Cool Color Changing Clothes!!!!! Wash 'n Wear Barbie
Written: Oct 16 '01 (Updated Jan 17 '03)
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Pros: Clothes changing colors is VERY cool! I want some!!!
Cons: Lots of tiny pieces (clothes pins, etc.) VERY wet messy toy!
The Bottom Line: The clothes are fun ... the set itself is lacking. I'm so-so about recommending it.
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| elainehn's Full Review: Wash 'n' Wear Barbie |
What does the toy do? The clothes (you get two outfits) change color when dipped in HOT (or very warm) water or COLD water. AMAZING!!!!!!
What do you get? A Barbie, two outfits, shoes, 6 tiny clothes pins, a washing machine, 3 small laundry detergent boxes, a laundry basket with attached clothes line, a hair brush.
Is it simply to use? Absolutely ... just submerge the clothes in the water, and they almost instantly change colors. However young children will need adult help with the water ... it needs to be VERY warm, or VERY cold (I recommend using a cup of ice water for the cold) to make the color change work.
Is it fun? ABSOLUTELY .... it's amazing how something so simple as clothes changing colors can be so entertaining ... but my daughter, my son, my husband and I all enjoyed playing with this toy on several occasions! My daughter still enjoys it, and if my son isn't busy with something else he's willing to help her with the water and I think secretly enjoys 'playing' with her ... but I suppose the newness has worn off for my hubby and I ...
I have mixed feelings about this Barbie version ....
On the 'up' side:
First, I absolutely LOVE the fun of watching the clothes change colors ... the way the process keeps my 4 year old entertained, and (perhaps I'm dreaming here, but ...) possibly even a bit interested in the 'magic' of science that makes such changes possible. It's fun to do ... my whole family (even dad and big brother) have taken turns dipping the clothes into the hot and cold water and 'oooh'ing and 'aaaaah'ing over the changes.
Secondly, it's nice to see Barbie doing something mundane like washing clothes for a change! *lol* Sure it's cool to be a rock star, it's inspirational to be a veterinarian or pediatrician, it's lovely being a princess ... but reality is ... washing clothes is something that almost none of us (or our kids) can completely escape. So maybe Barbie can make washing clothes seem a bit more fun and a bit less like a dreaded chore ...
However .... on the 'down' side ...
First, I just don't know that this is the greatest possible toy for a 4 year old or younger child ... unless you don't mind a LOT of water and mess ... actually, water isn't really messy ... I mean it isn't like the kids are spilling paint or dye or soap or anything else ... and you CAN put the tiny washer on a towel to absorb the spills and drips ... and as long as Skye plays with her's at our kitchen table I don't really mind the wet mess ... but this is definitely not a toy that I want her playing with alone in her room ... or on the furniture in the living room, etc.
Secondly, the set comes with lots of little things that are quickly lost by your average pre-schooler ... 6 of the tiniest clothes pins imaginable and several small laundry product boxes. Personally, I would just as soon seen the set without these items ... just Barbie, clothes, and perhaps the washer too. The laundry basket isn't so bad, and it's a good place to keep the other items and the spare clothes ... but the VERY short clothes line at the top of it is more frustrating than useful. It's only wide enough to hang either the Top or the Pants, but not both at once ... unless you over lap them, and some kids (i.e. my daughter) have absolute fits trying to put the side by side because they don't want them laid on top of one another.
And thirdly ... the clothing selection is VERY limited. As far as I know you can't buy 'extra' color change outfits ... thought I could be wrong about this ...
What would I do differently if I were making this toy? I'd make the washer a bit larger so that it could hold enough water to submerge the clothes, but not spill over as easily .... I'd provide a 'wash basin' of some sort instead of the laundry basket - my logic ... it would be nice to be able to have BOTH hot and cold water at the same time ... so that younger kids don't have to constantly call mom to change the water. If you had two containers, mom could just fill one with the VERY warm water and one with the VERY cold water and then the child could play without having to change the water. Of course this can be done by giving the child a bowl or large cup for the 'other' water ... but if they are like my daughter they ONLY want to use the water in the washing machine ... so they end up pouring the water out and back and forth ... and basically soaking themselves, the table, the towel that you've placed under everything, etc. Also, I'd make the clothes pins larger, or else just do away with them altogether. I know if they were larger they wouldn't be in scale with the clothing, but as small as they are, it is really hard to do much with them.
All in all ... I don't mind that my daughter has this toy, and other than being very wet it isn't particularly THAT messy ... and she definitely loves the color change action. However, if you can't stand the idea of cleaning up a puddle each time your child plays with the toy, then this might be one to avoid.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 20
Type of Toy: Action Figure
Age Range of Child: 3 to 5 Years
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Epinions.com ID:
elainehn
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Member: Elaine HN
Location: Near Atlanta, GA
Reviews written: 221
Trusted by: 175 members
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