Excavator -- do your kids love it?

[hillview]

I am thinking of getting DS an excavator -- like this one for his birthday (doing a dirt pit for him)
http://www.amazon.com/Kettler-513086-Cat-Excavator/dp/B0002HZQZA/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=toys-and-games&qid=1214833076&sr=1-2

Anyone had it? Kids love it? Thoughts?

DS is turning 3.

TIA!
/hillary

[ThreeofUs]

DS plays with one of these whenever he gets the chance. He'd give all his legos to have one in the backyard.

[kboyle]

my boys would love to have one of those...we've been meaning to get one, but we decided against having a sandbox as planned so i guess the ideas out since we don't want them just digging thru the grass.

but, they are lucky as dh has a landscaping business and owns many constructions vehicles (bulldozer, loader & bobcat) so they get to really play Bob the Builder with Daddy :)

[brittone2]

DS is on the shorter side..(he's 4) and sometimes struggled w/ the ones at parks and museums in our area until he was maybe like 3.5? He had a hard time stabilizing himself because the seat was usually too high, etc. However, part of that was probably his size, and I know there are a lot of different models out there (some probably better suited toward slightly younger kids and some toward older kids).

He loves them at age 4. I just scored one (not a Kettler, but another brand) at a yardsale for $9 and he's been using it a lot! The same weekend we got ours we stopped at Learning Express and they had some sort of excavator toy outside (different but similar idea) and he had fun on that too.

[rlu]

DS got something similar - but all plastic so we use it indoors and he scoops up train pieces, hot wheels, etc. Will try to find link.

eta: that was easy http://www.amazon.com/Friendly-Toys-Ride-On-Excavator/dp/B0000365KL

DS has had this for a while - I think since he was 2 maybe? Still plays on it sometimes. I think he's ready for something more like the kettler - something he can use in real dirt or sand - although that price is out of my range.