Thank you to everyone that reads my reviews. I will always try and return a rate. If you read me but...
Thank you to everyone that reads my reviews. I will always try and return a rate. If you read me but I seem to be missing your reviews then please do drop me a note in my private guestbook xxx
Having helped in nurseries from about 12 years old I have always seen the enjoyment children get out of this toy (as well as the fights for whos turn it is!). I also remember these being around when I was little in childrens indoor play areas.
The Little TikesCosy Coupe that we own, initially came from my mums nursery which she had to close when she fell pregnant with my brother in 1999. Various toys and equipment got sold and donated but a few things were kept for
my baby brother and this car was one of them.
What is it?
The Little Tikes Cosy Coupe is a 3 ˝ ft tall brightly coloured plastic car which one child can sit in and use their feet to push forwards and backwards. The car has a red body with a yellow roof and has one working door on the lefthand side which enables the child to climb in and out easily. There is a steering wheel (with the essential horn!!) and even a petrol cap which when pulled off reveals a hole on the side so you can pretend to fill it with petrol (there is also a petrol pump available to buy). The car has black wheels which can move in all directions. The back of the car has a small parcel shelf which is great to put a toy or a bottle of juice etc.
When first purchased the car comes in two main pieces which you need to put together and then attach the wheels (this is fairly fiddly but not too horrendous). All that is left then is to stick the stickers on for the numberplate, lights etc. However, after being assembled it is not designed to be taken apart again so storage can be a bit of a problem as it is a large toy.
The car is designed for children aged 18 months to 5 years although my brother got enjoyment out of it from about 12 months old although at this age he wasn't old enough to climb into it himself or move it using his feet so he would just enjoy being pushed around the house or garden in it with us making loud "brrrrrmm brrrrm" noises!! He had a lot of use out of the toy which generally was stored in the shed but often got left out over night and never came to any harm!
What sparked this review is that about 5 months ago my friend came to visit with her 1 year old who was causing havoc in my house. I went out to the shed - gave the car a nice clean and brought it in for her to experiment with. She was initially just amazed by the door and would keep opening it and slamming it (which led me to notice that it doesn't hurt if you catch your fingers in it!). A few weeks later, she was round again and sought out the car which had by now migrated to the dinning room. By 13 months she was able to climb into it although this took a while and often resulted in her tipping the car over - which is where I noticed the second safety feature!! If you tip the car over while trying to climb into or out of it - the door falls open and is at the perfect angle to be a wedge between the floor and the car so no one ends up getting squished!!!
The car is in many ways very simple as there are no peddles, no batteries, and smooth plastic all over with no over complicated bits. As a result the car is very easy to clean and can be wiped over with a towel if it gets wet. There is a new version of the car which costs around Ł39 and is similar but makes sounds when you turn the steering wheel and has a key which you put in to "start the ignition". These can be exciting gimmicks but in my opinion - I prefer the original because of it simplicity.
So here is the summary of the good points and the bad points:
Good Points:
Hours of enjoyment without batteries or gimmicks!
Easy to clean and colours stay bright for years
Brightly coloured and attractive
Safe for children to play in with minimal risk of injury
Can be stored outside without it getting ruined
Will last for many years and is good value for money at Ł30
Is sturdy and strong so cannot be easily damaged by over excited children
Helps children develop strength in their legs, improves their co-ordination and helps them assert their independence.
Bad Points
Is quite difficult to store due to its size and shape
It cannot be dismantled once put together
As it only seats one child it can result in arguments!
Overall
So overall the positives far outweight the negatives. Ours car has lasted for years seeing as it was purchased in about 1997 for the nursery and is still going strong now. It has had many children use it over the years and will continue to be used until it finally dies. I would definitely recommend it for nurseries and for the home too - although you will need space to store it.
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
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Oct 25th, 2008
very helpful by (100%):
