Editorial Review

This game is sort of like Twister meets Simon Says. Lay the Hullabaloo pads around on the floor about two 'kid's feet' away from each other. The pads are different shapes and colors and have pictures and words on them. Turn on the game console and the cheerful music begins, a happy voice welcomes you to the game and then gives the simple directions you'll need to play. "Jump on a square shape," "Slide over to a red shape," "Hop to a shape with an animal on it" and so on. Then it might tell you to freeze, or to put a body part on one pad, and then a different body part on another. Then, it'll tell you that if you are on a particular pad at the end of that round, you are the winner. We found it to be fun, and easy to understand--though we did wonder how long it might hold a child's interest. --Megan Sullivan ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Non-Stop Fun
I bought this for my two year old's birthday. We played it with her 5,6,11,12,& 13 year old Uncles and cousins. The older kids played it all that night and all day the next day. My two year old thought it was fun to run around on the pads, but she was able to point at her nose when they said "nose" and point at her knee when they said "knee". Even some of the adults got in on the fun. Very fun game for all ages.

IGNORE any bad review! This is AWESOME!
My 3 year old daughter got this game as a gift and she LOVES to play! My 7 year old also LOVES this game! It is really cute and anytime they play - someone is giggling. (...). It is a good oppotrunity to teach children about being a good winner/loser no matter who wins. That said- this game is just plain fun! I've even played this one with my kids and we all have a good time. You can't go wrong with this!

"Winners"also means there are "losers"!
I bought this for my two 4 1/2 year-old grandchildren. They really liked it at first until one child "won" several times in a row and the other hadn't "won" at all. The idea is basically very good, but I don't like the "winners-losers" aspect at all. It's totally inappropriate for this age, and even for older children, there is nothing they can do to "win"- it's all random. In addition, I would have liked it to be a little slower paced for pre-schoolers (more time to "skip to the square" or do a dance between games, etc.). I wouldn't buy another one or advise others to do so.

We love this game!
My children, ages 6 and 3, got this for Christmas and are still playing it regularly. As a mom, I really love it, too, because it's one of very few games they can set up, play and put away all by themselves (great for them, and even better if I need to get something done!).

The battery-operated box was very easy for them to learn, and they get a kick out of the silly things it instructs them to do. Many, many thumbs up from our family! :-)

Very Fun Toy
My kids loved this toy. Even my 2 year old could play. It is a really great family game and changes everytime you play. Lots of fun! ... Read more

Editorial Review

Outfitted in orange and purple, this electronic learning system for preschoolers plugs directly into a television, and at first take looks a lot like a video-game console. Insert any of Vtech's "Smartridges" into the unit for lessons on language, math, phonics, problem-solving, music, and more. Children can choose between two difficulty levels. Included are a large joystick, adjustable to right- and left-handed kids, and an Alphabet Park Adventure cartridge; other cartridges are sold separately. There's also a storage compartment on top that holds up to six cartridges. The system can run on either three C batteries or an AC adaptor; strangely, neither are included. --Andy Boynton ... Read more

Reviews (11)

your gonna need batteries
the ac adapter is extra, and the unit runs on 3 c batteries! otherwise it is perfect for the school age child...the controller and joy stick is large enough for small hands.. the games may requier parental help at first, but they are quickly learned...my kids love it.

little kid friendly!
my 2 boys (ages 3 & $) received this as a gift and they are fascinated by it. I did find the additional control at Target and bought it along with the SpiderMan cartridge. It is fairly easy to use and very kid friendly for tough little boys who like to use their feet and hands! The cartridges are by age and the levels are very easy. Once they master one level they can move up to more difficult levels. What I really like about this toy is that it is educational and not violent like most of the other video games out in the market today. I like it so much, I'm giving it to several on my gift list for the Holidays. Another retailer (online) is $10 cheaper but you have to pay shipping.

