Island of not so much fun :(! (Tomy Thomas The Tank Engine Bath Island)

Member Name: xjemloux

Product:	Tomy Thomas The Tank Engine Bath Island
Date:	05/01/09 (69 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: It's Thomas

Disadvantages: Doesn't hold a childs interest, slide keeps coming off

As you were all probably expecting from me another Thomas the Tank product review. I never bought this one this time though, my nan did for my twin boys as Christmas presents. To be honest I'm usually very happy with any Thomas The Tank toy, but unfortunately I'm not too pleased with this one.

Luckily my boys, who are only 13months now, love their baths for some reason they seem so relaxed and happy once sat in it. Even happier when they have all their toys around. I've noticed they try use their imagination alot more once in the bath, I absolutely love watching them, so this toy was perfect, surely? I was wrong to think that.

There is no fiddly bits really when putting it together it's just a case of clicking in the yellow slide/shoot provided. There are two suckers on the back for it to stick to either the side of your bath or tiles on the wall. It also comes with a Thomas The Tank and a boat. There aren't really many activites on this island for a child to do, which is why I guess it's aimed for ages 2years plus when they have more of an imagination about things. Thomas the Tank can be placed into the hole provided and slide down the shoot. There is a house which you can fill up with water, using the boat that comes with it and on the front there is a button, which when it's pressed bubbles come out of the chimney at the top of the house. There is a water tower which can be filled up, which results in a wheel turning around and there is a windmill which turns if water is poured over it. The retail price is roughly £9.99 in shops such as Argos but my Nan bought this in T.J Hughes for the same price.

My boys do enjoy playing with these toys, but only because they are using their imagination, they are becoming extremely verbal and they like to use Thomas mainly to move him across the bath and babble to themselves. As for pouring the water in the house to make bubbles etc it's not something which I believe holds a childs interest for a long time. As for the slide, it gets knocked off easily, which always leaves my boys annoyed as they don't know how to click it back into place.

Although it is a lovely looking toy, colourful and attractive to a childs eye especially, I personally feel it is only so pricey because of the fact it's Thomas The Tank. I know I have said my boys have fun with them, but really its mainly Thomas himself they have fun with, they don't really bother with the island as such, they seem to get bored very quickly. I'm glad my nan bought them and not me, as I feel my boys have more fun with their poundland bag of colourful ducks and a few empty bottles to pour water all over my floor than this island. There are plenty of cheap ways of making fun in the bath these days, especially stacking cups, I can't reccomend them enough. But I don't think for the price really anybody should by this toy unless of course your child is extremely Thomas The Tank crazy.

Summary: A lovely toy because its Thomas but to be honest not very practical