Toy garages - what do you have and do you recommend it?!?

[snowboarder]

Hope the mini snowboarders aren't reading this....

We're going to get them a toy garage to share for christmas. I am currently endlessly trawling the internet to find one I like...to no avail! I actually don't care if it's plastic or wooden - but most of their cars are the metal/plastic hotwheels/matchbox style cars so it needs to be appropriately scaled. Loads of the plastic ones look flimsy and the wooden ones don't look much better - and loo a bit basic for my 4 yr old who is lusting after some sort of scooby doo catcher toy he's seen on the tv! I don't like Le toy van after having a set of their cars and all the stickers peeling off - and have seen some terrible reviews. The ELC ones both look a bit rubbish. Hotwheels looks flimsy and over complicated....gah!

It needs to be fun, sturdy and appropriate for a 2.5 and 4.5 yr old. What do you think, forum?!?

[tomo]

I wouldn't recommend the Fisher Price little people one. It's not very well designed. The lift is impossible for a toddler to push up, so requires help from an adult. The petrol pump is too short for little hands to use properly. You also get two cars with it, and emits a delightful noise! Sainsburys had a wooden one on offer that I was tempted to get , not sure of the make though.

Shame about the fisher price one, I have fond memories of using our fisher price one when I was little. Their design quality is not what it once was.

[Kathryn]

I liked the look of the one at the great little trading company it was just out of my price range

[bumpy]

We have the ELC Big City one, bought on here?! :)

http://www.elc.co.uk/Big-City-Garage/125154,default,pd.html?CAWELAID=1638586435&cm_mmc=Google-_-Action+%26+Adventure-_-Product+Listing+Ads-_-PLA+-+Action+%26+Adventure+Top+Products+-+PLA

So far so good, yes it's plastic but seems to put up with lots of use and has great add ons that can be bought if you have the room.

[snowboarder]

I think the GLTC one is the Le Toy Van one which I have read is not v sturdy as not solid wood, and has poor plastic edges on it which break? After a couple of lovely GLTC wooden toys breaking (literally snapping in two!) I'm actually quite keen on sturdy plastic these days! It also needs to be interesting enough for a 4.5 year old who is very seduced by Ben 10/superhero type stuff and def would think Little People are babyish...

[crystal7]

Reading with interest as this is what I'd planned to get my car mad 2 year old for Xmas. ELC one looks great but huge! Can anyone recommend a smaller one?!

[snowboarder]

Does the ELC plastic one stay together bumpy? We have the fold up set that matches so thought would be good idea - BUT it drives me crazy as it keeps coming apart!!

[bumpy]

I guess it depends on how the child plays but yep so far so good for us, we have the main garage plus the fold out add on and yes some of the smaller bits (lamp posts etc are broken or fall off. I would say he plays more with the garage itself as loves racing the cars from top to bottom in one go, filling up with petrol and using the lift?! He would love the spiral race ramp & the parking garage but as crystal7 says they're BIG so have vetoed any more extras to it?!

More than happy for you to come by and see it before purchasing.

[Knomester]

Hello snowboarder. Our son has this one: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Viga-3-Tier-Parking-Helipad-59690/dp/B005FO7RA2/ref=pd_sxp_f_pt - it's robust and compact and I'd say really good value at under ?20. He uses all of his cars and trucks (and skateboarders..) on it, not just the little wooden cars supplied.

The only complaint he sometimes makes when he sees one of the huge ones in catalogues (and which may apply to your older child) is that it doesn't have big curved ramps that go around the car park.

[alieh]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Plan-Toys-6227-Parking-Garage/dp/B0001VV1GK

We have this one. I don't really rate it, or maybe it is just that my boys aren't keen. The lift is pretty much useless and we had to glue the ramps down as otherwise they just kept falling off. Luckily we didn't buy it new as it is also very pricey!

It does seem pretty robust though so maybe it is just that mine aren't garage fans.

[Bellenden Belle]

alieh Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> http://www.amazon.co.uk/Plan-Toys-6227-Parking-Gar

> age/dp/B0001VV1GK

>

> We have this one. I don't really rate it, or

> maybe it is just that my boys aren't keen. The

> lift is pretty much useless and we had to glue the

> ramps down as otherwise they just kept falling

> off. Luckily we didn't buy it new as it is also

> very pricey!

>

> It does seem pretty robust though so maybe it is

> just that mine aren't garage fans.

We've got this one too and it is totally pants! Never gets played with.

We also have an ELC whizz around garage which gets used regularly - despite the fact we have never put batteries in it so it's never had noises or flashing lights.

http://www.elc.co.uk/Whizz-Around-Garage/134238,default,pd.html

[mumtoone]

We have the big elc one...I wanted to swap it at some point for the wooden one but change my mind once I saw one in mothercare. The elc is big but it's very rubust my boys sat on it many times without any damege done,it is easy to fix once they pull something out.Ours lift is a bit rubish as gets stuck very often,not sure if that's common though.overall I am very happy with it.It lives here over 2 years now and is been played regulary...

[VALFR59]

HI

I've bought a lovely wood one at ELC, when my son turned 2...but it was lovely just for me and my house decoration!lol

My son never played that much with it... and a bit bored to see him playing like crazy with the huge, ugly plastic garage toy my in laws have for the grandchildren in France (where we more have a plastic toys culture, wooden toys are more accessories to decorate kids bedroom, not to play with).... I've bought one in plastic too on this forum and I've sold the ELC one !

Now he is 4 and loves all the Hotwheels garages/playset too!

The plastic one I've bought on EDF was an old one, but maybe new generation exist! it's "ferrari garage from fisher price"

Hope you'll find the perfect compromise for all the family :)! good luck

[bluesuperted]

Zulily have a load of Janod wooden toys on sale today including a sweet looking wooden garage:

http://bit.ly/1jWLWOY

I have the Viga wooden one that Knomester mentioned and it's very nice, doesn't get loads of play but think it's worth having.