Hape Take-Along Wooden Activity Box | Toy Review
In this article, I am going to give you an honest look at the Hape Take-Along Wooden Activity Box. But before I get started, let me introduce myself. My name is Christina and I have had the opportunity to go hands-on with many toys while parenting five kids spanning 19 years. I always call it the good, the bad, and the ugly with the toys I have seen. I have made some “poor decisions” on toys and have learned a lot through these experiences. Owning an e-commerce toy store alongside my parenting of 5 children has given me more toy experience than I have ever thought I would have. I have also had the pleasure of speaking with the President and CEO of major Toy manufacturers asking for my advice on different toys and have been featured on several podcasts.
I will combine all my experience and knowledge to give you the most comprehensive toy review possible. A product description will be given, as my Sustainable Toy Review for Hape Take-Along Wooden Activity Box.
Hape Take-Along Wooden Toddler Activity Skill Building Box
Take-Along Wooden Toddler Activity Skill Building Box
Hape Take-Along Wooden Toddler Activity Skill Building Box
Product Description:
- Stimulate and entertain your child with this colorful, challenging puzzle
- Bright, cheerful, clean graphics feature animals of land, sea, and sky on all sides along with logic puzzles and features
- Stimulating colors encourage active play, and animal recognition, and promotes fine motor skills
- Recommended for ages 10 months and up
- Non-toxic finishes and child-safe materials
| Best Sellers Rank | #407,372 in Toys & Games (See Top 100 in Toys & Games) #4,693 in Early Development & Activity Toys #126,635 in Pre-Kindergarten Toys |
|---|---|
| Customer Reviews |
215 ratings
4.6 out of 5 stars |
Christina’s Toy Review consists of 5 standardized criteria categories:
1. Sustainability:
A. Product: All wooden activity toys with 2 plastic components being the 3 circular discs on the triangular sides (so the product can stand upright). Also, 2 flexible plastic pieces enable the “animal matching” side pieces to rotate.
B. Packaging: Recyclable cardboard box without a plastic window or inside packing.
C. Origin/Company: Hape places sustainability as a top priority. They have introduced key processes in production to minimize the impact on the environment. Their toys are produced in China in their own factory ensuring safety practices. Toy companies that have their own factories in China are more trustworthy than 3rd party factories producing goods for various brands. All of their products are made with water-based non-toxic paints and lacquers and tested at an independent laboratory to ensure they exceed the ASTM standards for safety. To learn more about their practices, check out their mission HERE.
Hape toys are designed first and foremost for children. Each product is developed to enhance a child’s developmental skills. Hape believes that the future begins and belongs to our children. “It is our duty to leave them with infinite possibilities, not unsolvable problems. Our toys are created to inspire play, learning, and exploration of the world we live in; through responsible business practices, we aspire to leave the world in a better condition than when we received it.”
2. Playability:
A. Open-ended: The Hape Activity box is open-ended as the toddler gets to decide which of the 5 sides that he/she wants to explore. There are no buttons that sing or speak and the child gets to control how the toy is played with. Also, there is no correct front side or right side up as the triangular box can stand on all 5 sides.
B. Active Parent engagement: This is great to use as a space-saving alternative to the large-style table-like activity cubes. A parent or caregiver can interact by helping the baby flip the toy and introducing new sides and new activities. You could ask baby questions with each side for instance” where is the baby in the mirror? Can you find the house or pig? Can you spin the zebra?”
C. Playtime: Once a toddler can flip the cube and explore each side, they can engage in whichever activity side is most interesting. A simple mirror on one of the upright sides seems so basic, however, babies learn visual awareness and cognitive development. The animal mixing and matching of different shapes encourage fine motor skills. Gears on the side promote learning “cause and effect.” Depending on the toddler’s age, I would say playtime could range from 10 to 20 minutes.
3. Durability:
A. Craftmanship: Very well made with water-based paints. My family has had this toy for two toddlers and it looks brand new. It is built rock solid and has no visible damage.
B. Quality: There are a lot of educational activities packed into one smaller-sized toy. So in my opinion, your child gets “good play value” with no wasted space. Each activity offers a tangible experience with robust parts. I do not see this toy breaking easily.
C. Price/Value: I feel as though this toy is priced fairly. It offers 5 activities in 1 toy so you are getting good value for the money.
4. Longevity:
A. Landfill or Heirloom: This toy is heirloom quality as it will withstand being handed down to multiple children and multiple families.
B. Lifespan of Toy (Age Range): The lifespan of the cube is from 10+ months probably to age 3. My 3-year-old has just recently stopped playing with it.
C. Multi-age Families: Great for families with babies to toddlers as there are no choking hazards to worry about. However, if you are looking for your baby to be interested in this toy at age 4, this is not that toy.
5. Versatility:
A. Combinable with other toys: I don’t see how this toy can be combined with other toys for imaginative play.
B. Creativity Function: It is creative in terms that the child chooses the side of play or direction.
C. Storage: The toy is great in terms of storage due to its small size in which it can be placed freestanding on a shelf or placed in a bin.
Hape Take-Along Wooden Toddler Activity Skill Building Box,
Final Review:
Overall, I recommend the Hape activity cube as it gives the toddler freedom of movement as opposed to larger more stationary activity tables. This gives parents the option to take along the toy or put it away out of sight for easy cleanup. I am a fan of baby toys that don’t take up a lot of space but deliver great educational/play value for the size. This toy is definitely heirloom quality in our home and will be a keeper as we will hand it down. I also like that this toy has no batteries or buttons and that 4 sides are promoting fine motor skills. I definitely recommend the Hape Activity box. The Hape Toy Activity Box received a Final Baby Penguin Meter of 4.2 out of 5 as compared to an Amazon rating of 4.6 stars from 132 reviews.
