Fisher-Price Sesame Street Baby Explorer; We Explored So You Don't Have To
Written: May 05 '05 (Updated May 05 '05)
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Pros: Inexpensive; Sesame Street characters; 3-in-1 toy.
Cons: Inadequate in every way; potentially dangerous.
The Bottom Line: Avoid the Fisher-Price Sesame Street Baby Explorer. It's plain as that.
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| krissingene's Full Review: Fisher-Price Sesame Street Baby Explorer |
My daughter was only a few months old when, wandering through a local discount store one day, I spotted the Fisher-Price Sesame Street 3-in-1 Baby Explorer lurking in a huge box on a top shelf. I was intrigued - with three stages for newborns, sitters and toddlers, this was a toy that would grow with my little girl, and the age range was indeed listed as appropriate for 0-24 months. I had been eyeballing similar activity centers for a few weeks, but was put off by the $40-50 price tag on similar toys. This one was only $20, though - and it was both Fisher-Price and Sesame Street. Clearly, it had to be a superior toy! Right? Right?
~* Adult Assembly Required *~
This toy is comprised of three main pieces - the large white center section, which houses all the lights and sounds, and two curved blue legs that attach to either side and extend about a foot and a half behind the toy. Assembly took my husband all of about ten minutes with my supervision (otherwise, it would probably have only taken five) and consisted of snapping the pieces into the right slots.
Once assembled, the smaller accessories needed only to be snapped into place. A round stuffed "atom" with a picture of Elmo's face hangs from the back of the toy, and orange and green "clacker" style plastic slabs snap into one of the toy's legs. On the other leg, a horizontal plastic rod on which two balls slide back and forth snaps into two holes on the leg.
This toy requires 3 AA batteries, which are surprisingly included.
~* Ages and Stages *~
This toy is designed to be used in three stages and is easily converted from one to the other via pressing two small buttons on each leg and sliding the arms that determine the angle of the main area of the toy along a track, therefore making the toy lean back or stand upright. A switch on one side of toy allows you to set the toy to the appropriate level by picturing three babies - one lying down, one sitting and one standing.
The first stage is designed as a play gym for babies still too small to sit. In this mode, the back side of the toy is used; baby lies on the floor between the two legs of the toy, facing the backside of the toy. There is a large oval mirror and two textured areas for baby's feet here, as well as easy access to the "busy beads" and "click-clack pages" mounted on each leg. As mentioned earlier, a soft stuffed "atom" hangs from the back of the toy where baby can see or bat at it - this action is rewarded by music, sounds and flashing lights from the four colorful bulbs visible on both the front and rear of the toy.
The second stage, or "activity center", is designed for babies old enough to sit up (and presumably for older infants and toddlers as well.) This stage focuses on the front of the toy, which bears a bit of description. There are four colorful lights on the front of the toy - two on each side - depicting familiar Sesame Street characters (an orange Ernie light, yellow Big Bird light, blue Cookie Monster light and green Oscar light.) In the center of the toy is a large round red dial picturing Elmo's face; the dial is textured around the perimeter, making it easy to grasp and turn, producing a loud clicking noise that every parent will just love. Four yellow plastic panels with round cutouts are arranged in an X shape around and below the Elmo dial; these panels are actually the front of tubular chutes that run through the center of the toy. A round opening at the top of the toy allows children to drop the colorful character balls into the toy (four balls are included with the toy, in the same color/character combinations as the lights.) After rolling through the chutes - all the while clearly visible from the outside from the toy - the balls exit the toy via openings over each leg, and roll down into the trays molded into the legs. A spinning dial in the center of the toy beneath the Elmo dial presumably determines which direction the ball will roll when turned, although I've never had any luck determining the outcome, and doubt that my toddler has either. Finally, at the bottom of the toy's main front panel, there is a large clear panel picturing Elmo, Cookie Monster and Ernie, that lights up and blinks along with the toy's sound effects when the balls are dropped into the chute or the Elmo dial is turned.
