REVIEW OF THE TILDO OLDFIELD FARMYARD
DETAILS
Price: £49.95
Age suitable for: Children 3 years and up
Now personally I
don't think any playroom is complete until it has a farmyard. Hey, it's only
taken me until my kids were aged five and two to make it happen, but it's
here now, in situ. And we are ALL delighted!From the moment it arrived flat packed in its box with all the buildings individually wrapped; I could tell that the Tildo Oldfield farmyard set by John Crane, was something special.
The instructions were straight-forward, and the set came complete with not only screws, but a little screwdriver too. And what's not to love about that?!
Before long, the
farm was assembled. And seriously, it was easy. Looking bright and beautiful;
the craftsmanship is second to none. And I know I'm not alone when I say, I
love wooden toys. What is it about them? They are so easy on the eye, so
wholesome, so sturdy.
Along with the
farmhouse, are the sty, barn and shed, and two boards to sit them all on that
create the farm ground. All painted; the attention to detail is exquisite,
from roof tiles to window panes. Adding to its authenticity, there’s a duck pond and a trough painted on the boards. There are
also fence posts to section off paddocks from roads too.
Imaginary play
becomes quite real for the children as the buildings are easily accessible on
the inside. Cleverly, the roofs lift off, connecting together again magnetically.
Both Esme and I thought that magical.
WHAT WE LOVE
I suppose it's
true that digital toys are great for your child's development, but when I think
about it, I'm just not sure that you can underestimate how important playing
with a good old-fashioned toy can be. A wooden one at that. Take the Oldfield farmyard
set for example.
This fabulous farm is not only going to stimulate your child's development as far
as their imaginative play and creativity, but it will also help with their fine
motor skills, spatial awareness, social skills, knowledge and understanding,
and language too.
Here at home, the
farm has been a welcome addition to our toy collection. My daughter Esme
(a busy 5YO), suffers with concentration issues, but the farm has allowed her
creative side to take over. She delights in getting carried away, telling
stories as she plays. It really is as if the country life has come to town, and
it has held her attention well.
Although the farmyard is recommended for ages three years and up, the farm has also
helped my youngest daughter Sofia (a loud 2YO) from both an educational and social angle. It
has reinforced her knowledge of animals and the sounds they make. Learning about farm animals, where they live and how to look after them, has been accompanied by countless rounds of 'Old MacDonald had a farm,' now a firm favourite of hers!
When playing with
this beautiful old style toy, the girls are learning to play side by
side, and, with their friends alike. Yes, that’s right, the children on our lane, also think it is a hit!
WHAT TO WATCH OUT FOR
The Oldfield farm
does not come with a farmer, sheepdog or tractor. You can buy the farm animals, farmer and family separately at Butterflies & dragons. We invented them out
of existing toys we had, along with using the people from Esme’s dolls house.
Also, as Esme is
young, (and quite clumsy), we found the fence posts fell over easily. Not really
an issue; we used blue tac to overcome that.
VERDICT
This farmyard has brought a whole new dimension of play into our home, along with countless smiles. If you are wondering what new toy to get for your children this Christmas, then the Oldfield farmyard is definitely something to consider. Especially if you have siblings to buy for. After all, a farmyard is not just for Christmas, it's apparently for their entire childhood. (The age specifications are 3-13 years). I only wish I hadn’t waited quite so long!
(I was sent this product for free, but my opinions/views are all my own).
For more info, please view my disclosure statement.
No comments:
Post a Comment