Fun In the Backyard

Step2 Neat & Tidy Cottage Review

2011-08-21T08:17:00.000-07:00

My niece Avery is at that age where she just can't wait to get into everything and everything is a toy with great possibilities. Not to mention, doing all the things mom does like a big girl. (Why don't cooking and dishwashing and vacuuming continue to feel like play when we get older?)

Well, the Step2 Neat & Tidy Cottage fulfills all those desires with style. It's one of the most popular playhouses on the market and for good reason. It combines features that are fun for the kids with features that are functional for the adults.

Out of the hundreds of reviews found around the web, the cottage averages around 4.5 stars with most parents raving about the details and functionality of the playhouse. It's a great starter playhouse for a toddler; once the kids get bigger, you'll probably want something bigger like a wood climber.

The playhouse is made in the U.S. out of parts made in the U.S. and overseas.

Product Features

Open Design: See the kids from all sides while they're playing
Molded-In Items: Kitchen table, faucet, burner, two seats
Working Items: Electronic phone, doorbell, pass-through mailbox
Assembly: Some required
Cleaning: Floor drain hole makes it easy to rinse off and dry
Size: 6 1/2"H x 51"W x 35"D (box?)
46.5 " H x 35.0 " W x 51.0 " L, 53.5 pounds
Age Recommendation: 18 months until they can't fit inside

Open Design

One of the first things that stands out to me in looking at this playhouse is the open design. Most playhouses have at least one solid side, fine if it's up against the fence, not so great if it's out in the middle of the yard or room.

But the Neat and Tidy Cottage has all four sides open, allowing mom and dad to see in from every side. And the kids as well. We all know how toddlers like to know where mom is at all times!

Being in Texas, I also like the open sides because it keeps what little breeze there is flowing through the playhouse. Not good to be playing in a solid plastic box in the heat!

Several parents also noted that the open sides made it easier to get the playhouse clean inside because you can reach in from all sides. You should also realize that it almost guarantees your child will be crawling over the walls instead of going out the door!

Molded-In Items

The nice thing about the new plastic molded playhouses is that items that come with the playhouse are actually part of the playhouse. So the table that goes with the playhouse stays with the playhouse. That does mean your child can't drag them around the yard to places unknown, although that might be fun if you're on an adventure.

The Step2 Neat & Tidy Cottage comes with some standard molded-in items - a kitchen table, faucet, burner and two seats. The outside of the cottage gets extra details as well from the stone and wood architectural features added to make it look real.

I did realize when I looked at the assembly directions that the table is molded, but it is a separate piece from the walls. A few parents have noted that it doesn't have a support underneath and seemed a little unsturdy when their kids crawled on it.

Working Items

Kids love the working phone!

Now, the molded-in features are nice. And your child will enjoy them. But for most toddlers, it's the working features that bring the most joy. This play cottage includes an electronic phone, a working doorbell and a pass-through mailbox. (Nice - now you have a use for junk mail!)

The shutters and Dutch door all work as well, opening and closing to make the playhouse feel more like a real house.

Phone is a cordless like your house phone, which means it might just go missing quickly.

Available Accessories

Accessories don't come with this particular playhouse, but your child will probably bring in their own. Probably everything they own at one point! You could start with a cleaning set - it is the neat and tidy cottage after all - and the kitchen just calls for a cooking set for the stove and maybe play food. I'd even think a handyman set of toys would be a great idea so your child can fix things around his house just like you fix things around yours.

Assembly

Assembly is fairly simple.

To get this cottage up and running (and your child squealing and jumping), you need a Phillips head screwdriver and four AAA batteries. Most people (and the assembly directions themselves) recommend using a drill or electric screwdriver for the screws as the guideholes can be tiny to non-existent. The extra torque of the power tool will make things go much more smoothly.

Most of the pieces snap together, then are secured with screws to each other. The faucet and the phone holder do just snap right into place with no screws. The directions are pretty clear, although the door assembly directions on my copy doesn't have words, just the pictures. Had to move ahead a few pictures to realize what we were doing. (Very IKEA.)

The batteries are used in the first and last pieces you put together. Two of them go into the doorbell to get it working, then it is screwed to the front panel. The other two go into the phone and you'll need a tiny screwdriver to get it open to put in the batteries.

I've seen others who said assembly too anywhere from less than 30 minutes to two hours. Those were the ones who thought assembly was a breeze. If you aren't handy with tools, any amount of time might feel like too much. But overall, putting the Step2 Neat & Tidy Cottage together really isn't that challenging.

One thing to note, the cottage isn't overly large, but it will be tough to get it through the door once you have it assembled, so put it together where you plan to use it first.

Cleaning

The molded floor is easy to clean.

Hooray for plastic! The plastic construction makes it easy to keep this particular house clean. You can wipe it clean with soap and water if you're really wanting it clean, or just spray it down with the hose every now and then. (Plastic also means easy maintenance, especially over a wooden climber.)

The molded-in floor is a great bonus. The drain holes keep water from collecting in the house so it stays clean and dry. And having a floor at all is great for keeping the kids from the dirt and mud under the house. The floor actually is molded to look like stones, so that can add a little extra work since you need to get dirt out from the cracks.

