Early Learning Centre Brilliant Start Buggy Driver > Reviews (2)

I bought one of these for my now almost 3 year old son a couple of years ago. On his old buggy we had an arch that had farm animals and he had outgrown that and I was looking for a sturdy toy that would keep him occupied for a while whilst in his buggy meaning I could happily browse the shops whilst he was entertained.

In our local Early Learning Centre I noticed they had these for £12.50 down from £20 then £15 and as he loves cars I decided to pick one up.

The next time we were going out I decided to try it out. The plastic was very strong and sturdy: which I do tend to find with all Early Learning Centre toys. There were two large chunky screws at either which is adjusted to attach to the rim of the pram of buggy which allowed me to position the toy at the correct height and tightness at the time and can be adjusted as they grow taller.

There are 2 mirrors either side (like wing mirrors) which can be adjusted so little ones can see themselves in it. A gear stick makes reverse and revving noises, the engine key switches the full toy on and makes an engine starting noise. A large chunky steering wheel sits in the middle of the toy and is great for small hands to grab and turn with ease. The horn in the middle was my sons favourite part making a beep beep sound. Also there are 2 buttons which play short tunes. With all the noises there are flashing lights.

This toy takes 2AA batteries and I had the toy around 12 to 13 months and didn't have to replace them. I found it lasted a long time and is still in excellent condition after a lot of use and transportation in the car etc. I was able to sell mine in perfect condition with no scratches, scuffs or general wear and tear.

If in a cafe or someplace quiet I did tend to switch it off as it is rather noisy which is good in large crowds as the child is still able to hear and be entertained but if it had a volume control it would be even better to suit all situations.

I used the green, blue and orange one but they also have a pink girly one aswell.

The toy is recommended from 3months to 2years so it can get a lot of use for a great price. My son was out of the buggy by just after 2 so it was no longer needed and I found that as he got older from about 18 months plus he was less interested in playing with it and more excited by what he could see on his travels. Although it is a really good, solid toy there isn't all that much that would entice their interest but for younger children it's really bright and entertaining so a great piece of equipment that will at least give you a chance to try on that top you really want or to have a coffee in a cafe without having to do everything in your power to stop the little monkey crying.

It does have some educational properties (I'm not talking about learning to drive either) but because of the colours and various shapes, parts of the toy as well as fine motor skills (pushing the button) and grasping the gear stick it's a good way to have fun whilst learning.

In my opinion it's a bit steep at £20 but if you can find a second hand one (which more often than not I think would be in perfect condition) or in the sale then it's definately a good toy to have.

I would recommend this toy for people who use the buggy/pram a lot and whose children are interested in cars.