Not impressed
I have two boys, 3 and 4 years old. We also have many video game systems, XBox and Playstations 1 and 2, I was originally going to get the boys a used Super Nintendo, but I saw V.Smile and thought it was more created for their ages and less likely to end up broken as quickly as any other console.<br /> I was upset that the 9 Volt adapter didn't come with the system, I actually think it is because V.Tech is a "rookie" when it comes to game systems like this.We expect to have to buy another remote,like all other game systems make you do, but most game consoles come with the accesories needed to make it run properly. It is designed to be a learning video game system for Preschool age to age 8, but I couldn't imagine a normal 8 year old or 7 year old enjoying it as much as other game systems. <br /> I also was upset and returned the first V.smile I got, because the learning system would shut off and I would play with the batteries replace the batteries and blow in the game and game slot, I noticed sometimes the game would come on even though I pulled it out and it would make my TV screen all disarray. I exchanged it for another and the new one does the same thing. VTech should be more on top of things. I even called the company at 1-800-521-2010 to ask if they have had many complaints. I do not know why VTech would sell the V.Smile without the adapter if it doesn't work properly alone on 3 C batteries. A parent should not have to go in there every 5 minutes or everytime the child changes games. If it is designed to run mostly on an adapter it should say so and include this feature with their product. I do not think it is worth the price, and hassle, but its okay as far as the activitie sthe games play. <br /> All I know is if you think you are going to get your kids to leave you alone for a minute while they play, then you are mistaken, lots of "mommy come help me" because the game has shut off. Even my husband who can fix anything gets annoyed when he plays with it for a while. One of these days, probably after their 90 day warranty expires, the system will probably shut off and never turn back on. Other then that, it is OK, my kids love it, and the games are nice because they are made similar to the Nintendo games, that won't break or scratch like a CD.

Good but.......
The system is great, but......<br /> The extra controller is no where to be found! IT IS NOT AVAILABLE through V-Tech even though the customer service rep said they had 1000's in the warehouse. They can't sell me one because they have no way to take payment. <br /> Try explaining that to twin 4 year olds who argue over the controller and whose turn it is. The adapter was also very hard to find. <br /> Why would a company even consider merchandising something as awesome as this before making all the necessary items readily available? If you have as much trouble as I did locating the adapter, buy yourself a ton of batteries!

extra controller
I haven't actually used this product yet (with the exception of the display in the toy store....loved it!), but I did stumble upon an extra controller in Target. I grabbed it up because I haven't seen it sold anywhere else (and it was the only one on the shelf) and I knew if I waited, chances are I wouldn't get my hands on one until January. ... Read more

Editorial Review

A train you can ride on? That moves by itself? It's hard to imagine any child not being excited by this prospect. The Santa Fe Train offers an amusement park experience in your own house. Assembly is a snap, literally. The track pieces click together with no problem, and it's so obvious how to assemble the train, you almost don't need the manual. If you feel prepared to take it on, this train set can make for a spectacular birthday or holiday present. In the interests of instant gratification, however, be sure to charge up the battery the night before. Some other considerations for parents: This toy takes up a lot of space: at a bare minimum, 12 square feet. It may have limited replay value, since you can go around and around a track only so many times, even if you are 4 years old. And it requires a bit of maintenance in that you must keep the battery charged up. --David Stoesz ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Easily off balance
I read all the wonderful reviews and decided to get this train for my 2 year old for his birthday. Product is well crated, assembly simple. I am not sure whether the charger is operating as instructions suggest (green light is always on rather than signalling when battery is charged). Maybe that battery has never gone low when I charge.

My primary problem with the train though is that my child has fallen off of it 3 times. Now to ride it I have to stand in the middle of the track and spin around and around with him to spot him (i.e catch him or prevent him from falling). If he leans SLIGHTLY to the outside, (like turning to see his mom) the train de-rails or falls off the track side ways on to him.

I don't know how all the others had such positive experiences. My hope is my son will gain skill in keping the train on the track and will find it interesting, but any kid that comes to visit, we will have to 'spot'. I guess the educational value of this train for my son is learning to balance on a badly designed moving toy that has a narrow base and has a constantly shifting center of gravity (due to turning on track).

Bottom line - my kid prefers the $6 mega-blocks truck he got to this (...)train.

Great for little boys!!
Received this for xmas 2003, and my just 2 year old and 4 year old sons love this! They spend hours riding around. I've only used it so far on the track, so not sure about use without it. I'm buying a second battery because they ride it for hours and have a fit when I have to recharge it. They received tons of gifts from Santa, and this is by far the most used and loved. I would recommed this to anyone with small children. My 2 year old walked around holding the button down until he felt comfortable riding on it. LOVE THIS TRAIN, and only wish I could ride on it!!!

EVERY LITTLE BOYS' DREAM
THIS TRAIN I NEVER THOUGHT COULD BE SO USEFUL. NOT ONLY FOR MY SON, BUT FOR ME IT WAS A RELIEF. HE WOULD SPEND A LOT OF TIME RIDING IT WHILE I WAS BUSY DOING STUFF AROUND THE HOUSE. THE BATTERY IS VERY DURABLE. THE ONLY PROBLEM IS THE SPACE ISSUE BECAUSE I LIVE IN AN APARTMENT AND THE FIRST THING YOU SEE WHEN YOU OPEN THE DOOR IS THE TRAIN BECAUSE IT'S BETWEEN THE LIVING ROOM AND DINING AREA. OTHER THAN THAT IT'S A LOT OF FUN.

