LeapPad 2 Post-Play Product Review

Average Price in Canada: $79.99

During the 2012 holiday season, several of my family members were looking for gift ideas for my then 4 year-old daughter and 2 year-old son.  I was intrigued by the LeapPad 2 tablet because of it's durability, educational game selection for both genders and the ability to create multiple user profiles.  Furthermore, we had friends whose children had and loved the LeapPad 2.  As always, I had read reviews on the tablet prior so I was aware that games were relatively pricey and that batteries would have to be changed often.

We WishGifted the LeapPad2, rubberized skin case, a/c adapter and 2 additional games for $135.00 CDN

Post-Play Review (March 2014):

We have had the LeapPad 2 for 1 year and 2 months.  Both my daughter and son (now 5 and 3 years old) have been using the tablet and I like that I was able to create separate user profiles with games for each of them.  We do not have many games since they are so pricey but my daughter enjoys the apps that came with the tablet (especially the camera and artstudio) and the Disney Tangled Learning Game app we purchased.  My son, although younger, is not as engaged by the apps that came on the tablet but he does enjoy the Cars 2 Ultra Ebook app we purchased.

Do they Play with it?

Although I had lots of opportunity to teach about "sharing" when they first got the LeapPad 2, there wasn't too much arguing over the tablet 6 months after they got it.  My son is (and has always been) much less interested by the tablet than my daughter however I noticed that my daughter's enjoyment began to decrease 9 months after getting it (granted she didn't have much of a variety).  In December 2013, I noticed that the LeapPad 2 had been tucked away in a drawer but since pulling it out, I have revived the tablet's novelty.

Update Issue:

The LeapPad 2 was in a drawer for about 3 months before I took it out and my kids acted like they had a new toy.  It worked for approximately 1 month and then needed a software update.  No big deal however,  updating the LeapPad 2 was NOT EASY!
I'm fairly computer savvy but was unable to update the tablet on my own.  I installed the LeapFrog Connect application on my Mac, opened the program however it would never open and would eventually freeze my computer.

To update the LeapPad 2, follow the steps below:

1) Download the LeapFrog Connect Application

2) Plug the LeapPad 2 to the computer with the white connecting wire but keep the tablet OFF (mine actually wouldn't even turn on)

3) Open the LeapFrog Connect application

4) Click "On This LeapPad"

 5) NOW turn on the LeapPad 2 tablet

6) Don't touch it! The tune up will began automatically

 ** It took less than 1 minute to go from 0%-40% but the update took longer from this point on.  I was stuck at 40% for about 5 minutes and was then stuck at 80% for about 10 minutes.  During the update, the LeapPad 2 shut off but when I turned it back on, it just continued the update from where it left off (40%).  In total, it took about 20 minutes to update the LeapPad 2.

Final Thoughts: 

- My daughter (the oldest of my two children) has always seemed to enjoy the LeapPad 2 tablet more than her younger brother.
- The novelty of having their very own tablet lasted about 6 months.
- My kids "re-discovered" their LeapPad 2 after it was in a drawer for about 3 months but have been enjoying it since.
- I was going crazy trying to figure out how to update the LeapPad 2.  Once I figured out the specifics (when to open the program, when to turn on the tablet...) the update ran smoothly but took approximately 20 minutes to complete.

**All content of this review is solely my own. My opinion, my experiences and my thoughts.  All about being honest to help you choose the right product.

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Disney Princess Dress-Up Kit Post-Play Product Review

3 years ago I WishGifted a 12 piece Princess dress-up kit from Disney. It cost about $250 (with shipping to Canada) and included 5 gowns (Arielle, Aurora, Belle, Cinderella and Jasmine), a petitcoat, a pink boa, two pairs of gloves, a gown bag and a hanger.  There were plenty of cheaper options I could have chosen that would have fulfilled my then 4-years-olds dreams of being a princess, but we are a family who buys based on reviews and this Disney kit had a terrific rating.

                 

  To say that this dress-up kit has been "used" would be a real understatement.  For the past 3 years, this set has been the highlight for my daughter, her friends, cousins and...her little brother. 

