mizgnomer's Full Review: Little Tikes Police Cycle Sounds Rocker
Our experiences:
My parents were beaming with pride when they carried their gift in to my son's first birthday party. Their wrapped box was the largest gift there, and we saved it for last. My son was thrilled when he opened his police cycle -- pushing the buttons before we even got it out of the box for him.
This is my son's first rocker, and although he did fall off the side on his maiden voyage, he still absolutely loves it. It rocks well even on our carpet, and he loves holding onto the handles and leaning waaay back. He will also walk up to the rocker and start pressing the buttons without setting down (he's a habitual button pusher). It appears to be quite sturdy -- withstanding my son's somewhat bumbling attempts to climb onto it without help.
On the down side -- it is far too loud. The siren in particular makes my ears ring. I'm really not a person who minds that my son has noisy toys (in fact I like it because it is easier to keep track of him when he's being extra-noisy), however some of the sounds on this toy are far too loud. With my boy sitting directly in front of the speaker when on the rocker, we're definitely not comfortable with the volume level. We taped some of a folded-up party napkin over the speaker, which makes the sound much more manageable, however I'm concerned that he'll pull the tape off and try to eat it some day when my back is turned, so I'm not thrilled about our current solution.
Product Description
The rocker itself is fairly simple. Molded to look like a mini-policy motorcycle, it is mostly blue plastic with some stickers (you put on yourself) to add to the cycle-feel. It is a very cute toy. My boy seems quite happy in the seat, although he tends to leave his feet on the floor rather than putting them on the rocker base where they are supposed to go.
At the top of the rocker is the "dash board" and front windshield. This part is made of a hard white plastic, and the windshield is a separate piece of clear blue plastic. The handlebars are a grey plastic. There are 3 red lights (one on top and one on either side) that flash when the siren sound is played.
On the rocker's "dash board" are a series of buttons, a "key", and a lighted panel showing a friendly police officer (who appears to be directing traffic). Three buttons down the side are a horn, an engine noise, and the siren. When the siren is sounding the three red lights flash. The horn and engine sounds are at an okay volume, however I find the siren sound to be entirely too loud. There are also three buttons along the bottom of the panel -- one plays a combination of the horn and engine sound, another plays the sound of a crowd cheering and whistling, and the third is a police whistle followed by a dog barking. When any of those three buttons' sounds are playing the picture of the friendly police officer lights up. Of the three, I also find the crowd-button to be a little too much on the loud side. Older versions of this rocker may play different sounds (a friend of mine says that the three bottom buttons on hers plays police phrases instead of sound-effects).
One of the cooler things about this toy is the key. When you turn the key an engine sound starts puttering. As the child rocks the engine races harder and harder, eventually causing the siren and lights to start as your tot rocks on and on. As your child's rocking slows the engine noise slows with him. When you child comes to a stop the engine goes back to an idling sound, then eventually shuts off if your child doesn't start to rock again (or you can turn the key again to turn it off). The engine sound is at just the right level (without our muffling), and it even kept the adults at my son's birthday party entertained for a while.
The rocker's weight limit is 50 pounds. The rocker itself is approximately 32 inches long and the seat is approx. 6 inches above the ground. 3 "AA" batteries are included. The batteries are concealed behind the rocker's front "headlight".
Quickie Summary:
Pros:
+) Very good rocking -- even on carpet
+) Very cute toy
+) At just the right height for my little one year old
+) Very stable -- has not fallen over with hard rocking or with pushes from the side
+) Lots of buttons and flashing lights to keep little ones entertained
+) The engine noise (made when the key is turned) matches the speed & intensity of the child's rocking
Cons:
-) Far too loud -- we had to muffle the speaker
-) I'm not a big fan of stickers on toys -- I find that they eventually tear, peel, or fade
Final Thoughts:
Other than the volume of some of the sounds, I think this is an excellent toy. If there was a volume control or the sounds were generally softer, I would have rated this toy higher.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): ?? - Gift Type of Toy: Baby Toy
Age Range of Child: 12 to 36 Months
This "child activated" police motorcycle rocker interacts with toddlers and rewards them with lights and sounds. The child turns the key to hear the m...More at eBay
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.