have owned it for 2 years, and it *IS* a fun ride on.
Bought it for his first birthday, My son is not very timid, so he was fine with it -- but we held him while going round and round on the track -- he just loves it!. He would use it like a walker himself too, pushing the the black button for little spurts of movement and walking along side.
The track does take up a lot of room, so since we have hardwood floors, I've put the track in storage in the garage for now, and it works great, except of course that at 18 months, while my son can now ride securely by himself and climb off with no problems, he still cant turn it once he gets stuck in the furniture etc. I think the track will get fished out shortly since he loves to play for 30 to 45 minutes at a time riding on it and as an SAHM I'd prefer not to stay right by him to rescue him every other minute when he is otherwise so happy playing. He has now figured out which button does what just fine! Its wonderful that you have to hold it down to move. There is no question of it not stopping when baby wants it to stop and him not knowing how to throw a switch or something. He likes to give blocks and stuff a ride in the back too.
Its very easy to assemble, and having the battery secure is very important to me since my son has excellent fine motor skills and gets into EVERYTHING! So while that means five minutes everytime we want to charge the batteries, its no big deal for the safety plus. It seems durable and has stood up to lots of 2-4 year old visitors well too!

Update after 2 yrs and my now 3 yr old -- he still loves it! It has moved on out to the patio and yard, with a tarp for bad weather. He's finally figured out how to manouver it minus tracks too.
Pros: Great fun when other kids are around. Teaches taking turns and sharing. Very safe battery compartment. It gets played with only 10-15 min at a time, so I have to recharge maybe once a month, and have replaced the sound effects battery only once after a year.
Cons: Derails an awful lot especially the trailer, takes up a ton of room with the track. trailer lid snapped off with some rough handling. No Steering possible without the track(maybe need a large strong build to manouver) I would invest in this for a 12 - 18 mo old child, but unless its a small build child, they will have outgrown both interest and size(45 lb limit) by 3 or 4 yrs old. It has been a hit ride-on toy, and much cuter than other battery ride-ons. All the kids make a bee line for it when they head out, and are very disappointed if I've failed to charge it. A charge still lasts for about 2 hrs straight of play.

Sally's Train Ride
I had this train shipped to my neice up in Juneau, Alaska. Apparently it was the highlight of her 2.5 year-old day. Every kid should have this train...whistle, engine and bell sounds are real sounding and WOW...what a cool toy. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Sally, Stevie, Stanley, Sophie, Stewie, and Sid are six colorful, lightweight bowling pins--each with their own personality--that talk to kids while they bowl. Taunts such as "C'mon!Roll the ball already!" get kids started, and phrases such as "Whew!That was close," keep them aiming for the pins. Bells, whistles, and cheers are heard if a spare or strike is bowled. The tan plastic base has six colored circles to hold the pins in place, but it is not required that colors match up for a game to begin. Silly 6 Pins only keeps score one frame (two balls) at a time, so keep a pad of paper nearby if you're playing as a family. Three AA batteries are required, but not included. --Pam Lauer ... Read more

Reviews (67)

Best Kids' Bowling Toy
As a mother of four, I found this toy great for my 2 1/2, 4- and 5-year-olds. It's extremely durable. The kids can set this one up by themselves. My 4-year-old hates playing by himself, but sets this one up for himself to play everyday. We've tried other bowling sets but the pins fall down before they let go of the ball. It can be set up on carpet. It helps my toddler with her colors. It can be played with alone or with others. All the kids laugh hysterically at the pins' talking and teasing. It's a winner!

Great game!
My son recieved this as a present for his 3rd birthday. He absolutely loves it! I also think it is really cute how the pins move and talk. My son has been playing with it non-stop since he got it.

2 year old proof
I bought this toy for my son this past christmas. It is the only remaining toy he has from his presents. He loves it. The only bad thing I could say about it is it needs more phrases. He loves it though, he lines them all up by the colors and then shakes his hiney with it as the pins shake. It really truly is a great toy.

Great toy
I bought this toy for my 2 1/2 year old daughter and she absolutely loves it. She takes turns bowling with her little friends. It's a big hit at playgroup. She says "gutterball" whenever she misses the pins. She already knew her colors and numbers before getting this game but I think it reinforces her knowledge. It has also helps with her coordination. She used to roll the ball from a couple of feet away but now stands at the other end of the room. Overall, I think it's a great toy.

