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Toy Review: Twist ‘N Fold Big Yellow Bus by Playhut

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Twist 'N Fold Big Yellow Bus by Playhut
Photo from Playhut.com

by Jane Day Rasmussen

Name: Twist ‘N Fold Big Yellow Bus
Manufacturer: Playhut
Category: Pretend Play
Manufacturer’s Suggested Age Range: 3 years and up
Our tested age range: 1 year – 4 years
Learning Components: Creative Play
Price Value (on a scale of 1 to 4 honeys): Four honeys

We inherited Playhut’s Big Yellow Bus when my friend’s son outgrew it. It became an instant favorite in our house!

The bus includes a blow-up steering wheel, three side windows, a roll-up flap door, two sunroofs and a tunnel flap for crawl-through play. This toy really inspired imaginative play as we’d go around and pick up our passengers for many different destinations.

The nylon bus sets up instantly with patented EZ Twist Technology – just take it out of the bag, and it literally snaps into place. It is lightweight & portable and can be packed away as easily as it comes out. (It comes with a storage bag; getting it back in takes a little practice.)

Once open, it is plenty roomy: 50 inches tall, 36 inches long, and 25 inches wide – we’ve fit two grandmas, one child and a kitty cat in ours! The bus can be connected to other Playhut Collect ‘N Connect structures – if you have the room in your house. You can spot clean the bus if necessary and allow to air dry.

I bought this for my twin nieces because the dual-area allows for one to drive and the other to ride!

The Big Yellow Bus is a 1999 Parents’ Choice® Approved winner. It retails for about $30 and is worth the money – the toy is virtually indestructible and will provide entertainment for the whole family for a long time. Visit www.playhut.com for all of their other tent contraptions.

Safety Information (from Amazon.com)
“This product uses a spring steel loop that will quickly pop open. Caution must be used in the handling this product. Small children should never be allowed to fold or unfold this product without adult supervision. Discard if steel loop is broken or if this product is damaged. It is not fireproof. The fabric will burn if left in continuous contact with any flame source. Keep all flame and heat sources away from this product. The application of any foreign substance to this product may render the flame resistant properties ineffective. Please thoroughly read instruction sheet before using this product.”

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TwinWatch: Why identical twins don’t have identical fingerprints

About TwinWatch @ BeTwinned

At last, I’ve seen the answer to an interesting question I’ve often wondered about. Read the first item in this Q & A from Northeastern Pennsylvania’s TimesLeader.com to see the explanation of why identical twins don’t share the same fingerprints.

I interpret this doctor’s response to mean that even though identical twins are created from identical genetic material, differences — like fingerprints — occur as that material interacts with the environment and within each individual.

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TwinWatch: Canadian twin girls want to play on the boys’ team

About TwinWatch @ BeTwinned

The Manitoba Human Rights Commission has decided it will hear the complaints of twin Canadian teens who want to play hockey with the boys.

Check out the most recent news & video and the news from May when the story first broke.

And check out this news item about twin British teens who have qualified as soccer referrees. Be sure to scroll down the page to see the sweet picture of the girls in their uniforms.

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Children’s Book Review: Now & Ben by Gene Barretta

About Children’s Book Reviews @ BeTwinned

The Modern Inventions of Benjamin Franklin

Now & Ben by Gene Barretta
Photo from Amazon.com

Review by Sandra Horning

Now & Ben, The Modern Inventions of Benjamin Franklin is an ideal book for the little inventor or scientist in your house. And, in my mind, all children are inventors at heart. My two sons are always “inventing” new drinks by mixing juices together or “inventing” a device to send items up and down to each other’s bunk bed.

The book begins with Ben Franklin standing in the past and then moves to a picture of Ben Franklin standing in a busy street in the present. Readers can try to pick out Ben Franklin’s inventions on this page.

The spreads that follow each have a “now” page depicting a modern device or concept and a “Ben” page depicting Ben Franklin with his invention that led to the “now”. This easily helps younger children see the connection between the now and then. Bifocals, electricity, lightning rods and odometers are just a few of the many inventions covered in the book.

Barretta’s enjoyable watercolor cartoons bring the inventions to life on each page. The playful ending spread leaves the reader to imagine how today’s inventions will look in the future. Your children are sure to get busy “inventing” after this read.

Ages 5-9

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Toy Review: Musical Ice Cream Cart by Playskool

About Toy Reviews @ BeTwinned

Jake and Musical Ice Cream Cart

Jake with his Musical Ice Cream Cart
The author’s son with his Musical Ice Cream Cart

by Jane Day Rasmussen

Name: Musical Ice Cream Cart
Manufacturer: Playskool
Category: Push Toys
Manufacturer’s Suggested Age Range: n/a
Our tested age range: 1 – 3 years
Learning Components: Cooperative Play, Role Play
Price Value: Four honeys

Wasn’t this around when we were kids? Maybe that’s the reason this toy immediately caught my eye.

I bought this musical ice cream cart for our son when he was just learning to walk. He loved to practice walking as he pushed the musical ice cream cart around. The cart is very sturdy and helped a lot with his balance when he was just getting started.

He learned to make us ice cream cones and collected money (a.k.a honeys) in return, but mostly he ate the treats for himself — see picture. Even today when I took out the toy again to write this review, he is running around filling the cart with treats to give us (now he’s nearly four years old).

The toy includes two ice cream cones, two different flavored ice cream scoops, two Popsicles and two coins. There are lots of places to store the ice cream – on the moveable arms out front, inside the cart — and the top opens up to reveal a shape sorter for an educational benefit! The coins slide into the money slot on the side, because, of course, nothing is for free! Kids can press a button to play the music – which isn’t too loud, plays lots of different songs, and turns off automatically.

This toy is perfect for twins, because there is two of everything and one can push the cart while the other sells, sells, sells.

Okay, so I’m not sure where you will find this anymore; my attempts to find this anywhere online were unsuccessful, but maybe your local toy store still has some in stock. If you see this at a thrift shop or yard sale, I’d grab it for your little one. It originally cost about $25 and was worth every penny. It takes two AA batteries, which last a really long time (the original ones are still working after 2 years).