The Little Tikes Activity Garden
Written: Aug 20 '01
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Pros: Durable, bright, appeals to infants and small children.
Cons: One Piece
The Bottom Line: The Little Tikes Activity Garden will delight all small children.
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| ImAmes's Full Review: Activity Garden |
I have always wanted to buy my infant daughter the Little Tikes Activity Garden, but when the time came that she was old enough to enjoy it- they stopped making them. So began my quest all this summer to find a good used Little Tikes Activity Garden. My mother and I happened upon a block sale, but it was in it's 2nd day. This usually means nothing is left but endless glassware, Grandpa's old suits and ties, and a pile of discolored sheets. We were already there, and had no real agenda that day, so we walked around. The 2nd sale, my mom started running towards something, and then whispered to me to come over to her. I thought "What is her problem?" There it stood, like treasure- a Little Tikes Activity Garden. Now was the tough part, would it be cheap or expensive? I glance at the masking tape that held the price- $17.00!!!! It was so cheap! Yet, I am proud to say, that I am the bargaining queen, and asked if they would take $15.00- low and behold they said yes!
Before paying, I checked it over thouroughly. This is KEY when purchasing ANY item for a child at a Rummage Sale. Because I had wanted this so badly-I knew what it should look like and what should come with it. The Little Tikes Activity Garden looks like a white picket fence that makes a complete circle, with 2 entrances or exits. Your little one can use the bright yellow door, or the cut out tunnel for easier access. If your child has a hard time crawling well, they will probably use the tunnel, because the door has a frame they have to crawl OVER. Last but not least, I almost forgot the cute little doorbell located right next to the yellow door. This red button squeaks when pushed- I guarantee will be used the most by my little one!
I checked out the Vegetable Garden inside it- a cute arrange of brown plastic, made to look like dirt, with three vegetables sitting in their own spots. The Garden had all three vegetables- the carrot, onion, and radish. Their greens hang out the top, providing easy access for my daughter to grab them. They come out easy, and are nice and chubby so nothing hangs off of them to choke on.
Next I checked out the bird house that sits watch over the Vegetable Patch- the blue bird was in excellent condition and still chirps when pushed in and out.
The only thing I was nervous about, was the mail and the mailbox. Thankfully they had at least one piece of mail with it, the yellow one. I am pretty sure that three are to come with it, but if you only have one or two, not only do your kids not care, but you can find more at Ebay.com.
The blue mailbox with it's green door worked great and showed no marks or age of any kind.
The flower garden still had it's white tulip, yellow daisy, and purple butterfly on their long green durable strands. I checked these for teeth marks and age- still bright, colorful, and looking like they were just taken out of the box!
On the opposite end of the Garden, are three colorful birds, who spin when played with. The red, yellow, and blue bird were in perfect condition, still with their bright colors and shine!
I paid for the item, and carried the entire piece to my mini-van. It doesn't seem to come apart like the Little Tikes Zoo that is similiar in shape. The only thing when transporting it is to make sure that the veggies and mail are taken out and secured somewhere else. It was light to carry, but wide, so carry it the long way in hallways at home. Finally I was on my way home to show my family, especially my little Emily, what I had finally found.
It came out easily of my mini-van and before showing it off, I grabbed a washcloth with some hot water and disinfectant soap and scrubbed it well- this cleans it as well as helps to wash away the previous owner's germs.
I brought it to my daughter, playing in the living room- she went berserk! Crawled right on over to it, opened the door, crawled in, and immediatedly grabbed the veggies and stuck them in her mouth! Needless to say, she has been playing with it every moment she can- opening the mailbox, putting the mail in, and of course, crawling in and out of the door after pushing the doorbell.
The Little Tikes Activity Garden can be used indoors and outdoors, and takes little room on the floor.
The Little Tikes Activity Garden is wonderful for all children who have started to crawl to 2 years of age. My daughter (14 mo.) is behind in walking, and because she is behind, she may be able to use and play with this toy past 2 years of age. It is alot of fun for kids and Little Tikes is made tough and built to stand the test of time. You can find the Little Tikes Activity Garden at Ebay.com, or if you get lucky their own Corporate Website may have some left. I know that you can't find them anymore in stores, so maybe you can get lucky on the Net or at a rummage sale near you! Enjoy your Little Tikes Activity Garden!
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 15.00
Type of Toy: Playscene
Age Range of Child: 12 to 36 Months
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Epinions.com ID:
ImAmes
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Member: Amy Joy
Location: Midwest
Reviews written: 174
Trusted by: 215 members
About Me:
Love cures people- both the ones who give it and those who recieve it.
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