In the final stage, "walker", the toy supposedly functions as a push-along walker. A large curved handle at the top of the toy is perfect for small hands, and the "Sunny Days" Sesame Street theme plays as the child walks behind the toy, between the large blue legs (which house wheels on the underside.) Lights flash in time to baby's steps, speeding up as baby walks faster.
At least, that's how the Sesame Street Baby Explorer is supposed to function in each mode. Our experiences, however, were a bit different.
~* Stage One: Gym *~
When we first set this toy up in gym format, my ferociously independent toddler was still a small, helpless lump, unable to propel herself in any fashion or even roll over without a nudge. Therefore, our first experience with the Sesame Street Baby Explorer was in the first "gym" format. After folding a blanket and wedging it carefully between the legs on back of the toy to give her a soft place to play, we laid her on her back facing the rear of the toy, where she'd be able to check out her reflection in the mirror, bat at the hanging toy, and rub her little feet on the textured surfaces awaiting her. Only, none of that stuff happened. To begin with, the textured ovals may as well not have existed; even barefoot, she just wasn't interested. They must not have been too noticeable and, unlike some baby toys, kicking them does not illicit a response. And the mirror, a sure fire baby winner? Absolutely useless. Because of the funky and non-adjustable angle of the mirror, no infant of normal size will be able to see their reflection in it - unless they're interested in checking out their abs. My daughter has always been tall for her age, but at only 23-24" inches in this stage, she was certainly within the confines of "normal" - it wasn't as though Babyzilla were crouched beneath the gym. The only way she could have possibly used the mirror is if I'd arranged her little legs behind her head in order to scoot her in close enough - and while she may have been capable of it then, that's one trick I don't want to reinforce.
The hanging toy was fun for a few seconds, as she'd bat at it and it would swing back and forth, enticing her to try again. She quickly lost interest after it fell on her head, though. The "clackers" to her right were absolutely beyond her grasp at this point, although the wavy bead-bar to her left was more fascinating - and you guessed it, all it took was one quick tug from a three-month-old and the whole contraption came off in her hand. Nothing on earth would keep it attached to the toy, and we quickly gave up trying as she seemed to prefer playing with it individually. (To this day, the toy gets zero use, but the plastic balls and bead bar are played with frequently.)
Overall rating as an infant gym? Sorry, but I'm afraid the rating system at Epinions doesn't deal in negatives.
~* Stage Two: Activity Center *~
Fast forward a month or two, and my baby girl has learned to sit up on her own. Now, we think, we'll get some use out of this contraption, as all the fun stuff is obviously on the front side anyway. So we drag the toy out from beneath her crib (it folds just flat enough to store it there, although it's still far from compact) and plop her down in front of it. Mild interest. No big deal. Just a toy.
To get the ball rolling - er, literally - I drop one of the balls into the chute at the top. She perks right up as the toy flashes, whistles, buzzes and tosses out the random saying from Elmo, Big Bird and Ernie. But as soon as it's gotten started, the ball shoots out of the bottom of the toy, rolls down to the end of the leg/ramp, and is quiet. Wow. Thrills and chills. Like most toys for babies this age, the next step is to repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Until she loses interest, which doesn't take long at all with this one.
There are a couple of problems with the design of this toy when intended for use by a barely-sitting babe. To begin with, the hole into which the balls must be dropped is much higher than your average-sized sitter can reach, even if he or she did have the visualization and coordination to put the ball into the hole on their own at this point - which I dare say, most babies do not. Once the ball has finished it's trajectory through the toy and rolls to the bottom of the ramp, it's also impossible for a sitting-but-otherwise-immobile to child to retrieve it; in fact, it's a bit of a pain in the posterior for the parent to have to crawl around the toy and retrieve them. All in all, there's really nothing here for the sitter but some flashing lights and noise, and there are a host of other easier to use baby toys on the market that offer that without the inconvenience.
Overall rating as an activity center: one star. At least there's something baby can enjoy here.