Great toy!
My three year old daughter loves this toy! She sets it up by herself (color coordinated) and has a blast trying to knock the silly pins over with the plastic bowling ball. The pins tease you by wiggling around and talking. They even snore when you take to long to knock them down! Great for counting, turn taking and color recognition as well as eye hand cooridination. Lots of fun for the tots and grown ups too ;-D ... Read more

Editorial Review

The Pixter is like a personal digital assistant (PDA) for kids. But instead of storing boring appointments and phone numbers, they get to draw, do puzzles, and learn a little, too. The Pixter is about the size of a small book, and has a pretty solid weight to it. It's made out of brightly colored and durable plastic. The main action of this toy is drawing with an attached stylus. The Color Pixter offers much better graphics then the black and white version, which comes in handy with activities like Paint-by-Numbers and Connect-the-Dots. You can draw a picture free form, or you can use one of the starter backgrounds. There are tool buttons, like on a PDA, that give you access to fun stamps, special effects, and the eraser button. You can also save your creation in the Pixter's memory. There are some boppy tunes playing along with all this creative activity, but luckily for parents, there's also a jack for headphones and a volume adjuster. An expansion slot on top of the Pixter accepts ROM-based expansion cards that contain additional software and games. Requires 4 "AA" batteries. (Not included.) --Megan Sullivan ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Kids really love this toy
My daughter was 3 1/2 when she first played with her 10 year old sister's B&W Pixter, and she loved it. So I got her the color Pixter, and she plays with it every day, especially in the car. There are educational games available for it, as well as entertainment games. It also plays all the older black and white games for the older versions of Pixter.

Disappointed
We bought this for our 4 year old because he's not quite old enough for Game Boy. We have already had to return it twice due to it malfunctioning within a short period of time. The first one, the stylus didn't work and the second one the stylus worked on only half the screen after a couple of weeks. For as much money as we spent, I had great expectations. The kids, 4-9 years, enjoyed it while it worked, it just didn't hold up very long. I'd spend my money else where.

Take Care
My kids love this toy!! But do be careful because it is needs to be well taken care of. I would not reccommend this to any child who just throws things down where they may.

worth every penny
My 4 year old is one of those kids who can't play with anything for more than 5 minutes, except the Pixter. It is the best toy I've ever bought for her, and we've tried everything (thanks to used toys and bargains...). I bought her the Pixter recently because I was pregnant and too tired to keep her busy. It is well designed, challenging but not frustrating, is adaptable to her growth and needs, etc.

Pixter Easily Broken
I got my daughter the Pixter Color. Her little sister dropped it on my oak floor a few hours after we opened up the box. Now only half the screen works. I know it was dropped, but kids drop stuff. There must be a way to make these things more breakage-resistant. Spending 80 dollars on a toy that worked just one afternoon is bad enough. Listening to my daughter sob all evening was worse. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Nice picture making for an easier puzzle
My 2 year old daughter has this puzzle and thinks its wonderful.

Unlike many puzzles, with just one character on it, the picture is brilliant having lots of different trains, etc on it. It is easy to fit togehter, with parts of a different character or scene on every piece. She can easily put Thomas, the sheds, Harold, etc together thus eventually making the whole puzzle.

This is by far her favourite puzzle. For one, it's Thomas! And for 2, it's well-made and 'easy' to work out how to put together.

Most Beloved Toy
My son who just turned 4 years old in December received this for Christmas. I'm amazed at the beauty and durability of the pieces. He put it together about three times (with help) the first time we opened it! I never seen him so excited about a toy and to my greater surprise--a puzzle! Each time he placed a new piece in (sometimes with my assistance and sometimes not), he'd ask me to turn around and then ask me to look. When I looked I praised him for his accomplishment and he squealed with excitement. He literally jumped up and down almost after each piece was placed! He told me this was his favorite gift for Christmas and believe me he had quite a few more that were more expensive. I'll be buying more Thomas puzzles from this company in the near future as I'm very impressed.

Easy enough for young kids to solve by themselves
My son and I have been doing puzzles together since he was two, but most of the puzzles that claim to be for kids are too complicated or have pieces that are a little too small for him to work with; so he usually "helps" me by talking with me as I do the puzzle and occasionally placing a piece. He likes this big Thomas puzzle because, at age 4, he can do it all by himself. The pieces are big, which not only makes it easier to grasp and manipulate, but easier to comprehend the shape and the picture pattern as well. Of course, he likes that it is Thomas, and he even likes the "cool" box it comes in.

So this puzzle has a lot of replay value, because whenever we start a puzzle session, he will eventually move to this one to show mommy and me that he can do it all by himself, and that makes him feel good.

