Sparkling Symphony Twinkle Dancer; Another Noise-Maker, But We Love Him!
Written: Jul 18 '04 (Updated Dec 28 '04)
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Pros: Baby loves it!; lively music; twinkling lights; 'dances' without falling over; on/off switch.
Cons: More batteries.
The Bottom Line: Even newborns would enjoy watching the lights and listening to the happy sounds of the Sparkling Symphony Twinkle Dancer, but older babies will absolutely LOVE it!
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| krissingene's Full Review: SparklIng Symphony TwInkle Dancer 71676 |
I'm not above shopping for baby clothes and toys at yard sales and flea markets - after all, babies move through them so quickly due to rapid growth and development that they very rarely have the chance to wear them out. It was during one such shopping excursion that I came across a table full of baby toys - the big, chunky kind that would be appropriate for my then three-month-old daughter. Among the pile was a cute white plastic elephant for only fifty cents that I would later (with the help of Epinions) identify as the Fisher-Price Sparkling Symphony Twinkle Dancer. With reassurance from the seller that her daughter had adored the toy as an infant - and for such a great price - I snapped it right up.
~* Where Are It's Feet?! *~
This toy is a 7.5" tall primarily white elephant made of hard plastic with a rounded bottom which allows it to wobble without falling over. The elephant has black eyes with stars for pupils and blue eyebrows with yellow stars just above on his forehead. An upturned trunk is molded to his face, with pink star-shaped cheeks on either side and a slightly opened mouth beneath. His large ears are made of fabric - satiny on the front and felt-like on the back. While I believe that colors varied, ours has one blue ear and one red ear. The insides of each ear are printed with brightly colored stars, circles, and eighth (musical) notes.
The lower half of the toy consists of the elephant's body - well, if you use a bit of imagination. There is a bandana knotted around his neck (again molded into the plastic) that actually wraps around the body, printed with stars on the back and ending in a point just above a very cute little molded tail. Two chubby arms rest along each side of the roly-poly body, one with a blue pad and one with a red. In the center of the elephant's belly is a large music note, covered in sparkly blue and silver foil that glitters when moved.
The rounded base of the toy is blue with molded hearts and circles in random places. There are three large round lights set in the base; a green light beneath one ear and arm, a red light beneath the other ear and arm, and a yellow light in the back of the toy, beneath the tail. I assume that, based on positioning, the front two lights should be the bottoms of the elephant's feet, although I shudder to think what the light in the rear would represent...
There is a tiny rectangular Fisher-Price logo on the elephant's belly, beneath which is set a small red on/off switch and discreetly molded slots through which the music passes while the toy is in play. A battery compartment is located in the bottom of the toy, it's round shape molded to the same shape as the base; like all baby toys, it requires batteries - three AAs in this case, accessible only by removing two screws holding the battery cover in place. With the batteries in place, this toy is a bit heavy - nearly two pounds in all - but the shape keeps it from toppling over onto baby's head.
~* Dance, Elephant! *~
This toy doesn't start up as soon as the switch is moved to the on position - rather, it has to be shaken or wobbled on it's base before music starts playing. Once activated, there are five songs in this elephant's repertoire, none of which I immediately recognized by name but all are light, upbeat and distinctly classical in feel. Each song plays for about twenty seconds, a nice length for this type of toy, and they play in order so that you're not bombarded with the same tune over and over and over. As the music plays, the three lights set into the elephant's rounded base flash in time to the music.
There is no volume control available on this toy, which will surely irritate some parents. I have no issues with the volume level, though - it's loud enough to hear easily without being overly obnoxious. I am grateful for the on/off switch, although we often forget to switch the toy to the off mode after play since it's quite anyway. Makes for quite a rude awakening during midnight feedings when it's kicked in the dark and starts playing music...
Since she was only three months old when the Sparkling Symphony Twinkle Dancer came to live with us, my daughter didn't play with it too much at first - although, having her two requirements of lights and music down pat, she did very much enjoy watching Mommy play with it at first. After about a month, she had gained the strength and coordination needed to go after the elephant on her own. Especially while playing on her tummy, she loved to raise her head and watch the toy, batting at it on occasion. As she grew more confident (and continues to do so), she grabs at it and smacks at it, sometimes sending it twirling across the floor. This, I found, is where the light placed on the elephant's rump comes in handy; it's very easy for baby to turn the elephant around during play, but even then there's a light to keep his or her attention. At first, she didn't bat at the elephant hard enough to make the music resume playing, needing a bit of help from Mommy (who would sometimes just pick the toy up and shake it rather than hitting it until it turned back on.)
Like many babies, my Rachael learned to roll from her tummy onto her back nearly a month before learning to roll from her back onto her tummy - and I largely credit this toy for her success. Being one of her favorite things to push around, I began laying her on the floor on her back and placing this toy to one side, just out of her reach. Already proficient at rolling onto her side, she would flip up on one arm to grab at her elephant - surprising both Mommy and herself when one day she reached for her toy and flipped all the way over onto her belly! She's been practicing hard ever since and has gotten the rolling over bit licked, but still rolls more readily when her dancing elephant is just out of her grasp.
~* Can I Have An Elephant Too? *~
No, you can't. I'm sorry, I don't say this out of spite, but because Fisher-Price has apparently stopped manufacturing this sweet little fella (other toys in their Sparkling Symphony line, however, are still widely available in toy stores.) You can probably find this toy on eBay as it was manufactured around 2000; it's first owners have certainly outgrown it by now after all. Keep your eyes peeled at yard sales, flea markets and secondhand children's shops, especially if you have a 3-6 month old baby, who will surely eat it up just as my daughter does. This toy originally retailed for about $10, but who knows - maybe you'll find one for fifty cents like I did!
~* Contact Information *~
For more information, visit Fisher-Price online at www.fisher-price.com or call 1-800-432-KIDS (1-800-432-5437).
~* Also By Fisher-Price *~
Cradle Swing B0639 * Deluxe Take-Along Swing * Healthy Care Booster Seat * Kick 'N Play Piano * Laugh & Learn Learning Table * Link-a-doos On-the-Go Goldfish * Link-a-doos Teething Ring * Ocean Wonders Aquarium * Ocean Wonders Aquarium Bouncer * Peek-a-Blocks Barnyard Friends Blocks * Sesame Street Light-Up Pet Pals: Ernie * Swim 'n Spin Fish Rattle
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): .50
Type of Toy: Baby Toy
Age Range of Child: 0 to 12 Months
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krissingene
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Member: Kristin
Location: Southern VA
Reviews written: 267
Trusted by: 120 members
About Me:
The strength of Motherhood is greater than Natural Laws. -Barbara Kingsolver
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