Monday, April 20, 2009
Tonka Tough (enough) for Two-Year-Olds
Posted by Jenny M. @ 8:48 AM
My two-year-old nephew is phenomenon. When I say phenomenon, I mean this little hard-headed barely-twenty-pounder can survive potential catastrophes like no other. Sure, he lands face down on the ground from time to time. Sure, he cries. But both the prostrating and crying are weapons he uses at will. He doesn’t cry from pain; he protests injustice.
He is a survivor. There is a great photo of the little guy leaping joyously off a picnic table. He lived. Dude, he dusted himself off and maybe even tried to talk a four-year-old into trying it. He’s That Guy. He drives his mom a little nuts.
Plus, he has a six-year-old brother he thinks he rivals. So his mama (errr…the Easter Bunny, that is) was smart to buy him his very own remote-controlled car, and an indestructible one at that.
Our little guy started out driving the flippable, easily maneuverable vehicle up and down the front walk to his grandparents’ house, but it wasn’t long before he skipped straight to launching the truck right down the stairs. We couldn’t help cheering: if he positioned the car at just the right angle, it would flip over at the third step and drive away as a complementary version of itself. It wasn’t long before nephew figured out how to maximize the back flip potential by stopping and starting the car on a dime.
I quickly became a fan of my nephew’s “radio car.” The controller is perfect for a two-year-old: there are two buttons, for back and forth. There is no steering, which some may see as a deficit, but as his mother pointed out, “It’s not like a kid this age knows how to steer properly, anyway!” Part of the fun is watching what the car does when it hits an obstacle—it sort of bounces and goes off in another direction. No need to reposition or “unstick” it. You can pick it up and toss it mid-maneuver, and like my nephew, it will dust itself off and keep on.
This car is a perfect first remote-controlled toy, not recommended for four years old and up, due to its general simplicity. However, among more high-tech remote-controlled vehicles, I would endorse the Tonka as more fun for adults to watch in action.
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April 24, 2009 @ 09:25 PM
Desirae said:
I bought this car for my 14 month old son (well actually it was a gift for my husband’s b-day). And its perfect for him to operate!