goldjay's Full Review: Little Tikes Discover Sounds Hammer
My son received the Little Tikes Discover Sounds Hammer as a hand-me-down toy. Friends with 3 boys gave us this huge bucket of toys and this hammer was a part of it. I didn't think much of it and just set it aside as I was going through the things in the bucket. My son, however, was attracted to it immediately and decided to figure out how it worked.
Description This hammer is one of the smaller toys we have. It is only about six inches long and three and a half inches wide at it's widest point. It is very colorful and this is probably what first attracted my son!
The handle of the hammer is blue (my son's absolute favorite color!). It has a rubbery feel to it and little knobby things all over for better gripping. It is the perfect size for a toddler hand to get around and the rubber helps with better gripping. The top of the hammer is yellow with the "Little Tikes" logo right in the middle on one side. On that same side, there is also an on/off switch, which comes in very handy!!
The part that you actually hammer with is a soft orange rubbery material. It is hollow and can be pressed in with a finger. The back end of the hammer (opposite the part you hammer with) is a translucent red plastic. This is where you see the lights light up.
Whatitdoes When you turn on this hammer, it is more than just your ordinary hammer. Switch the on/off switch to on, which is clearly marked, and the hammer starts lighting up and making sounds. The sounds appear to be random and some sound like one pounding nails but others are just silly noises. The light on the red end of the hammer also lights up in random flashes.
One need not actually even hammer anything with this hammer to get it going. Just shaking the hammer will get the noises going and the lights flashing. Indeed, simply bumping the shelf or walking too hard on the floor near the shelf will get it going! Thank goodness for an off switch on this product or we'd have to take the batteries out of it for sure!!
OurExperiences My son liked this hammer immediately. He watched the lights and hammered everything in sight. He hammered my walls and thankfully this hammer is soft enough and his bang is gentle enough (though it didn't sound like it) that it did not leave any marks. I encouraged him to hammer the floor but apparently that was not enough fun for him. He has a workbench but was not interested in pounding there either. He did, however, like hammering his sister, who was not pleased by the new toy! By the following day, the hammer was mostly ignored. I guess the novelty of the fun was gone. It has been picked up only rarely since that first day.
Durability I know that this hammer has gone through many kids before my son got it. It is in overall good shape and the sounds and lights still work as if it were new. The only thing that is damaged on this hammer is that here is a small hole in the orange rubbery hammering part of the hammer. It is small and does not affect the use of the hammer but it is obviously a hole.
Cleaningandbatteries This toy can be surface cleaned with a damp cloth. It cannot be immersed because of the electronics in it. I have not found it necessary anyway as a baby wipe seems to keep this little toy clean.
The hammer takes 2 AA batteries. We have had it for several months now and I have not replaced the batteries. When we got it, it already had working batteries in it and they have remained. In all honestly, if the batteries in this toy do stop working, I doubt that I will change them because, in my opinion, they only serve to make annoying noises! If my son wants to hammer, I'd prefer that he makes his own noises and uses his imagination rather than the electronic noises of this toy!
Recommendation This toy is not very exciting. If your toddler has a workbench and needs a hammer, there are better alternatives out there. Though overall it is durable and will last, the noises will drive any parent crazy! Kids like them but the novelty quickly wears off and it is not very exciting anymore!!
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): ?? Type of Toy: Other
Age Range of Child: 12 to 36 Months
Updated electronic hammer features stimulating lights and sounds. Tap or shake to activate 8 delightful sounds. Dancing lights create a colorful displ...More at Toys R Us
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