I purchased the Play-Doh Boohbah Shape 'n Shimmer Playset for my son who happens to love Play-Doh (and so do I), and who is in a Boohbah phase right now. The set cost me around $7.00, so the price was right and considering the combination of play-doh with Boohbah I had a feeling it would be a big hit.

About the Play-Doh Boohbah Shape 'n Shimmer Playset
Really, for the under $10 price, you get quite a bit. Included in this inexpensive (under $10) Play-Doh playset is the following:
-5 2 oz. tubs of "Shimmer Play-Doh" in Boohbah colors (blue, pink, orange, yellow, purple)
-3 Boohbah shaped molds
-1 Boohbah roller
-1 Boohbah 'tummy texture' extruder

This playset is recommended for children ages 3-5, and is particularly aimed at fans of the PBS Television program Boohbah. The set includes 5 small (2oz) tubs of Play-Doh in exact Boohbah colors, right down the special shimmer. There are 3 small orange plastic cookie-cutter type molds shaped like Boohbahs - one has its arms and legs extended (in an X position) and the others each have 1 arm up. There is also a small blue roller with a handle and you can use that to roll out a pattern which is actually made up of tiny Boohbahs. Lastly, there is a purple extruder which is 2 pieces and shaped like a Boohbah. To use the extruder you load some Play-Doh into the open tummy portion and then use the circular plunger to force the Play-Doh through the front, basically making the Boohbah grow some more fur on its tummy - or "tummy texture".



Our Thoughts
My 3 year old son really has too many toys including many many Play-Doh sets. He actually has an entire 3 drawer plastic cart in my kitchen that is bursting with Play-Doh sets, tubs of Play-Doh and various accessories. Yet, when I saw this set on the store shelves I just couldn't resist the purchase. Play-Doh happens to be an all time favorite quiet time activity around my house. Not only does my son enjoy manipulating it, it occupies him for long periods of time - no batteries are required, and its relatively cheap. As long as he's set up at the kitchen table (or his small kid-sized table) with either a placemat or a vinyl tablecloth then the clean-up is very straightforward. While some consider Play-Doh a clean-up nightmare - I don't think its a big deal. I try to remind my son to only open up 1 color (2 maximum) at a time, and its only allowed in certain rooms (not where there is a carpet).

So, I finally got around to giving my son this Play-Doh set - and now I'm wondering why I hadn't given it to him sooner! The Play-Doh Boohbah Shape 'n Shimmer Playset is definitely a very fun set and quite a bit comes with it. For the low price that I paid...I want to say $6.99, its worth that.. and more.

My son's favorite activity of course is molding a Boohbah out of each color and then lining them up. Unlike some Play-Doh molds which actually sculpt in 3D these are simply cut-outs like cookies. This makes the molds very easy to use that even my 3 year old can do it with very little parental assistance. Also lots of fun to use is the Boohbah roller which reminds me of a paint roller. The Boohbah texture that it rolls out is slightly distorted but you can still make out that they are little Boohbahs. The 'tummy texture' extruder is "ok" but not as fun as some other extruders and plungers my son has with some of his other sets. I think it would have been cooler if they had made this extruder a plunger style instead.

The shimmery Play-Doh itself in exact Boohbah colors is definitely something that your child will enjoy. I have to admit that even though I'm not particularly fond of the Boohbah's myself, I do like this pretty Play-Doh which has a pearlescent type of sheen to it - but no visible large glitter particles and no added mess. My only wish would be that the tubs included were larger sized, or that you could purchase refills or additional containers of this specific Play-Doh. We need more tubs of Play-Doh like we need a hole in the head but I've yet to see this shimmery play-doh sold separately and the tubs included are too small. Its very easy to use up all the Play-Doh included in this set in a single play session and your Boohbah fan will probably be wanting more.

Overall, I have to give the Play-Doh: Boohbah Shape 'n Shimmer Playset a big thumbs up. It is rare to find a toy that is under $10 that requires no batteries, is great for quiet play, encourages creativity, builds fine motor skills - and that my son loves. If you have a little one who enjoys Boohbah and Play-Doh, then this one is a great value all around. Plus, this is a quiet Boohbah activity. As a parent of a Boohbah obsessed child there are times that I just don't want to hear any more Boohbah blowing (farting) sounds. When my son wants Boohbah but I can't take it, this Play-Doh set is a great compromise for quiet play.

Boohbah!

More Boohbah Reviews
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Boohbah (TV Program)

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Recommended: Yes

Amount Paid (US$): 6.99
Type of Toy: Arts and Crafts
Age Range of Child: 3 to 5 Years