Hasbro Playskool Busy Ball Popper
by Hasbro
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List Price: Our Price: $21.99 You Save: $7.00 (24%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: Toy See more product details |
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Toys and Games Reviews of Hasbro Playskool Busy Ball Popper
Customer Review: Best toy ever!
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought this toy when my grandson was about 10 months old. Amazingly, he not only loved it, but figured it out pretty quickly. He's now 17 months, a very active toddler, and it's the first toy he runs to when he visits (I keep a few special toys on hand for his visits). Not only does it keep his attention longer than his other toys, but he repeatedly runs around, picking up the balls, and running them through for popping. Since he's never been a good sleeper, it's great exercise for him, thus he sleeps better those nights.
Not only that, but one of the ways I'm trying to get him to learn his colors and counting is by referring to each ball as the blue ball, or the red ball, etc., then we sit and count them. Let's face it, he's also learning something about physics and the law of gravity. When he first started playing with it, he kept putting his arm inside the chute from which the balls pop, trying to grab them before they popped forth.
Frankly, I read the reviews of the naysayers, and can't say that I agree with any of them. I don't find the music annoying (and certain sounds do rattle my nerves), and he loves it. Sometimes he just stands there, swaying to the music and clapping his hands. Admittedly, when he visits, I'm always in a joyous "baby mood," so it could be I'm more receptive to the music. (Smile!)
I also think it's a very sturdy toy. He's been very strong since infancy, and loves to take things apart, but even when he manages to get a piece off of this one, it never breaks, and is easily snapped back into place.
He's always loved to explore his toys, trying to figure out how they work, so even when this one is turned upside down and on its sides, he never has difficulty setting it upright. He's even figured out how to turn it on and off himself, but that's not a real surprise to me, as it looks like he's going to take after his father and mine, both of whom are very mechanically inclined.
I couldn't recommend this toy more highly; it's a huge hit in my home, even with other children when they come to visit. However, to each his own, and I suppose there are some children who won't take to it, but it takes all kinds to make this world, and their interests undoubtedly lie elsewhere.
Bottom line, thanks to Hasbro for a great toy!~Gabriel's Mema
Customer Review: How can anyone resist this?
Summary: 5 Stars
Blowing up little plastic balls through a tube using a force of air and have them fall into a "funnel" and down the chute only to be forced back up all over again. How simple is that? How engaging could this be? The answer would amaze you, it did me.
I got this for my 13 month old and he LOVES it. I love to watch him play with it. I love to listen to him when he plays with it! Unfortunately, he cannot play with it alone. It attracts everyone! Even the adults. It's like the open bag of chips that makes all the hands appear!
Yes the balls go all over the floor. That is the fun of this. Baby crawls and retrieves them. I am so proud at how he brings them back to the toy. Sometimes he even pushes the toy to each ball on the floor.
The top "funnel-like" fountain part does come off easily but it goes back on just as simply. It is not a big effort to put it back on.
Now the mom scoop and what it does for me....I can get about 10 solid minutes of "not chasing baby around time" with this. That makes it a winner! When my older boys sit and do this with him, I can get more time. Sometimes enough to dust and vacuum the entire downstairs. Sometimes enough to dry my hair, or put the laundry away! Those of you with toddlers can appreciate the happiness that goes with starting a small task and completing it in one shot!
The concept is simple, the balls are bright and colorful. There is enough noise and activity to engage everyone for longer periods than I imagained. This toy will not find its way into the toy box any time soon. In fact, I am finding it in different rooms of my home as I carry it around with me when I need to baby to sit in the room with me for a couple of minutes here and there.
I plan on giving this as gifts to my other mom friends who have not yet discovered this treasure!
Substantial toy even before you take into account the weight of the 4 D sized batteries it needs to operate.
No problems with little hands getting stuck, I don't leave my little guys alone in rooms, maybe when their 21 I'll consider it...ha ha!
Great toy that will "steal the spotlight"!
Rosemary
Customer Review: I don't understand?!?
