Customer Reviews

Quercetti Georello Kaleido Gears, 55 pieces

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

My son received this toy for Christmas, and we gave one to our niece. The verdict is that it is almost, but not quite, perfect.

The toy is a set of interlocking squares of various colors that are perforated to hold a four-pronged hub that can support one of four sizes of gears. Everything is made of a durable plastic that has some flex to it. You can create systems of gears that spin around and even construct things like gearboxes. (The cover of the box--shown above--will give you a simple idea of what can be done.) There is a manual aimed at parents that helps them teach their child how gears work, too--a nice touch.

The quality of the toy is high: the colorful stickers for the gears are plastic coated, the injection-molded pieces are free from excess plastic, and the pieces fit together solidly. It's everything you would want from a European-made toy. (Quercetti, the manufacturer, is based in Italy and the toy is actually made there.)

It's a mesmerizing little toy and its variability is virtually endless. There are other kits in the Gear line that include such things as universal joints and 3-D parts, so it is highly expandable, even as your child ages.

My quibble? Our three year old niece adores the toy, but our three year old son only plays with it in fits. Truth be told, I play with it more than my son does. So as with anything, your mileage may vary.

It's nice that toys like this one are still being made. There's a lot of learning that can occur with it, too. Factor in the expandability and how can you go wrong?

Now if only I could get my son to join me more while I'm playing with it!

This is a great toy for both kids and parents. My 4 year old daughter loves it and we've enjoyed watching her get more skilled and creative at assembling the gears. I wouldn't recommend this for kids much under 3 1/2, although our 18 month old loves watching it spin and playing with some of the individual pieces (we took out the few really small ones). It's really durable and fun for parents too.

Originally purchased for our 5 year-old granddaughter, this toy is a little above her developmental stage, and apparently above her grandparents as well! She and we became frustrated in trying to fit the white gear connectors to the gear pieces, and then attaching the coupled piece onto the frame. Our 8 and 11 year-old granddaughters, however, love it and fight over playing with it!

I purchased this toy for my three year old daughter. She loves it. The gears come with a base that connect together like a puzzle and the toy teaches kids about motion. This is a toy that both kids and parents can enjoy!

My 2 year old son was first introduced to this toy at our Montessori class...he was hooked immediately!!! It was easy for him to figure out how to put the pieces together and attach the gears (he loved being able to do all of this himself as opposed to other gear toys where most of the building is already done for you) He sat and happily played with this fantastic toy for almost an hour before we had to leave. The learning possibilities of this toy are immmense as is the "fun value". With no "bells and whistles" this toy ranks very high on our list of toys due to the fact that our son has complete creative control...it's all up to him. All in all, it's a fantastic toy that we highly recomend.

The base pieces of this toy are a bit stiff for my kids' little hands to put together. Also, the pegs that hold the gears onto the base are a bit tricky, but will build good fine motor skills if not discarded in frustration. I was just as entranced by this toy as they were as we played with it together for the first time. The brightly colored decals are trippy and fun. And learning that gears transfer energy they supply to move other gears of various sizes "on down the line" is... priceless. *grin*

I just bought a used version of this same toy, and my 2-1/2 year old daughter loves it! She connects the blocks together to make "train tracks", sticks the gears into the blocks and spins them with her fingers, and even enjoys figuring out how to fit everything back in the plastic box we use to store it in. I'm sure this is a toy that will grow with her, as she begins to build more complex gear systems.

I love that it allows her to be creative, and the toy itself is pretty to look at, too. The blocks are also flexible enough for small fingers. I'm so happy with it that I'm considering buying another set (at full price) so she'll be able to build even bigger gear structures. An all-around great toy!

We've enjoyed this toy, but it hasn't held their attention as long as I would have liked. My 4 year old is interested, but it is over quickly. I gave this a high rating because I think he will really love it in the near future when he can get more into the sophistication of the toy.

My main issue is that the white pegs that hold the gears to the blocks bend and break easily. Georello sends many extras with the pack, so it's not too much of an issue yet. I would say a definite yes for kids around the ages of 5-6, especially builders!

Buyer beware - the item pictured is for an older 52 piece version, NOT the 55 piece version which is being sold here through Amazon. Personally, I find the newer version much less attractive and as such I am returning the item.

I got this because my 4-year-old loves gears. My kids have the Playschool Busy Gears and love them. I thought this would be a more advanced version of that for her to play with. I don't like this toy though because it is really difficult to put together. My daughter likes to turn the gears with the handle, but an adult always has to build it for her. Other kids I have seen play with this toy have a lot of trouble too. It looks cool but isn't a practical choice for a kid. The base is really hard to put together because not all of the pieces will interlock with each other. The pegs that hold the gears onto the base are also very hard to put on.