Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Second one to replace the original) 『I had this play set when I was a boy in the 1970's. I recently found it at my mothers house and brought it home to play with it with my 4 year old daughter. It still works, sort of. The only problem is that the drive wheels had rubber traction on them to enable it to move around the track had gone hard from being over 30 years old. So I am now buying this newer version to replace my orignal that I still have. This toy gives you hours of play time. Its funny how you can just sit there and to the same thing over and over again and its fun to watch.』
(TOMY BIG LOADER) 『My children loved this and had a great time with their father watching big loader. Now, my husband continues to enjoy the big loader with our grandchildren.
I purchased this as a back up when TOMY informed me they no long support parts and our engine was acting up. My husband repaired it but we weren't taking any chances so decided to purchase another so the "Big Kid" and grandchildren would not be without- it stays at Grandma and Grandpa's house and Grandpa has been known to play with it even when the granddkids aren't around.』
(Fun To Watch) 『The Big Loader is a little tough to set up the first time (definitely requires an adult), but was lots of fun to watch it go...for hours at a time.』
(big loader fun) 『I think this product is awesome for young toddlers. It's easy to put together and a little magnetic truck moves forward and backward picking up 'loads' (small marbles) and changing from one truck to another. It is really fun and both my kids have played with this toy. My son is now 11 and he still sits with my daughter when she plays with it. He still loves watching it go around and loves how it dumps the marbles out and then the loader pickes them up again.』
(For the construction site kiddo!) 『Easy to assemble. More suitable for kids 5+. The battery operated truck base moves pretty fast! Kids can interact by reversing the direction of the truck base (uses 1AA battery) as it moves around the track. Hours of fun!』 『
Little construction workers will get a load of this! Big Loader builds imagination and much more. Watch this little toy go to work as it loads, fills, scoops, hauls and dumps. Motorized chassis knows when to swap between skip loader, dump truck, and tractor actions. Big Loader provides loads and loads of continuous fun INCLUDES: 8 ft of track, 20. 3 Yrs+ Closed Box H: 11.5 X W: 16 X D: 2.8 in. Batteries Not Required
price:$61.14
Learning Curve
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Thomas great fun) 『Wonderful toy for the avid Thomas the Tank collector...my son, he is four....Just loves it....great addition to his Thomas collection.』
(Sodor airport) 『This train set was purchased as a gift for my grandson. He is a devoted Thomas fan,and was thrilled with the airport and Jeremy the Jet. We love all of the Thomas Wooden Railway Sets, and this was a great addition to the collection.』
(Great Thomas Addition) 『This is a wonderful addition to our Thomas Train collection. Everyone little boy needs Jeremy the airplane in their collection of trains. This is a complete set with a wonderful track and a tunnel for Thomas to travel. Jeremy the airplane's storage hanger is great and my son loves pretend flying him over the tracks. Great Thomas Addition!!!』 『
Jeremy the Jet Plane is the star of this set. Watch his eyes move as he rolls down the runway and into his hangar with a see-through removable roof. The expansive track layout completely encircles the airfield. Features exclusive Jeremy the Jet Plane, exclusive hangar with fold-up runway, exclusive barn tunnel, Thomas, Terence the Tractor character and more!
price:$34.99
Mattel
Usually ships in 24 hours 『Inspired by the final race in the film, the Disney Cars Piston Cup Starter Set by Mattel shifts into fun when it folds out to reveal a racing set complete with winner's circle. Includes a Lightning McQueen vehicle to start your collection with a winner!Set Includes:1:55 scale Lightning McQueen vehicleMotorized boosterTrack pieces -- 360° loop, 180° banked curveCrash zoneWinner's circleAdditional Information:Motorized racing!Race track folds into storage casePlastic/die-cast metalMcQueen: 3'' LRequires 3 C batteries, not includedImportedAges 4+』
price:$11.15
Manhattan Toy
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Love Automoblox (but pricey)) 『Automoblox toy cars are beautifully designed and well built. The wooden body is nicely finished and detailed with grooves and tasteful decals for brand name, logo, and car model. Overall, the fit and finish is very nice. I like that you can interchange parts if you own more than one Automoblox cars.
This particular car, C9-S Orange Sports Coupe, is an orange coloredversion of Automoblox C9 sports coupe.
