Cheap First Blocks

Customer Ratings:

We wanted a SAFE alternative to most blocks you buy in stores right now that may or may not contain lead paint esp since babies put EVERYThing in their mouths. We decided HABA, a German company, with a great reputation was the way to go. Our 7 mo old baby LOVES these blocks because they are very unique. The jingly one, the one with a mirror. SHe loves the donut shaped one and the little guy with his car. It's the best gift she got for Christmas and that's saying a lot when comparing it to all the battery-operated toys she got! I think the basics go a long way. She is entertained by these for a long time. We will buy more Haba toys in the future.

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I have been buying Haba toys for my baby, believing these were safe baby toys made in Germany. Because of this, I did not hesitate to pay extra money for these blocks. So I was shocked to find that the red rattle in this set contains high level of arsenic and the blue fabric hat contains small amount of Bromine. (My baby loves to chew on this hat) Overall, this toy is rated "HIGH" in toxicity level at HealthyStuff.org. Some Haba toys have 0 toxicity level, but unfortunately, this block is not one of them. I have thrown away the two toxic blocks, but this leaves the set rather uninteresting and way over priced.

***UPDATE***

I contacted Haba regarding the high toxicity level reported on these blocks. Here is the reply I received;

Thank you for taking the time to write to us. Obviously you are a very educated and astute parent and for that I applaud you! We at HABA® really appreciate parents such as yourselves. Being a mom of two children myself and an "auntie" to 11 more children I can empathize.

Our HABA parent company in Germany was the first toy manufacturer in Europe to voluntarily send our items to an independent testing lab to get tested many decades ago. Mr. Habermaass still owns this family owned business and he is a grandfather now himself. You can read more about HABA at in the About section. In fact in 2008 after the heavy recalls of China made goods many other toy companies from Europe and America decided to pull back from the USA market. HABA didn't, we actually embraced the new CPSIA laws President Bush signed just before the end of his term. Of course this new law put a heavy financial stress on all childrens' products producers and retailers but HABA endured. In fact our lead levels were already at the lower levels that the law required so we had to change very little. The HealthyStuff.org group and other interest groups such as these do not have the funds to send all of the toys to independent, CPSC authorized laboratories so they purchase equipment themselves and do many of their tests in house. These tests are not as perfect as one would get from a laboratory. That being said HABA abides by the CPSIA law and all products we import have the appropriate testing and those Certificates of Compliance are readily available on our website.

At one time this same organization claimed our marbles in our Marble Ball Track Construction Set (a wooden block set made for older children to build architectural designs for the marbles to roll through) had a harmful chemical in them. This interest group takes advantage of consumers' fears and announces their worst toy lists at the holiday times. We in fact had proof that the marbles were safe and that no chemicals that may have been in the marbles were in fact in a state that could be absorbed by a person's body, even if swallowed. In this case we did spend the money to hire an attorney and healthystuff.org had to do a recant on their findings.

Did you also know that HABA still produces all of our wooden blocks, that we know will be most likely put into a child's mouth, in Germany? It would be much less expensive for us to do what all the other companies are doing and move our production to China but Mr. Habermaass and our company philosophy is to remain as a German made company, at least for our wooden products. We can't find textile companies in Europe to make our soft goods or room décor but we're on the constant look out. We've also opened our own office in China so that we have our own staff checking daily on our production partners in China.

That all being said, our First Blocks are safe. This item passes all testing required and this item continues to be a best seller for us.

If you have any other questions please don't hesitate to reach out. Obviously your satisfaction is our #1 goal.

*************

After getting this reply from them, I'm amending my rating from 1 star to 3 stars. In the end, each parents would have to make their own mind as to who and what to believe. It takes forever to build a company reputation and just a second to ruin it (unfortunately scare tactics works too well whether justified or not) and I want to give Haba a benefit of doubt.

The reason for 3 stars is that these blocks are more hit with my husband than with my baby.

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Colorful, well made blocks. There are not really enough to "build" anything, so I would suggest buying a set of Haba blocks that can be used with these, like the Fantasy Blocks.

