Early Learning Centre

...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 ...
...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 ...

sandemp 26.03.2005 · Read full review
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Review of Early Learning Centre

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 · Read full review
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Review of Early Learning Centre

...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 · Read full review
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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 · Read full review
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Review of Early Learning Centre

...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 · Read full review
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Review of Early Learning Centre

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) · Read full review
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Review of Early Learning Centre

...never want to leave! Early Learning Centre is a shop full of toys. Although at one time they also sold nursery furniture and clothes (well, in my local store anyway), they have now gone back to concentrating on toys. You may remember TV adverts from a few years ago when Barbie and Action Man were desperately trying to get into ELC but weren’t allowed in because they were not educational. This is the premise behind ELC – the toys should ...
...that they are not fun – far from it – but their commitment is definitely one of learning through play and the toys reflect this. You won’t find all the latest trends in the shops although you will find some toys featuring favourite TV characters. It is a shop that encourages children – you walk in and there are toys scattered everywhere for the children to play with. It can be quite difficult shopping with children, as they ...

jools30 20.11.2001 · Read full review
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Review of Early Learning Centre

...had only gone in the Early Learning Centre as a young girl with my parents for birthday presents, or looking for toys to buy my friends for their birthday parties. But I started to look at the shop in a different light when my son was born. I was looking at the toys thinking how much my son would love them, and what educational value they had to them. The Early Learning Centre has 215 stores across the UK, and you can also find their toys in Debenhams, ...
...ELC stores themselves, handy if you don't have a tore in your town. There are also 80 stores internationally, in 19 countries. They have been running since the mid-1970's and have stood the test of time with the wide range of toys that they stock for a broad age range. They also have a website, www.elc.co.uk where you can purchase the toys for delivery to your front door. For this, you pay the price of the toy plus delivery charge. When I walk into ...

mummy2harry 11.06.2007 · Read full review
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Review of Early Learning Centre

...hellish half hour in the Early Learning Centre!? Now, don't get me wrong. I'm no killjoy. The Early Learning Centre is great, there is a fantastic choice of toys for kids of all ages, and at reasonable prices. But there is just one problem with it - it's just too good, and much too tempting for children! Believe me! Carry on reading about my typical outing to a store and find out why my child turns into a monster from hell whenever we venture to ...
...ELC most times -"M-u-m-m-y-y-y-y...p-l-e-a-s-e-e-e-e!...T-h-o-m-a-s-s-s!!" (referring to yes,The one and only tank engine number one, Thomas) So I'm dragged in there, to find myself dumped like the other parents in there, while my son happily plays with the toys on display, particuarly the Thomas The Tank Engine track and trains (groan). So. I'm left to browse around at my leisure while 'he who must be obeyed' plays. Hmm. Okay then, so what do I ...

lynseylou 08.03.2002 · Read full review
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Review of Early Learning Centre

...the contents came from the Early Learning Centre. The Early Learning Centre is more than your average toyshop. It’s a toyshop where children can explore, meet each other and play on some of the bigger toys on the shop floor, and where their parents don’t have to worry if their child knocks over displays by running head first into them. Being a child-friendly store, there is of course miles of rooms for buggies in the aisles, and an open layout feel ...
...your small one as he/she dives for the play area in the shop. In the play area you’ll find train sets, racing car tracks, or perhaps toy kitchens, all ready and waiting for action. That means you can have slightly longer to browse while still keeping half an eye on the small one. The layout of the stores is spacious and they are packed with bright colours, with lots to see and do. Unfortunately some of the shops themselves are quite small, and although ...

molelover 19.10.2003 · Read full review
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Review of Early Learning Centre

I love shopping in the early learning centre, and of course so do my sons, their little eyes light up whenever we set foot in one, but unfortunatly they have just closed our local branch in Harlow, to the despair of many local parents, as it was the only decent toy shop in the town, it leaves us without a specialist toy shop in the town centre, we now have to go to Tesco's or boots, which have quite a limited stock, or we have to travel outside the ...
...do the products like the early learning centre, so I now travel to a nearby town. All the toys in the early learning centre, have clear ages on them usually grouped toghether in age groups, so its easy to find what your'e looking for, the prices are reasonable, and the toys are very good quality, my children have a lot of their toys and they really have lasted. ages start from 0 months so you can find a toy for the youngest of babys, they also ...

sarah14 09.03.2001 · Read full review
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Review of Early Learning Centre

Early Learning Centre The Harlequin Centre Watford The Early Learning Centre is a favourite of every childhood shopper. The memories of those few precious minutes of fun playing on the wooden train sets. I am relieved to tell you that this is still the case but on a grander scale! There are many toys on display for children (and BIG Kids) to experiment with. All well made to British standard and with an educational message. The Watford store is ...
...well displayed for both Big and little people to view. The staff are very friendly and most having child rearing experience, they are able to advise you with a suitable toy for the age group of the child you are buying for. The sell many great fun products, from board games, books and baby clothes to mini bouncy castles. They also stock musical and craft materials in case you are buying for a future rock star or artist. All the toys are reasonably ...

Christoph666 31.08.2001 · Read full review
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Review of Early Learning Centre

The Early Learning Centre, known as ELC has over 200 stores county wide, also it has departments in 53 Debenham stores and in over 300 Sainsburys supermarkets. They sell all sorts of toys for children aged from 0-10. Ranging from soft toys and rattles through to dressing up clothes, pretend cookers, crayons, pens and painting easels. Their out door range of swings, slides, trampolines and climbing frames are second to none. We had a slide 11 years ...
...It has faded in colour slightly from the sun, but there is not one spot of rust on it. They do sell some branded toys such as Brio (wooden railway system), Mega Blocks, Thomas the Tank Engine and Bob the Builder toys, but mainly it is their own range which they stock. Their toys are very good quality and are always alot cheaper than those made by other major toy companies. Our local ELC is in Wolverhampton or Walsall. Both stores are well stocked, ...

sjt0 14.05.2002 · Read full review
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Review of Early Learning Centre

The Early Learning Centre is a wonderful toy shop for babies and children. They stock a vast range of toys which are both fun and educational, all of which meet and exceed all British and European standards for toy safety. The Early Learning Centre also have an ongoing association with the Royal Society for Prevention of Accidents who work with them in the development of their toys. You can therefore be assured that ELC products will be well designed, ...
...willing to assist. The Early learning Centre offer a Birthday Club whereby special offers are sent as well a gift for your child's birthday. To apply for this simply ask in your local store for a form to complete, the store will then send this off for you. It is possible to sign up for the Birthday Club online however an assistant in our local store advised us that birthday gifts are not sent out if joined online. In addition the Early Learning ...

Ann-Marie_B 17.09.2008 · Read full review
Review of Early Learning Centre

...there is something in the Early Learning Centre for your child. Th Early Learning Centre do stock all the high street toys aswell like the Pokeman’s and the Teletubbies products, but as you go on, the toys become more to do with learning. I think this is an excellent store, which meets the needs of young children, and in doing so helps them with their development. I much rather buy a product from this store for a child than anywhere else, as ...
...A very good store, which is highly recommended to, parents. What you buy from this store will last you along time, so it’s worth paying that little extra. And if you’ve got children you need to buy presents for, this is the store you should go and have a look at. ...

sam123 03.05.2001 · Read full review
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Review of Early Learning Centre