Janod Multi Cars Truck | 2021 Toy Review
Description: Designed in France, this Janod Multi Cars Truck is on its way to your playroom to deliver a shipment of brand new cars. This solid wood substantial truck carries 3 smaller cars. It can be pulled along with the string attached or pushed to go. The 3 smaller derby-styled cars are numbered 1-3 in orange, red and green. Recommended for children aged 2-4 years old.
The Baby Penguin’s Toy Review consists of 5 standardized criteria categories:
Sustainability, Playability, Durability, Longevity, and Versatility.
(Click each category for a detailed description of why it’s important)
Each criteria category has 3 subcategories and can score up to 5 Baby Penguins per category if it’s Outstanding!
Outstanding = 
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Average =
Poor =
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1. Sustainability:
A. Product:
- Made of the rubber tree and cypress wood with a cotton pull string.
- Contains zero plastic components.
- Janod uses FSC certified wood.
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B. Packaging:
- Cardboard recyclable box with zero plastic packagings.
- Most European toy companies do put plastic windows into packaging.
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C. Origin/Company:
- Janod is a beloved European/French company that strives to make all of its toys nearly 100% wooden or with sustainable materials only.
- To learn more about Janod’s philosophy, check their website HERE.
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2. Playability:
A. Open-ended:
- Promotes small world play in which “new cars” are being delivered, cars are driving to the race track, or simply driving on a highway.
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B. Active Parent engagement:
- Parents can teach colors and count with cars.
- Practice fine motor skills with pull string cause and effect going straight and making curves etc.
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C. Playtime:
- Promotes fine motor skills as the carrier can be led by the cotton string.
- Small world creative scenario plays as well as placement and counting.
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3. Durability:
A. Craftmanship:
- Smooth, precision-crafted with beautifully painted pieces.
- Made of substantial and heavy/solid rubberwood and cyprus.
- The cotton pull string is of nice quality.
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B. Quality:
- Solid-made toy with little to no paint chipping.
- Wheels on the carrier as well as mini-cars are made of solid wood and not plastic.
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C. Price/Value:
- The price point is good considering this is an all-wood sustainable-made toy designed in France.
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4. Longevity:
A. Landfill or Heirloom:
- Heirloom quality. It will be around for your grandkids.
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B. Lifespan of Toy (Age Range):
- These are rated for ages 2+.
- Children ages 2 years to about 5 will enjoy this auto carrier.
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C. Multi-age Families:
- Good for multi-aged families as there are no choking hazards.
- This is a great toy for families of multi-aged children ages 2+.
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5. Versatility:
A. Combined with other toys:
- My kids combine this carrier with our Melissa & Doug parking garage (Full Review HERE), and other small world railway playsets.
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B. Creativity Function:
- Creative in the fact that it can be a simple auto carrier or an added component to small world play with trains or city set up.
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C. Storage:
- Sits nicely on a shelf and is easily moved by small hands as the from detaches from the trailer.
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Final Review for Janod Multi Cars Truck:
Overall, I recommend the Janod Auto Carrier because it is a simple, sustainable, and simply a well-made toy. It promotes number learning for 2-year-olds, fine motor skills with the pull string mechanism, and creativity with small world play. The craftsmanship is of high quality with nice paint, smooth sanded wood, and no rough edging. Also, it is rare to find all wooden wheels included on wooden transportation-type toys. The only cons of this carrier are that the front is not permanently attached to the trailer, and the mini-cars do not drive on standard railroad tracks. All and all though, this is a solid classic toy that my kids have enjoyed for a few years now.
