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Friday, November 15, 2013

Whitmor Kids Storage Collection 6436-1523-DS 12 Bin Organizer Primary


storage
Good for storage, but overpriced. Also unit is unstable and could pull over easily, I mounted boards to bottom to stabilize it.
Would recommend
Decent quality, does not tip over, easy to assemble, bins are a good size for small toys and books, balls, and puzzles.
Good storage
I picked up one of these on sale at Target. Ours is neither pastel nor primary colours, something in between I think, with a white frame. I'd love to get another set, or even two, but they are terribly overpriced considering what you get and you have to put it together which can be dodgy. I think if I could find some somewhere for less that forty bucks I would buy again, otherwise it's just not worth it.
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Step2 Infant to Toddler Swing 1-Pack (Turquoise)


We are so happy with this swing. Our grandchildren fit comfortably and it is study and safe. GREAT product!
We love this swing! It is study and comfortable for our toddler grandchildren! GREAT product!
The swing was delivered quickly too! We had a bucket type baby swing but it was getting uncomfortable to fit the legs into the holes but this swing is EXCELLENT and I'm probably going to purchase a second one soon because of the kids all wanting to swing on this one!
Great swing. Easy install on a tree branch using eyebolts.
This swing is very well made and seems very sturdy. The rope and hardware looks like it will last a long time. Installation was very easy. I hung this swing up yesterday on our tree branch. I used two 12" eyebolts, a 15" drill bit, 4 nuts, 2 washers, drill gun, a ladder, two carabiners (260lb rated) and two 8" pieces of 1/2" rope (280lb rated). I got all the needed items from my local home store. Used a yosemite bowline knot on the top and a few slip knots piggy-backed to a 2nd failsafe knot where the seats rope connects to my rope. After about an hour I had the swing done. We put our 8 month old in it. He was ecstatic. Was laughing, all bugged-eyed. Probably thought this was the coolest thing in the world.

Overall, great swing for our little guy.
Swing
My grandson loves, loves this swing. They have it tied to a tree and he begs to go swing! This swing sits your baby upright unlike others.
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LEGO Education Community Minifigures Set 779348 (256 Pieces)


Excellent set of people an accessories
My son loved setting up these people and their accessories. There are no "instructions" (unlike the typical themed sets) and so he was left to his imagination (and the box cover) for how to assemble them. He also used some of the people in a diorama for a school project.

In general, good wide assortment of people and accessories for general purpose lego sets, and a good value for the price.
Great value
Lego minifigures without buying an entire building set are so difficult to find. I searched the net and Ebay incessantly and refused to pay $9.00 a figure so was very pleased to find this on Amazon at a great price. This set contains a great mix of male/female figures and the accessories are great!
Good addition to existing Lego
I used this set to fill plastic eggs for our grandchildren for an Easter Egg Hunt. I put the pieces together before putting them in the individual eggs. The children were all delighted, and have apparently already spent a lot of time sorting them, and having fun with them. I think that they go very well with the other Lego that they have or different kinds, and also enable the younger child to join in more with her older siblings..
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KidKraft Two Step Stool - Natural


Gives your kid a safe step up!
We have high sinks, faucets that don't extend very far out, and a child who is only barely at 50th percentile for height (just turned 2 at time of purchase). As we looked to encourage her to wash her hands (initially, just for general cleaniless, but later more frequently with potty training), I had a hard time finding a stool that was high enough her her to step up onto easily AND that would get her high enough to actually wash her hands. This stool is the solution!!

We first saw the floor model in a store but they had none in stock. We later bought online but for about $22-25. We have two - one in the kitchen, and one in a bathroom. The stool is heavy (read: sturdy, not going anywhere while your kid is going up/down), but was easy to assemble (arrives packaged flat). The stool is *not* a spacesaver, but given the drawbacks that other stools posed and the intended user, that was not our primary focus. We looked at more complex, expensive models (tower-like) that are...
Nice - but where's the skids?
This is a very nice looking and sturdy stool. It was also very easy to put together. I gave it 4 stars because I'm using it on a wood floor and it slips unless I super glue rubber band strips to the bottom.
Dangerous
The step stool doesn't line up flush against the cabinet. As my toddler leans forward over the sink the step stool moves right out from underneath him. I can't imagine why they would design a step stool this way. I would not recommend it for use on wood or linoleum floors without some other protection against sliding. At this price, you can do much better.
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Step2 Easel For Two with Bonus Magnetic Letters/Numbers


