Durable, good for smaller kids, February 19, 2010

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I see that the age range on these is 36 months to 8 years. I think an older kid (older than 7) might be disappointed with these, but my 36-month-old is in love with them. I got them for her after she played (a LOT) with a real pair, and seemed to enjoy trying to find things with them outside.

They’re a solid pair of preschool binoculars. We have a kid-tough camera too, and it’s also pretty indestructible. This is not going to be the best pair of binoculars that you ever get your kid, but they do work, and they’re adjustable-width, adjustable-focus. Only one color combination (unlike the camera, which seems to come in boy or girl colors), but that wasn’t a concern for us. They serve their purpose well.

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From Maryland to Montana, August 24, 2010

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My husband and I invested in the best binoculars we could afford. Our two-year-old grandson always wanted to play with them, but he is not ready to take care of them. I bought the toy binoculars so he would have a pair to take on a family trip to Montana. I gave them to him before we left home, in Maryland. He put them on, and announced that he could see Montana. He loved them so much, he took them to bed.

The binoculars look and feel like real ones. They enlarge an image 250%. They have a textured grip, and best of all, a break-away strap to prevent choking. This pair has been dropped, banged against hard surfaces, and worn in the bath tub. For eleven days, they have been subject to intense use and they have survived. A pretty-smart little boy thought they were so special, he didn’t even ask for the real ones.

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Adventures with binoculars, June 12, 2010

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These were a big hit for my 4 yr old grandson. We go on adventure walks through the neighborhood, and he usually wants to bring them, to check out things he can’t otherwise see, He even enjoys looking through the “wrong” end for a different perspective of the world. Great way to look for bugs or birds hiding in trees, or to see leaves up close on tall trees.

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Very Happy Baby, August 27, 2010

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My 9-Month old loves music and after taking Kindermusik classes I decided to buy this set for him. He can’t stop ringing the caged bell and we have to take it away when it’s time to eat or take a nap. All of the toys are durable and he picks them up with ease. So glad I got this set and didn’t buy the individual pieces separately. I’m going to buy more of these as gifts.

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Perfect for us., May 11, 2011

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My son was 10 months old when we purchased this item for him and he loves making noise with all the pieces. Since every baby is different, I think it unfair to lower the rating of this item if the child doesn’t play with it regularly. I agree that the rainmaker is a little wide but our 10 month old had no problems picking it up and throwing it around. As another reviewer said, it also rolls great on the floor and makes lots of noise. The bell and the rattle both have handles, making those easier for children to grasp. The tambourine or clacker has a sideways handle and it took a few weeks for our son to figure this one out. If your baby likes to make noise, these are the perfect toy. Even if they can’t figure it out immediately, give them time. Inevitably, if it makes noise our son figures out how to throw it!

Quality-wise these toys are great. Our son is a thrower (not sure how to stop that, taking advice!) and the toys have no scuffs, dents, etc. The carrying case is great for when we travel. Nice and compact. We’re very happy with the quality and play value of this toy and would recommend to others. Thank you.

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Mixed review on the 4 piece set, April 6, 2011

There are some major drawbacks to this set, but there are also elements that I really like. First, the toys are too big to be used by a baby. My son is 8 months and quite big for his age. The tambourine is completely unmanageable for him. The rainmaker is too fat for him to pick up but he can roll it on the ground, which he enjoys sometimes. The bell is easy to grasp for a baby but too heavy to shake well.

On the other hand, the rattle is just the right size for a 6-12 month old and my son really likes it. And I must admit that although the bell is heavy for my son, he loves it… If he catches a peek of the bell anywhere in the room, he will make a bee line for it. And he has now figured out that it is much easier to shake if he uses both hands.

