Comments for Educational Kid Toys

Comment on Tegu Original Set – Jungle – Magnetic Wooden Building Blocks by Anonymous

Anonymous — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 09:36:13 +0000

I love these Blocks!, July 22, 2011

= Durability: = Fun: = Educational:

This review is from: Tegu Original Set - Jungle - Magnetic Wooden Building Blocks (Toy)

I am a kindergarten teacher and a friend told me about this new and awesome creatively stimulant product she had just bought for her kids. I checked them out and was I glad that I did! There are so popular that during the children's free time I've had to create a schedule for all the kids who want to play with them. The incredible thing is that no two students have created the same thing, each have their own specific and imaginative mind that the Tegu blocks really accentuate. The blocks were a little expensive but I convinced the school to pay for them and test them out in my classroom. Let's just say I will definitely be making a pitch to the school board to put Tegu blocks in almost every classroom and if you have kids of your own I would highly recommend them. I can't wait to see what Tegu has in store for us next!

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Comment on Tegu Original Set – Jungle – Magnetic Wooden Building Blocks by rdcoyner "rdcoyner"

rdcoyner "rdcoyner" — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 09:03:35 +0000

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

Great company, wonderful toy, February 24, 2011

rdcoyner "rdcoyner" (Newark, De) -

= Durability: = Fun: = Educational:

Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)

I first heard of Tegu because of their dedication to a socially-conscious business model. They are located in Honduras, a very poor country, but unlike many companies operating in developing countries Tegu offers all of its employees living wages and benefits. In other words, they are committed to finding efficiency without resorting to sweat labor.

Anyway, their toys cost a little more than you would otherwise expect as a result, but it doesn't matter. I purchased the largest set for my nephews about a month ago, and my sister out of nowhere mentioned they're still playing with the blocks constantly, seeing what odd arrangements they can make - or funny enough - using like sides of the magnets to repel each other. I can't wait to add to their collection, and I have to admit that after playing with my nephews I sort of want a small set for myself as well.

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Comment on Vtech – Tote & Go Laptop with Web Connect Reviews by tanya pugh

tanya pugh — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 14:14:47 +0000

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

Twin Boys love Manny, January 2, 2011

tanya pugh -

= Durability: = Fun: = Educational:

Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)

This review is from: VTech Licensed Learning Manny's Construction Laptop (Toy)

I have twin who love Handy Manny. They love this computer. It is very sturdy and can handle being stood on ans thrown. :)

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Comment on Vtech – Tote & Go Laptop with Web Connect Reviews by Malibu Jen "Jen"

Malibu Jen "Jen" — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 14:08:27 +0000

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

Educational and fun for a toddler, December 3, 2010

Malibu Jen "Jen" (USA) -

= Durability: = Fun: = Educational:

This review is from: VTech Licensed Learning Manny's Construction Laptop (Toy)

My son got this from Grandma on his second birthday and it saved us on our 18 hour drive home! He loves being able to use Phillipe and Pat to help Manny with the repair jobs, and we are working on the counting and other games. As he grows, I think the other games will become more fun for him. I like that by default he can just press keys and it will tell and show him letters, numbers, shapes and colors without a parent having to get it set up to go for him. The only thing that could be added would be a backlit screen so he could see it in the dark, but I know that's asking a lot! Overall a great toy.

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Comment on Vtech – Tote & Go Laptop with Web Connect Reviews by Vickie Jo Tackett "tackettup"

Vickie Jo Tackett "tackettup" — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 13:51:10 +0000

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

Great toy!, January 5, 2010

Vickie Jo Tackett "tackettup" (Warrenton, VA) -

= Durability: = Fun: = Educational:

This review is from: VTech Licensed Learning Manny's Construction Laptop (Toy)

I have a four year old son who is autistic. He got this computer for Christmas and he loves it! He likes doing the repair jobs and the other learning activities. It didn't take him long to figure out how to use it. Way to go VTech!

