Two Thumbs Up for the Pop-Up Castle by Chicco
Written: Jan 31 '04 (Updated Aug 02 '05)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: ● Developmental
● Indestructible
● NO batteries required
Cons: ● Recommended age may be a bit premature for the skills required
The Bottom Line: The Pop-Up Castle by Chicco is a FUN cause and effect type of toy that's very durable.
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| marybatson's Full Review: Chicco Pop Up Castle |
I can say without hesitation that Chicco makes awesome playthings. The Pop-Up Castle is 1 of 6 Chicco toys that my son owns. All 6 toys are in excellent condition even after heavy play. We've had the Pop-Up Castle for 2-years now, and it still looks new.
The Pop-Up Castle by Chicco is a developmental activity toy that's recommended for babies and toddlers 6-months to 2-years. It’s a cause and effect type of toy ~ press the button, and watch the bear pop-up. The castle consists of four towers where the bear inhabitants live. Each tower features a bear, a different color, and a dissimilar motor activity:
● The ghost lives in the red tower where you Press down the button
● The queen lives in the blue tower where you Slide the lever
● The king lives in the yellow tower where you Turn the knob
● The court jester lives in the green tower where you Flip the switch up
When pushing the bears back in their towers they squeak. The castle measures 10” x 5” x 5”, which is about the size of a loaf of bread. The toy weighs just over a pound, which is light enough for a 1-year old to lift, and carrying. As far as I can tell, there are no safety concerns with this plaything, i.e. strangling, smothering, cutting, swallowing, or sharp edges.
Our Experience:
I was fortunate to find the Pop-Up Castle on sale for $9.99 at TJ Maxx. I thought the toy would be suitable for my son, as he was 9-months old at the time, and it’s recommended for kids 6-months and up. Well, as it turned out, the castle frightened him. Not aesthetically of course, but the popping sound was a bit too loud for his ears. Not loud by today’s standards, but loud enough to startle him. In addition, he was only able to manipulate the red button. Since the rest of the controls were too difficult for him to operate, he became frustrated, so I put it up on a shelf.
Several months later, I pulled the castle out, and was surprised to see that Will had gained enough strength in his fingers and hands to actually enjoy the toy. He especially liked pushing the bears down in the towers to hear the squeaky noise. I’d watch him laugh when the ghost popped up, and then he’d quickly push it back down again. This went on for probably 10 to 15 minutes every time he played with it. The star shaped knob was the most difficult control for him to master. He was 18-months old before he was able to turn the knob far enough to make the king pop-up. This didn’t seem to bother him, as he favored the ghost anyway.
Chicco makes fabulous toys! They are heavy-duty, developmental, brightly colored playthings. The Pop-Up Castle is made of very hard plastic, and does not have any rough, or sharp edges. It has been dropped, and tossed around more than I can say, and shows no signs of wear, or damage. It’s easy to clean, just apply soapy water with cloth, and voilą, it’s good as new. The recommended age may be a bit premature for the skills required, but maybe that’s just my kid. Considering how much joy this toy has brought my household, I’d say the Pop-Up Castle turned out to be a fantastic buy.
Chicco U.S.A. Inc
4E Easy Street, Bound Brook, NJ 08805
Phone: (732) 805-9200 Fax: (732) 805-3376
www.chicco.com/
Additional Chicco Toy Reviews:
Flip 'n Play Table
Play Village Farm
Sound 'n Lights Circus Train
See the following link for a picture of the toy:
http://store.yahoo.com/amazingtoystore/popupcastle.html
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): $9.99
Type of Toy: Baby Toy
Age Range of Child: 12 to 36 Months
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marybatson
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Member: Mary
Location: Phoenix
Reviews written: 169
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