Gearhead Mom

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Is Gas Expensive in the Land of Make Believe, Too?

Posted by Missy W. @ 8:16 AM

We only gave Sy a couple of presents for her birthday since she has such a huge and generous family. The first thing we got her was the Plan Toys Gas Station because the girl has always been obsessed with gas stations. Why? We don’t know, and we don’t ask. Some three year old mysteries are better left unsolved.

I thought this toy was going to be a huge hit since it’s two of her favorite things; a gas station and the world of her very vivid imagination. All those hungry cars getting filled up at her very own gas station, what’s not to love?

A lot, according to my girl and me.

This set has a single flat roofed building with a transparent forecourt roof. There are two banks of petrol pumps on its forecourt with an automatic car wash, complete with moving cleaning bristles, which can be operated by hand. The set includes a petrol tanker to bring in new fuel, and a little red car to fill up.

OK but here’s the thing about the car wash. The cleaning bristles move, but since there are no batteries (a plus) they are not “automatic”. Sy has to shove the car through them, and it’s a bit tough for her move the car through and move the cleaning bristles simultaneously, they just don’t move that easily. It ticks her off completely, which means she ignores that part of the toy completely until she is ready to give it another go.

You know how in the old school Fisher-Price main street toy, you could fill up your car and it had a little hole for the gas nozzle to go in? I loved that part, and so does Sy when she plays with the toy at my mom’s house. Same goes for the airport. It’s a little touch, but it makes it more realistic and Sy really goes for that. Not so with this version. The little gas nozzles don’t fit anywhere on the car or tanker on the Plan Toys gas station. The tanker comes apart (on purpose) with a little dowel and notch, so Sy takes that off and puts the cab sideways so she can shove the little nozzle in to the little hole. She also gets irked that there is nowhere to put the nozzle in the little red car, so the car gets no gas and likes it.

So you know. It’s cute, it’s well made, it’s non-toxic. It sits on the shelf a lot, too. With that said, not to be stereotypical, but every single time one of her boy pals come over, they make a b-line straight for it. What is it with boys and cars? Sy’s pal Max snapped the pole that held up the roof right off the other day. Easily fixed with wood glue, but this is perhaps not the best toy for a boisterous three year old.

Snapshot:
As is the Plan Toys way, this set is made of solid wood and finished with completely non-toxic, child-friendly paints and finishes.
The toy is small with small cars, so I think it’s more about fine motor than gross motor skills here.
It’s not a bad toy, the design looks pretty, but I loved my Fisher-Price one best, and I still do.

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