Ready Set Learn! Paz's Radio Control Fire Truck

This fall, the Parent Bloggers Network sent us a radio-control fire truck. 

In the interest of full disclosure, the first one they sent us didn't work.  When the box arrived, it was split open, and it looked as though it had been dropped off the side of the Empire State Building.  We requested one that worked, and it arrived duly in the mail.

The little angel, Pa and I ventured outside after the new one arrived while my parents were visiting. I wanted to really test this toy, since I was a little wary of any toy for ages 3+ that breaks that easily from being dropped. (The product packing cautions strongly against dropping this toy.  Que?)  However, the firetruck totally tamed my cul-de-sac.  We toured it all around the cul-de-sac, up the slope of the driveway, even jumping the curb with ease.  (It veered a little to the right on rocky surfaces, but was fine on smooth ones. Pa says this is due to the back-up mechanism, and since he is an engineer and I am not, I believed him.) Inside the house, the firetruck was awesome, but ramming something into walls isn't fun for me, so we took it outside, stat. 

The fire truck comes with four little firemen and a remote control for all these fancy manuevers. It makes noise and raises its ladder up and down expectantly when it moves.  Bella the Cat adores it.

I think this is the perfect Grandparent Toy.  Because it really shouldn't be dropped, you should probably supervise the child using it.  Yay, grandparents.  It makes noise and is large, which is another great reason to buy it for the grandparents rather than your own parental toy chest.  It's really fun for old men - I had to literally rip the two-button remote from my father's hands in order to give it to the little angel. I think he liked it more than her.

All in all, great toy - needs space, makes noise, shouldn't be dropped.  Coolness factor is very high, though. The little angel forsook all her ridiculous princesses for a full two days to give this fire truck precedence.