... The name of this shop is The Early Learning Centre (ELC) in Basildon and now I'm going to tell you just why I love it so much.
~~~The Actual Shop~~~
The actual shop is conveniently placed a few stores down from Asdas on the ground floor of the Eastgate Centre. Being located entirely ... Read review
Advantages: Child friendly | Fun, Durable and Educational toys Disadvantages: Getting back out
...of this shop is The Early Learning Centre (ELC) in Basildon and now I'm going to tell you just why I love it so much.
~~~The Actual Shop~~~
The actual shop is conveniently placed a few stores down from Asdas on the ground floor of the Eastgate Centre. Being located entirely on the ground floor means that there are no stairs, escalators or lifts to manoeuvre, which adds to the convenience, especially as one of my children ... .../>
On entering the shop, the first thing you'll notice is how child friendly it is, and I don't just mean that the children are allowed to play with the displays. What really impresses me is the fact that I have no difficulty pushing the Major around and never bump into displays. One of the things that puts me off another well known toy shop is the fact they like leaving boxes in aisles, there's none of this in here. The next thing you'll notice ... more
If you looked in my living room you'd be forgiven for thinking that I was getting ready to open my own toy shop. but I'm not, it's just that every time I go into my favourite toy shop I can't help but checking out if they have anything that's new, fun and educational for my little monsters to play with. The name of this shop is The Early Learning Centre (ELC) in Basildon and now I'm going to tell you just why I love it so much.
~~~The Actual Shop~~~
The actual shop is conveniently placed a few stores down from Asdas on the ground floor of the Eastgate Centre. Being located entirely on the ground floor means that there are no stairs, escalators or lifts to manoeuvre, which adds to the convenience, especially as one of my children uses a Maclaren Major (a special needs buggy).
On entering the shop, the first thing you'll notice is how child friendly it is, and I don't just mean that the children are allowed to play with the displays. What really impresses me is the fact that I have no difficulty pushing the Major around and never bump into displays. One of the things that puts me off another well known toy shop is the fact they like leaving boxes in aisles, there's none of this in here. The next thing you'll notice is how well set out the shop actually is, everything is displayed logically with certain types of toys grouped together which of course makes it easier to find a particular toy if you have something in mind.
Now the first thing your child will notice is that they are positively welcomed, which makes a nice change, don't you agree. There is a play table set out, which currently houses several pieces of their Happyland range, and the staff actually encourage the children to play with them, none of that ToysRUs junk about for display purposes only. There are also display models of various electronic toys complete with batteries, for you (and your children) to have a play with, along with a few toy buggies for them to push. It's genuinely one of the few shops I can take my children in where they don't want to come back out two seconds later.
~~~The Staff~~~
OK, so it's a brilliantly well laid out shop, but that in itself isn't enough to keep me coming back for more. The staff, however, do help. They are friendly, knowledgeable about the toys they are selling and willing to spend time talking to you about what your would be suitable for your child. In our local store there are three main members of staff, that seem to have been working here forever, and they seem only too willing to go out of their way to help you choose the ideal toy. In fact, as a couple of them know me and my children quite well, I've even had new additions to the range pointed out to me on a few occasions, as they may be suitable for his special needs.
~~~The Toys~~~
Right so the ELC has got the store layout right, and have picked the very best staff, so what are their actual toys like??
Well the majority of toys in the ELC are from their own brand, and while some of them cost a little more than other versions in other shops, they are just so well made, that it's worth paying that little extra. As you could probably guess from the shop's name, The ELC only sells toys that it believes are educational, that is they help your child's development. This means you won't find any Barbies in here, or guns, but you will find toys that will help children develop a variety of skills.
You will find toys and activities for children of all ages and abilities and the quality and durability is fantastic, I literally have some toys in this house that were bought 13 years ago, and they are still played with today.
So now lets look at some of their ranges (that I've bought some of) in a bit more detail :
~Wooden toys and puzzles~
This is my absolute favourite range, and includes many traditional wooden toys, that are very well made and reasonably priced. The bucket of bricks is an absolute steal at £10 for 100, believe me they last for ages. The wooden lift out puzzles, while more expensive than their pound shop counterparts at £5 each, are so well made that you'll immediately be glad you spent the extra. And I haven't even told you the best bit about the wooden toys yet ..... they don't take batteries.
~Happyland~
Ever thought your child could run the country better than our so-called politicians? Well now they've got the chance to prove you right. The Happyland range, consists of a variety of shops, buildings, road and tracks and as your child gets more they go together to create a town. There is a good variety of building to choose from, all featuring light or sound (or both), and are suitable from about 18 months. Prices start from £5 for a group of people upto £25 for a farm.