Storytime reading to the cat

Pros: 

 1) Three years into having the dresses and they still look new without one single rip!  If you've ever purchased a Razzle Dazzle dress or Halloween princess dress, you'll be quite impressed by this too.  The last 2 non-Disney store dresses I purchased pretty much frayed, ripped and fell apart in no time.  My daughter could not even get six months worth of wear out of those dresses so having had these dresses for this long without any tears or rips really impresses me.

2) My daughter really loved having the petitcoat.  I'm so happy this was separate piece as it easily provided different looks for each of the dresses. 

  

Cons:

  1)  Get ready for glitter!  Many of the reviews I read prior to purchasing the Princess dress-up kit warned about glitter and this was no lie.  The trail of glitter isn't my biggest complaint but if this is something that would get to you, be prepared.

  2)  The pink boa.  Approximately two months after buying the set, I started finding pieces of pink chiffon fabric around the house.  At first, it wasn't very noticeable on the boa but after awhile, as the pieces of fabric continued to detach, there were obvious patches missing on the boa.  The fabric is sewn so although it may have been a fairly simple stich-fix, I got rid of the boa when the majority of the fabric became detached.

3) The gloves.  Please keep in mind that we have had the Disney Store Princess dress-up kit for over 3 years however, as soon as I think I can get away with it, the gloves are the next pieces to go.  They are completely worn out and most of the silver and gold has faded at the fingertips.  Although they are still hole and rip free, they are in pretty desperate shape.

4) The bag and the hanger were useless to my daughter.  No point, no fun and the kit could have gone without them.

Pro/Con:

1) Dress length.  The dresses in this set are "short" dresses as opposed to "gown" style.  I was very happy by this as I was looking for the shorter style to avoid a tripping hazard.  I purchased this set when she was 4 years old and bought one size up.  Buying the small 5/6 was perfect as it definitely extended the wear time on the dresses.  

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My daughter is now a month shy of her 7th birthday and is still teetering the princess phase.  She refuses to let go of her 5 Disney Princess dresses but they are noticeably too short on her.  We keep them for younger guests to enjoy and because of the high quality and durability, we just bought (and put away) the Elsa costume for her upcoming birthday!  

UPDATE:

The 7 piece Disney Princess dress-up kid reviewed above has since been retired.  The newest Disney dress-up kit includes: five Disney Princess gowns (Cinderella, Aurora, Belle, Tiana, and Rapunzel), a reversible capelet and an organza garment bag.

**All content of this review is solely my own. My opinion, my experiences and my thoughts.  All about being honest to help you choose the right product.

KidKraft Magestic Mansion Post-Play Product Review

Average Price in Canada: $215.00

We once lost my daughter!  She was 3 1/2 years old, we are at a birthday party, all the kids were playing outside and she was gone!! We couldn't find her in the group of kids and she wasn't with the adults.  (Obviously, this wasn't the panicky lost-my-child scenario and we found her easily by checking indoors).  There she was; quietly sitting in her friend's room completely enamoured by her friend's dollhouse.  Just watching by the doorway as she played, I knew that WishGifting a dollhouse for her fourth birthday would be the perfect gift!

We chose to WishGift the Majectic Mansion Playhouse by KidKraft due to its high review ratings, wood furniture and because it was available at Costco.ca at a competitive rate that included free shipping.

Assembly:

My husband, who is super handy and patient, assembled the dollhouse and his feedback was:

- Took about 4-5 hours
     -approximately 1 hour to sort all 46 pieces and 136 hardware pieces.
     -approximately 1 hour to figure out the structure and organize the structure.
     -approximately 2.5 hours to build.
- All pieces fit together easily and everything lined up


When Done:
- The dollhouse measures close to 4 ft. tall.
- The house is super solid, sturdy and beautifully decorated
- The moving doors and elevator work perfectly and are easy to move.
- Looks adorable when the solid wood furniture is placed.



Assembly Instructions:

KidCraft Majestic Mansion Dollhouse

KidKraft Customer Service:

Two furniture pieces came broken in the box; the bathtub was cracked and the chandelier was missing an arm.  I sent an email message to KidKraft customer service and they immediately sent the replacement pieces.  Customer service was courteous, efficient and hassle-free.

