Nice solid farm set (ELC Wooden Farm)

Member Name: simbanewt

Product:	ELC Wooden Farm
Date:	18/09/09 (216 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Robust, detailed, my boys love it

Disadvantages: Not cheap

We purchased the Early Learning Centre Cobblestone Farm playset for my sons third birthday. This farm set is a relatively new product to the ELC, appearing in their Autumn catalogue, so it is different from the one pictured here. It replaces the older farmset which was cheaper, although I have seen both on sale in our local shop. Cobblestone farm currently costs £45, but you get a free farm animal set worth £15 when you buy the farm.

This is a wooden farm which comes flat packed in one fairly heavy box. There are two base boards and then the buildings slot together and sit on top of these. The buildings were not too difficult to assemble- we had it put together in 15 minutes or so (there are detailed instructions) and now we know where everything goes we can do it much quicker.

The farm includes two main structures, one of which incorporates a barn complete with a hayloft, magnetic winch and haybales, next door to a farmhouse. The other building houses the stable and pig stye. In addition to the two large buildings there is a hen house and several walls which can either edge the farm or form a pen for animals. As it is wooden the pieces which make up the farm are pretty solid. The buildings do come to pieces easily although not during normal use- if a fight breaks out between my sons however it can be flatened in seconds! The fact that it packs away flat makes storage much easier. The illustration on the farm is lovely and very detailed.

You can buy many accesories for the farm- there is an animal set, currently free with the farm as a special offer, but otherwise £15. This includes a cow, calf, sheep, lamb, pig, goat, donkey, horse, duck and hen. The animals are nice, good quality figures (although I think £15 is a little expensive for the set). You can also purchase a farm family for £10, with the usual farmer, farmers wife, a son, daughter and dog. There are tractors and combine harvestors available, and finally even a farm shop and petting corner!

My boys are really enjoying playing with this farm set, its great for firing their imagination, especially for boys who love tractors and other heavy machinery anyway! We have only owned it for a few weeks but I think it will stand the test of time, being wooden there is nothing really that can break on it, and even the opening doors are attached by elastic so should be pretty robust.

Overall I am really impressed by this farm set, and my boys definatley give it the thumbs up.

Summary: A good buy