Melissa&Doug Jumbo Town Cardboard Blocks -- Ok... you build the city and I'll be Godzilla!
Written: Oct 30 '07
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Pros: Fun, versatile, easy to assemble, sturdy, NO BATTERIES REQUIRED
Cons: Can't find them anywhere! Melissa & Doug, make these available!
The Bottom Line: These are a great gift for any toddler, from a year on up. They're fun, sturdy and (above all) quiet! You should check out Melissa&Doug's Jumbo Town Cardboard Blocks
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| gatorgirlie's Full Review: Melissa & Doug Jumbo Town Cardboard Blocks |
I received these blocks as a gift for my son's birthday last year (his first birthday) and I've held off on reviewing them until he was old enough to play with them well. By well I mean not giggling every time the stack mommy was building collapsed. Now he giggles every time he barrels through a stack that mommy was building. See how his play is advancing?
Cardboard blocks are ... fun ?
Yes, Virginia, things that aren't electronic are actually fun. This is a concept sadly lost on many children growing up today. What are these things? They're cardboard blocks, and that's about it. They don't make noise, they don't move (unless you build something too high and they fall over) and there are no brightly flashing lights. They rely on your child's imagination to work. There are 40 pieces included at a cost of around $39.99. I can't be sure on this price, as it was a gift, but that's what I saw it online for.
Included in the 40 pieces are:
*12 Small blocks (6"X3"X3")
*8 Medium Blocks (6"x6"x3")
*8 Large Blocks (12"x6"x3")
*6 Triangular Blocks
*6 Vehicle Blocks (an ambulance, school bus, etc)
The blocks you receive are made from heavier-grade cardboard and you do have to assemble them yourself. They come in bright, primary colors like red, blue, yellow and green... and certain blocks have building fronts (Hospital, School, Grocery, etc), others have only windows and doors and the rest are simply brick-style blocks. The graphics are nothing to write home about, but they have an attractive, cute style. It's neat to point out all the things behind the windows and doors. It is recommended for ages 2 years and up, though a younger child could use them with no problems (that I can see).
Speaking of Assembly
At first I wondered about the fact that I would have to assemble blocks, but when you think about how large they are... it would be most inconvenient to sell them in full-size form. There are instructions included that were clear and concise. It was surprisingly easy to assemble the blocks and they've yet to be disassembled in the year since (except for that one triangular block that doesn't seem to want to stay put). I'm sure I could disassemble them easily, but my son hasn't yet learned how to do this (which is very nice).
You don't need to assemble the vehicles (since they're just a couple pieces of cardboard glued together).
Sturdiness
I'm still kind of surprised at how sturdy these things are. I remember thinking to myself "Cardboard? Yeah, these will last with a toddler." My son weighs 28 pounds and he can stand on top of them with no problems, none of the blocks are bowing at all. The blocks even stand up well to bite marks (though the vehicles don't fare as well as the blocks do). After close to a year of use, the blocks still appear to be in very good condition (I'd say excellent, but the edges are showing a bit of wear).
What mom likes (besides the sturdiness and ease of assembly)
These are among mom's favorite toys. Why? Let's see, I believe the exact descriptive words are "No batteries required." Those three little words are like magic, they immediately make mommy smile.
I also like how the blocks are so versatile that they grow with my son. When we first received them about the only thing we could do is play the Godzilla game (which is still one of my son's favorites) -- where mommy stacks the blocks and child knocks them down. As he grew, his ability to stack the blocks himself grew with him until, now, he can manage a nicely sized tower himself. At two, he's more interested in building towers and counting the blocks... as he gets older, I'm sure the images on the blocks themselves will interest him and he'll actually build a little town (and use the vehicles).
In addition, since the blocks are all different colors and shapes (square, rectangle, triangle, red, blue, green, yellow), you can use these as an educational tool. We started out with the game of "Find me..." so my son could learn the various shape and color names and now we're on to counting the blocks and actually learning to say the various colors (though everything is Boo or Ya-ow currently). When he gets older, I'll try to combine shapes (like two squares to make a rectangle or a square and a triangle to make a pentagon... I'm such a geometry teacher) and teach him about the geometric properties of three-, four- and five-sided figures.
What Aidan likes
Really, he just likes to build towers and knock them down while growling. He also likes to stand on them (note: be very careful with these unsupervised... my son has tried a number of times to build a stepping stone so he could reach the countertop... they're sturdy, but not THAT sturdy).
Overall?
I can't think of one negative with these toys. They're not baby-ish, so older children can play with them without feeling self-concious... but younger toddlers can also enjoy them as well. They can be used as an educational tool and their versatility allows the child's play to advance with their age. They enhance motor skills, teach color and shape recognition and assist in imaginative play... all WITHOUT the use of batteries! I didn't even know things like this exist anymore! Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not against noise... I'm just against *electronic* noise. The sound of a child squealing or yelling during play? Ok. A box shouting the alphabet at my son? Not so ok.
The only issues I can see are the availability (since I can't seem to find them in major retailers) and the price. $40 is a bit much for what amounts to cardboard boxes in geometric shapes that I have to assemble myself... HOWEVER, unlike most battery-operated toys, I feel these are worth every penny. They've already lasted a year and I can see these holding up for years to come. Now that I think about it, these are among the few toys he's had for a year that he's not tired of already (I have to alternate toys). We play with them a few times a week (though most of the time is spent playing the Godzilla game... which I'm sure isn't teaching him healthy habits for preschool), and I try to sit down with him to work on educational stuff at least once a week (if not more).
Anyway, if you're looking for a versatile toy that isn't annoying and will entertain your toddler, I'd check out Melissa & Doug's Jumbo Town Cardboard Blocks... they even have the added bonus of being softer than all-wood blocks, so if your son throws them in the house they are less likely to break something (my son doesn't understand that rolling a ball for the dog is ok, throwing a block for the dog isn't). I give the blocks a hearty Five Stars and a If you can find them, buy them on the recommendation.
Pros:
*Sturdy cardboard withstands biting and 28 lb of pressure
*Easy to assemble with simple instructions
*They stay assembled
*Variety of shapes and bright colors makes these a great educational tool for toddlers
*Play is able to grow and evolve as child's abilities grow
*Large enough to be easy to grasp and handle for a young child... easier to stack than smaller blocks
*Cardboard is much less dense than wood making these do much less damage when employed as a missile in your home
*NO BATTERIES REQUIRED!
Cons:
*They are $40, but that isn't too bad
*You can't find them anywhere, and that IS sad :( :( :(
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): Gift
Type of Toy: Blocks
Age Range of Child: 12 to 36 Months
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gatorgirlie
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Location: Orlando, FL
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