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Comment on Vtech – Tote & Go Laptop with Web Connect Reviews by Dienne

Dienne — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 13:41:53 +0000

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

A rather narrow age range, September 26, 2011

Dienne (Cicero, IL) -

= Durability: = Fun: = Educational:

This review is from: Vtech - Tote & Go Laptop with Web Connect (Toy)

Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)

I have two daughters, the younger one will be three in December and the older one will be five in November. This laptop seems to be squarely between their ability levels. It's far too easy for my older daughter, although she likes playing with it anyway. She likes to get "100" on all the games (and she gets rather frustrated if she gets anything less). On the other hand, it's too advanced for my younger daughter, although she can do some of the activities with adult help. For one thing, the younger one hasn't been able to figure out the mouse, so she can't work the games on her own. But even with adult help to work the mouse, she still needs help with the games themselves. It appears that this game is appropriate for children perhaps three to four and a half - ages when children are learning basics such as letters and numbers.

For Christmas we bought the younger one a "Leaptop" by Leap Frog. This children's laptop is quite a bit better. This laptop has quite a bit more functionality, including several features within each of four different categories: "Music Party", "Letters and Words", "Numbers and Shapes", and "Logic and Games".

Music Party includes ten different songs for kids to chose from and each can be spiced up with extra sounds by pressing the letter keys. The top row of letter keys produce musical notes as if played by a piano. The bottom row produces animal sounds such as a dog bark and a cat's meow. The middle row contains a variety of sounds including a belch, much to the delight of your average preschooler. My younger one can play this one on her own once I select a song for her. This section doesn't seem terribly educational, but my kids seem to enjoy it, until I get annoyed enough to tell them to choose something else.

The Letters and Words section and the Numbers and Shapes section both contain learning modules and interactive games. For instance, there is a "picture dictionary" which will present a word for each letter of the alphabet and show a picture of that word. The Shapes section has a module which features a dog walking down a path passing various shapes which are named as he passes them. There are also games involving recognizing letters that are partially hidden, counting shapes, and adding small numbers.

My older daughter seems to like the Logic and Games section the best. The games are quite simple, such as matching shadows to the animals which produce them, finishing a two-piece puzzle and finding the "odd one out" among four pictures. There's also a module which simply shows a fish swimming in a tank and children can change the fish by clicking the mouse.

After completing activities in the Letters, Numbers and Logic sections, children can get their "report card" to see how they've done.

There is also capability to connect to the internet and download additional material, but we haven't tried that yet, and we might not; it just seems like a lot of work and hassle for a three-year-old's toy. I will update this review if and when we do attempt it.

This laptop does seem pretty durable. My kids are less than dainty and they've already managed to bump and knock it around a bit. It doesn't seem to have suffered any ill effects so far.

Because kids will grow out of this pretty quickly, I recommend it more for learning centers or daycares where multiple children will have opportunity to use it, or at least households with multiple children who can use it in succession. It seems rather expensive for the use that just one child will get out of it, unless you have other children in mind to hand it down to. 3.5 stars.

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Comment on Vtech – Tote & Go Laptop with Web Connect Reviews by Bingo-Karen Haney "Reader, Reviewer, and BOOK...

Bingo-Karen Haney "Reader, Reviewer, and BOOK... — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 13:00:45 +0000

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

Great First Laptop for Toddlers, October 20, 2011

Bingo-Karen Haney "Reader, Reviewer, and BOOK... (Florida) -

= Durability: = Fun: = Educational:

This review is from: Vtech - Tote & Go Laptop with Web Connect (Toy)

Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)

The Vtech Tote & Go Laptop Computer with Web Connect is a great toy! It recommended for children 3-6 but my 18 month grandson took to it immediately. Perhaps because he sees all of his family using laptops and iPads, he was thrilled to be able to finally "push the buttons" he never can on the others. He quickly learned the on and off switch and even learned the word "soon" as the person says "See You Soon" as it turns off. He played with the buttons and laughed with the pictures and when someone worked with him by showing him how to push the music button for instance, would dance and laugh with great glee. He liked the sounds the animals made and having just started to learn to count, was quite excited by being able to push 1, 2, 3 and hear the numbers he is learning. It is very durable and he would push back on the top and it would click and I feared it would break but it is going strong. He even taught me how when it is closed, the mouse fits in the top with an easy click and he can carry it by the handle just like his daddy. This will be a toy he can use for a long time as he gets older and can do more things. Linking to the web allows you to personalize the computer to say the child's name and when it tells the short stories you can download, it inserts the name in the story much to their delight. It also has Web Pals but never fear, they are not linked to any real people but rather animals become their friends. I would highly recommend this toy especially for ages 2-4 for sure!

