Hippychick Crocodile Creek Vehicles Bundle Review
DISCLOSURE -THIS ITEM WAS GIFTED TO THE REVIEWER FOR THE PURPOSES OF WRITING THE REVIEW. ALL THOUGHTS AND OPINIONS ARE THE REVIEWER’S OWN.
Reviewed by Michelle M
I have a child who loves vehicles and loves balls so I knew this set would be very much loved by him and I wasn’t wrong! The set includes a five inch play ball featuring vehicles, a twelve piece mini jigsaw puzzle featuring a fire engine, and a twenty four piece floor puzzle featuring multiple vehicles.
At five inches the play ball is light weight and the perfect size for little hands. It’s a fantastic in between size, smaller than regular footballs but bigger than baby balls, with textured rubber to assist those little hands in holding it. It has a repeating city vehicles pattern printed on it and has instantly become my son’s favourite ball to take everywhere we go. The ball is made from high quality rubber, both synthetic and natural, and is also both BPA and PVC free. Perfect for active play inside or outside, developing early ball skills and hand eye coordination. My son has enjoyed catching, throwing, kicking and bouncing the ball so much I had to introduce an outside only rule for most games with it. Not to be deterred from inside play he accepted rolling as an alternative and he used his own initiative to spend time counting and identifying the vehicles on it too. It’s suitable for ages three and above.
The 24 piece floor puzzle features a city skyline and multiple vehicles in the scene and comes in a handy carry case which makes it especially portable. It could easily be taken to visit grandparents or anywhere else that would be suitable for completing a floor puzzle. The pieces are approximately 10x12cm each and overall the puzzle is approximately 51x41cm in size. The colours are bright and vibrant and the illustrations are detailed though the vehicles are not British so there’s a yellow school bus, the mail van is not red and there’s a few other differences too. However this doesn’t detract from the enjoyment and my son was still able to identify most of them. Trying to put this together overwhelmed my son however he had lots of fun telling me all about the pictures and pointing out small details I hadn’t noticed once it was completed. It’s suitable for ages three and above and I suspect that once he grasps the concept of jigsaws properly this will become a firm favourite.
The 12 piece mini puzzle makes up into a picture of a fire engine and also comes in a box small enough to put in a bag for portability if wanted. Again the colours are vibrant and the illustration pays close attention to detail. It is not a UK fire engine but is still very identifiable as one. The pieces are approximately 7x8cm each and overall size is approximately 30x23cm. The corners, top and sides of the completed jigsaw are slightly shaped and rounded which helps identify the bottom pieces. This jigsaw is suitable for ages two and above so is a great activity for slightly younger children and this is the one my son has enjoyed most. He is pretty new to this style of jigsaw and found the one vehicle illustration easier to learn the concept of pieces fitting together to make a whole picture. This is one he’s asked to do again and again, every time he realises I’ve put it away.
Both jigsaws feature sturdy, chunky pieces, thick enough for little fingers to pick up easily and strong enough to cope with typical small child play. Being laminated they can easily be wiped clean if sticky hands have found them. They are great quality and will, I think, be durable enough to last and be passed along to another child when outgrown by my son. Sturdy pieces make a jigsaw more durable but where some brands fall down is they make the boxes flimsy. Not so Crocodile Creek, these boxes are also strong and sturdy and have survived being at the bottom of the pile of books and games after my son has pulled everything off his bookshelf (again!).
I love that crocodile creek are striving to be environmentally responsible in all aspects of their business. The puzzles and boxes are made of 70% recycled materials. Whilst the smaller puzzle still had cellophane as the outside wrapper of the box, neither puzzle contained plastic inside the box. Instead we found loose pieces and a small slip of paper informing us that they are no longer using interior plastic bags in their products. The removal of a layer of packaging to open before playing was great for my impatient child and also for creating less waste to be thrown in the bin.
This bundle would make a great Christmas present for a preschool child, especially if they also have a love of vehicles like my son. It would also make a nice present for a family with different aged small children given the different age suitability. The bundle covers a wide range of learning opportunities and chances to strengthen skills in a variety of ways so would be suitable for most families with a preschool child or children.
Rating: 5/5
RRP: £33.50
Purchase the vehicles bundle from Hippychick here.