipulation by a very young toddler, but can be controlled by children in the preschool age group quite well. Unfortunately, the cars are not weighted properly. When the child attempts to the pull the train with the rope attached to the front of Big Bird's car, the train usually tips over on it's side. In fact, even adults experience challenge in trying to pull the train with success. Though children usually love looking at the train when static, this toy can become frustrating and even irritating to children when they learn that they can not control the train when in motion. Yikes!
Given the inability of most children to pull the train, one would think that this toy would be more appropriate for younger kids who would enjoy just looking at and nibbling on the train. However, the make of the toy makes this a poor choice for such youngsters. Notably, the plastic is very hard, making the toy not only unappealing but possibly dangerous.
The toy is quite durable: I have yet to see a scratch or dent despite being dropped, bitten, and stepped on. Cleaning is no problem: dirt is easily removed with a warm washcloth and a small amount of dishsoap. None of the parts seem likely to fall off; all parts are large enough to prevent choking if a part was to become loose.
This toy is best-suited for parents who will push the toy along to amuse young toddlers. Certainly, the bright colors and cute characters will grab their attention and can make for a fun parent-child interactive session. However, this toy just doesn't work well when maneuvered by the toddler itself.
Recommended:
No
Amount Paid (US$): 15
Type of Toy: Baby Toy
Age Range of Child: 12 to 36 Months
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
dequebec
|
|
Member: Jennifer
Location: los angeles, CA
Reviews written: 131
Trusted by: 118 members
About Me:
No longer an editor, thanks a bunch Nirav.
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.