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Great Toy, But Some Pieces Too Small For 1 Year Old, August 30, 2007

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N. Mininger “Sanity is Over-Rated!” (Michigander transplanted to Greenville SC) – See all my reviews

  

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I love Haba toys, but although this set is rated for 1-4 year olds, we had to put some of the pieces away as they are just too small for my grandson who loves to put EVERYTHING in his mouth. I’d given them to him for his first birthday, and although he really likes them, some of the blocks are just too small for a one year old. I am going to buy the Fantasy Jigsaw blocks to give him more to play with though and just put away the little parts till he can handle them.

Haba makes really nice, well made toys.

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Top quality but….., January 1, 2008

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My son loves these blocks, and I wish I had these blocks growing up. They are top quality, but two of the blocks have a small red knob inserted into the top. My dog and my son worked together to remove the knob on one of the blocks, and I later found it in my son’s diaper.

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HABA FANTASY BLOCKS are FABULOUS!, January 9, 2007

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S. Notter (San Francisco, CA) – See all my reviews

  

We now have 3 or 4 sets of them and the kids make wonderfullly creative towns, buildings and towers out of these blocks. They are always the first blocks by kids choose to play with at our house. These will be kept for the kids forever.

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Awesome toy for infants and toddlers, January 3, 2011

We received these teethers as a shower gift (not the pink version) for our son. These have lasted through all his teeth, as well as numerous turns in the dishwasher. Still looks brand new, even after being toted around town (“my keys”), across the country, and in various toy boxes throughout the house. My teething daughter found these and refuses to part with them, Great in the bath, at the table, on the changing table… My kids were/are so pleased with these teethers!

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Cute Teether, January 20, 2011

It’s a Cute Teether but my baby never bite on it .. She is 6 month old.

i think i bought too many toy for her she got confused : )

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Bright colors, great textures, January 3, 2011

DD loves these keys. They’re bright, well-textured, and fun for her to hold, rattle, and swing around. This is a great value for a long-lasting and sturdy teething toy.

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Classic toy that toy story 3 fans will love., November 27, 2010

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My son loves everything toy story so of course this is a hit. My daughters enjoy it as well.

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Not great., January 11, 2011

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My 4-year-old daughter loves Toy Story and for quite a while had been asking for a Potato Head to go with her Buzz, Woody, Jesse, and Bullseye. Well, we decided to get it for her and it’s been quite a disappointment. It’s difficult to remove and replace some of the pieces, such as the nose and teeth, and the storage hatch in the back doesn’t work well. Overall, it served its purpose and wasn’t too expensive, but I was expecting something better–and so was she.

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Good toy for appropriate age group, October 18, 2011

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I gave this toy to a 1 year old and he doesn’t seem to enjoy it very much. it’s very possible that he’s just far too young for this toy but I gave the product an overall 4/5 stars because of it’s build quality and safety. The parts are fairly large and no easily swallowed which I thought was a very important feature. I would recommend this product for a 3+ year old who can use his imagination to play with this type of toy.

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Lots of learning and playing options!, November 19, 2004

By 

N. Sutherland “simplifier” (Lehi, UT USA) – See all my reviews

  

This is the best put in and take out toy! I (and my daughter) love that there is more than one way to take things in and out. At first my daughter loved pulling the birds through the hole in the roof, then she learned how to open the door, and keep it open (this is a good one, the door flips closed if not held open this helps develop fine motor skills, I think.) And just recently she’s learned to open the roof, which is a bit trickier. She likes to put the birds and ANYTHING else that will fit in it and then peek at it through the clear end. She carries it around all day filling and emptying it with anything and everything. I like that you can see through some sides and not others so some of the contents remain a surprise to little seekers. The 4 birds are very cute and full of many textures. They have a soft rattle which wouldn’t disturb any one sitting near you in public (but I think different noises in each would be fun too, i.e. jingle, different rattles, etc.) Still, this has been well played with for the past 9 months and I expect it will still be out for many more. I think it is welll worth the bit higher price tag. Manhattan Toys are creative, cute, and fun! Kudos!

