Discovery Channel Store Toys (age 3+) - Here’s What They’re Saying So Far

Kids love presents, especially presents that come in the mail and are just for them. As long as what’s contained in that present is a toy and not a sweater, the novelty will be enough to hold their attention for at least a little while. But what about the next day? And the day after that? And the weeks to follow?

The two Discovery Channel Store toys that our bloggers reviewed - Paz’s Radio Control Fire Truck and Paz’s Lift-Off Rocket - definitely had that initial appeal for all the kids, and most of them are still as interested as three year-olds can be. (Three year-olds can be pretty fickle.)

Immediate reactions were quite enthusiastic:

Even the bloggers were pretty excited, especially this mother: “As a former NASA scientist and lifelong enthusiast, I was absolutely thrilled to be selected to review this product, one that I might not have splurged on but one that I was totally thrilled to get. As it turns out, if I had seen these in person first, I totally would have splurged on it.” Another admitted: “I should disclose that we’ve been tended away from plastic and batteries from day one…I decided to give the rocket a shot since: a) the electronic component seemed reasonable (i.e., not ridiculous in the sensory overload department); b) I really liked the idea of exposing her to a typically boy type toy; and c) I thought the compartments and various pieces (read: dollhouse-type make) might appeal.”

The interior of the Lift-Off Rocket is fairly elaborate:

“The top level is the cockpit of the rocket, with room for 2 of the 4 action figures included. (But not the bunny, who has ears sticking out the back of his space suit helmet. This has caused some consternation in my house.) The bottom level is storage for the lunar rover and possibly one more action figure. The middle level, though, the middle is a dollhouse in miniature, with tiny shelves, a coffeemaker, and rows of cups in the kitchen. The murphy bed folds into the wall to reveal a toilet underneath. The detailing is exquisite, if a bit odd — I wouldn’t actually expect to see books upright on the bedside table in space, for instance, or toilet paper on a roll, but for this age, it’s acceptable. In fact, it’s charming.”

But the noise factor is relatively low; “…about as unobtrusive as they come; there’s one button to trigger takeoff sounds and one alternate sound.”

On the other hand, the Fire Truck is all about movement and sound and terrorizing cats. One blogger (who wisely tested it mainly outside) noted: “The fire truck comes with four little firemen and a remote control for all these fancy maneuvers. It makes noise and raises its ladder up and down expectantly when it moves. Bella the Cat adores it.” Another blogger, who was stuck indoors, commented: “…if you stop playing with the fire truck but you neglect to flip it over and turn it off, it will act possessed, powering itself up and vrooming short distances on its own. This scared the crap out of me (and my cats) until I figured out what was going on.”

The doors of the rocket occasionally popped off, as a few bloggers noted:

And a few of the kids grumbled about where the firefighters could and could not fit:

But the bloggers were impressed by how the toys inspired imaginative play, especially the rocket:

One blogger pronounced the fire truck to be the perfect grandparent toy: “Because it really shouldn’t be dropped, you should probably supervise the child using it…It makes noise and is large, which is another great reason to buy it for the grandparents rather than your own parental toy chest. It’s really fun for old men - I had to literally rip the two-button remote from my father’s hands in order to give it to [my daughter]. I think he liked it more than her.” A mother of three boys, ages six and three and two, noted that: “…while the age recommendation is for 3+, if you have a younger child with older siblings, he or she will most likely be able to play with this independently

Finally, a few of the bloggers addressed the fact that the toys are plastic and made in China - a hot topic among parents these days. One admitted her initial reticence to review a plastic toy: “…this is not your basic piece of plastic crap. It’s sold by a reputable company whose name has not once surfaced in the many, many rounds of recalls of which we are all so aware this holiday season.” And another put it even more plainly: “Yes, it’s plastic, and yes, it’s made in China, but its play value is high and the source appears to be reputable. It’s not a cheap disposable toy.”

So whether you’re purchasing a toy for your own children or for someone else’s (such as if “you want the kid to tear open the package, panting with excitement at what his favorite auntie or uncle brought just for him“), Paz’s Lift-Off Rocket or Paz’s Radio Control Fire Truck (especially for the households that embrace chaos) are just the ticket.

Want to hear more before you click “Submit Order”? We’ve got more reviews coming up!

Thurs 12/6 - Lawyer Mama
Fri 12/7 - Mama Tulip
Mon 12/10 - Creature Bug
Tues 12/11 - Domestic Diva
Wed 12/12 - Formula Fed and Flexible Parenting and One Plus Two
Thurs 12/13 - Round-Up Review on PBN

This entry was posted on Thursday, December 6th, 2007 at 5:00 am and is filed under Kids, Pre-school, Toys. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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Discovery Channel Store Toys (age 3+) - Here’s What They’re Saying So Far

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