Octopod playset. Is it as crap as it looks?

[Judyandherdreamofhorses]

DD is coming up for 4 and is enthusiastically obsessed with her birthday. She is in love with the octonauts and, after having seen the Octopod in ELC, is desperate to have one.

It looks really rubbish. Will she be disappointed or just love it regardless?

[Badvoc]

It is rubbish, but my 4 year old ds loves it.

[RhinestoneCowgirl]

It does look pretty crap doesn't it? I steered DD away from it when she had vouchers for her 4th birthday.

We do have a couple of the gups and they are really sturdy (and they come with little figures that you can take in and out - v popular with DD)

[ipanicked]

I let the DCs (3+2 yrs at the time) buy the Gup X play set with their Christmas money last year. Although I think it's massively overpriced and horrible, it has been played with EVERY day since and is the most coveted toy by all visiting 4 year olds. It will almost certainly get a lot of play and be most loved!

[ipanicked]

I meant to say they really wanted the octopod desperately and I'm sure that would have been even better (and yes, probably even more rubbish!)

[Judyandherdreamofhorses]

The plastic figures DD has are rubbish. Admittedly, she carries them everywhere, but they are such poor quality, all the paint is scratched. Wouldn't happen with playmobil!

But she would love it. I may have to force myself to buy it...

[newschoolmum]

It's been remarkably robust - ds has played with his daily since Christmas, fighting dd for it, and it's all intact. If you think of it as a doll house with extra features, may be better.

The creatures from the magazines are shit but the proper toys have lasted nearly a year. Look for special offers - we got the Octopus and Gup X for £25 each before Christmas, cheaper than 2nd hand on Ebay.

[Judyandherdreamofhorses]

Glad it's been robust, newschoolmum.

It's our real figures that are badly scratched, not just the dreadful magazine ones. All thoroughly loved though.

[KrazyKurls]

We have most of the octonots shite stuff from various birthdays and Christmases, it does look like expensive plastic tat but by far the most played with toys in our house. All still in great condition too.

[noblegiraffe]

Cheap on Amazon at the moment. My DS is hankering after one for his 4th birthday too!

[pizzaqueen]

Our local tesco had it for £15 a few weeks ago. It was on the end of the isle where they put the end of line toys and slightly damaged stuff they are trying to get rid of. They had 5 on the shelf. Although not sure if it was just a local offer. My SIL bought one and its not damaged.

[tootssweet]

We got one for ds's bday in Tesco reduced to £ 15 so it's not a one-off fluke. It's ok but would be better if it had some more Octonauts to play in it but it all gets a bit too expensive to do.

[motherofvikings]

Ds has had his for a year. It is still in perfect condition. He plays with it all the time too and it survives 2yo dd too! :)
The gups are all sturdy - as are all the nets etc and creatures. Ds loves making them change colour with hot/ cold.
The figures that have stayed in the living room are still in perfect condition. It's only the ones that have been outside or in the bath that look scratched.
Its expensive stuff but great value for money given how much ds lives and plays with them! :)

[DTisMYdoctor]

DS loves his Octopod and various Gups. He used to play with them all in the bath too. All in great condition except for some of the figures - I don't think they stand up to lots of bath play. Watch out for deals though, they do come up frequently ime.

[DTisMYdoctor]

Oh and we made a sea 'scene' on a big piece of card using tissue paper, cut out pictures from the magazine etc and got a tub of sea figures from amazon - DS loves getting that out with his Octonauts stuff and recreating some of the stories.