~Playing House~
The ELC has a brilliant selection of toys for helping your children play "house", from a very sturdy tea set at £5, to the food that goes with it and even different kitchen appliances. My children have had the tea set for about six years, and it's still going strong.
~Bouncy fun~
The ELC sells some fantastic outdoor toys, from hoops and ball games to a bouncy castle complete with paddling pool, at again pretty reasonable prices. We've bought several of these big items from them, through the years, and the children have loved them all.
~Arts and crafts~
Well there's everything you could possibly need for your budding artist here. From paints and paintbrushes to activity kits and their own version of Play Doh, the appropriately named Soft Stuff. While more expensive than other shop's own brands, they still offer excellent value for money.
There are other ranges, but these are the only ones I've actually bought toys from, so I can't comment on the others.
~~~Customer service~~~
The ELC has an excellent customer service policy, and are only to willing to exchange a toy if it's unsuitable, or order a toy from another store if it's not in stock. An example of their fantastic service, is that we lost a plug for our paddling pool over the winter and they were perfectly happy to go out the back to find us a replacement.
~~~Special events~~~
Every Tuesday morning is playtime, something I sorely miss now my children are at school. Basically, the staff set out different activities for the children to do, it could be decorating stars or playing with one of their excellent craft sets.
My younger children have also entered regular competitions, such as colouring in Easter eggs, or decorating stars, and all the masterpieces are displayed around the shop.
~~~Shopping from the comfort of your home~~~
As well as the traditional stores, The ELC also has a catalogue where you can post or phone your order in and a website (www.elc.co.uk), both of these methods of ordering will of course mean that you have to pay a delivery charge (unless your order is over £75), which is a pretty reasonable £3.95. However, if you order this way, you miss the fun of actually going into the shop.
~~~Final words~~~
If you've got young children to buy toys for, I would say The ELC would be the first (if not only) place to look. Their selection of toys is fantastic, and you're safe in the knowledge that your child is learning something as they have fun. Not only this, but the staff are wonderful at helping you chose the right toy for your child.
In an age where many shops are overcrowded, and distinctly unwelcoming for families with young children (and this includes many toy shops), it's really nice that they not only welcome children but positively encourage them to have fun during their visit.
The only real downside is getting your child out of the shop when you've finished buying them that special gift, they'll just be having to much fun.
Advantages: Playtime, bright, cheerful atmosphere, inviting Disadvantages: Can be a bit pricey, aims at a specific market
Ah, the Early Learning Centre, or ELC as it’s fondly known as. As many of you will know, I do indeed work in ELC, and will therefore attempt to bring you a non-biased review!
---Introduction---
ELC was founded in 1974, so we were thirty this year, would you believe it! It began as a mail order company, and from the start had to meet high standards for quality, safety, durability and the need to be developmental. The company moved into direct retailing ... ...Early Learning Centres are now found in 270 towns and cities in the UK and Republic of Ireland. A ‘direct to home’ business encompasses our mail order service, which I will discuss later in the review. We also have concessions in 46 Debenhams stores and conduct wholesale trade with Sainsbury’s and 11 international franchises. A Head Office in Swindon supports the whole operation. ELC currently holds 9.6% of the total UK toy market, with a total of ...
Belle 03.10.2004
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Early Learning Centre
Advantages: Inexpensive, bright and robust toys Disadvantages: Can be hard to get around the store during busy periods of the day
...when we go to the Early Learning Centre and trying to drag her out of there is impossible sometimes and I have to hide around a corner to pretend that I have left to make her leave.
I love this shop when it comes to kids toys and I am regularly pop in to my local Wimbledon branch to have a look around. This is because I find their toys educational brightly coloured, robust and most of they are not that expensive. Though I do find that a few of their ... ...only interest the child for a few months but if you know someone that has a child little bit younger than yours hen you can give it to them.
I do find some of the stores can be a bit cramped at times and hard to manoeuvre a buggy around them. Though is also because most people who visit the store have young children and have a buggy with them so if you hate crowds I would not advised you to go there on the weekends. I usually go in the week after ...
ldvda 07.07.2006
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Early Learning Centre
For over 30 years Early Learning centre have been creating great toy's- toy's that help develop vital skills, toy's that help children get off to a better start in life.
When they design their toy's they work closely with experts, child psychologists and children.
They make sure that all their toy's are top quality, safe and fun, they develop their toy's with care to bring out the very best creativity and inspiration in children.
