Customer Reviews

Big Bad Booming Bugs Electronic Observation Station

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

We got this for our four year old, bug-obsessed son. I was skeptical, but it actually works. So far we've been able to listen to a cricket, a cicada, and a click beetle. It's quite bizzarre to hear the insects' wings buzzing as they fly around or their feet pitter-pattering when they walk across the bottom of the dome. The click beetle so far was the coolest--each time he "clicked," the sound was incredible. Two things it's important to know before you invest money in this toy: 1. It requires some patience. We haven't had much luck with smaller bugs, and even larger ones aren't very interesting if they aren't moving a lot or are crawling on the walls instead of the special sensitive floor. Be prepared to sit patiently and wait for the insect to cooperate. 2. Younger kids may be too rough to use this toy alone. We sit with our son and don't let him carry it around with the earphones dragging along while he looks for bugs. All in all, I'm glad we picked this one out. It gives us something new to do with all the specimens our son picks up from day to day!

The sounds of the bugs can only be heard if the insect is on the green platform. Unfortunately, it's difficult to get the bug to cooperate, they seem to want to go anywhere but there. You must also keep the observation station completely still to hear anything. And no one else can say anything. Getting five kids to be quiet, keep the thing still, and get our detainee to comply........was a little frustrating for all the excited little people, as you can imagine. Great concept, but could be a lot better executed. The legs broke trying to put it together, and the earphones broke the first day, too. However, the kids loved it; and the potential for study and imagination is fantastic.

We love this device, but I wouldn't call it a toy. It really is best used under adult supervision. It is fun to listen to the bugs, but the legs that come with it snap off WAY too easily. This can mean that if you are a five year old carrying this around the house, you can easily lose your grip and the whole thing drops on the floor. Many tears as we try to collect the broken pieces of the toy and the half smashed bug which was killed during the drop.

If you buy this, plan to keep it someplace special and take it down to use with your kids. Also, don't bother attaching the legs. They just come off five minutes later.

That said, I plan to get it as a gift for friends. You can really hear the bugs and the magnification is some of the best I've seen in a kid's product.

I'll just warn our friends about the legs and tell them not to let their kids carry it around too much.

8 Year old and 4 Year old like this item. One likes it because it keeps the bugs contained and the other because she can see the bugs. The pincher cup shaped gripper that comes with this is useless. We just trap the bugs with the container itself. Using the ear plugs and hearing the bug is fun. The downside as with many child magnifiers is that they don't magnify to the degree I would like them to. And the magnifier is only on top. It would be nice to have it on two sides as well. I didn't know the clear plastic can twist away from the base. We almost had a bug disaster (at least for the 8 year old. I have no complaints about the legs. We don't use them.

My kids (7 & 6) love this because you can not only observe the bugs you catch close up, but you can also hear the sounds they make. It is amazing how much the toy amplifies! On the down side, there can't be much noise around where you are observing or you won't hear much. Also, the parts break easily...this is our second one. Overall, I would recommend this!!