Try the Toy

Who knows toys better than the young ones who play with them? We couldn’t think of anyone! After a few weeks of in-depth, tough toy testing, here’s what one little girl and her family had to say about the Sugar Plum Fairy Musical Skirt from Acting Out.

Ease of Use (Rank 1-10): 10
     This toy is very simple to use right out of the box. The music player does require 2 AA batteries and then you are ready to go. My 3 year old daughter found it very easy to put on and take off, and turn the music on/off. Other than the material being a little scratchy, she was of and dancing like a prima ballerina!!!!

Educational (Rank 1-10): 8
     The Sugar Plum Fairy Musical Skirt helps my 3 year old work on her gross motor skills as she dances around the house with spins, leaps and pirouettes. The best part of this toy is how she uses her imagination to pretend she is a real ballerina. I see her dancing all over and then bowing at the end of her pretend performances. My daughter really enjoys the music from the Nutcracker Suite and is familiar with it music from her dance class. I have seen her working on what she did in class while wearing the skirt, since the music is the same.

Longevity (Rank 1-10):6
     The Sugar Plum Fairy Musical Skirt is a great toy for my daughter while she’s involved in dance. However, if my daughter’s interest in dance wanes, the skirt might end up at the bottom of the dress-up box. Currently, it seems to be a toy that peaks her interest for a few days and then she’s off to play with something else. The music box of this skirt can be taken out (I’ve found it several times on the floor or under the couch) is can be an issue because she says she doesn’t use the skirt because “I can’t find the music and I don’t want to use it without It.” On the flipside, she’s commented that the box is a little uncomfortable on her back, so I think that might be why I find it in strange places – she is 3 after all.

Fun (Rank 1-10): 7
     As stated in the previous section this toy seems to be very popular when my 3 year old decides she wants to dance. At the beginning when we received the skirt, she loved the fact that it played music for her. She did not possess any other skirts such as this one and she wore it all the time. After a bit, the music box was either uncomfortable or came out and she did not show a huge interest. I don’t think it had as much to do with the toy, but with her interests changing and the attention span of a 3 year old. As a parent I like the fact that it can or cannot play music so that she can make that choice. It does come out easily, so having a place to keep it might help in keeping track of the box.

Overall (Rank 1-10): 7 -8
     Overall this is a very cute toy. I think it goes beyond just being another dress up skirt. We like the color, the shape and the fullness of the skirt. My daughter really feels like she is a real ballerina when she plays with it, especially since she can dance to the music all over the house! We will keep the toy as long as it holds up and it fits. Is it something she plays with everyday? No, but she does enjoy it and I think it is a good investment for parents with dancers.

Who knows toys better than the young ones who play with them? We couldn’t think of anyone! After a few weeks of in-depth, tough toy testing, here’s what one little boy and his family had to say about the Youth Football Goal Post Set from Franklin Sports.

Ease of Use (Rank 1-10): 9
     The toy is very easy to assemble. It only takes a few minutes to put together and you’re ready to play. We suggest that you place a rock or something with a bit of weight on the base to keep the post upright in the grass because it’s lightweight and the uprights tend to fall when hit with the ball.

Educational (Rank 1-10): 6
     Our son is able to work on his gross motor skills and hand-eye coordination during each attempt to kick the football. We play with the provided tee as well as having him hold the ball and kick it. We choose not to use the yardage markers, but others might as they help children see how far they can kick, throw, etc. The other educational aspect of this toy comes from learning the basics of the game of football. We play with an open mind, but often he wants to work on kicking the field goals like actual football players do.

Longevity (Rank 1-10): 9
     The toy seems rather lightweight, but durable and if it’s used as intended to be used (not hanging on it, or knocking it over), it should last for multiple years. The small football included with the Goal Post won’t grow with children, but a bigger football would still work.

     Our 6.5 year old will play with this toy for a while and then change to something else, but he seems to always come back to it. It is light enough for him to move it in and out of the garage, so he is able to set it up himself. While currently he is at the beginning stages of working on his throwing and kicking skills it is a toy that can be used in many ways, making it something he, and other children, could use for a while.

Fun (Rank 1-10): 10
     Our 6.5 year old LOVES THIS TOY! He is really into acting out sports and this is as good as having a mini football field right in our back yard. He puts on his pretend football uniform and heads outside to play his own game. He doesn’t mind that we only have 1 goal post. It’s real enough for him. In addition to the make believe play, he also uses it to improve his skills and while sometimes frustrating for a young kid, he sees his improvement and that helps him build confidence. This toy has been very popular with friends, family and even Mom and Dad.

Overall (Rank 1-10): 9
     This toy is unlike anything else we have. The toy is lightweight and falls over easy, but we found a way to remedy this situation. The ball is also small in size, but that too can be remedied easily. We do not use the yardage markers as we cannot really see them in our grass. Our children enjoy feeling like we are playing a real game of football in the backyard.

     Our 6.5 year old loved this toy from the very beginning. He is very interested in watching and playing football, so this toy was perfect. He was able to use the toy to practice his kicking as well as his throwing. He becomes frustrated when he can’t get the ball through the uprights, but this comes with practice.