Customer Reviews

Toysmith Busy Zoo Activity Center

5 star:		(59)
4 star:		(16)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

Our 10 month old daughter loves this toy, she's been playikng with it since we got it at 9 months. My only complaint is that the paint is peeling off in some areas--one area was clearly damaged and then repainted, without any sanding or proper treatment. So I have to keep a close eye to make sure she's not getting any in her mouth--I will probably try to repaint those areas myself.

This is a really fun product for my son; the only problem I have with it is the placement of the alphabet squares on the one side. These are placed so that if a little finger pushes in far enough on the top or bottom at the "unlucky" angle, then pulls back, the squares can actually trap the finger and smash it a bit. I only had to help my son get his finger out once, but I tried it after that, and it trapped my finger just as easily. Other than that, again, it's a really fun kid-occupying toy.

This toy has been great for our 7 month old. Not only does it give her all sorts of knobs, doors, and balls to play around with, but it also has helped her to gain her balance, since she often plays with it while standing next to it.

After reading the other reviews about peeling paint, I was hesitant to buy this, but gave it a try anyway. Right out of the box I noticed chipped paint and areas that had been touched up with somewhat mismatched dabs of paint. Globs of glue were noticed around the "zoo" structures on top of the box. I don't think this will look good for long, as it already looks worn and well-loved - even though I've had it less than a week. I can say that my 9 month old absolutely LOVES it (I know, I know, much younger than the recommended age, but she plays with it supervised). 3rd party sellers are selling this for way too much - you can find it in the store at Target for 49.99.

I gave this to my nephew for his first bday and he loves it. He plays with it by himself for a very long time! He stands up using it for support. His 5 yr old sister plays with it too. It is not too daunting in size and is not an eyesore to have sitting out when company comes. It looks good and is very good for his overall development. It is sturdy, stimulating, attractive and well worth the cost. I will gladly give this to another one yr old in the future!

This is a wonderful product. My son was 13 months when I bought it for him and he loves it. My 3 year od niece also loved it when she came to visit.

The corners aren't sharp the company did a good job of making sure it didn't have sharp corners. Also the one side that has the circular blocks that slide down are better than another toy like it that I bought for my son.

My 10-month-old son was enamored of his little friend's activity cube. I went on the hunt for one to give him for Christmas (his friend's model is no longer produced), and found this well-reviewed cube, which we happily snapped up from Target for about $[...].

The baby loved it, but within one day of playing with it, the bottom brace for one of the little doors that opens and shuts, swung down. Turns out, the hot-glue-and-small-metal-pin construction they use was at fault. It appears that one of the metal pins was missing, causing the brace to swing down, which made the door fall off--including the two, inch-long, sharp metal pins that act like hinges. These two pins were loose on the floor; thank goodness I was right there and saw it happen, or they would have gone right down my son's throat (he was reaching for them as soon as they fell out). That was the end of that. We returned it to Target immediately.

When I was researching activity cubes, I wasn't concerned with the toy tipping over--I figure my son is going to fall down quite a lot, and get bumped by things over the years--but these tiny metal pins are truly dangerous and could lead to serious time in the emergency room and hospital.

Due to the poor construction of this toy, I can not recommend enough that you look elsewhere for a better-constructed option. I will be contacting the manufacturer about this frightening flaw to their product.

We purchased this for our son's first birthday, and he has been playing with it for nearly a year now. He still finds it to be enjoyable, and has lots of fun with the doors, especially. It is a very engaging toy with plenty of activities to keep little ones busy. However, there is a major design flaw. Perhaps my son is just prone to getting himself in these sorts of situations, but be aware that the metal "track" that the beads run on, which twists and turns for lots of fun play, is just the right size for toddlers to get their hands and arms stuck in, and there is absolutely no give in the metal when you are trying to free your child. We never let our son play with this activity center without our supervision. This has happened on several occasions, so if you do decide to purchase this item, be certain to watch your child closely as he or she plays with it.

My son is 13 months old and likes to play with the beads on the top. He is always pushing the beads along their "tracks" and opening and closing the doors on the side. He hasnt quit figured out how to get the round objects to go all the way up the zigzags but he likes to watch me do it and them let them go so they fall to the bottom. The alphabet on the side is good also because I am constantly showing it to him and teaching him the alphabet. Each letter coincides with an object on the back so there is more opportunities to teach your child about them and our language.

This toy is a little work of art for your child's room. Our son is only 13 months so he will play with it only for a short time but his cousin, who is 23 months loves it and is constantly playing with it when she comes over. So my only advise is to get is when they are a bit older than our son to maximize the months/years your child plays with the toy. Hope this helps!