~* Stage Three: Walker *~
Ah, walking, that magical milestone every parent looks forward to until they realize that having a walking toddler means more chasing after your baby. Some babies start walking at eight months or so, others as late as eighteen months. I've only recently become comfortable admitting that, at nearly fifteen months, my daughter still isn't walking independently. Cruising, sure, and lightning fast on those little feet when holding Mommy's hand, but she's more focused on extending a vocabulary ridiculously oversized for a tyke her age than taking off solo just yet. Still, the subconscious of any parent of a toddler will provide toys like this one, designed to prod baby into walking by tempting her to push the toy along.
The "walker" mode of this toy is essentially the same as the "sitter" mode, with the position of the switch being the only difference. Instead of sitting in front of the toy, however, the idea is for baby to stand between the back legs, holding on to the arched handle on top, and push the toy along the floor. And it does sound good, in theory. Heck, it even looks good! With those long legs in back and the wide frame, you'd think this thing would be all kinds of sturdy, right? Wrong. It is, in fact, deceptively lightweight and fast on it's feet...um, wheels. The first time my little girl grabbed the handle and took off, this toy took off without her - she fell forward and would have bashed her little chin against the retreating handle (or fallen face-first on the floor) had not a cautious Mommy been waiting at the scene to catch her.
A little older, a little larger and more sure of herself, the scene hasn't changed much - while she can now guide the "walker" fairly confidently across the floor, she has yet to master the crucial ability to stop, and until this irresistible force meets an immovable object (ie. the couch or chair), it's not going to make matters any easier on her - especially on our hardwood floors, where it gains momentum at an alarming rate. The potential of falling flat on her face (rather than her well-padded bottom) when this toy flips over or scoots out of her grasp is so great that we rarely allow her to play with it any more. Without a parent in front and a parent behind, the risk of injury is just too great.
Overall rating as a walker: one star. It has wheels and a handle and moves easily - too easily for a beginning walker.
~* What Have We Learned? *~
According to the packaging and instruction manual, the Sesame Street Baby Explorer supposedly aids your child in reaching the following developmental milestones:
- MOTOR -
Fine motor skills: grasping, finger grasping, eye-hand coordination
Gross motor skills: holding, two hand transfer, balance and coordination
- SENSORY -
Auditory stimulation
Visual stimulation
Visual tracking
- COGNITIVE -
Auditory discrimination
Exploration with hands
Exploration in multiple ways
Exploration of facial features
Understanding of cause and effect
Anticipation of surprises/actions
Discovery of own attributes
~* The REAL Lesson *~
Oh yes, I've learned a lot from this toy. I've learned that, in some instances, you really do get what you pay for. I've learned that simply being manufactured by Fisher-Price with a few Sesame Street characters slapped on does not equal a great toy. And I've learned that when one toy claims to do the job of three, it's usually a case of "jack of all trades, master of none." Don't be reeled in by the attractive price, name brand or characters the way I was; run, don't walk, away from this one. If you don't, it just might catch up.
~* Contact Information *~
Visit Fisher-Price online at www.fisher-price.com or call 1-800-432-KIDS (1-800-432-5437).
A portion of the proceeds from this toy is given to Sesame Workshop to help fund Sesame Street and related educational projects. Visit Sesame Street online at www.sesamestreet.com.
~* Also by Fisher-Price *~
Cradle Swing B0639 * Deluxe Take-Along Swing * Healthy Care Booster Seat * Kick 'N Play Piano * Laugh & Learn Learning Home * Laugh & Learn Learning Phone * Laugh & Learn Learning Table * Link-a-doos On-the-Go Goldfish * Link-a-doos Teething Ring * Ocean Wonders Aquarium * Ocean Wonders Aquarium Bouncer * Peek-a-Blocks Barnyard Friends Blocks * PowerTouch Baby: I Know My Letters * PowerTouch Baby Learning System * Sesame Street Light-Up Pet Pals: Ernie * Sparkling Symphony Twinkle Dancer * Swim 'n Spin Fish Rattle
Recommended:
No
Amount Paid (US$): 19.99
Type of Toy: Baby Toy
Age Range of Child: 0 to 12 Months
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Epinions.com ID:
krissingene
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Member: Kristin
Location: Southern VA
Reviews written: 267
Trusted by: 119 members
About Me:
The strength of Motherhood is greater than Natural Laws. -Barbara Kingsolver
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