Big, bright puzzle
My son has enjoyed this puzzle since he was 3! It features a bright picture of his favorite engines. The pieces are large and easy to handle- perfect for a younger child who loves puzzles. It has been great for spacial learning. My son would put this together, again and again. He is almost 5 now and still plays with this. The pieces have lasted for almost 2 years and still look new! (They are a heavy cardboard.) ... Read more

Editorial Review

This enchanting activity game will keep younger kids happily distracted, whether it's played indoors or out. A cute, blue elephant blows 30 feathery, vinyl butterflies from its 4-foot trunk into the air. The trunk, made of flexible plastic, stands straight up when the small, quiet motor in the elephant's bottom is turned on. Kids use mesh nets (four included) to capture the most butterflies, same-color butterflies, or just catch 'em period. Requires four C batteries, not included. --Diane Beall ... Read more

Reviews (135)

Not Worth The Money
My son wanted this game really badly. So, he got it for his birthday and it seemed to entertain him for maybe 15 minutes. On the commercial it looks like a lot of fun with the butterflies flying everywhere. Well, when you get your game home and start to play you can go to the kitchen and get yourself a drink and you probably still won't miss a butterfly. The pressure is poor and the butterflies come out 1 every 5 minutes. This game is a big disappointment.

Kids LOVE this game!
I first came in contact with this game at my daughter's preschool, when she was about 3 years old. This was, without a doubt, the favorite of the younger kids (2.5-3) and the older ones (4-5)eventually copuldn;t help themsekves, and joined in too! This game helps them with hand-eye coordination - it's not as easy to catch those fluttering "butterflies" as one might think! Just try to be gentle with the "trunk". After LOTS of use, it can become sort of "bent" and this will prevent the "butterflies" from getting to the top of the trunk. That takes quite a bit of use to happen though, so my only downside would be the bunch oif batteries it takes, which really is not too big of a deal. Cute and fun toy!!

no fun
My daughter wanted this so bad for her 4th birthday, it was such a disappointment. The butterflies barely come out of the trunk! Not at all like they show it. My kids had more fun playing with the nets!

This was a HUGE disappointment and WASTE of $$
This was a HUGE disappointment. I thought it would be an ideal gift for my son, but I've spent more money than I like to think about just to keep fresh batteries in it. As soon as the batteries start to wear down (which is pretty quickly), the fan slows down and the butterflies become stuck in the trunk. I'm sure my almost-four-year-old would give it five stars for fun if it always worked when he wanted to play with it, but because of this game, I've begun to ration my batteries. As other reviewers mentioned, there needs to be a lot more butterflies included. This could be a great game for kids if the manufacturers made a few changes, but as it is, I recommend that parents save their money.

The butterflies refuse to come out!!!
I was so excited to buy this for my three year old daughter. I figured it would reinforce counting and colors as well as eye hand coordination. When we started playing, the butterflies took forever to shoot out. I opened it and mixed them around as the instructions stated but still only one or two popped out. The rest kept blowing around on the bottom. Very disappointing. After a while my daughter said "all done Mommy". She was bored standing there waiting for the butterflies. I dont blame her, I was bored myself. The fan worked fine and the trunk fully extended & I put fresh batteries so Im not really sure what went wrong. Its such a nice idea but Im sad to say its a lemon of a game. ... Read more

Editorial Review

The Pixter is like a personal digital assistant (PDA) for kids. But instead of storing boring appointments and phone numbers, they get to draw, do puzzles, and learn a little, too. The Pixter is about the size of a small book, and has a pretty solid weight to it. It's made out of brightly colored and durable plastic. The main action of this toy is drawing with an attached stylus. The Color Pixter offers much better graphics then the black and white version, which comes in handy with activities like Paint-by-Numbers and Connect-the-Dots. You can draw a picture free form, or you can use one of the starter backgrounds. There are tool buttons, like on a PDA, that give you access to fun stamps, special effects, and the eraser button. You can also save your creation in the Pixter's memory. There are some boppy tunes playing along with all this creative activity, but luckily for parents, there's also a jack for headphones and a volume adjuster. An expansion slot on top of the Pixter accepts ROM-based expansion cards that contain additional software and games. Requires 4 "AA" batteries. (Not included.) --Megan Sullivan ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Has entertained my child for 3 years!
We first bought our pixter in 2001 while taking our 4 year old on a three week trip to Europe. It entertained her the ENTIRE time. We even had people coming up to us to take pictures of her playing it because she was so quiet for such a young child! Of course, the next year, we upgraded to the 2.0 version (giving her old one to her cousin). She still plays with it constantly. We have a large variety of software (which I buy on sale every so often) that she keeps attached to the carrying case (I do recommend, it keeps everything in one place and is handy to carry everywhere) in a small mess bag I had. She plays it with or without the sound depending on where we are. I asked her if she wanted a gameboy or a pixter 2.0 in color for Christmas and she immediately said Pixter! It's much more imaginative and allows her to be creative. It also is great for us to play games while trying to pass time like when we are waiting at a doctor's office. We can draw, play tic-tac-toe, bingo, etc... and she doesn't make a fuss. She loves it so much, that she shows every kid she sees how it works and lets them play. It does wear the more she plays, but what doesn't? Her current one has lasted for over two years with almost daily use. All ours have lasted through tons of train, plane and automobile rides, many of them over 10 hours in length. I would definitely buy it for the 3-7 year range. I'm sure the older children may not get as much entertainment out of it as they would other systems. We'll be buying her the color version for Christmas this year!