Honest reviews on First Blocks

My original review of this product was quite favorable. While these blocks are among my son's favorite things to play with, I do have concerns now that we've had the blocks for several months (under HEAVY use). First, the hat on the little person is not secure. Ours fell off and would have posed a huge choking threat to our son if we hadn't grabbed it in time. We will not be reattaching the hat we'll just "retire" that toy. Second, we have noticed cracking in several of the blocks. Any cracks in a wooden product such as this will harbor bacteria from moisture (similar to wooden cutting boards). Since these blocks are only meant to be wiped clean with a damp cloth, there is no way to get them very clean. That in itself should have been a big red flag for us when we first bought them. Think about how much moisture they came into contact with from our son's saliva alone. In hindsight, NOT GOOD. Finally, I read the review about this product on healthystuff.org (thanks to G_Girl's recommendation) and it does get a high rating for toxicity. That was the icing on the cake for us. These blocks will all be retired now. It is a shame, too, because they really were a big hit here. They did cost a lot...I figured the Haba reputation meant that they were safe. I should have dug a little deeper I guess.

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Please check healthystuff.org when purchasing toys. This item is rated HIGH for toxicity. Ridiculous. It takes an incredible amount of time and research to find safe, non-toxic toys for infants.

Best Leapfrog Learning Baby Tad Deals

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I love the daytime and nighttime options. It makes a great transition tool for trying to wean my son because while nursing at night, I would play the nighttime music until he would fall asleep. Now, I can just play the music and he can fall asleep without me having to nurse him. I know when he wakes up in the morning because I can hear him playing with Tad in his crib, and I can get him before he gets upset and starts to cry. Very happy baby and mommy!

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10th Anniversary Hug & Learn Baby Tad is both education, fun and not to mention affordable. Baby tad is recommended for children six months and up, though you may find yourself playing with it. The toy is soft and cuddly, so it makes a great toy to snuggle up with. Baby tad is light weight and easy to carry. There are no sharp edges on him like some education toys.

Press the right foot that reads clap and he identifies feet. ("We have two feet"). Press his right paw and he counts. Press his right foot that says "dance" and he says dance with me and sings songs your toddler can dance along to. Press his left hand and he identifies hands. "I have two hands just like you." Press the sun on his belly and the sun lights up and he sings a sunshine song. Press his belly and he giggles and identifies his belly. Press his belly again and he sings the alphabet. Press the moon and he switches from day to night. Sooth your baby to sleep with songs like "Twinkle Twinkle little star."

When your child no longer plays with "Baby tab" he will say Bye-bye and automatically shut-off to save your battery. The toy is a great size for hugging and playing. I found Hug and Learn Baby Tad engaging and would highly recommend it to those with children eight months and up. Leap frog recommends this product for those six months and up. A baby at six months may have trouble pushing some of the buttons.

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Bought this toy for my 6 month old from target.

He's loud enough to distract any crying baby during a meltdown in the store. When you press his chest then his hand you he plays 'night-night' music starting with a woman singing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and then goes to classical music. You press his hand once, 'five minutes to night-night', you press again 'ten minutes to night-night'. Which worked so great on the car rides home from dinner at grandma's house. My husband is deployed so there wasn't anyone to keep him company in the back, and with tad he was usually always fast asleep within minutes. He sings songs about toes and clapping hands as well. Changing from clapping hands between once or five times, like a surprise every time you press his hand. He laughs and dances. My son likes to bite on tads 'ear?' while he teethes. He's soft and you can't feel the battery box like some toys since this one is in the back with lots of padding.

cons: the only things I didn't like was how he can seem loud a times(no volume dial) when you just need him a little more quiet. His belly is so low that it seems like they labeled his crotch, 'belly' which i understand kids don't know any different at their age, but its still funny/strange to adults. Also, sometimes it's a little hard to press on a button because of all the padding (on hands/foot/belly/chest). Which is better I guess if I had to choose between durability/comfort (to not feel battery pack) and ease of use.

All in all, even my son is still not able to press the buttons with all the padding I still like this toy. There hasn't been an outing yet that hasn't saved me from those in-store meltdowns. I'm pretty sure its less stressful on everyone (child, parent, and strangers) have a loud toys rather than an unhappy little one.

I recommend you get this toy for anyone who's trying to keep outings as smooth as possible. It even distracted my 3 month old nephew from crying!

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I had purchased several of the original Baby Tads as shower gifts over the years with rave reviews from the parents especially as part of a night-time or nap routine. When we were expecting, these had been discontinued but I was able to locate a French version. We were excited to see that there was a new English version available and quickly ordered it looking forward to the longer "minutes to night-night". Unfortunately, the music on the new tad starts with a song that has lyrics instead of just calming classical music and I don't believe the quality of the sound is the same. At this point, original Baby Tad (en francais) is used regularly and the new Tad is sitting on the sideline.

