Fisher-Price Dora the Explorer My Talking Backpack
by Fisher Price
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Our Price: $34.99 Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Buy Used: from $14.99 (click here) Category: Toy See more product details |
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Toys and Games Reviews of Fisher-Price Dora the Explorer My Talking Backpack
Customer Review: ** DO NOT LISTEN TO THE BAD REVIEWS ** read mine!
Summary: 5 Stars
Wow, I am amazed that so many people didn't give this a higher rating.
First off, it is a toy. I do not expect adult quality and durability when I purchase a TOY. Second, it's not expensive. How can you expect a functioning camcorder, compass and spotting scope for the price of a toy?
My favourite thing about this item is the EASY TO OPEN packaging. It was out of the packaging in one minute. When you have kids and have to open a lot of their toys, you know what a pain in the behind those loss-prevention packaging inventions can be. Torturuous! This was a box with a plastic shell to keep the items in place, with one plastic band to keep the lid of the backback closed. Plastic, not a wire tie. Easy to undo.
Now, the toys. This comes with a plastic compass. The top of the compass turns, but the face does nothing. The camcorder has the side screen that pops out, and you can look through the viewfinder. The 'spotting scope' is a kaleidescope! This is fun for kids, more fun that just looking through plastic. Then, there is a map. It's heavy duty vinyl. And the backpack itself is nice. The clasp to open is easier than the one on the Rescue Pack. The talking mouth takes no effort to make it speak. You don't have to press hard at all. And the handle is on there securely.
This is a really great item for the Dora fan in your life. Imaginative play is essential for children, and this is a great tool.
Customer Review: Five Minutes of Fun
Summary: 2 Stars
I bought this toy for my 3 year-old niece who can't seem to get enough of Dora. She was extremely excited for the first five minutes in the store, then pretty much forgot about it once we got home. The items that come with the backpack are second rate. The binoculars were what she played with the most, but the eye pieces are only plastic windows (no magnifying), and a little hard to see out of. The magnifying glass is also only plastic with no magnifying, and didn't hold her interest at all. The camera has no visual window, and she couldn't look through it like a regular camera. There were also no buttons for her to push to pretend taking a picture (the red button on the top does not depress.) The little bracelet stayed on her wrist for about a second, for it has no closure; it is supposed to just slip on, but apparently her wrist is too small for the large opening. In fact, it fit my wrist better than hers.
The backpack itself is hard plastic, so fitting everything inside takes a little puzzle work, but the pack stays closed, even when dropped. The pack talks when you push the mouth, and my 10 month old had a great time playing with this. My niece, however, lost interest.
The only real plus I saw was that these pieces were dropped quite often, and no breakage or dents occurred. However, it quickly became forgotten on the floor in the back of the car. I wish we had left it in the store and bought something else.
Customer Review: Cute but has flaws
Summary: 3 Stars
Both of my daughters (ages 3 and 2) love Dora, and they truly enjoyed carrying around this package. They spent the better part of 48 hours going on adventures to save beached humpback whales and rescue Tico the squirrel from Swiper.
I have only two complaints about the backpack: it's not a backpack (minor) and the opening is far too small (major).
Your child cannot carry this pack on his/her back because there are no straps to do so. Rather, the child must hold the pack like a purse using the handle at the top. My daughters didn't seem to mind this, save for the fact that the pack popped open several times as they were carrying it.
The opening, however, is far too small for the camcorder. Getting the camcorder, map, compass, and telescope into the backpack takes either a very patient adult or a small child who's willing to cram as hard as necessary until everything gets it. Getting it out is another matter. I strongly urge parents with children under the age of four to avoid this toy. Watching a temperamental two-year-old struggle to wretch the camcorder from the clutches of backpack amidst screams of pure irritation is not worth it.
Overall, the product is cute, but would be better with a less rigid backpack design that actually fits on the back.
Customer Review: Found better alternative
Summary: 1 Stars
I had been considering this when I found a $6 real canvas purple Dora's backpack at TJMaxx - it has a short string attaching Dora's map that slides in the side pocket. (It has another side pocket on the other side - both are open and she can just slide things in and out of them - sunglasses, flashlight, etc.) It did not come with the other stuff, but we use it for day trips for my daughter, and I bought her a camera, magnifying glass and binoculars for $1 each at the local Dollar Tree.... and she uses those and she has a coin purse in it too... plus, her granola bars, juice drink fits, a diaper or two, etc....
This toy is very cute, but I am so very glad that I found the real (useable) backpack before I decided to purchase this toy!!
Here is a backpack that looks like it may be similar to the one I found, if anyone else is also looking for one that can be used as a backpack instead of just as a toy... (you may have to copy and paste if this doesn't show up as a link...)
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000067R84/ref=pd_ys_pym_all_1/103-8610805-3783006?%5Fencoding=UTF8&v=glance
Customer Review: I'd change a couple of things, but great overall.
Summary: 4 Stars
My daughter saw what was left of this toy (just the backpack) at our pediatrician's office and loved it. So, I decided to buy it for her fourth birthday. She was thrilled to have one that actually had stuff in it and that actually spoke. Plus, she has learned how to say "la camera del video," "mapa," and "telescopio." A few other Spanish phrases would make the toy even better. She likes to pretend that the video camera is a regular camera, but that's cool with me. The only thing is that it would be even cooler if it were soft and/or had real shoulder straps so she could actually wear it on her back. The hard plastic backpack also makes it a little difficult to put all the accessories back in unless you do it in the right order (video camera first). Taking the pieces in and out of the pack is what she likes to do most.
Also, while the telescope being a kaleidoscope is kind of neat, I think it would be better if it actually functioned like a real telescope, and if the compass really functioned as a compass. I should think it would be possible to do that and still make the toy safe for children under 3.