Great value!
I ordered this easel for my 2 year old son after reading many excellent reviews. He loves the magnetic side so we are using it to learn small words. The easel includes some magnetic letters and numbers, which I was pleasantly surprised to see. Although they are fairly small, which could pose as a choking hazard. Overall, he really enjoys his new easel and I was satisfied with my purchase.
Perfect gift for brother and sister
I bought this easel for our 6 year old grandson's birthday. I figured he would like it, and I hoped it would be something his 3 year old sister could enjoy also. It was a big hit. They both could draw to their hearts content at the same time without interfering with each other. Another plus is the clip at the top of each board. We discovered that was wonderful for paper drawings and those large coloring sheets. We added washable dry erase markers and sidewalk chalk to give them many options.
Wonderful Easel
My toddlers LOVE this! It is loads of fun and very durable/washable. Buying large construction paper is easier than the rolls of paper btw.
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Thursday, November 14, 2013

LEGO Architecture Fallingwater (21005)


Less of a toy, more of a Lego showpiece
First things first, this isn't really a "traditional" Lego set: while all the pieces are things you'd recognize from 25 years ago, the set is clearly aimed at a much older audience. The box even states its recommended for 16+. I'm 30, a big fan of architecture and I've always enjoyed Legos (but hadn't bought a set in over a decade), so when I heard this set had been created I leaped at the chance to place it in my new home. I'm not disappointed.

When constructed, the structure isn't big: the base measures 10" x 5" and its 4.5" high, but its quite complex (more complex than the sets I remember as a kid) and feels substantial when completed. There are well over 800 pieces and approximately 100 pages of instructions. The instruction book also includes a few short essays on Frank Lloyd Wright and Fallingwater. The assembly instructions are well done and putting it together took several hours but no confusion.

You can't tell by looking at it, but the structure is...
Great fun for FLW Fans
With over 800 pieces, this Lego set is great fun to put together. This is the first of three Lego Architecture set I've gotten this year - and it was by far the most fun to put together - plus it looks great. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who likes Lego and Frank Lloyd Wright. The Guggenheim Lego set is also fun, but it took a fraction of the time to finish. As far as missing pieces go, that wasn't a problem. Plus you can get replacement pieces from Lego through their website.
Great toy for an older child or adult
This was a Father's Day gift for my husband. He loves architecture, Frank Lloyd Wright and Legos, so it was the perfect combination. He loved the set, and we had fun putting it together. However, I was surprised at how small the end structure is. The size is in the description, but it still is quite small when all assembled. It's hard to believe so many pieces can go into such a small building. Regardless, it's a nice set to have and we look forward to buying other sets from this collection of Legos.
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LEGO Super Heroes Tumbler Chase 76001


When You Have Read This Review, You Have My Permission to Buy.
I have been waiting a long time for The Dark Knight Rises Lego product or products and this one did not disappoint me. The cost is extremely reasonable and the amount you get for the forty dollars is a lot more and a lot better quality than I expected. The Tumbler may be smaller than the Tumbler set from 2008, but the car is extremely durable, easy to build, and easy to roll around. The Tumbler holds flick-fire missiles that pop up from behind the cockpit. They are covered by two flaps. The cockpit holds one minifigure.
The Bat is a lot better than it appeared to be on the box. The cockpit holds two minifigures just like in the movie and there are two separate arms that move independently in two places. The first place is where the arms connect to the cockpit; this joint twists around and moves side to side. The second place is right where the arm connects to the end piece with the small propellers; this joint can adjust up and down. Each joint is easily adjustable but it stays...
An Excellent Set
As a fan of the Nolan Batman trilogy, I ordered this set as soon as it was released. The Bat and the Tumbler are smaller in scale compared to the Dark Knight Tumbler, but I wouldn't penalize Lego for that (if the vehicles were to scale with the 2008 set, this set would probably cost $80-$100). Let me go over the pros and cons of this set:

Pros:
*The Bat is fairly accurate with guns, missiles, propellors, two seats, and tow cable
*The Tumbler has a speed booster and missiles
*Vehicles are to scale with each other (unlike the 2008 set where the Tumbler was huge and Joker's truck was small)
*Bane and Commissioner Gordon are movie accurate

Cons:
*Batman wore black, not gray in the movie
*Commissioner Gordon comes with an unrealistic two-barreled gun

Overall, the pros stand out and the cons are minor. I am very satisfied.
Batman Tumbler Rules
A great LEGO for any occasion. My 9 year old son is a fanatic and loves Star Wars and super hero inspired LEGOS.

Amazon was fast and efficient and cheaper than Target.
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