Why this toy
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This rocket is a toy we have borrowed recently from our local toy library we had an 8 week wait to get this toy which I think shows how popular it is with toddlers.

My son has also enjoyed playing with this at his playgroup so I wanted to borrow it off the toy library to see if it kept his attention and if it was maybe worth buying it for him

What is it?
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The rocket is a classic rocket shape with a red fuselage and three boosters with flashing lights at the bottom of each of them. The rocket has a carry handle down the side on the handle is the button to press for the rocket sounds and the countdown. Inside the rocket there are three compartments. At the top the door comes down and there is space for the two astronauts that come with the rocket to lay down for take off. The next compartment swings open to reveal the living compartment, contained on the door is a bedroom and if you lift the bed you will reveal a lavatory underneath very space conscious these astronauts don't you. In the main body of the rocket is the kitchen with a microwave, toaster, coffee machine and mugs for the tired and hungry crew. The bottom compartment is the cargo hold this opens so the moon buggy (also included) can zoom down a ramp and explore alien terrain. The loose bits of the set are 2 astronauts, 1 space dog, 1 moon buggy and 1 alien in a crater the alien can come out of the crater.

Our experience
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I have to say when my son first saw this in the toy library bag his said "wow" and dived straight into the bag to explore the toy and his enthusiasm for this toy hasn't diminished at all.

On getting this home and unpacking it I was a little disappointed that the door from the top compartment was missing but in all honesty I can say my son hasn't missed what is on that door at all as the astronauts can still lay down in the space ship for it to take off. As we explored together all the bits that came with the set my son was enthralled the astronauts and space dog were in and out of the rocket in the crater they all have had a turn at flying the rocket and driving the buggy though the space dog doesn't fit in all the holes quite right.......that is apart from the toilet and he fits there very well which makes my son laugh for some reason.

I have to say I was very impressed that the buggy cleanly rolls out of the cargo bay down onto the ground meaning it is driving up and down a fair bit.

The doors as seems to be the case with all the toys we have come off a little too easily. Whilst this is ok for the living compartment as we can then put it on the floor for him to play with these are just to tricky for him to put back on himself and I have to say they are a little fiddly to get right. Equally it is a bit disappointing that the astronauts can't really stay in the living compartment when the door is closed unless they lie on the bed and there is space only for one of them to do so. This means that when my son wants to get them all inside for take off he finds it hard to make space for them all to be in. So it often needs some juggling on his behalf before he remembers the two astronauts in the top section the dog on the toilet or bed and the alien is left behind.

There is an on and off button on the back of the rocket to stop it making noise if it gets jostled in the toy box which is useful and not a feature I am afraid to say on all toys.

The plastic rocket is made of is very robust and has survived being dropped on several occasions or being knocked off the table when it has been launched. Bar the doors falling off there is no damage to the rocket and it has survived many alien or dinosaur attacks in our household.

Learning and educational value.
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The main educational value of this toy is its encouragement to children to take part in imaginative play. They can use this toy on its own to explore space and the world around them or with other space rocket toys in the range too. We have the alien flying saucer in the same range and the astronauts and aliens have all being in flying in both. Space and aliens are a little beyond my 2 year olds imagination at the moment but he certainly loves playing with it. There is also value in encouraging their use of fine motor skills at the younger age range of the toy as it takes some co-ordination to manoeuvre all the astronauts around the rocket.


Overall and recommendation
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I would definitely recommend this toy for toddlers upwards it has all the flashing lights and noises that toddlers seem to love. The rocket is very good for their imaginative play and helps with younger ones developing fine motor skills though making the astronauts move around their rocket. It is robust and survives being knocked about well, bar the doors falling off. Since we have borrowed this from the toy library it has been played with every day and we have been allowed to keep it out a little bit longer than normal due to the wait we had for it. It is definitely going to be added to my son's wish list for birthdays and Christmas unless I give in and buy it sooner. I personally just have to resist the urge to role play having alien abductions with his Happyland figures.


Where from and age range
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This toy is available from the Early Learning Centre shops and website and costs around £35. The age range of the toy is 18 months to 4 years. Or in my husbands case for him playing with it 35!