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A hit in my house!, July 31, 2005

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C. Murray “former avid reader, turned first t… (Houston, Texas) – See all my reviews

  

This is a fabulous toy! My son received it at around 8 months, and still loves it as he approaches his first birthday. We often spend an hour straight playing with it; he loves to examine each bird, to put them in, peek into the birdhouse to see what they’re up to, and pull them back out. Between the large door, the small hole and the roof that opens, there are lots of options.

The engineering on this is exceptional. The fabrics are bright and stimulating. I highly recommend this for your own child, or as a stand-by gift for any child between 6 and 24 months.

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Great toy – QUIET!, February 1, 2006

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J. Doschadis (Sartell, MN) – See all my reviews

  

I bought this toy for my daughter to take to church when she was probably 8 mos. or so. She is 18 mos. now and still likes it. It keeps her interest for a long time. The roof opens, the door at the end opens, and she can put the birds in the hole in the top of the bouse. The birds do make a little noise when you shake them, which is good for her to hear, but quiet enough for church. And she loves carrying it herself! Great toy!!

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wheels dont roll!, June 6, 2011

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The product details make it clear that the wheels dont roll, but we still missed it. it was a sad moment for my 5 year old when he unwrapped his non-rolling cars on his birthday.

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Car wheels don’t roll–PVC is a rubbery plastic., May 26, 2011

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Be aware that the wheels on these cars do not roll and the cars are made of a rubbery plastic material (PVC). If that’s what you’re looking for, this is a fine product, but I think most kids want the wheels to turn!

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Disappointing, June 8, 2011

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My 7 year old paid for this product with his own money. Then waited for the arrival. He was so excited when this package arrived…..Then, it almost brought me to tears to see the disappointment on his face. The description is decieving. Not worth the money.

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BEWARE NOT BPA-FREE, October 28, 2009

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Alicia Walker – See all my reviews

  

After researching this porduct it is not considered safe and BPA free. Some but not all sassy toys are bpa-free. It doesnt make sense to buy BPA free bottles and not toys.

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Various textured surfaces–a big hit!, March 7, 2007

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B. B. “B.B.” (Baltimore, MD) – See all my reviews

  

I initially bought this set because I wanted to change out the hanging toys on my daughter’s Boppy activity center for variety. She loved these!! They have various rubber surfaces that she liked to chew and touch. Very colorful, encouraged her to grab for them. During teething these are really great–you can put all of these in the top rack of the dishwasher for easy cleaning (even the fish). Great value for the money.

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Perfect!, November 9, 2006

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R. Filteau “Vixixi” – See all my reviews

  

This is the perfect set of toys for a teething baby. Not only are they strong and durable, they taste clean rather than like rubber. Just do me one favor: don’t ask me how I know that….

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A Lot of Fun, December 28, 2007

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My 7 year old received this as a Christmas gift, and it has been his favorite toy. The whole family gets involved with the magic experiments. The wand is difficult to make, but not impossible. The little black stoppers for the tube are ridiculously tight, and require an adult with upper body strength and/or patience, but it’s worth it when blue slime doesn’t leak out and spill on your carpet. Once it’s done, you don’t have to take them off again unless you want to, so it’s one annoyance with a good result.

Once the wand is made, the little wizard can perform the other experiments that are incredibly cool to the 7-12 year old set, particularly the magic smoking fingers trick.

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Family fun time! Not all parts included., November 14, 2009

By 

Ryan Heywood (not Chicagoland, sadly) – See all my reviews

  

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Most of what our family experienced was as listed in the more favorible reviews. A bit messy, but easy to prepare for that and a great time was had by all. Most of the objects included are common household products, but this simply makes them conveniently at hand and easy to refill by not hiding the ingredients as generic magic powders.

A down side is the experiments seemed to be a bit repetitive, but the kids didn’t mind as it was all so facinating to them.