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This is not nearly as nice or as educational as the old Baby Tad. The variety isn't there and there is no "off" button, and it doesn't give kisses, which my first son loved.

Review of 3B Scientific A58/9 Human Didactic Flexible Spine Model with Femur

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List Price: $209.00
Sale Price: $129.75
Today's Bonus: 38% Off

I am very happy with this product. The class liked the colors. It really helped them understand the different parts of the spine. Also very solidly made. I don't usually write reviews but getting this product in two days really helped me out of a potential bind. So I am grateful. I didn't buy the stand, I just propped the spine up when I wasn't holding it by hand.

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This item is exactly what I needed to show my Critical Alignment Therapy students the various aspects of the spine in certain postures. I just wished the stand had been available.

Best Storytime Theater Cartridge - Dora What Should We Do Today? Deals

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The Projector was a gift and I searched amazon to find affordable Storytime theater cartridge and I did. Kids love Dora they watch it over and over.

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I wrote a review for another one of these titles. Nothing new to add. Daughter still loves it. Uses the system with and without the book. She sometimes reads the book on it's own. I will continue to purchase these whenever I can find them.

Buy TrippNT 50991 Crystal Clear Acrylic Universal Stand for iPad

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List Price: $39.00
Sale Price: $26.95
Today's Bonus: 31% Off

Due to its sturdy build and pretty acrylic material, the TrippNT Crystal Clear Acrylic stand is the perfect solution for holding the ipad. It has a 7 inch width and 8 inch height and can be used in either the 58 degree or 68 degree viewing angle. The ipad can be used in either portrait or landscape position, and there are holes which allow cables and sound to pass through. This is the sturdiest ipad stand I have found and is attractive as well. The stand does not fold, which probably contributes to its sturdiness, but you can leave your ipad sitting on it and not worry about it's tipping over. I think it is more than worth the price!

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I am an information and multitasking junkie. I have multiple screens hooked up to my computer and that still doesn't seem like enough desktop real estate for me. This stand allows me to have websites, email, etc pulled up freeing more space on my computer for photoshop, dreamweaver or final cut. Before my ipad was nice toy and great for travel but now it's essential part of my work flow. I've gotten so addicted to using it that I got another one for home. I bring up Netflix or MLB.tv and watch whatever I want while I'm surfing the internet or doing a little work from home. I can even watch TV using my DirecTV app. I have uploaded this short clip of one of my coworkers using the stand with skype to talk to someone. If you have an iPad and want to make more use of it get this stand.

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I have never ordered an item from Amazon and reviewed it so quickly. I just opened this and after just a little time I can already see that it is wonderful. The perfect viewing angles along with the simplicity of this stand makes it worth more than five stars. Order it; it's worth the price.

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Great device for holding iPad on desk. Easy to use and very sturdy. Holds iPad at the perfect angle for viewing and working.

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I've had his handy stand for only a few days, but I can already tell it is too simple to believe, and it does just one thing amazingly well. It holds my iPad at a perfect angle, wherever I want it. Somehow, it makes the sound from the speaker bigger and deeper (it apparently reflects the back facing speaker off the acrylic frame). Flip the stand and the angle changes. Works great for holding recipes while cooking. I have an Apple folding pad cover and I try to fold it to make it sort of a stand, but I usually just end up swearing. Problem fixed with this stand.

Only con? It doesn't collapse, so not so good for traveling. But for home or office (I may get another one so it is home AND office) perch for my iPad, I love it!

Reviews of Eureka Photographic Center Signs Bulletin Board Sets

Customer Ratings:

I was looking for something to label my centers in my classroom with pictures and words and these are wonderful. I love how its showing something the child is doing in that center. I would recommend these signs!

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Discount Learning Resources Plastic Base Ten Starter Kit (LER0930)

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List Price: $39.99
Sale Price: $27.83
Today's Bonus: 30% Off

The exact contents of this kit were not listed in the description when I ordered it, so I'll include the details here in case anyone else has the same issue.

100 base ten units

50 base ten rods

10 base ten flats

1 base ten cube

1 base ten revised edition grades 3-6 book (107pgs)

The individual units are 1cm cubes, and weigh aprox. 1g, both of which are helpful in getting my kids to become more familiar with those forms of measurement. I'm very pleased with this kit.

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I bought these for my kids to help reinforce the base ten concept. I allowed them to just play with them for a couple of days before diving into any real lessons. We have done a lot of "trading" exercises and I can see them really starting to grasp the concept. They have been very helpful.

