Editorial Review

Even though this electronic basketball game is for little ones--thebasketball hoop is only 5 feet off the ground--the rules are the same.Pintsize point guards have to shoot the wee (6-inch-diameter) basketball intothe 13-inch-diameter hoop to score points. What makes it even more fun andchallenging is the automatic electronic scoring mechanism on the backboard. Whenthe ball goes into the hoop, a lever that calculates each point is hit. Thebackboard timer can be set to time each play, encouraging skill under pressure.Electronic lights, sounds, and scoring give this lightweight, durable toy abig-court feel. Batteries are required. --Diane Beall ... Read more

Reviews (4)

batteries
hi, when i first saw the basketball game on the net i was overwhelmed. when i gave it to my son for his christmas oh my god he was at a lost for words. to my dismay, no amount of batteries that i put it would work. i purchased at least 4 sets of 'c' batteries (16 in all) and for the life of me the thing would not work. because of this the fun that is intended for my son to have just shattered and i feel like i failed him terribly. i don't regret buying it but i'm disappointed because it does not have the full effect. i wonder if it's because of the christmas rush i got a defaulted game. to return it it's gonna cost me because i live in jamaica.

This toy is just for Toddlers
We just purchased this and what a big disappointment for us all. The ball that comes with it is truly sized for a toddler at best. There is a lever you have to install (that goes across and into the net) to activate the score keeping function, and this lever will not allow any bigger sized balls than the included one to pass through the net. My son is 7 yrs old and wants to play with his REAL basketball (a bit smaller than adult sized basketballs) and he cannot with this set. If I disconnect the lever, he could use this, but that defeats the purpose of having an electronic score keeping hoop. For [$] I want a hoop that we can all use. Also the volume is very loud with no on/off switch or volume control. I would not recommend this for any child over 3 yrs. old, although the volume is so loud it might frighten a young child. ...

Best Choice, even for the price!
I bought this basketball hoop after taking back the Little Tikes Easy Shot. We would probably been happy with the Easy Shot one, if the hoop did not constantly fall off. BUT, I am really glad it did, because when we were looking for alternatives, we came across this one. It is so much more fun! My kids range in age from 2-10, and everyone loves it, even us parents. Here are the things I love about it:

1. It plays games with the kids, so if you have an "only child" it interacts versus just sitting there.

2. It is MUCH MORE sturdy than the other Easy Shot one. I am not afraid that this one will topple over. It has a wider base.

3. It is assembled much better than the Easy Shot, in that the hoop does not need to be pushed in the headboard. The Easy Shot kept sliding out of the hole it was made to go into.

4. It is larger than most, but still small enough to keep in our basement.

5. This basketball hoop will grow better with your child.

The ONLY thing that might get on your nerves would be that there is no volume control, but I would not list that a negative, I hardly notice it.

Was glad when the batteries wore out!
First off all the cons of this toy: It is VERY loud. Even outdoors, the noise from it was unbearable even for the kids. We solved that by putting some electrical tape over the speaker. Also, outdoors the wind seems to activate the sensor and it falsely activates the scoring/shooting mechanism. So if you had this toy indoors, this problem would be alleviated. One more thing, there is no way to TURN IT OFF besides removing the back of the battery cover, which involving getting out a screwdriver.
That's why I was relieved when the batteries wore out after only a month.

The PROS: My children (ages 3 and 5 1/2) did seem to enjoy keeping score. After a certain amount of time the scoreboard would time out and shut off. (But then again the wind would sometimes falsely reactivate it!) The maximum height is perfect for "bigger kids" without having to get a full sized basketball goal.

My final recommendation would be to look at other manufacturers of basketballs with scoreboards, or just go with the non electronic ones. Sometimes, less is more!

EDITED: My additional thoughts after using this product for almost a year. The whole thing seems to be not well constructed. The weight of the electronic scoreboard makes the board dangerously lean forwards. Also the height adjustment latch does not work. This product was kept in a garage when not in use so it should not be falling apart this easily. Little Tikes is sending a new post in hopes this will help. But, due to general disappointment and constantly explaining to the kids why they can't play basketball, I would steer clear of this goal. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

This toy scores a G-O-A-L!
We bought this toy for our 2 year old son and it has been a huge hit. He had never played soccer before, so I was impressed at how quickly he learned to score a goal. We first set it to the beginner stage and he was able to get the idea very quickly because every time the ball hit the net the sounds were set off. Then he learned to aim for the target and is getting quite good at this. I have to say this is a very educational toy because it teaches that physical exercise can be very fun and the immediate rewards are very reinforcing. My husband and I have had almost as much fun with it as my son! ... Read more

Editorial Review

A reasonable gripe against a great number of sporting good themed toys has been their lack of versatility. Once a kid has surpassed the skill level engendered by the toy, the toy is pretty much useless, offering no further challenge to the burgeoning athlete. The Grow To Pro series, on the other hand, evolves with the kid presenting increasing challenges along the way. In this three level baseball training set, young kids can practice first hitting the ball off of a tee to build fundamental coordination skills. Then on the "rookie" level, the ball pops up from ground level as kids practice smacking the ball out of the air. Finally, the "pro" level is a pitching machine, lobbing the ball without a prohibitive amount of velocity, to the batter standing up to ten feet away.Four D batteries are required but not included. --Charlie Williams ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great for those just learning how to play!
We just purchased this for our 2.5 year old son who loves baseball. He only manages to hit the ball about 50% of the time but the tee is holding together wonderfully. He can play this by himself, or with Mom or Dad as his outfielders. The bat is very sturdy...much better than I had anticipated. Great toy for the money! ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Good but...
First this is a very good nerf gun. It is a good desine, and it has good accurace and range. But the biggest thig is that it will breack sooner or later. When you pull it back to lode you usaly hear a "click" but now mine won't "click" and won't shoot.
It is a good gun but make sure you keep the reciet.

its actually a pretty good gun
For kids just satrting this is a great gun. Ive read some reviews saying this sucks and I disagrea.Its not a super great gun but its range is pretty good and its got six darts!This is a gun i deffinetly suggest to new kids but for those who have been in this hobbie for a while i wouldnt get this gun if u have the a gun like the n-strike dont get it id suggest the night finder instead.

Great for intra-office wars
This seems to be the best overall "nerf-like" gun you can find for office warfare.Good power!

Note:Misfires seem to occur around 10% of the time.

Great!!!
This Nerf gun is totally great!!!It is better than the other ones because you can fire 6 darts without reloading.The pull-back mechanisim is cool too!

Magnificant Maverick
This toy is great , it is a little heavier than I expected, but it has great accuracy and it shoots really well! It is easy to use and very durable! Alot of power and very fun! ... Read more