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Comment on Vtech – Tote & Go Laptop with Web Connect Reviews by tachi1 "tachi1"

tachi1 "tachi1" — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 12:44:18 +0000

32 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

A good educational value, October 6, 2011

tachi1 "tachi1" (Miami, FL United States) -

= Durability: = Fun: = Educational:

This review is from: Vtech - Tote & Go Laptop with Web Connect (Toy)

Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)

I have a generally positive opinion about the Tote and Go Laptop. On the one hand, it has many educational activities--some more interesting than others--and my grandson enjoys using it. However, it isn't a toy that he, at 3 years of age, can entertain himself alone with. Yet it also isn't a toy that you can `play together' with. The adult interaction is more along the lines of ongoing tech support. (The toy is rated 3-6 years. I would rate it 3 to 5, at most).

Keep in mind that, in this review, I'm rating it based on my experience with a 3 year old at the lower end of the spectrum. A 5-year old would probably not be frustrated or confused and need less supervision.

It is aimed at a generation that has grown up accustomed to HD color TV's and monitors. This 2.5" wide black and white viewing area with stiff little figures made up of pixels in which only some parts move is somewhat underwhelming. (Ex: the talking little dog stands stiffly, but moves his eyes and mouth).

The games are OK to good. Not all will appeal to every child, but everyone should find some that are interesting. Luckily, there is a large selection. My grandson seems to enjoy matching the shadow silhouette to the animal and most of the counting games. Some of the reading preparation games hold his attention and some go over his head. He also likes the idea that he has a mouse. He loves the fact that his name (which I downloaded) is used often.

You do have to download and install software on your computer in order to download and customize the experience. This places a Learning Lodge link on your desktop. You create an account and password (give your e-mail). You must connect the toy to your computer (via a 13" USB cord!) and pick among several options. You can pick additional vocabulary words, stories, and songs. In my experience, no matter how many I downloaded, only the last one was saved. So I think you download, one at a time, and that one replaces the previous. Maybe this is good since there will continue to be "new" things to do.

If it was possible to rate each category separately, rather than the toy as a whole I would rate (based on 3 year child's interests, attention span, and curriculum):

Music Party--1 star
My Downloads--4 stars (though YOU have to replace & replenish)
Net Pals--2 star
Letters and Words--4 stars
Numbers and Shapes--4 stars
Logic and Games--4 stars
Ease of Use without supervision--2 stars
Need for Adult Supervision--2 star
Length of time it holds interest--3 stars
Ease of accessing web-based resources--3 stars
Ability to add new material and customize--5 stars
Value for Price--5 stars

Overall, though in some ways it's a little technologically underwhelming,for the price it is a pretty good investment.

Because to buy (at least one):
**counting book;
**shape identification book or toy;
**book of beginning letter sounds;
**toddler/preschool vocabulary book;
**logic game
***would probably have been less entertaining;
***would still have required adult interaction;
***and it would have been much more expensive.

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Comment on 11pc Kids Boy Girl Drum Set Musical Instrument Toy Playset RED by ladyk48

ladyk48 — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 11:13:08 +0000

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

This drumset is a pile of junk, December 26, 2010

ladyk48 -

= Durability: = Fun: = Educational:

Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)

This review is from: 11pc Kids Boy Girl Drum Set Musical Instrument Toy Playset RED (Toy)

Unfortunately, I didn't read all the reviews when I bought this drumset. It looked so cute online, but it is a pile of junk, and I note that I am not the only person who feels that way. I bought this for my 2-year old grandson. The seat broke when he sat on it. The cymbol fell off and the drums are falling apart. Please don't waste your money on this.

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Comment on 11pc Kids Boy Girl Drum Set Musical Instrument Toy Playset RED by seanss

seanss — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 10:25:51 +0000

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

Dont Waste your Money, June 21, 2011

seanss -

= Durability: = Fun: = Educational:

Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)

This review is from: 11pc Kids Boy Girl Drum Set Musical Instrument Toy Playset RED (Toy)

dont waste your time buying this product, its already broken once it arrives. They tried to send me replacement parts for a broken item and the parts were incorrect. My son didnt even get to use this item and they are refusing to refund me the money.

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