Little Kids No-Spill Big Bubble Bucket
Written: May 16 '02 (Updated May 16 '02)
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Pros: Transportable, no spills!
Cons: Lid is hard to open and close for kids
The Bottom Line: For any outside occasion this allows three kids to use the bubble wands so they can play together
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| bonniesayers's Full Review: Little Kids Big No Spill Bubble Bucket |
Ever since last summer when the preschool summer class had one of these Little Kids No-Spill Big Bubble Bucket I was on the lookout for one for my children. I scoured the aisles of Toys “R” US, Kmart and Rite-Aid and found nothing in stock.
The speech and occupational therapists utilize a smaller container of bubbles in their sessions with my almost six year-old son and he is mesmerized by bubbles. This is used as a calming technique and one of his options to choose with his communication box. So when I made a special trip to Sav-on Drugs for velcro pieces to use for his Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) on April 19, 2002 I stumbled upon the Little Kids No-Spill Big Bubble Bucket selling for $11.99. I thought the price was a bit high but due to the popularity of this product if I did not pick it up now I had no idea if I would find it again somewhere else.
A few years ago when a Doctor came to our house to test my children for an autism study she tipped over a bubble container that ended up staining our carpet with the bubble solution so I really wanted something that would not spill. When I checked the instruction paper that was inside the bucket, I learned “ BIG BUBBLE BUCKET IS AN OUTDOOR TOY!” Well I got the message loud and clear so I took the handle and moved it down and popped open the lid to pull out the three bubble wands.
Prior to the first use these parts need to be washed in warm soapy water to ensure the best performance of the toy. It is also noted that contaminated or inferior bubble solution will cause the bubbles to not blow or work improperly. I also picked up a 64 ounce bottle of bubbles for $2.99 and to my knowledge Mr. Bubbles is a good product to use since we got great results. When you make your purchase of the Little Kids No-Spill Big Bubble Bucket you will have to purchase at least 32 ounces of bubbles since this is not included. However it is mentioned the best results will come when you use Little Kids, Inc. No-Stain, No-Dyes, Non-Toxic Bubble Solution. Perhaps those stores where the Little Kids No-Spill Big Bubble Bucket sells will stock these next to each other to make that point clear.
The Little Kids No-Spill Big Bubble Bucket holds up to the thirty two ounces but a day at the park or an outing with other kids will require more than one filling in the bucket. Although it is not mentioned in the directions I would suggest storing the Little Kids No-Spill Big Bubble Bucket without the bubble solution in place. This toy was designed to minimize the spills that happen when kids tip over bubble containers. It is not entirely leak-proof so this should be used in an area where it is okay to have this occur when playing with the Little Kids No-Spill Big Bubble Bucket. There is a toll-free number for Little Kids, Inc. at 1-800-545-5437.
The easiest way I have opened the lid is by holding down on the handle with one hand, and then pop up each side by the handle posts. The next step is to turn over the lid and pull out the wands. The bubble solution is poured into the bucket and then the case gets snapped into place according to the bumps on top. There will be a snap sound confirming this has been done correctly. There are three slots for the bubble wands to be inserted using the handle to slide them into either of the slots. The handle then gets placed back in the upright position and ready to transport.
We went to a picnic this past weekend at a park and brought along the Little Kids No-Spill Big Bubble Bucket with the 64 ounce container of bubbles. Since this was a picnic for the autism community there was a section set up with two large plastic containers with bubble solution inside and some larger type of wands. There was also a Little Kids No-Spill Big Bubble Bucket with some kids using those wands.
It seems no one thought of bringing more bubble solution so ours was used up by the end of the day. The Little Kids No-Spill Big Bubble Bucket we have consists of a purple, orange and green wand. These are all the same size so no one gets to play any differently when utilizing the Little Kids No-Spill Big Bubble Bucket. The lid part is yellow the bucket is green and the handle is orange. These are pleasing colors for outdoor play for spring and summer months.
Apparently I am not strong enough to get this done but it looks like the handle can come out of the bucket but I cannot confirm this. When we left the picnic I dumped the remaining bubble solution into the plastic bin at the park and clicked into place the lid and the wands. A child can easily carry this Little Kids No-Spill Big Bubble Bucket by the handle. I was not able to dry out the container before leaving the park but found when I opened the container the next day I removed it from the car it was dry and in one place.
One of my pet peeves is when driving home just from the grocery store a bottle of soda or water tumbles around in my minivan and falls out of bags and has at times made it to the front near the gas pedal. Since we had to drive the freeway home from the city the park was in I was not sure where the Little Kids No-Spill Big Bubble Bucket would be upon arrival home. When I opened the side door to the van the Little Kids No-Spill Big Bubble Bucket was in the same place and never moved. The bottom base of the bucket stayed secured on the floor to the van, which amazed me. The only thing I had to do was soak the base in soapy water, and store the wands into the lid when finished.
This Little Kids No-Spill Big Bubble Bucket is recommended for children ages three and up with supervision with adding the bubbles and closing the lid. Once that is done three children can play for a good amount of time using the bubbles. They have the option of swinging the wands or blowing through the small hole at the bottom of the wand for the bubbles to appear.
For my younger son the thrill is to see the bubbles and watch others play with the wands, the outcome being an endless sea of bubbles in the air. He is not able to blow and not interested in doing that so for him another person has to be involved. The fun part for kids is watching where the bubble goes, trying to touch it or hold onto it for a few seconds and make a game of it.
In his combined therapy sessions they take turns blowing bubbles and this allows my son to make eye contact with different therapists and communicate by selecting if he wants more bubbles on his device.
For families that are on the go during the summer months this is really an item that should be in the trunk of the vehicle for rest stops and picnics. For anyone who has a home day care environment this is an ideal product to have for outside play for age appropriate kids and for those who might not want to play in the water an alternative to be having some outside shaded play.
I would also remember to have sun protection, a hat and/or sunglasses and footwear for kids when playing outdoors. This is an activity that a child can play with while the parent is nearby washing the car or working in the yard and allows for some independence and family fun at the same time. When the kids are done playing all you need to do is place the wands back and no real cleanup is necessary.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 11.99
Type of Toy: Magic
Age Range of Child: 3 to 5 Years
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Epinions.com ID:
bonniesayers
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Location: Los Angeles, CA
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