I prefer these toys to the usual plastic toy cars, although I consider Automoblox to be a bit pricey.』 『This sleek and racy little sports car will rev the imagination. The C9-S is a child-sized vision of vehicle perfection. Constructed of highest quality wood with details that send the heart speeding. Take apart wooden pieces allow for creative achievement, 5 spoke wheels and low profile tires scream "sports car". The C9-S fits comfortably into little hands. Amazing handling. Flash a checkered flag and send it racing. Design is in the details. And the simulated polished aluminum wheels, metallic roof, and pearl textured connectors, the C9-S Berlinetta adds a strong dose of sophistication to your existing Automoblox collection. The creation of something new and unique, born of a child's imagination, is the idea behind Automoblox. With Automoblox sets, your child plays and builds the design pictured in his or her mind. With Automoblox sets, your child plays and builds the design pictured in his or her mind. Interlocking components interchange with all other Automoblox models. Rev the Imagination Flashy Pearl Textured Details on Gorgeous Natural Wood Streamlined Body, Spoke Wheels, Flashy Tires Compatible with other Autoblox Sets for Even More Innovative Vehicle Designs Ideal for Small Hands Ages 3+』
price:$29.99
Spin Master
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (This Toy is not worth it!) 『The car does not stay on the wall the right way, it constantly slides down and does not continue in the direction you intend and my son only played with it for one day and realized it didn't work "like on TV" and it has ended up in a junk pile!!! Very disappointed!』
(Love them, love them, love them...!) 『These anti-gravity cars are as educational as well as fun. Purchased two for my grandson's 7th birthday, and they quickly became his favorite toys. The manner in which they adhere to the ceiling and walls helps to teach the kids the principles of vacuum as well as how the difference radio frequency works. Getting two cars doubled the fun to set up races. They were the hit of his birthday party with many of the children leaving the party and asking their parents for the same cars. This was an item he had never seen before and none of his friends had them either. GREAT TOY with amazon being considerably cheaper than ordering direct from tv direct marketing company. Essentially got 2 for the price of one if ordered from tv.』
(I was so disappointed) 『I bought this car for my 8 years old son and to tell you the truth I was waiting for it my self because on the commercial it sound like this car was the toy!!! The car sticks to the wall and yes it moves on it but it moves slow not like the commercial says, also its dose not move smooth the directions are not working fine some times it turns some times it doesn't and some times it just stays there not moving at all. Actually I started thinking not to fall for those commercials.
』
(This was a crummy toy! Does not come close to working as advertised.) 『I'm writing this for my 8 year old son, Logan, who bought this car; because the posting said that it would drive up walls and even on the ceiling. Lot's of GREAT advertising to make us think the toy would 'defy gravity'. When we opened the box, gave it a full charge, (just as the instructions indicated) and then tried to use it as described in the listing - we were HORRIBLY disappointed.
We tried driving it up regular (textured) walls&really smooth walls. Bottom line: it was not even CLOSE to powerful enough to get itself off the floor or support its weight when it was on the wall... Forget about the ceiling!
Even worse - it drives a lot slower than other remote control cars when it is on the floor. If you're looking at this with the hope that it will be as cool as it sounds - do not waste your money! This is the first review we've ever left ... it is the most disappointed we've ever been in our hundreds of purchases from Amazon.』
(Peice of garbage) 『I bought this from Target. I put the batteries in the charger and I charged it. The red light that meant it was charging turned off, and I waited an hour and a half and it would not stop. I haven't used it at all, but it's a piece of junk and it sucks.』 『Indoor R/C racing has never seen anything quite like this. This zero-gravity micro racer is a full-function R/C car that knows no difference between the floor, the walls and the ceiling! It races right-side up, upside-down, and any other smooth surface, all with outstanding scale speed and performance. Working headlights act as charge level indicators, so you know when it's time to recharge. Car comes with two power settings - floor mode with venture fan off, and suction mode for vertical and upside-down action. Includes four different frequencies so you can race against your friends. Requires 1 rechargeable LiPo battery (included) and 6 "AA" batteries (not included).』
『Rocket will begin to start up as the child pats along. You can hear various classical music pieces along with Rocket sound effects. Roll Rocket quickly or slowly along the table and the music will begin to play according to the rockets speed. It is recommended for ages 3 and above.』
Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Wooden track replacement) 『My grandson damaged some of his Thomas the Train tracks so I ordered the broken parts and some extra. These tracks cost more that other brands but these were the only ones with the track sections I needed without buying a much larger package.』
(Love our Thomas Track!) 『We got this track on a great deal, and we couldn't be happier. Thomas track is by far some of the most durable track that we can find. It is expensive, but Amazon has great deals to be found. This will last for years to come.』
(dwilson) 『If your familiar with Thomas train track, have a large area to work with and know you want this expansion set, I would upgrade to five stars. What I have found though is that if you want a lot of flexibility in layouts on the Thomas train table, the 3 1/2" curves&switches offer more options for different layouts. The 6 1/2" curves can be hard to fit&work with on a train table. In defense of the bigger curves though, I've found the battery powered trains have an easier time with the larger radius curves especialy when pulling coaches and they sometimes get hung up on the switches. (This really is my kids toy)』
(Time For Thomas) 『This is probably not the best option unless you want to get really serious with a huge layout. Here is my Thomas recommendation:
The Thomas train sets are great modern versions of the classic indestructible wooden train sets. Simple enough to avoid the toddler age frustrations of getting the cars to run on the track yet complex enough to engage a wide range of ages (up to and including Grandpas). All the stories help with the imagination part....the books&videos provide an endless source of adventures that can be acted out, although most kids are perfectly capable of inventing their own episodes.
