Customer Reviews

Prince Lionheart Wheely Bug, Bee, Large

5 star:		(151)
4 star:		(25)
3 star:		(11)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I'm reviewing this just for those of you who might be confused by the large vs. small models. My 2 year old son is pretty small for his age - maybe 25 pounds, maybe 34 inches. He's tiny. So when I saw that the "large" wheely bug is supposedly for 3 years old and up I figured my tiny guy would certainly need the small. Still, I hated to buy the wrong size and then have to ship it back. So I found a store in town that offers wheely bugs and went there to physically have my son try them out. Am I glad I did! The small is so tiny that I cannot imagine it being appropriate for any child. If your child is so small as to need the small version, chances are he or she should not be riding it. Remember, these things do not have seat belts or other safety features. It's a fast-moving ride-on, on chair casters. The small model looks suitable for a stuffed doll, perhaps. My son fits on the large version with no problem. His feet hit the floor flat. He can climb on and off with no difficulty. Also, be aware that this really only rolls well on hardwood floors or other smooth, flat surfaces. It's tough to roll on carpet of any sort - even area rugs. Would work well on a smooth, flat driveway or in an unfinished basement. So please do not hesitate to purchase the large model, unless your child is very young or very, very tiny (maybe shouldn't be on this toy, in that case), and do be sure you have someplace where your child can have fun riding it.

After reviewing the dozens of suggestions that I purchase large to avoid tears and short lived use of the bug, I feel that I should set the story straight for parents looking for the right size "ride on" toy for their child. My daughter received this bug when she was 17 months old and in the 90th percentile for height. I believed that, surely, my daughter could ride with ease after the other parents had described how unreasonably tiny the small was. Unfortunately, her feet do not rest flat on the floor and she is unable to ride the bug effectively. Since her feet do not set flat and the handle bar is fairly low, she simply scoots off the back of the bug and pushes it through the house.

She does LOVE the Wheely Bug, as do I, but I did want to clear up any confusion. The large sized bug should be purchased for 3+ year old children and the small sized bug for younger toddlers to make riding the toy possible. Now, there might be exceptions and my daughter is by no means a risk taker or dare devil, but if you would like to see your younger toddler ride the bug...I would opt for a small. Sure, it looks small, but consider that they must straddle the plump little bug and have their tiny feet flat on the floor to really maneuver the adorable thing. If your child really prefers to push toys, the large is the way to go and perhaps he/she will ride it once they are older. I am glad that I went with the large for this reason.

Great toy that really is very attractive to young children. I am very happy with my purchase, but do feel the bug is slightly over priced when considering its simplicity...no flashing lights, sounds, motor. All in all, the bug is incomparable to other push toys, ride-on toys, and any other toys in general. This bug will be a winner in your home, guaranteed.

We got this for my daughter's first birthday, and it has been her favorite present. She is a very active child, and loves pushing it around the living room. She is a little small to ride on it yet (her legs don't touch the floor solidly enough), but she seems very content to push it every which way. She loves that it will go any direction she wants without having to use a steering wheel (a result of the castor type wheels). She is also fascinated by the antennae, which bounce around when she bops them. It is also very durable, and the leather covering is well stitched and very strong. I'm sure this toy will last for a long time. It's also nice that it seems to work on just about every surface we've tried (carpet, hard wood floors, deck and reed outdoor carpet). **Update** 4/3/2010 - Our "bug" is now 3 years old and continues to be a favorite toy for both my daughter and her friends. She can still ride it (at almost 4 years old), and it still looks brand new. This is a really excellent poduct.

I purchased my daughter the wheely bug when she was 3, and she loved it so much I had to get the smaller version of the wheely bee for my 1yo son... it was hard for him at first, but now at 18 months he and his big sister ride around the house all...day... long. This thing is something I will keep to pass down to my grandchildren. They absolutely are heirloom quality. I just can't imagine having a plastic junky ride on toy when this is available. It is absolutely the best.

This is a great toy! I'm a pediatric occupational therapist and love to find great toys that allow kids to develop their motor skills. I recommend it all the time!

My 22 month old daughter seems to enjoy this toy. She scoots around the house on it a lot. It is a great, smooth ride on wood floors and she is able to go in all directions easily. However, when she hits a rug or carpet, the toy tips over or won't move much at all. I would recommend it if there is plenty of flat floor space available. It seems to be well made and durable.

This toy was not what I expected. It is absolutely cute, but the size was a bit awkward. It's small, but the seat might be a little too wide for a 12-15 month old. The wheels are a bit of an obstacle as well. They move so freely that when they switch direction, it can run over toes (shoes or no shoes). Once my daughter mastered it, it was fun, but she quickly outgrew it. She literally was too tall for the toy. We kept it, but I wouldn't buy it for someone else.

I read the reviews before purchasing this item and was leaning towards the large wheely bug because of what another customer wrote. However, I'm glad I saw a picture someone posted of their 11 month old son on the small wheely bug because that ultimately gave me the best information about scale.

My daughter got this when she was 9 months old. She is a shorty at 27", and the small fit her perfectly. She has great balance and loves ride on toys. The comment about a baby small enough to fit the small wheely bug is probably too small for the toy is nonsense. It depends on your child. My daughter absolutely loves this toy.

My nearly 18 month old just got this toy and she likes it quite a bit. She doesn't love it (yet) because she hasn't yet gotten the hang of how to make it "go" while she is sitting on it. But she will figure it out eventually. Meanwhile, Dad and Mom push her around, and she thinks it's great. The omni-directional capability is terrific, so much better than toys that only go forward and back.

We bought the large size in spite of the age recommendation (3-5 yrs,) and it's a good thing we did. Our daughter is tall for her age, but not abnormally so, and she can sit astride this bug with both feet on the ground. If it was any smaller she would outgrow it almost immediately.

This is a cute, fun toy, but wait to get it for your child until after he/she has been walking for 3 months or so. A child needs to possess a certain amount of vertical stability before attempting to play with this toy as it will scoot away from her at the lightest touch.

UPDATE:

4 yrs later (Sept 2011) we still have our orig Wheely Bug, & it is still used regularly by my daughter, now 5 1/2, & my son who just turned 3. It's in great shape: the striped cover has no tears or significant marks/stains. The blond wood that constitutes the base is a bit dinged up, but not missing any chunks. And one of the antennae is wonky, (it sort of lays down pointing forward,) but it's still firmly attached, and now gives our bee a little character. Most importantly it still glides smooth & fast over the floor; and unlike the chucky plastic FP ride-on trucks & cars, it corners like it's on rails. ;)

My daughter is really enjoying riding the Wheely Bug, Lady Bird. It is small enough for her to comfortably ride upon while we push her, but she cannot yet use her feet to push it herself. I think she will also enjoy standing behind it and pushing it. The cover on the bug is made of a soft but durable and wipable vinyl type material. The base of the bug is made of sturdy wood and the wheels are basic casters which we've been able to use on all the floor surfaces in our home. In all it is a very well made toy and should be fun for my daughter to use for some months to come.