I do, however, see that there could be some problems with these manipulatives. The blocks are not weighted, so some children might have a difficult time understanding that the 1000 cube is ten times more than the 100 flat, since it clearly is hollow and does not weigh anything close to 10 times as much. I think for a truly multisensory experience purchasing a base ten set that is weighted would be helpful. Luckily for us, it has not been an issue, and for the great price I don't think it could be expected.

My other criticism is the fact that there is only 1 thousand cube in the set and they are not offered seperately. 3 would have been ideal for me.

On another note, these were cheaper for me to buy directly from Assessment Services. The set was $13.50 plus $9.50 shipping (orders over $100 get free shipping).

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This base 10 kit has enough of all the pieces (units, rods, flats) to accomodate all the teaching and learning needs of addition/subtraction and other areas of math like perimeter and area. Quick shipping too!

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I homeschool my children. My 7yo was having a hard time understanding why borrowing/regrouping works but this made it "click" within 10 minutes, so much so that he can do many problems in his head now. I can think of many other concepts where these will be helpful and plan to get many years of use from these (he is the oldest of 5). Wish I'd gotten them 2 years ago. Our former math curriculum used dimes and pennies to teach place value but these manipulatives are much more intuitive.

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It's a great educational product. My only two complaints are the packaging and the activity guide. I thought it was going to include some kind of storage case, but it didn't. It just came in plastic bags. I'll just keep it in the cardboard box it came in, for now. The activity guide is one sheet of paper folded in half with few suggestions. I confused activity guide with activity book so I was disappointed when I saw the guide and not the book. Beside those two complaints, this product is great and I'm glad I made the purchase.

Review of HQRP Pair of Solar Powered Flying Fluttering Butterflies Yellow

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I was given two sets of these adorable solar butterflies as a gift and then bought some more to give as gifts. They are so fun to watch and even if the sun isn't powering them they still flutter in the breeze! I highly recommend them!!

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I was skeptical at first but it does look like real butterflies moving around. Loved it so much I got one for my mom and she loves it too.

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I have many of these fluttering around in my flower beds. Very entertaining. Looks like real butterflies fluttering around especially in the early morning when the sun comes up which starts them up.

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These butterflies are really cute! I put them in my flower garden and when the sun hits them, they flutter like real butterflies! I'm going to buy a couple more.

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Don't know why this is listed on Amazon as a toy because it's notbut all I know is that I love to watch this in my garden. Looks amazingly real:)

Wonderworld Mini Sweeper Reviews

Customer Ratings:

This toy was an immediate hit with pre-schoolers even girls

maybe it was the cleaning feature which actually does clean!

it has held up well & continues to be a favorite

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I bought this for my nephew who is 18 months and tough on toys. The Wonderworld trucks hold up so much better than all the plastic toys on the market.

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I was suprised by the nice quality of this toy. It is very sturdy and seems like it would last for years. My son love spinning the sweeper!

Buy Chicco Animal Cottage

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I bought this toy for my daughter on her first birthday. As a kid, my brother had an older version of this toy and I was expecting that when I puchased the Chicco Animal Cottage. In that sense I was a little disappointed. The plastic is much thinner and flimsier, the doors pop open easily without using the key, and the animals can fit through some of the holes at the top meant for the shapes. That being said, it is still a fun toy and both my one and four year old enjoy playing with it.

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I really dislike this toy. The keys and locks are nearly impossible for my child to use and she gets very frustrated. I'm glad this was a gift but am completely baffled at how many lame toys are produced. Don't they have focus groups for this kind of item? We hate it. Do not buy.

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Our great grandson loved this toy. He has played with it quite a bit and it stands up to daily pounding.

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Not that functional when the top keeps opening up so easy! If I stay whit my son I can have him play with it the right way but when I leave him, he just opens the top and gets the toys in and out hehe

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Color-coded animals, doors, and keys? And the concept of a master key? This toy may not be Playmobil quality but it's a mini-zoo's worth of fun. As the two-year-old said, "open the green door. green door and the yellow door. and white door. and people in it. the doors go open it! oh no! I locked it I locked it! I lock door. I lock door. I see it now."

Watch-A-Bug Reviews

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My 3 year old loves this watch because it leaves his hands free to catch additional insects/bugs; and I love this watch because it tightly clicks shut! So many other bug "boxes" and containers just have lids that are placed on top but don't lock into place which means 99% of the time the little critters are going to end up in places you don't want them! (such as running around your house or in your car while you are driving and your child is strapped in his carseat so obviously can't re-catch them). I have bought about a dozen or so other bug "boxes" or "houses or "containers" and this is by far the best one. I only wish I had found it before wasting all my money on all those others.