Pixter-Color
Great toy better that the monochrome version. However, it lacks durability. My 5 year old son got one as a christmas present in 03'. We have had to exchanged it 3 times in 8 months. The primary problem been accuracy of the touch pad. Even after recaliburation the accuracy slightly improves if at all. There is no place for light as in the previous version. My son loves it when it works but gets very frustrated when it doesn't.

Broken on the second day....
We used to own the pixter but it quit working after just a few months (I was disappointed but assumed that it was just my child's overuse/rough handling) so we thought we would upgrade to the color pixter as they had since been released. We should have learned from our mistakes about the durability of this product. My daughter had it out of the box for not even 24 hours, it slipped out of her hands onto the floor, and the screen cracked and the product no longer works. This drop was only 12 inches to the floor. This is quite an expensive toy to not be able to withstand more. My children own gameboys and have dropped them numerous times and even left them in the car on a hot day, and they still work. In fact, my friend's child left his out in the rain and after drying it out, it continued to work! I am truly disappointed with the inability of the Pixter to stand up to a child's environment. I would think twice before buying this toy.

Not a satisfied customer!!!
I purchased a Color Pixter for my neice's 5th Birthday. She already owns and loves her Leapster so I figured she'd really enjoy the Pixter.Before I gave it to her I myself tried it out and honestly thought it was kind of neat but a bit limited. I know the Leapster talks to you and the Pixter doesn't. For over $80 this thing should talk. Anyway, I give it to her and she literally had it out of the box for 5 minutes and I look over and the screen has been scratched beyond belief!! I know for a fact she used nothing but the stylus on the screen. Obviously she pressed too hard which they do warn you about in the owner's manual but lets be reasonable! She did exactly what she usually does to the Leapster and the Pixter can't withstand anything but a very gentle touch which is not what you're going to get from 4 and 5 yr olds. This is not the quality that I expected. She's not a destructive child with her toys. She's had the Leapster since Christmas, has no problems with it and loves it. I had read the reviews that these Pixters don't seem to hold up very well but for heavens sake...I paid well over $100 for this thing along with another software cartridge to use with it and it's in her posession for literally 5 minutes and this is how it holds up?? Fischer Price states that this toy is for ages 4 or 5 and up but take heed!! Unless you're buying this unit for a child who's older, I would not recommend it. In fact, I don't recommend buying it at all. I do highly recomment buying a Leapster and then buying the "Draw and Learn" software cartridge for about $25. It's very nice, and the Leapster is extremely durable. If I'd known they even made such a cartridge for the Leapster, I wouldn't have even bought the Color Pixter in the first place. Anyway, I returned the merchandise and recieved a full refund so no harm done but just a warning to all. When they say the screens will scratch, they're not kidding and it doesn't take much to scratch them. The Leapsters the way to go....hands down.

A nother *GREAT* toy,
Hey ya people. I bought one of these things and I say it is the best toy ever! O.K. here is the detales about this toy: 1:There is tons of other feachers on this than the first one. So don't go out and buy the older one. (It will bored to death!) 2: It is color. (duh,I don't know why I put that.) And the old one is, well, black and white. Witch can sometimes stran your eyes. 3: There is better games included with the color. For instince, pick a seane and draw and put stamps and stuff. create words and put them as stamps. (witch is cool.) color the number. Draw by yourself. And conect the dots. wonce you conect the dots a mini show like-thingie will have to do some thing about the picture. 4: Now this is about the batteries. Well, I played it A LOT and I repeat A LOT and STILL HAVEN'T HAD TO CHANGE THE BATTERIES! And to tell you it takes four of those batteries. 5: Here is a kind of cool feature. It tures off when you don't play with it after a while. 6: It can take both black and white softwere and color softwere. So make sure you have the adapter. And wene you want a color softwere make shure you pick up a color one beacause I picked up a black and white one on accident. That's all about the stuff about it! About the learning,well what I think is educational is if you don't have paper at home you can use it whoa, I was talking about education, It teaches you to be a good artest. Durability, you know you wouldn't want to damage a PDA for kids. I don't know what will happen but DON'T TRY IT! It also makes a prefect gift for Chistmas! So go out and buy it! You will be satisfied and so will your kids. Oh goodie! I got more things about this toy! You can save one, I repeat ONE piture or something you can save in a file. Which is a drag beacause you want to save more than ONE. And I tried to set the volum because it was noisey and it got scrachey. Eventually, it didn't scratch no more. And if you look on the bottom, you can put headphones. Which to me is nice. And once you get your pixter color, just follow the dierections you ain't going to be confusied. There are SIMPLE! Later dudes and evreybody else! P.S. Hope this review helped you! A LOT! ... Read more

Reviews (5)

great design, great fun
This preschooler variation of the old favorite Bingo is a real winner.