The real downside? The smoking fingers trick was missing. Our first thought was a mischevious child made the card vanish using newfound magical abilities, but after searching online this seems to be a problem others have been having recently as well (ref: review at Barnes and Nobles web site) we’re pretty certain that parts are being left out. While we find it incredible that this educational toy was able to make learning fun, it would be nice if we could perform ten magical activities as advertised instead of the nine actually available. I have to question the true value of any object’s educational value when the company sending said product cannot count to ten.

A side note, the caps were not all that difficult to get on the ends of the wand. It just takes a little twisting and shifting, finesse rather than force.

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Disappointed in the quality, January 15, 2008

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Christa T. Stamos (California) – See all my reviews

  

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I have to agree with the other review regarding the magic wand. I have a very disappointed 5 year old as well because the ends on my kit also do not fit. The other disappoint was the magic smoking fingers. It is a very greasy substance that you put on your fingers, the problem is that is stinks and is very difficult to get off your fingers. Plus I followed directions and did not get any smoke. All in all, I would not recommend this kit.

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Not the same toy! But still fun and nostalgic…, September 8, 2010

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My parents still have my 30 year old music box record player and it still works great — so we were pleased when someone gave us this new “classic” version as a gift for our boys. It does have a similar look and feel, but if you really want the original be warned that this is not the same toy. Engineering analysis follows below. As a toy though, the kids love it and it is reasonably durable. They will need help operating it when younger but it does give them that sense of tactile control of the music that the original was renowned for.

I was perplexed as to why this needed batteries and why the discs looked different than I remembered though, so I took a closer look yesterday at it:

The original player had a real music box in the record player “head”, and the bumps on the discs would strike the teeth of the music box, producing the notes, which echoed in the box chamber. The discs turned via manual wind-up. A brilliant re-imagining of the music box in a record player format, not unlike a real record player in how it worked, and a highly cherished toy.

Evidently someone realized that it was far less expensive to use a 25 cent memory chip and a speaker instead of all those mechanical parts (study though they were), so the new player works as follows:

- The record head has four pressable buttons which line up with four ridge positions on the discs

- Each disc no longer has “bumps” for notes, but instead simply has a combination of four continuous ridges

- The memory chip identifies which disc is being played by the ridges depressing the buttons

- The wind-up still turns the disc manually, but all it does is tell the speaker to play while turning.

So, if no ridge being present is 0, and a ridge is 1, then Humpty Dumpty might be 0-1-0-1 while London Bridge might be 1-1-1-0 and so on. Hence the appearance of the discs.

You don’t really need the disc at alls – just wind it up (so the chip knows the music is “on”), and press the buttons under the head with your fingers to activate different songs.

All of this is invisible to toddlers, of course, but adults may miss the faster and slower variations of the original and be annoyed at having to now use three batteries in what was once a battery-less toy.

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Not like the original, September 6, 2010

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I was so excited to see this record player reissued as I loved this toy while growing up. Ultimately, I purchased at at a brick and mortar store after waiting for it to become available through amazon.com. Beware, it is not of the same quality as the original, nor is it as durable. Gone are the music box tines from the original, replaced with most likely a memory chip (if you have the old records, you will be unable to use them with this player). The record player has also stopped in the middle of playing multiple times despite using fresh batteries, and the machine being properly wound. For a better sense of nostalgia, you would be better served finding a vintage one at a garage sale or elsewhere online.

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Not worth it, November 20, 2010

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We bought this product for our daughter for her second birthday because both my wife and I had the original as kids. The new product is far inferior to the original and here’s why: 1) The new product is NOT a music box like the original. 2) Because of #1, the new product requires batteries. 3) My Aunt still has one of the original products and it has better sound! Yes, 40 years later and the music box sounds better than the cheap digital recording. 4) You still have to “wind” the new toy (I won’t call it a music box because its not) just to make the “record” spin even though all sound is electronic. 5) The switch to start/stop the music has a cheap feel and sometimes doesn’t work. Finally……this product costs .99 at Meijer so DON’T PAY .99 on line!!!! Bottom line, I am returning this product in favor of buying an original on e-bay. Thanks for a ruining another childhood favorite!

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