Toy reviews, or what not to waste your money on.

[YourCallIsImportant]

It's that time of year when we're chucking money at Apple, Argos and Amazon. I've been on the other thread listing what we're getting our DCs, and I've seen what everyone else is getting and I've been thinking hmm, bought that in the past and that's a waste of money.

So, do you have any recommendations or words of caution about any toys, games etc?

I'll start....

Zubber - the rubber takes about 24 hrs to fully set, not 1 hour as per the instructions, plus the bracelets would fit a hairy trucker called Dave, so no use for little girls.

Password Journal - Either won't recognise your DD's voice, or will open to anyone's voice. Be prepared to return it to the shop.

Kiddizoom camera - picture quality is really poor, you'd be better off buying a low priced digital camera.

Tummytickler, Kiddizoom verdict here is that it's pretty crap as seen through adult eyes, but well worth it as indestructible One Of My Very Own for young child. Let's face it, given what their own artwork looks like, kids don't have high standards.

And it's fun. DD loves hers.

DD also loves her Kiddizoom - last year's slightly better model, which I think equates to this year's standard model (2mp camera). She's taken some surprisingly good photos, but mostly entertains herself making Through The Keyhole style films of the house - for this reason, some extra memory is a good investment.

Any and all of those bloody machines that are meant to be 'bla-bla-bla makers' - this includes the chocolate coin maker, but also, I understand, the cupcake machine, the smoothie maker, the ice cream parlour, the chocolate maker. If you can even get them to work, the results are seriously disappointing, it takes flippin' ages to make a tiny amount and even longer to pick all the chocolate/fruit/icing out of the unnecessarily numerous and complex parts of the machine. Next time I will believe the Amazon reviews [bitter laugh].

I can recommend a tough laptop though if you are worried about it being dropped.

Search on eBay for cheap tough books they're about £100 and you can drive a truck over them or leave them in the snow.

oooh I like the toughbooks, I didn't realise you could get them quite cheaply. Need a toughphone for teenager who has got thru about 9 in last few years - lost, broken, stolen, sand in etc etc etc. And I have been thinking about buying a Kiddizoom, so I'm glad you have all reached a consensus that it is fab or actually isn't

My DD wants a chocolate coin/egg/whatever-maker. I just explain that everything on the tv is made up, including the badverts. I know she won't fall for it forever...

I think nokia do a tough phone which has rubber and rugged stuff on it. Friend had one.

I had a panadonic toughbook but the bios battery went and I killed it taking it apart. So have gone for an itronix one and asked them to change bios battery for me before shipping.

MrsKarpet
Whenever my daughter asks for something she has seen advertised on TV I always look up the reviews on Amazon/Argos and show them to her. She doesn't need convincing that they are rubbish when she sees what other people think of them.

second moonsand. I wont let ds play with his. Its just so messy.

Agree about elefun, dd loves it but over very quick. Rainbow art - I also look up reviews first, think it was £11.99 at argos, quite poor reviews, dd kept asking and asking, found a copy version being sold by a shop on ebay for about £3.95 including p&p thought that was enough to pay and it came with free stencils and magic pens, was worth the money just for them. But yes rainbow art isnt that great but older children might can do the designs.

I would second that bloody awful Play Doh Ice Cream Shoppe, it is an absolute pita and is total crap.

We got ds elefun last year he loves it but it drives me mad picking up all the butterflies I was finding them everywhere

moonsand shit

GX Racers. Big bag o'shite.

DS's love bakugan though, and we've had no breakages.

I haven't got a DD, but saw an advert for a Barbie glitter thingy which made me shudder. You stick glue to Barbie, stand her in a tube thing, tip glitter in to tube thing and turn on the fan. You'd have glitter everywhere for the rest of your life.

Sorry another vote for Kiddizoom being ace - we have never laughd so much at some of the phots taken on that camera. In fact (offer might still be available) Amazon had the video camera version for £30 for 1 week only, so have brought it for DS (6) as he is always borrowing DD's camera. He makes movies of his playmobil....

Mr Frosty - icy slushy maker thing - rubbish

However, love Hama Beads and new this year Guess Who Extra - which is briliant!