Zingo cards have a 3 by 3 grid that shows pictures and words. Cards have a yellow side (easier, for younger kids) and a red side for the odler ones. The plastic game piece dispenser is well-designed and fun to use. Players shout out to claim a piece, which is then placed over the appropriate square on the player's card. There are several play variations.

Excellent game for the younger set, and fun for older children and adults as well.

Wonderful toy - kids love it!
My son got this for his fourth birthday and still plays with it regularly (he's now over 5). He'd just started to read when he got it, and the game helped him add many new words to his vocabulary - but more importantly, it was fun! His friends loved it so much that several of them asked for their own sets as gifts. We play until everyone wins and gets to shout Zingo!, and the kids help each other get there. And my son even plays it sometimes by himself. It's really wonderful, very very fun, and would be great for kids from about 3 to at least 6.

game enthusiast
my 4 yr old daughter received this game as a gift. she hasn't stopped playing it! Everyone in the family has fun with Zingo! from my 8 yr old daughter to my mother in law! Great family fun!

Let's Zingo!
Our children love this game and it is by far their favorite. Though the recommended ages are 4 and up - my 4 year old and my 2 1/2 year old both enjoy playing this game and it is one that they never seem to tire of. The playing pieces are all very durable and well constructed. I highly recommend Zingo.

Excellent game that even parents enjoy!
This game is great. Since the day we got it, it has been played with all the time. The kids love being able to yell "Zingo" when the win. The design is great since you can keep all the pieces neatly tucked in the dispenser.

A great fun, educational game for game nights and rainy days! ... Read more

Editorial Review

The classic carnival game of Whac-a-mole comes right into your house in this energetic and highly silly home version. The inherent cruelty of this game is tempered considerably by how much fun the moles appear to be having while receiving repeated blows to the head with big plastic mallets. It must help that each mole gets to wear a helmet, each a different color. One to four players can join in by whacking the critter in front of them during the "sign in" period at the beginning of the game. The object of the game, naturally, is to whack the moles as they pop up and players can choose to have them light up or not. Parents should be aware of course that they are giving big plastic mallets to very young children and the result will almost certainly be that one kid whacks another before too long. It’s just bound to happen. But if those energies can be re-directed toward the moles, this is a fun and silly way to play inside. --Charlie Williams ... Read more

Editorial Review

Taking a step away from trivia questions and clay sculpting, the makers of Cranium have instead created a game for teaching wee ones a few colors, shapes, numbers, and letters. (And, if you know 3- to 6-year-olds that won't lose all the included cards and balls, they may also learn sharing, cooperation, and imaginative play.) The bottom of the box houses the game itself, with three chutes along the top that the balls are dropped into and three rows of flip-up panels that are decorated with various colored objects. Players draw cards, match them to a panel, flip up the panel, and hope there is a ball underneath it. Once all six balls are recovered a treasure chest pops open and gameplay can begin anew. --Pam Lauer ... Read more

Reviews (85)

Well-Loved by all my kids
We received Cariboo as a Christmas present about 2 years ago and it's been loved ever since. My son (5 at the time) played often with his little sisters, and when my youngest reached 18 months old, she would play along, too (with guidance). (The balls are choking hazards for really little ones.)

While the doors can come off, they are easy to put back on, and I recommend storing the balls inside the gameboard, ready for the next game, rather than in the little area provided, as the balls don't stay there very well, but I have to say this is one of my favorite games, especially as my son still enjoys playing it, and as it is more of a co-operation game rather than a competition game.

Also, we gave one to my son's kindergarden class that same year, and it quickly became the favorite game for all the students, so much so, that the teacher had to create a schedule for when each table could play it!

Cariboo is a fantastic game!

Great learning tool for young children
This game is a wonderful learning tool for young children learning their letters, numbers, and colors. I was extremely impressed by the game. My 2 1/2 year old absolutely loved playing this gamw!

