The other day I wrote about PlanToys, and I mentioned that I would be reviewing the Circus Playset that they sent to Little Bear and Pufferfish. I pretty much expected that the kids would love it, because the folks at PlanToys let them choose from a iist of reviewable toys. So I definitely wasn't surprised that the girls, and even Rafael, were delighted by it!
Pufferfish was actually the first one to see it. It came on the perfect day,,, it was a cold, rainy day, I wasn't feeling well, and Pufferfish was being a Crankyfish. So when the FedEx guy dropped this off, I was like, "Look, Pufferfish, a surprise!"
When I opened the box, the wooden circus set looked like it would be hard to set up, because there were so many pieces. But it was actually just a matter of unfolding the big circus tent, which was already put together! This made things much easier, since I always have trouble putting together toys while an impatient two year old hops around the room behind me!
The only problem I had with the setup was the fact that the tent was so wrinkled from being in the package, it was hard to spread out. The tent stayed folded up even after I set it up, and it blocked the middle part from view. I solved this by using some shipping tape to stick the edges of the tent to the table, and this basically "trained" the tent to stay open!
I know the picture here is kind of hard to see, but the circus set includes lots of interactive little surprises. The people who come with the set have little arms sticking out of their torsos. These arms can be hooked onto some of the circus pieces to make them do tricks! Do you see the tightrope with the red ball hanging from it? A tiny person can be latched onto the red ball so that he can swing across the tight rope like a zipline! There's also a little block where you can hook on a little person and make him do flips!
But the part of the circus that all of the kids liked the most was the black box you see right outside of the circus tent. This box is an actual magic trick. You can make one of your little people, or one of the animals, disappear! When I did this magic trick for the kids, they were awed, and they spent half an hour trying to figure out how it worked! (Much like an actual magician's disappearing box, this box has a secret compartment in it. You put the person or animal into the back of the box, and show the audience that the person or animal cannot get out. Once you shut the box, you flip a latch that shuts a secret, mirrored door inside the box. When you open the box again, all the audience seems to see is the empty box! You can then shut the box again, flip the secret door back open, and show the audience that your person or animal has safely reappeared!)
THE FINAL REVIEW
Positive Aspects: This very cool playset gives kids lots of things to discover! They love playing with the iittle people and animals, making the people do tricks, and even learning a real magic trick! Kids can play with this alone, or together, and they get to use their imaginations! Plus, it is so cute, I don't even have to make the kids put it away when they're done playing with it. Since they've been playing with it a lot, I just leave it set up on the table in the play room. After I make them clean up their other toys, they can still play with this one while they wait for dinner time or bed time! It can also be used as part of the entire Plan City.
Negative Aspects: The only trouble I had was keeping the circus tent open when I first got it.
The kid who likes it the most: All three of the little kids! Little Bear, Rafael and Pufferfish all love playing with it!
We rate it: A+!
Okay, and now for your chance to win your own Circus Playset! All you have to do is go to the PlanToys website and check out their baby toys and other developmental toys. Leave me a comment telling me which toy in their catalog you think one of your children would enjoy.
I'm not gonna give you a million other ways to get extra entries, because I know you probably don't want to spend two hours entering this giveaway. But you do have one way to get an extra entry! You can become a Facebook fan of PlanToys. Leave me a separate comment letting me know you did this, and you'll get a second entry!
This contest will be open until next Sunday, October 25th! On the following Monday, I'll declare a winner! Good luck, everyone!
The people at PlanToys also offered to supply another Circus Playset to a blog reader for a giveaway!
that does look like a neat, interactive, and engaging toy!
I think the Build and Spin looks like something both Kayla and Lucas would enjoy.
Posted by: Michelle | October 21, 2009 at 09:01 PM
PET & ACCESSORIES
Posted by: Lisa R | October 24, 2009 at 11:26 AM
I think my twins would love the push along duck
Posted by: Jennifer | October 24, 2009 at 04:05 PM
The geometric sorting board looks like something Madison would really enjoy. What a great way to teach colors, shapes, sorting and more!
Posted by: Sarah L | October 25, 2009 at 02:50 PM
I think my Sweet Pea would like the Lacing Beads!
Posted by: Shannon | October 26, 2009 at 04:02 PM
i think the contest is over.... but i LOVE the terrace dollhouse- it is SO cute! and YES we do need "I survived the 2009 Swine Flu" shirts- pending a full recovery on my part first! that circus set is so cute!!!
Posted by: keri | November 01, 2009 at 02:29 PM