Celebrate 50 Years of Fisher Price!
Written: Mar 26 '09 (Updated Mar 26 '09)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Great tribute set, safe durable toys, colorful design, low price.
Cons: If you don't remember the original sets, these could be pretty bland.
The Bottom Line: Durable update of a classic playset--if you were a child of the sixties, seventies or eighties, you'll love the Little People all over again.
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| JediKermit's Full Review: Fisher Price Little People Play 'N Go Schoolhouse ... |
One of my first reviews on Epinions was written before I really got the hang of what the point of the site was. I railed against the "new style" Fisher Price Little People, without actually reviewing the product. It was basically a five paragraph rant, and someday I'll go back and fix that. For the 50th Anniversary of Fisher Price Little People, Fisher Price is revisiting some of their classic playsets: the Schoolhouse, Farm, House, and Fire Station. I've only picked up one so far, but I don't know if I'll be able to hold back from buying the others.
The 50th Anniversary Fisher Price Little People Play 'N Go Schoolhouse Set is smaller than the classic schoolhouse was, but shares much of the same design with the original. A little larger than a lunchbox, the school is a tin carrying case with a plastic lid, shaped like the old Fisher Price schoolhouse. The rectangular main part of the school reproduces the lithograph images from the walls of the old school. You can see several "Little People" children through the windows of the school, desks, a teacher--it's a cheery scene, and one that I remember well from my own playset back in the 1970's. Flower boxes, a clock and belltower complete the colorful design. The original schoolhouse had a magnetic roof and a chalkboard, and that's reproduced here in graphics on the lid of the carrying case.
So what do you put into the case? Everything else. Three figures and four pieces of furniture come with the schoolhouse playset. They're all inspired by the classic Little People designs, but are much larger and chunkier, so they're safer for small children. The figures are now around 4" tall, and all of the furniture is scaled up accordingly.
The figures include a teacher, student, and the classic black-and-white dog, "Lucky." The teacher has a blue peg-like body, a blonde ponytail, and smiling eyes and face. The student is a boy with a red shirt and blue pants, and a baseball cap turned sideways. I was hoping for the red-capped angry-faced kid, but this boy is pleasant enough. It must be the beginning of the quarter. I would have bought this set for Lucky alone--he's exactly like the Lucky Dog I grew up with...only bigger.
The furniture pieces include a teacher's chair and desk with a paperwork-and-apple decal on the top (just like the original!), a student desk, and a Merry-Go-Round for recess. The colors are faithful to the original schoolhouse, a touch that might seem dated, but I really appreciate.
For around fifteen dollars per set, these are a good price. They're built to be durable enough for young children to play with safely, but are also a great commemorative piece for adults who grew up in the sixties, seventies, and eighties. You know, before we knew what choking hazards were.
I got the schoolhouse because I'm a teacher (and for Lucky), but the other sets are nice too. That farm seems to be calling my name. There are also four-packs of Fisher Price Little People figures to help populate your Little Village, including updates of the King and Queen, the Mad-Faced Boy, and other classic Little People.
MODERN FISHER PRICE LITTLE PEOPLE SETS
Thanksgiving Celebration
Lil' Pirate Ship
Animal Sounds Farm
Floaty Boat
Noah's Ark
Christmas Village
Lil' Kingdom Castle
A to Z Learning Zoo
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 15.00
Type of Toy: Playscene
Age Range of Child: Whole Family
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Epinions.com ID:
JediKermit
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 in Movies, Kids & Family, Books |
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Member: Quinn
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah
Reviews written: 2237
Trusted by: 602 members
About Me:
Books, Movies, and Toys. Is there more to life?
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