Recommended, and adaptable!
I was unsure when I ordered this toy, due to the varying reviews. However, now that we have it in hand, I can say that I definately recommend it. Both my three y.o. boy and six y.o. girl love it. It's a good challenge for him, and way too easy for her, but the mechanism fascinates both equally. And, even though the previous reviewers were correct in saying that the "academic" content is quite limited (ABC, 123, red-green-yellow-blue), it will be a simple matter to make it more complex by creating my own cards and door covers and substituting them for the factory ones. Soon we can branch out to DEF, etc., and I can even see putting addition facts on the top of it for my daughter. I'm surprised Cranium doesn't provide supplemental card and door sets. In sum, the toy is somewhat limited in what it can teach, but with a little parental creativity this can be a great teaching/playing tool for a while to come.

My 3 year old loved it-- we added a fun ending of our own
I read reviews before I bought this game, and I took into consideration that my 3 year old might get bored since he already knows his colors, shapes, and numbers for well over a year. However, he had so much fun with this game! He played over and over. I also remember reading that reviewers felt their children weren't excited about the treasure chest opening after the first few times the game was played. Well, to keep the game going I wrote a message on a little piece of paper and put it in the treasure chest without my kids knowing, at first it was an easy note that said "look in your sock drawer for a surprise" and while they played I put a fruit roll up in their sock drawer. The next note said "Look in your toybox in the dump truck" and I put stickers. Then I would make it more of a treasure hunt (to go with the theme of the treasure) "look in your suess book" then the note in the suess book would say "look in your cereal bowl" etc. until they were searching around the house. It was fun!

Twins delight!
I bought this game for my twin three year old boys, and they love it. They want to play it over and over again -- every single day! Yes, it's not the most educational game, but being three is about more than learning all the time. It is more of a stealth learning game, and they do love it. The balls are of a size that are easily replaced if lost, you can substitute for the key, and new cards can be made. If my twins haven't broken it yet, that says alot. We have definitely gotten our money's worth. Not a game for kids to play alone. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Four hippos try to eat as many marbles as they can--as fast as they can. This game is fast-paced and riotous for kids who get to take turns popping a white marble into the ring, then furiously pressing on their hippo's levered tail to catch the prize. As if that's not enough, in the advanced game, all 20 marbles are released at the same time. Utter mayhem ensues, and whoever snares the most marbles wins. If only it would get kids to clean their plates as well as those pudgy hippos do! --Lynne Sampson ... Read more

Reviews (54)

Gobble them up! Noisy and Fun!
There's something deeply satisfying about this game: Is it the allure of pounding a hippo's tail as fast as you can so that your hippo will eat more balls than its opposing hippos? I leave that to the psychologists...

This games provides a great release for toddlers and adults. Because of the intensity and noisy pounding, you may want to limit your own play to about ½ hour. Educational value? Well, the game helps with hand-eye coordination, learning how to be a good sport, and simple counting. But basically it's just a good way to get in touch with your inner hippo--let the pounding begin!

VERY DISAPPOINTING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
MOST DEFINATLY NOT THE GAME I GREW UP WITH!!!! THIS VERSION OF HUNGRY HIPPOS IS TERRIBLY DISAPPOINTING!!!! DON'T BUY IT!!! IT WILL NOT STAY TOGETHER FOR EVEN A FEW MINUTES OF PLAY!! THE "MARBLES" ARE CHEEP HOLLLOW PLASIC BALLS AND THE HIPPOS DISCONNECT FROM THE GAME WITH EVEN HIT. IF THEY AREN'T FALLING OFF THE GAME THEN THEY WILL STICK. WE HAVE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO PLAY A COMPLETE GAME (NOT EVEN PART OF A GAME) WITHOUT GIVING UP IN FRUSTRATION. (...)

Very dissapointed
My son received this gift for Christmas two years ago. I was very excited as I remember playing this game as a child. I was soooo disappointed!! It is definitely NOT the sturdy game I remember from my childhood days. The hippos tend to get stuck w/the handles down. For the adults...not a problem...but very frustrating for little ones. And the "marbles" don't roll around very well. Overall...not a good buy in my opinion.

Piece of Junk
I bought this game for my 5 year old son, because I remebered how much fun I had playing it when I was 5. This is not the same game that I remebered, the marbles are cheap plastic things that aren't even completely round and the whole game would fall apart after just a few seconds of play. We tried 5 or 6 times to get it to stay together, we even tried taping it. Nothing worked, it was in the garbage after just 1 day of use. Do not buy this game!

great game
the object of this game is that there is 4 or 5 hippoes and a lot of little white balls your hippoe has to eat the most of the white balls (more than your opponent). when there are no more balls that your hippoe can eat you count how many balls you have and if you have more than eveyone else, you win. im a teenager and i still like to play this. it gets your anger out.so don't listen to the age limt. ... Read more