Early Learning ... ...special part of the day, Early Learning center sell's lot's of activies for the bath from waterproof books to foam letters, plus lot's of toy's for your children to get you wet with colourful squirters and sea creatures.
I brought my little girl the foam letters and I have to say that they are brilliant when they are wet they stick to the bath and are only £5.00 which a bargin, you get around 50 in a big tub.
~~~~PUZZLE ME OUT~~~~
I don't know ...
star333 12.01.2005
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Early Learning Centre
Advantages: Loads of toys, loads of fun Disadvantages: Inconsistency in standards between shops and staff
...possible to walk past the Early Learning Centre without going in it, according to my 16 month old. We absolutley, positively HAVE to go in. Every time. Even if we went in it half an hour ago and happen to be walking past it again.
And I can see her point, it is a childrens paradise. Toys everywhere, all her favourites, plus lots of little playmates to run around with and a generally child friendly atmosphere (In that they don't mind if your child ... ...stack of Noddys-just as well really!)
The shop layout
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Very eye catching from the start. The window displays are floor to ceiling toys and activities, which are changed regularly and are often themed, such as "summer" or "Noddy"
As if that weren't enough to tempt you in, right inside the door will be the most enviable of toys to capture a littrle ones imagination and make them dash in-currently in our local store is a well equipped ...
nancymac 03.10.2003
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Early Learning Centre
Advantages: nicely laid out site, quick delivery Disadvantages: none found
It was my daughters 2nd birthday a few weeks ago and we had been racking our brains to think of what to buy her. If any of you have read a number of my ops you may have picked up the fact that my daughter loves slides. My life is not worth living if I don't take her to the playground at least once a day. We have borrowed a 'first stage' slide for her, but she has nearly grown out of that and has also learnt that she can do dangerous things with it ... ...upside down and attempt to climb up it from underneath! So being the mad fools that we are, we thought about getting her a slightly bigger slide for her birthday, but this time, one that stays in the garden and doesn't take up half of our living room.
Unfortunately, money is an issue at the moment (isn't it always) as is my husband's ambition for the size of present we will be able to buy. We got out our Index and Argos catalogues and had soon theoretically ...
jpass 25.11.2001 (27.11.2001)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Early Learning Centre
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Advantages: Virtually the same price as Tesco Disadvantages: Those £1 things on the trollies! i hate them!
clothes and EarlyLearningcentre toys.
The middle aisle is the Value Alley which has all the Sava deals located in it which is a really good idea.
Savacentre is also cheaper than a standard JS store, Tesco or ASDA, guaranteed on over 1000 products.
It is clean tidy and the staff are excellent.
Goods are always in stock and the counters, deli, salad bars etc... are really tenpting!
The cafe is great with a kids play area ant the toilets are clean.
I also tink, being vegie that Sainsbury's as a whole is the best store for veggies too.
Ill be going back even though tesco is our nearest!!
www.sainsburys.co.uk
www.sainsburystoyou.co.uk
www.jsainsbury.co.uk ...
micjb 20.03.2003 (01.05.2003)
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Advantages: Great fun, educational, long lasting Disadvantages: A bit expensive
Our 2-year old daughter absolutely adores her wooden train set - it's definitely her favourite toy.
So far we have bought a mixture of Brio, Tesco and EarlyLearningCentre components all of which are compatible. Undoubtedly the Brio stuff is the highest quality and the most extensive in range but it is very expensive. The other makes are good for boosting the amount of track and basic trucks etc. so with 'mix and match' you can build up a good layout much more economically.
Given the hours of entertainment a wooden train set seems to provide and the relative durability of the components, I would definitely not hesitate recommending this as a toy for any young child. ...
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Advantages: All shops under one roof at discounted prices Disadvantages: Car parking can be bad at weekends
I discivered McArthur Glen had opened in West Lothian in December 2000. It is a shopping centre with brand name shops at dicounted prices.
Since then I have been popping in there on a monthly basis and as time goes by more and more shops have been opening!
There are the Brand names like Gap, Marks and Spencers, Clarks shoes, EarlyLearningCentre, Prices Candles, Whittards, Calvin Klein jeans and more recently Burberry!
McArthur Glen is situated just off the M8 at Junction 3 in Livingston, West Lothian, near the Almondvale Shopping centre. The opening times are 10-6pm Mon-Wed, 10-8pm Thurs and 10-6pm Fri-Sun! There is a food court with Harry Ramsdens, McDonalds, Delifrance, Rollover Hotdog and Spud u Like upstairs along with the Circuit Cinema and there are a few Restaurants downstairs along with a couple of cafes such as ...