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I ordered this for our 4.5yo son for Christmas, to use next Spring. I broke down & gave it to him when it came today & he LOVES it! Now our 5.5yo son wants one too, & he's not even the tree hugger! LoL

I think it's a great idea-kinda gross to think they're on their arm, but there's plenty of sturdy plastic between wrist & bug!

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I bought these for a couple of 4 year old boys who love to collect all things creepy crawly. Only thing is that the poor little insects often receive a bit too much loving while being clamped in their small, moist hands. This frequently turns out to be an unfortunate end for the bugs and results in heartbroken little guys who were trying to be gentle with their new buggy friends. The wrist habitat offers the insect a semi-safe spot to be viewed and "befriended" by little folk. It also gives an opportunity for parents to instill some early compassion in their children; such as, "Honey, I think that Calvin the Cricket has ridden around long enough now and would probably like to go home to see his family. Maybe another bug can take a turn for a bit." After one or two of these suggestions, I've noticed that the kids become very conscientious about returning their bugs to the spot where they were originally found. So, all in all, a fun accessory to observe bugs; but also an opportunity for the little ones to think things through and learn about other living creatures around them.

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I just bought this for my 5 year old daughter. She loves rolly-polly's and is always carrying them around. Now she can stop handing them to me and just put them in her watch.

Cool and cheap toy. I do feel bad for the bugs...but she truly loves them!!

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Purchased this for my son's christmas stocking. He loves to find bugs and put them in here or just use the fake one for pretend play. I think this will be great when we go on hiking trips!

Cheap Dandelion Soft Shaker Toy

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $12.99
Sale Price: $12.15
Today's Bonus: 6% Off

I got this for my 4-month-old and she loves it still (she's now 7 months). She hasn't been enthusiastic about other soft toys, whether they make noise or not, but there's something about the texture and shape and sound of this one that she loves. The body is just about the right size for her to grab comfortably (it was a little big when we first got it), it's easy for her to make the sound and she enjoys that a lot, and the plush is made from bamboo viscose that has a really smooth texture that's a little velvety but not too plushy. She also likes to mouth the little nubs and ears. :)

Only reason I give 4 stars is that I've read that the process to make viscose from bamboo fibers is not at all environmentally friendly, and that matters a little to me, and also seems to be a little counter to this company's philosophy/image.

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It is cute, and the bamboo fabric is nice and soft. It states it's organic product, and it made me feel safe even the baby put it into its month. The sharker sounds ok, but I think the price is a little bit high. The negative thing is the sound is not loud enough. Your baby need to use it in the quiet enviornment, not good to play when in the street.

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Everything about this was adorable and great until I read that it was made in China. Wish I would have known before purchasing, but I guess whatever. Now I know to not buy anymore "organic" toys from this company. Made in USA, only please!

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I think this rattle is so cute! It is also very soft. It could be a little louder and cheaper. . . but overall I am satisfied.

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It is so soft and plush...my daughter napped with it right after we first got it in the mail. Perfect size for her little 4 1/2 month old arms and hands!

Buy Viking Toys 7 Piece Chubbies Toy Gift Set AW81119

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We bought this for our sons 1st birthday. The idea of a battery free toy was very appealing to us! They are just the perfect size for little hands. He loves pushing them around and making "vrooom" sounds. Our 3 year old son loves to play with these as well. This has really sparked his imaginative play. I am very pleased with this purchase.

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I ordered these cars for my two-year old grandson because they were BPA free. The set of 7 vehicles was a big hit with him and his twin sister. They were a great size for their little hands, had a good variety of vehicles (airplane, helicopter, bulldozer, jeep, truck, etc.), and were a nice soft plastic with no sharp edges. The white wheels did not mar the window sills where they like to drive them. They seem very sturdy, and are safe for their younger sister who likes to put everything in her mouth. I would definitely order from this company again!

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fun, durable little cars! our son loves them. we even bought a bigger one for him from viking that he also loves.

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I saw these cars at a play date and I went on a hunt for them online... both my kids play with them and LOVE them.. we bought the big bucket. This is my go to item for 2 yr old Bday gifts.

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I bought these for my 11 month old grandson. He likes them well enough, but they are very cheaply made. The wheels are plastic, not rubber. Just look very cheap.