what brick and mortar store can you buy the little tikes activity garden at?

[peanut4us]

Just wondering. I realized that I have no other toy ideas for my mom to get for Sara's birthday. Sigh.

[egoldber]

Well, that's a good question. I've never seen it at a real store. I thought that Little Tikes had discontinued it, but it seems to be readily available on-line. I also see it at consignment stores and sales periodically.

HTH,

[August Mom]

I've never seen it at a B&M store. We bought ours on-line from KB Toys with free shipping.

[cchavez]

I just went into our Little Tykes store to see if they had it and it was discontinued......I checkout the workshop and kitchen and I was not impressed but doesn't it get rave reviews on the boards???

[pritchettzoo]

How did you get the free shipping? (I did a google search and didn't find any codes other than $5 off $40 and shipping's around $20...didn't want you to think I was just lazy! ;) )

Thanks!

Anna
Mama to Gracie (9/16/03)

[Momof3Labs]

KB Toys had that deal a while ago - that's when we got ours, too.

[egoldber]

They offer that deal periodically. I got mine that way too about a year ago.

HTH,

[naomi01]

A word of advice, I too desperately looked for free shipping, and gave up in the end when KBToys had it on special and just got it. My advice is this, this is a WONDERFUL toy. We have had ours since just after DS turned one (he is currently 15 months) and he still plays with it every day. I think it has already been "worth it" several times over. I am a little sorry I didn't order it even sooner (I kept looking on ebay and at garage sales) and am very glad I got it when we did.

Naomi
DS 12/02/02

[etwahl]

he was asking if it's REALLY all that! he said he thinks it's too big. he'd rather have small and simpler toys...educational, blah, blah, blah.

please convince me if i really need to convince him that we need this!!! i can convince him if you all really think it's that wonderful, but i do need some convincing myself now, since he's thinking we don't need it!

eta: i think he thinks it's a big plastic monstrosity/eye sore (from the quick look he saw online) with absolutely no educational value. not that he feels all toys have to have educational value. i think he's just having an "i'm being cheap" night :) he did compare it to the exersaucer in terms of size...but when she used that thing it was awesome. i think he's thinking about the months it sat there in our living room even after she'd stopped using. now it's in storage.

Tammy,
Mom to Lauren Genevieve
03/12/2003
www.evantammy.com

[pritchettzoo]

If you get it and DD hates it, you can re-sell it on ebay. Check out what the auctions of it are going for--old nasty ones that have been outside are selling for almost as much as a new one.

And, DH doesn't have to play with it. ;)

As far as it being "educational," it looks like a fabulous toy to encourage creativity and imagination to me. Might also be a way to encourage her to eat more veggies (what are those anyway? they look like carrots in the picture...).

Anna
Mama to Gracie (9/16/03)

[lcl]

i bought this for my DS when he was 7 months and paid a lot for it online. he still plays with it here and there and he is 19 mo. it is in a corner of our family room and hardly noticeble. i agree its worth it.

[etwahl]

http://tinyurl.com/25z9g

Tammy,
Mom to Lauren Genevieve
03/12/2003
www.evantammy.com

[egoldber]

Its a WONDERFUL toy for pretend play.

Sarah goes "bye-bye" in the garden all the time. She opens the gate, waves and yells "Bye-bye!" and then we talk about where she's going (usually Target or Costco, pretty sad actually..."

She plays with the letters all the time and she tells who is sending her letters: grandma, her teachers, Daddy, etc.

She puts her dolls and animals in there and they play house

She crawls in and out through the tunnel

We talk about all the different colors and the birds

We plant the vegetables and talk about foods and what we eat, what kinds of foods grow in gardens and what doesn't, etc.

We play toss and throw balls in it.

Believe me, I HATE plastic monstrosities, but this is a super nice toy with lots of play value. There is a reason why it is a VERY hot commodity on eBay!!

HTH,

[naomi01]

My DH was also against it... even he now admits (albeit reluctantly) that it wasn't just "another toy" and was definitely worthwhile. Seriously it is DS's absolute favorite. Door opens and shuts, and the mail box is an almost endless source of amusement.

Naomi
DS 12/02/02