Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Pop on Pals Review

When the package came in the mail I was intrigued and then, I'll admit it, a bit disappointed. When I'd learned about Pop on Pals I'd had great hopes for the product. 

The concept - characters with interchangeable body parts seemed like it might foster great imaginative play and jump start some fun story telling.

When I took the toy out of the box I was dismayed to see that the construction wasn't as sturdy as I would have hoped for a toddler toy and I was a bit sad to see that the Amusement Park kit only contained one little person. I was prepared to watch the girls give it a once over and walk away.

Turns out I was wrong. Over the last few days this toy has been the focus of their play time. They send the roller coaster car speeding down the ramp, take the little girl for a ride in the ferris wheel, and since there is only the one little girl, they add toys from other lines to make the play more fun.

I had thought that changing the little girl's arms around would have been what they found most fun, but the arms have been set aside and they've been mostly focused on imaginative play with the girl. Not a bad thing at all! I can't help but wonder if having another set of people with removable parts might change their focus though.

Pop on Pals Pros:
- Cute, engaging toy.
- Music is tolerable. (We have a lot of toys that play really annoying music. This one I can handle.)
- Affordable - the big amusement park kit runs around $40.
- More fun than I imagined!
- Very cute website poponpals.com where little kids can do a little coloring and everyone can discover the full Pop on Pals line.

Pop on Pals Cons:
- The construction doesn't seem sturdy enough to withstand tough toddler play.
- Need a second set of people to make it really fun.
- Not quite readily available yet, though it's coming soon!

All in all, a fun toy to consider for your bigger and not too rough toddler or preschooler.

Please note, I did receive a Pop on Pals for review, but I was not otherwise compensated for this post. The opinions are mine and mine alone.

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Friday, July 2, 2010

Parent's Night Out deal for Bay Area Peeps

Some nights you just can't get a sitter and you still really need to get out. This weekend the brand new and awesome Juice in the City (Your daily kick in the pants (to go have fun!))  has paired up with Cubes&Crayons to allow you to do just that. 

Drop your pajama clad kids off in the snazzy Mountain View Cubes&Crayons for a few hours of fun and entertainment while you and whoever you chose to be with scamper off to go have some fun on the nearby Castro Street. 

Hurry, the deal ends at the end of the weekend and you're not going to want to miss this 1/2 off offer.

This not the deal for you? Subscribe to the Juice in the City newsletter so you can see all the other deals that will be offered! Not a local? Check it out anyway. New cities coming very soon!

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