Post-Play Review:

Aliah has had her dollhouse for 9 months.  It has held up perfectly and has absolutely no signs of wear or damage.  The elevator still goes up and down smoothly and none of the furniture is chipped or broken.  This is quite surprising since the furniture pieces have been dropped and thrown lots by my 2- year-old son.  She still loves the house and plays with it often, especially when friends come over.

Complimentary Add-ons:

-The best part about the Majestic Mansion Dollhouse was its compatibility with Barbie and other toy dolls.  Barbie easily fits and can be maneuvered around the house.   Although she fits in the elevator she is too big to lie down on the bed or fit in the bathtub.  Regardless, other smaller dolls fit perfectly and it doesn't affect playtime.

Final Thoughts:

- This dollhouse is incredible and has everything!
- My daughter LOVES the Majestic Mansion Dollhouse and often plays with it.
- It takes patience and time to build.
- It's quite large so make sure you have the space.
- It's compatible with most toy dolls (so all those toy dolls in your daughter's future, WILL be played with).
- High quality structure and furniture. After 9 months of play, the dollhouse and furniture still look brand new!

**All content of this review is solely my own. My opinion, my experiences and my thoughts.  All about being honest to help you choose the right product.

Like the idea of giving-together?  Follow my blog or join me on my social networking sites to share gift ideas and inspire. 

Melissa and Doug Wooden Workbench: Post-Play Product Review

Average Price in Canada: $115.00

My two-year-old son is a real man's man!  He loves his trucks, climbing on furniture and eating!!  He also loves his daddy's tools so choosing to WishGift a play workbench and tools for this 2nd birthday was an easy decision.

There are many pretend play workbenches for kids on the market.  Choices include companies such as Little Tikes, Step2, Black and Decker, Home Depot and many others.  Our decision to go with the Melissa & Doug model was due to its high review ratings and because it's made out of natural wood.

Since there are already so many blog reviews on the product, this blog will focus on the post-play handling of the workbench against my not-so-delicate tot.

Assembly:

My hubby assembled the set and his feedback was:

- Took about 1 hour
- All 20 pieces were clearly labelled
- All pieces fit together easily
- Everything lined up

**Hubby is very handy!  Has a room full of tools, knows how to use them and can build and renovate himself.  Probably would have taken me double the amount of time. **

When Done:
- Structure was super solid (no shaking, wobbling or creaking).
- Will definitely stand-up to a rough housing tot with little chance of breaking or toppling over.


Assembly Instructions:
002369 Workbench Assembly Instructions 20121128

 

2-Month Post-Play Review:

Scott's been enjoying the Workbench for over 2 months and it's still his go-to toy in our playroom!  His favourite tools are the saw and hammer...most likely cause of the sounds they make.  He loves the vice and sawing the guide.  He equally loves hammering the pegs (or anything else that's within his range).

Minor Downfalls: 

-Although a solid wood structure, the Workbench and pieces dent fairly easily.  There are marks on the table top, on all the pegs and guide.  Although we have no intention of keeping it looking new, the set is constructed from pine (a soft lumbar) and looks worn fairly easily (NO splinters though :)





 

Wooden Model Instruction Booklet:

- At two-years-old, my son is too young to take advantage of the awesome building guide included however, the manual has awesome projects designed for older toddlers.

Complimentary Add-ons:

- Although my son keeps busy with the nuts and bolts, hammer, saw, screw driver and wrench, all the tools in the Wooden Project Workbench is natural coloured with red handles...kinda boring.  When he received the  Melissa & Doug Take-Along Tool Kit, he was definitely taken with the bright, attractive colours of the kit.  It's a great addition to the Workbench, is completely compatible and has vibrant colours that is definitely appealing to toddlers.

Final Thoughts:

- Scott loves the Wooden Workbench and often plays with it.
- Hubby loves how simple it was to assemble.
- I love that the bench is solid and can with-handle my son's roughness.

- Could be improved by having more colourful tools
- Dents easily

Price Range and Where to Buy