Here is my advice, if you are trying to work your way through the maze of start-up options:
First of all, you can spend a fortune on a huge set....even if you can afford it, I would start with something small and give the child the joy of receiving a chain of small but intriguing presents over a long period of time. It fosters the joy of giving/receiving and helps teach them to come back again and again to the same toy...watching it grow, asking for specific items from the stories they hear, etc. Several reviewers suggest painting an old coffee table and this is a great idea.
I suggest the Figure 8 set (the most popular one) or if you want to spend a little bit more, the Conductors Figure 8 set. Both are complex enough to be interesting, but simple enough to give lots of room for growth. Almost immediately I would add a new present of one of the inexpensive engines (you can ask the child which story they like best and get that engine for them....or buy the engine to go with the video or book in the same gift)....these would be Percy The Small Engine, Bill The Yellow Engine, Treavor, (or a bit more $ for:) The Lady Engine, James The Red Engine, Gordon The Express Engine (he's one of the best stories, I think), or Henry The Green Engine.
Now for the good stuff! Give it a month or so, and then reward the child with something really cool like the Barrel Loader or Rusty the Construction 3 Car Set.
I honestly can't see the point in the huge multi hundred dollar system sets. If you want to impress the neighbors or something, go for it, but I'm telling you.....most kids will enjoy a large number of small thoughtful gifts, not a "keep-up-with-the-Jones" effort on your part.
Good behavior can be rewarded with a pick-your-own trip to the store (there are sometimes when a real time shopping trip can't be beat)
By the way, the Thomas stories are based on real restored engines that run in England on the Mid-Hants Railway Watercress line near Winchester (you can read about them an even plan a trip to ride on the real Thomas trains by checking out watercressline.co.uk). They are a day trip from the London rail stations, although I recommend using a B&B in the Winchester area and staying overnight if you decide to go. Winchester was the center of the old Saxon kingdom of Wessex of King Alfred as well as a major early medieval site (the Cathedral has the tombs of many of the Saxon Kings as well as Jayne Austen and Izaac Walton and it was where Richard the Lionhearted was crowned.)
』
(Even More Options) 『Very durable. Just enough tracks to expand out exisiting train set. If I had it to do over, I would look for a set that had some type of track that would split into two tracks ...』 『
These set expansion packs are great assortments for beginning to experienced engineers.
price:$1.42
Manhattan Toy
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Manhattan mini car) 『this is a cool looking wooden car made of interchangeable parts (you can buy other cars and combine the body parts to customize a new car). it look durable, but also like something you might display in a collection.』
(mini version is just as fun as large version) 『My kids loved the regular sized one, I bought a set of the mini's to take different places... they are quiet toys and they play with them forever... can't wait to try them at church!』
(super cool) 『Santa brought this mini sedan and a 3pack of mini automoblox for my kids for Christmas. They love them. The 2 year old likes to play with them and the 5 year old loves to take them apart, put them back together again in different configurations. They feel good and they are perfect size for kids who like Hot Wheels sized cars. Our boys LOVE cars and these were no exception. Great toy.』
(Cool, unique, but not indestructable) 『In my experience, these cars are unique, entertaining, and educational. My husband is as entranced with these as my 4 year old son. The mini sedan drives very smoothly and clips back together very well.
Despite liking this toy a lot, I have to give it 4 stars instead of 5, because of problems with durability. The manufacturer claims that these cars are tough, made of solid wood and polycarbonate. However, within two weeks of receiving this car as a gift, my son handed me a torn tire. He now has a 3-wheeled car.
While this is a great little toy and the manufacturer recommends it for ages 3 and up, I would personally recommend it only for kids 6 and up, who will treat their toys a little better. The body may be durable, but the tires are easily destroyed.』
(Great for developing gross and fine motor skills, and creativity) 『This is an exceptional toy, that combines the gross motor skill training of block, the fine motor skills training of fitting pieces together in the correct manner, and the creativity of learning how to use different pieces to make unique creations.
It's solid wood, good quality, and well-packaged. The vehicles are made in the USA, although the wood is German beech wood.
The price is a bit high, but this isn't a "mass market" toy, this is a toy that seems like it could be passed down to your kid's children. Obviously, you can tell I was very happy with the toy.』 『A reinvention of classic wooden toy car for the iPod age, Automoblox is a fusion of heirloom craftsmanship and ultra-modern styling transformed into a mix-and-match design system that allows kids to create their own unique car styles. Starting with a stylish wooden body, kids add wheels, windows, and unique customizing details. Automoblox. Ages: 3 to 10』
『Disney/Pixar The World of Cars Mini Adventures Cruisin' At Flo's featuring Flo, Lightening McQueen, Ramone and exclusive deco's of Sally, Mater and Doc Hudson.』
price:$0.73
Mattel
Usually ships in 24 hours 『The Dynamite Blaster gives you five times the speed, power, performance and attitude of Hot Wheels cars in one go. That way, you get five times the racing excitement, five times the amazing stunt action and five times the thrill that only Hot Wheels can deliver. So if launching one car isn't enough, the 5 Car Blaster is the Hot Wheels vehicle launcher for you. Includes 5 vehicles. Not for use with some Hot Wheels sets.』