Well worth the price for a gross motor toy!!
Written: Jan 05 '06 (Updated Jan 05 '06)
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Pros: A pogo stick with training wheels!!!
Cons: The weight and age restrictions make this a good toy only for a short while.
The Bottom Line: If only they made it a bit larger to accommodate the larger preschooler or pre-Kindergartner. Otherwise, a great toy!
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| thriftymommy's Full Review: Sport Fun My First Pogo Stick |
As a child, I adored jumping as high as I could on my pogo stick. I could literally jump for hours since pogo sticks teach not only how to jump but also the subtleties of balance and coordination which I still, I must confess, have difficulties with.
After searching high and low for unique outdoors toy for our 4 year old, we settled on the Sport Fun "My First Pogo Stick" distributed by the American Pogo Stick Company. We found this at our local sporting goods store and since the ages (3-5) and weights (25-50 pounds) listed on the outside of the box matched our daughter's size, we purchased this as one of her holiday gifts.
My First Pogo Stick
According to the manufacturer:
"Designed especially for younger riders. Exclusive removable trainers attach for balance and safety. The trainers build confidence and balancing skills and can be removed when the child is ready.
Patented construction injection molded frame with heavy-duty steel spring inside
Comfort foam grips
Large non-slip foot pads
For ages 3 to 5
For children 25 to 50 lbs
Limited Warranty of 1 year.
Our experiences to date
When we opened this box, out came a normal looking pogo stick covered with hard plastic and larger than normal handgrips and foot pads. I also thought "What a neat idea!! The trainers attached for balance under the foot placement area remove as your child develops the confidence to balance and coordinate their jumping skills! If we had this pogo stick when I was a child, I may have stuck it out and pogo-ed more (is that a word??). Essentially, the feet on the pogo stick remind me of a step stool. They are not flexible but removable. The entire pogo stick plastic molding is more than one piece; the handgrips and foot pads are solid plastic whereas the plastic that covers the springs the entire length of the body are more of a flexible plastic that allows the spring inside to flex and stretch without little hands having access.
Our 4 year old daughter can bounce up to 1 foot off the ground with the trainers in place and our 6 year old (who is over the weight limit recommended by the manufacturer by 5 pounds) was able to reach almost 2 feet of height with the trainers removed. This pogo stick is not designed for high heights or tricks or any kind; you can bounce up and down but not lean as other pogo sticks allow you to do.
What I like about the Sport Fun "My First Pogo Stick":
First, I like the fact that the new pogo-er can master the balance part of jumping with trainers; it's like having training wheels for a pogo stick. I also like the pogo stick makers treating pogo-ing in the same manner as learning to ride a bike: have a beginning pogo stick because not all children are coordinated or able to balance their weight in one place. Let's face it: preschoolers are not the most coordinated creatures and if they fall off of a toy long enough, that toy is relegated to the dustbins in the back of the garage.
Secondly, I like the all molded plastic. You can actually feel the metal through the handgrips and the cover over the spring. That tells me that although the plastic may eventually crack, we'll get our money's worth out of this toy because it isn't molded plastic alone.
Thirdly, I like the large foot pads that are roomy enough for tennis shoes or even boots we have a little fashionista who dresses herself and has her own pair of cowboy boots which she will wear instead of tennis shoes out to play. The foot pads are generous enough to accommodate our 6 year olds shoes (he's in a size 1 ½). Since she is barely in a 10 toddler, she can grow to meet the weight maximum comfortably.
Fourthly, I like the fact our 4 year old daughter can lift this toy on her own and set it upright without assistance. If you were ever 4 (which we all were but may not remember) or have a 4 year old (or have survived that age), you know that for the most part, independence is the key to happiness. This pogo stick weighs about 6 pounds and is fairly lightweight for a preschooler. This point gets rave reviews in my book because she can pick it up off the ground and stand it up for her to re-board alone when the trainers are in place.
Lastly, I like the handgrips. They are molded of the soft rubberized plastic and gripped plus are flexible. Unfortunately, they are the type that if they become wet, I see problems in the future. Otherwise, they are fit for a child's hand and comfortable to even our 11 year old. That tells me that this pogo stick will last as our daughter grows.
Overall, having a different outside toy to encourage outdoor play keeps the children interested in being outside and the Sport Fun "My First Pogo Stick" helps little ones learn balance and coordination while having fun playing. We have the slides, swings, bikes and trampolines, but personalized fun goes along way toward happy children learning to amuse themselves. This pogo stick is a keeper!
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 50
Type of Toy: Other
Age Range of Child: 3 to 5 Years
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Epinions.com ID:
thriftymommy
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Member: April
Location: Home of the Hindenburg Disaster, NJ
Reviews written: 90
Trusted by: 49 members
About Me:
The number of people below the official poverty thresholds numbered 36.1 million in 2005.
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