Manufacturer: KidDesigns
Price: $39.99 at Amazon
I knew that this was going to be a hit long before we got a Botley in our hands. We did a review for My First Adventures, another Jump Start toy and when we did that we had a chance to see Botley. Lil B wouldn’t stop talking about him. “Look at that Robot!” “Hey, who is that Robot, I want that!” So, naturally when we received it I was incredibly excited because I knew how much fun he was going to have with the “real Botley.
The first thing you notice is just how cool this robot looks. Botley is a cute toy. Lil B was hoping that it would be able to walk around and follow his commands and though it can’t (I knew that it wouldn’t be able to), once he got over that he had plenty of fun. Most stores have labeled Botley as being perfect for three to five year olds and I have to admit that surprised me a little bit.
While this age range will absolutely adore Botley, they will need some help learning to use him and parents will too, with a distinct possibility that some reading is required to get him working. Meanwhile, the manufacturer recommends Botley for ages four and up. After watching Lil B I would say this is good for kids between the ages of four and possibly eight. I don’t think kids older than eight or nine would find much enjoyment in Botley, though that will depend on the child.
Still, beyond younger kids needing a little help using him initially, there is nothing wrong with Botley. Kids love him and adults will enjoy the fact that this toy is relatively inexpensive while offering plenty of safe and friendly activities. Kid Designs is quickly becoming one of the most popular choices for us to find Lil B safe and fun toys in his age range.
Positives & Negatives:
Positives:
Great for kids that love robots
Non-violent
Works well for solo or group play
Good for boys or girls
Educational
Challenging
Inventive
Promotes learning and independence
Movable head and adjustable arms
Fairly priced
Negatives:
Might be too challenging for younger kids
None other that I can think of
Pricing & Availability:
The Jump Start World Growing Smart Laugh with Me Botley is priced at $39.99 at stores like Toys R Us, Amazon, and just about everywhere else that I have looked. You shouldn’t have any trouble finding this. I haven’t looked locally, but I bet if I did I would find it. If you live in an average to big city I am sure that you won’t have any problem finding it either. If you cannot find it, Botley seems to be well stocked online so that is always another option.
Based on the toy and all that it can do, I would have no qualms about paying $40 for this. While $40 seems like a lot these days, it is obvious that Botley is durable enough and fun enough to ensure that it is worth the purchase. Ultimately, you’d buy any other toy of similar function and size as Botley for around the same price, if not for more.
Requirements & Instructions:
The only requirement to get Jump Start World Growing Smart Laugh with Me Botley working out of the box is a set of batteries, which are included when you purchase this toy. Both kids and parents should enjoy the fact that you can work this toy right out of the box. We didn’t have any problems getting him going. Lil B did need some help when it came to figuring out how to use Botley. This is mainly because a little bit of reading is required and he cannot read yet. However, once he figured out how to handle Botley it was smooth sailing from there.
Durability:
Jump Start World Growing Smart Laugh with Me Botley is pretty sturdy for the most part. It’s not something so flimsy that it’s going to break, but I don’t recommend throwing this around for fun either. It’s made of hard plastic, but it’s relatively lightweight so you will want to watch it if your child is kind of rough on their toys. Otherwise, you shouldn’t have anything to worry about. It should be able to handle any basic drops and accidents without any problem.
Ease of Use:
We went through the instructions to learn how to use the buttons and the remote, but once we knew exactly what to do things were just fine. If your child is not able to read you might want to use this with them, at first. Once they have basic reading skills or become familiar with some of the various games they won’t have any problem playing this on their own. The games and activities vary, but there are at least 30 things that kids can enjoy with Botley.
Some of these games and activities will be more popular than others, but there are plenty of options to enjoy. The first time using Jump Start World Growing Smart Laugh with Me Botley will definitely be the hardest. After that, it will just be a matter of your child becoming familiar enough that they no longer need your help to enjoy him. Additionally, if your child has an older brother or sister, this might be a good activity for them to enjoy together.
Fun Factor & Overall Appeal:
Jump Start World Growing Smart Laugh with Me Botley managed to be fun on it’s own without even working for quite a few minutes. Lil B squirmed until we got Botley out of the box and then he moved him around the floor and did the Wall-E robot voice for quite some time. After we got it started we did some of the activities. He enjoyed the math games and quizzes the most.
Kids are able to cure Botley’s computer bugs by answering questions and Lil B loved this. He also enjoyed being able to move Botley’s head and seeing his eyebrows and mouth move when it did. Lil B would play a game or two and then he and Botley would go to someone else in the house, so that he could play with them.
When he plays with Botley in his room, I have peeked in to find him talking to Botley while he plays one of the activities. It’s more than just a game or a robot. To Lil B, Botley is a friend. When we use Botley, I find that Lil B uses the remote more so that he can stand Botley up and doesn’t have to hold him while playing the whole time.
This is one of his favorite toys that he received around the holidays. I’ve seen him quite a few times since then and he always seems to have Botley with him. While we received Jump Start World Growing Smart Laugh with Me Botley for review, I would have been more than happy to purchase it as it’s one of his favorite toys!
Bottom Line:
Jump Start World Growing Smart Laugh with Me Botley is one of the best preschool toys that we tested in 2008. It is educational, fun, friendly, and it’s a robot! Young children love this robot and I can’t say that I blame them. This is a fairly priced toy that offers plenty of activities. It’s durable, relatively easy to use, and young children just love Botley. The important thing though is that they learn while they play with him. If you want your child to practice their upcoming school subjects and brush up on their skills, Botley will befriend them and help them to learn in the most fun way possible!
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Technorati Tags: Jump Start World Growing Smart Laugh with Me Botley, KidDesigns, Educational, Electronics, Robot, Toy Review
Written by Ashtyn Evans – Visit Website
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Ashtyn is in her early 30s. She is a mother, writer, college student, and music lover. Ashtyn has had a successful career as a writer since 2003. She turned to blogging in 2005. Ashtyn attends Wright State where she is getting a degree in Psychology. She has extensive knowledge in SEO and Social Media Development.