Size

The footprint of the Step2 Neat & Tidy Cottage isn't that big - 35"x51" - but it's still plenty big enough for more than one toddler to play in it at once. In fact, I've even seen a few moms who said they were able to get into the cottage to play with their child. Not move around or stand up, but they were able to get in!

The size is also nice if you plan to set it up inside since it won't take up that much room. You could use it in your child's bedroom instead of outside. The big benefit there over the types of playhouses usually meant for inside use is just the general sturdiness of the plastic construction. It should last much longer than a fabric or cardboard house.

Final Thoughts

The overall consensus by parents is that the Step2 Neat & Tidy Cottage is a good deal for the price. It's not the most expensive playhouse by any means, but also not the most feature-laden. It's a good starter house for a really young child, but one that has room for them to grow.

Many parents liked that the cottage came in gender-neutral colors, making it a good choice for boys and girls. Since it has a table, you might want to plan for your children to have their snack time in the house as well.

Keep an eye on the shipping costs as you shop around. Because this is a bulky and heavy item, those should guide your buying decision as much as the price. And most of the stores I looked at only offer this item online, so shipping is definitely something to consider. (On the plus side, having it shipped means you don't have to try to get that box in your car!)

Buy it at:

Amazon (various prices and shipping rates)
Target.com
Walmart (site to store shipping available)
CSN Stores (free shipping)
Kohl's
Buy.com

Checking out cool kids motorcycles

2011-07-16T08:44:00.000-07:00

I just got my first motorcycle. It's a fun hobby to take up (as long as you're safe) and since I had motorcycles on the brain, these battery-powered kids toy motorcycles caught my eye. (Seriously didn't even know they made these!)

My favorite was this Ducati Monster motorcycle by Peg Perego, which looks just like my brother-in-law's Ducati. Cool!

This toy motorcycle features bold colors, slip-resistant tires, a durable frame and front and rear shocks. It can handle grass, dirt or hard surfaces like sidewalks, driveways and parking lots. The 12-volt battery and two motors allow you to hit two speeds - 2.5 or 5 mph. There are training wheels and a high-speed lockout for beginners, but the twist throttle, working brakes and adjustable mirrors make it seem like a real motorcycle.

There are lots of other cute options for kids motorbikes though, including some that are foot-powered instead of battery, which cuts back on the speed they can go. A slower bike or one with training wheels are good options if you're concerned about the safety factor.

Little Tikes playhouse a great backyard toy

2011-07-11T12:06:00.000-07:00

Toddlers love to play house. From mimicking household chores to making tea for the dolls, they make the every day into a game. Help fuel their imaginations with their own playhouse for the backyard.

One of my favorites when I started shopping is the Little Tikes Picnic on the Patio Playhouse. It's not too big, but it has the "extra" outdoor room and furniture that makes it seem like you're getting a lot more. Others I looked at just seemed to small or too big or too expensive. This one was a nice compromise.

Add to that the fact that it's from Little Tikes and it's a winner in my book. Easy to put together and quality enough to last for several years even in the hot Texas heat.

Hopping horse for bouncy toddler fun

2011-06-11T11:57:00.000-07:00

Bouncy, bouncy, bouncy. Kids love hopping toys and finding the right one is a challenge sometimes. You need something sturdy enough to stand up to a toddler, fits the size of your child and sparks their imaginations.

That's part of why I love the Rody horse. This hopping toy is more than just a ball. The cute face makes it feel like more of a character they can relate to and they hold his ears while they bounce. Oh, and it's made of really high grade vinyl - latex free and no phthalates and compliant with all U.S. and international safety standards - so it's super sturdy, but also without all the nasty chemicals that make for concerns with some plastic toys.

Rody Hopping Horse comes in a ton of colors and is sure to bring a smile to your toddler's face!

Scoping out the PowerStrider jumping stilts

2011-06-08T09:31:00.000-07:00

After some extreme jumping fun? I've been looking at jumping stilts lately - those weird leg attachments that look a bit like the back leg of a four-legged animal. First time I ever saw them was at the State Fair where a performing group was using them. Looked like fun!

There are several different brands out there, and the first ones I looked at are the PowerStrider jumping stilts (pictured here). These puppies claim to get you six feet in the air and give you the ability to run nearly 20 miles an hour! No wonder performers love them.

Now these are nothing like the plain wooden stilts you might remember as a child. It takes some special skill (really good balance) to use these, much less get all the jumping and running power out of them. Think of them as spring-loaded boots and you are now the Bionic Woman. (Or Steve Austin. Fine.) Bouncing up gets you high, bouncing forward gets you fast.

The PowerStrider jumping stilts offer breathable calf cuffs with removable and washable liners (thank goodness!) and easy release ratchet clips. The rubber footpads are easily replaceable and the structure and springs are made of advanced polymers (that just means polycarbon, fiberglass and graphite) to keep them light.

(Make sure you're set with protective gear before you try these out. Higher and faster just means more pain when you fall. And you will fall.)