Summary: 2 Stars
Well...I almost don't know what to say. This toy gets pretty solid reviews, which I rely on when I am purchasing. I have a 1 year old and a 3 year old. This was purchased for the one year old for his birthday, with the thought, as we do with many purchases, that both would enjoy it on some level. The first one did not work at all, fan was broken. Second one works ok, but many times the fan is not strong enough and the balls get stalled blowing only at the height of the opening they are supposed to come out of. But, often it works well enough that if that were the only issue, it would be a worthwhile toy. Now, that being said, I personally find the toy extremely annoying even when it is working right, because the balls do NOT stay in the toy even remotely on a regular basis, they fly out consistently and have to be out back in. Since the toy is not for me, and the kids giggle and put them back in, even that is ok, even though the balls spend a lot of time being lost. My major issue is that my 2 boys, absolutely refuse to quit putting things that do not belong in the toy down the holes the balls are supposed to go in. Though I did not read all 500 reviews, I cannot believe that I am the only parent that has had this issue. We have a bent clothes hanger that we keep on-hand just for unclogging this toy. I also consider my boys to be fairly normal, and they play with other toys just fine, they way they are supposed to be played with. As a result, this toy spends a lot of time being out of commission. Although we spend a lot of time playing with our boys and their toys, we also encourage a lot of independent playtime. When we do play together, we color or use Play Doh or play a game with rules and pieces that have to be monitored, and this toy was purchased with the thought that they would play with it on their own. The only way it functions as intended (without lost balls and clogged ducts) is if we supervise. Therefore, it does not fulfill it's purpose in our home and I would not purchase it again. I would recommend knowing what your goals are for this toy before you decide to buy it.Customer Review: Great for littles and bigs to play together
Summary: 4 Stars
We got this for my twin girls' first Christmas. They were 9 months old and too young for this, but my 5 year old loved it. Now, a few months later, the babies can figure it out, push the button, drop the balls in. My son will play with it with them. It's a fun toy, it keeps the babies occupied for a while, it even effectively allows me to sit my "don't put me down" mama's girl down and get a few minutes to work at something else before she starts crying to be up again.
Things I don't like - it's useless without the batteries. The balls need air to come back out. I think I should have gotten the Tomy toy with the spiral ramp the balls just roll down, and you pick them up, and drop them again. I didn't think about the batteries needed aspect of the toy when I bought it.
Balls tend to roll all over if you have hardwoods which will make younger babies lose interest - but keep faster, better crawlers active.
Balls tend to disappear esp. if you have a 5 year old who likes to stash things. We were down to 2 balls for a while. Not much fun.
Air blower tends to stop pushing hard enough at times - for some reason holding your hand over the spout will make it pop harder again. My son figured this out. Babies don't get it, they just sit there and wonder why the balls are wiggling but not popping.
Overall it's OK. I think the best part is how it gives my older son and my babies something to do together, so long as he's not being mean and stashing balls.
The music can be amusing, especially if you are rushing around trying to clean and the one song, I think it's the theme to the Lone Ranger comes on - it's like you have a sound track. Pushes you to go ever faster. Also if one baby is in the other room and I push the button, she comes crawling as fast as she can to watch. Obviously she likes it.
I got this because a friend of mine said it's a toy her now 3 and 5 year old still won't let her get rid of. I can see it being entertaining for a while to come, unlike a lot of other baby toys.
Customer Review: A lot of fun for (nearly) everyone!
Summary: 5 Stars
Our son got this for Christmas when he was 16 months old. To be honest, I'd noticed it before, but though he would be "too old" for it. I read some reviews here, and decided I could be wrong-and I was! Beyond the fact that one of his first words has been "ball", he loves it!As has been noted by other reviews, the balls do tend to go EVERYWHERE. (My husband, myself, my sister and her boyfriend had a wonderful time New Year's Eve!) On the good times through, (and without any grabbing by curious hands!) the balls do make a full circuit..they're dropped in, they pop out, and they roll down and it all starts over again. I agree that the yellow top does seem to come off kind of easily-but it is easily fixed as well. And if your little one doesn't 'mess with it', it will probably stay attached just fine. Our son, however, DOES mess with it!
This leads me to my only concern/warning to others. The balls that come with it are about the only balls to be used; other heavier balls,(or off size) not only won't blow through, but they stop up the whole thing. And they are difficult to get out. My son, as I mentioned, loves balls, and has many of them, and he has tried putting all of them into this thing. He doesn't seem to understand why they won't blow out. Also, our son is "busy", and perhaps overly curious-and unfortunately, when the ball popper is out, he tries to put EVERYTHING down the chute. Including Little People farm animals, socks, and his toothbrush. Unfortunately, I suspect that one of these things may have broken the fan, because now the music plays, but the balls will not blow out. :( My husband suggested changing the batteries, and we may try that--but seeing that the music plays just fine, I'm pretty sure our little turkey did more damage than can be fixed with batteries.
But if you can keep your little one using only the balls that came with the Ball Popper, I don't know why it wouldn't last for a long time, and you'll all have a lot of fun playing with it. (As long as you don't mind chasing some balls around the house! ;) )