Site Tools: RSS | Email Alerts | Mobile
Print this Story
Set Text Size SmallSet Text Size MediumSet Text Size LargeSet Text Size X-Large

Summer Toy Test


Last Update: 6/25/2009 10:47 am
(WXYZ) - Summer's coming and the name of the game is getting your kids outside to play. Consumer Reports brought in young experts—age 6 to 13—to test half a dozen summer toys.

WATCH JOANNE PURTAN'S REPORT IN THE VIDEO PLAYER ON THE RIGHT

Prices ranged from $10 for the Flip N Flyer Gyroscopic Flying Disc to the pricey $100 Razor RipRider Trike.

The Crayola Sidewalk Paint Airbrush for $10 looked fun at first. But in the end, it didn't draw any fans. Testers said it runs out of paint really fast, takes a while to work, and half the time the airbrush pen didn't work.

The Smart Lab Blast-off Rocket Racer for ages 7 and up makes it look like building a rocket would be fun, but it was complicated for the kids to get it to work properly. Consumer Reports found even the adults had a tough time.

The riding toys got lots of play time. But the $70 PlaSmart PlasmaCar couldn't keep up. And it wasn't the fault of the testers because the toy's age range is 3 to 103.

So which toy had the biggest fun factor? The $100 Razor RipRider 360 Caster Trike was the biggest hit of the bunch. It has caster wheels that allow it to do spins and it was a favorite for most of the kids.

But for much less, the Nerf Big Bad Bow for $19 also got a lot of play. It comes with three soft foam arrows and it was a real hit.

Another inexpensive option that the kids enjoyed was the Stellar Toys Flip N Flyer Gyroscopic Flying Disk. It's designed for children ages 7and up and costs $10.

Consumer Reports has no commercial relationship with any advertiser or sponsor appearing on this Web site.

Copyright © 2005-2009 Consumers Union of U.S., Inc.


Do you have a product or service JoAnne should test? Click here to submit your idea >>
Every weeknight Channel 7 Action News viewers in Metro Detroit can find me telling them...“Don’t WasteYour Money.” I'm the consumer reporter who helps you find the good deals and avoid the bad ones. Read my full bio >>

Do you have an idea for a future Don't Waste Your Money segment? Click here to email me now!

  This site is hosted and managed by Inergize Digital.