Now, if you're going to create a cool toy like this, why wouldn't you provide a lid on the box so people can store it properly?
My 2-year-old daughter loves this set-- so much that I bought another one, too. The dolls are colorful and fun for her, and she pulls this out to play with it almost every day.
The lack of a lid is a real problem, because the pieces are all over my house since there is no good way to store it, and the small pieces are a secondary problem. My daughter doesn't stick them in her mouth, so I'm not very concerned about choking, but it's just very easy to lose the little pieces.
I see no reason why this couldn't have been designed with two shoes on one longer block, for example, or with shoes sticking out from under the skirt, so there wouldn't be so many little pieces. Especially because then the company could remove the warning that it's not for kids under 3, when it's clear from the reviewers here that 2-year-olds are using these dolls plenty. Melissa & Doug Abby & Emma Deluxe Magnetic Dress-Up
Much more fun than the coloforms that my daughter had - gave this to my 3 year old granddaughter for her birthday- it's great, especially that it has its own case for all the pieces. She spent hours changing outfits and having fun with this - a great one!
paper dolls tear, these will not! for added fun, stick to your refrigerator. better yet, trace your dolls and tape the outline to the fridge where your kids can play dress up in a different environment. super cool toy.
We received this set as a Christmas present for our almost-five year old daughter. She actually already has another variation of it, but this one has two dolls and more outfits and so she was immediately taken in. So were the rest of us - by the intense sinus-burning odor of VOCs, presumably formaldehyde.
Melissa and Doug call their toys 'wood', but the majority are made of MDF - which is only wood in the loosest possible sense. It consists mostly of resin, and sawdust (enter the term wood). These are manufactured in China, and as the Melissa and Doug reps have told me in the past when I've questioned the smells their toys emit, there are no regulations on the amount of formaldehyde and other VOCs in their toys - or as they spin it in a positive light, "Our toys go through rigorous testing and meet all CPSC regualtions." There are no CPSC regulations on formaldehyde in pressed-wood products, like those made by Melissa & Doug.
In my experience, formaldehyde can cause lightheadedness and confusion, as well as sensations of burning in the eyes, nose and throat. This toy is no exception. The smell was so strong, I could detect its presence from clear on the other side of the room.
So what if your kids are exposed to a little formaldehyde, right? And if it were only a little, sure - I suppose (though I don't think it should be in their toys). But it's in virtually everything, from clothing and bedding to shampoos and soaps and baby wipes to *any* pressed wood furniture, household cabinetry, and the list goes on and on.
My children developed a clear sensitivity to it early on in their lives, when they began experiencing chemical-induced eczema from their clothing (imagine the thrill of locating formaldehyde-free clothing). So my gripe with this toy is rather personal. It's very clearly made of a poison and one that can have nasty consequences with prolonged exposure. Permanent damage to lung tissue and eventually, cancer can be long-term side effects.
So, while I understand that people wanting to bury their head in the sand will rush to click 'unhelpful' I think it's worthwhile to reach just a few people out there who believe their kids deserve better and that manufacturing toxic junk for our children is a practice that will only stop when the toxicity of these ingredients are exposed to the general public and the consumers put down their foot and say these business practices are unacceptable.
Perhaps if we all worked to make this information part of the 'general knowledge' like lead paint and BPA, well-intentioned relatives wouldn't usher these toxins into our homes.
This is a really fun toy, but when I opened the box the strong chemical smell really threw me off. I thought it would be for just a few seconds, but it lasted and after a while I started to get concerned that it was unsafe for my children. I removed it from them but I ended up sitting next to it for a bit longer myself (not by intention, just happen to be), and I got a headache and almost threw up. I decided to put this toy outside for the smell to disseminate. Eventually I felt it did go away, but I regret not having done that right away -- my children and I all ended up inhaling the smell when it was the strongest. Even if the smell seems to go away with time, it still makes you wonder what could have been the source of that smell -- it just can't be anything good.
This is a neat toy and my 3 and 2 year old daughters really like it. The magnets on this toy are not strong enough though and the clothes don't stick very well. Also the case that the toy comes in does not have a cover so all the clothes pieces fall out easily.
Brilliant idea but yet again poorly executed. My daughter loves playing with this, but I do have concerns about the safety. As soon as you open up the plastic lid, the VOC's/chemical smell is really strong. Aired it out for 2 days outside and it still wreaks. Wish Melissa and Doug would stop outsourcing their products to China because the quality is obviously not good. Also, wonder about the lead content because again, it's another piece of junk made in China and we all know several Melissa and Doug products have been recalled for lead.
My 2 year old grand daughter recently broke her leg. It's been hard to find things to keep her busy. I found this toy by accident at Kohls. She loves it! She sat and played for a couple of hours. Her 5 year old brother loved it too. Dolls solidly made. The clothes stay on. She even colored one of the dolls with crayon and it wiped off. 2 snaps for this 5 star toy!! - Magnetic Activities - Dress Up - Wooden Doll Dress Up Toy - Pre-kindergarte'
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