A magic wand? (ELC Water Wand)

Member Name: ButterBear

Product:	ELC Water Wand
Date:	18/12/08 (120 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: May be fun for tiny ones

Disadvantages: Limited entertainment value

We bought our water wand a few years ago now when a Boots voucher left me with £5.00 to spend, I was looking for bath toys for my son to play with and at £4.99 the ELC Water Wand seemed like a fun choice.

The clear plastic wand is actually less of a wand and more of a tube with wide funnel like ends at the "top" and "bottom" within the body of the wand are 2 sections, 1 with a brightly coloured spiral and one with a 2 tone ball in the style of a water wheel. When water is poured into one of the two large funnel ends it trickles through the holes in the end of the wand and through the body making the spiral turn like a cork screw and the ball spin as the water splashes against them, it then filters out the holes in the other end of the wand and into the bath, sink, paddling pool....wherever you happen to be playing with it, naturally if the toy is turned the other way and water poured in the opposite end the pieces spin in the opposite direction.

It is a good toy for learning early hand eye coordination as your child has to accurately pour water into the ends and the clear plastic body allows your child to watch as the water runs through the toy, helping them have some understanding of the effects water can have and how it is able to make things move. The bright colours on the spinning parts are eye catching and entertaining for younger children and babies will find it fascinating as mummy, or daddy, pour the water for them, however the entertainment value for older ones is quite limited.

Initially the toy provided some excitement as the kids attempted to pour the water trough and watch as the parts span madly, they played using different amounts of water to create different speeds but it was always the fastest they liked best, it's the one that made most mess and splashes after all, soon though the novelty began to wear off and the wand was left sitting on the side of the bath while other toys were chosen first. My little ones were 3 and 1 when we first got the wand and now at 4 and 2 they have all but lost all interest, while it has lasted well and is obviously well made it just doesn't have enough to keep them occupied, they can after all pour water over each others heads and have much more fun then simply watching the wheel and spiral of the water wand turn.

Despite the good quality I cant say I find the toy good value for money, it may entertain very young children but usually they aren't the ones that need entertaining in the bath as mummy is there to play and sing all the silly songs, it's the slightly older ones that are liable to grab the nearest tube of tooth paste and empty the contents into the water or the ones who decide the time is right to attempt an escape and climb out that need the entertainment, and after the first few plays the water wand simply isn't going to provide this.

Being an Early Learning Centre toy means it's only available from their stockists which include Boots, it is not available from the online sites though. At £4.99 I'd say save your money and give your little one some plastic tubs and cups to play with instead.

Summary: Not enough fun to warrant £5 from your wallet.