calico critters--any opinions/experience

[Allisonsmommy]

DD is 3.5 and absolutely loves little animals and figures and she likes to play with her loving family dollhouse as well. I am thinking calico critters would be a great fit for her. Anyone have these or have experience with them?

[Percycat]

My daughter (6) likes these. She received her first pair last year in her easter basket. They are small and the clothes are small and the accessories are even smaller. We have to help her every time the clothes come off or "need" to be changed.

I think the animals are adorable and she likes playing with them. She received a lot of Calico Critters from one of her grandmothers for Christmas. I wish she had just received the animals and maybe some clothes. I really do not like all of the tiny accessories that came with the nursery furniture and kitchen furniture set.

Angela

[ellies mom]

We have a Calico Critters family and a set of twins but a Plan Dollhouse and furniture. Both girls really love the little animals and don't seem to miss not having the Calico Critters furniture and stuff.

[Seitvonzu]

we have... urm.... ALL OF IT. okay... maybe not ALL of it -- my child still looks in the little pamphlets and tells me what she does NOT have (eg, the teapot ride, which she reallyreally wants and says "nana can get that for me!")....

in her defense-- NANA did get her tons and tons for christmas/birthday (so the expectation that nana would give her "more" is kinda reasonable). she got the cloverleaf manor house, 8 rooms of furniture, the extra washing/cleaning set, and a family of bears from my inlaws over her christmas/birthday (lu's birthday is on the 23rd). she already had a set of little twins, the bunny grandparents (they recently retired all grandparents so i got her those last easter), a baby/baby care set, a little swing that came with two "friends." we also gave her a christmas set (had a bear dressed as santa, a tree, some decorations and some "presents" for the animals), the new train set, and the car (TOO TOO CUTE & comes with 3 animals). a close friend gave her an additional family for her birthday (the hedgehogs)....

we suggested this as a present because lucy LOVED playing with the calico critters stuff at a local toystore. she really does like her house and plays with it daily. i have to confess, it's cute as buttons & i love it too. but! as fun as it is to have SO MUCH -- it's also a little bit of a let down because we didn't get the fun of "collecting" it over time and it can be rather overwhelming ... as it is, we have tons of the pieces stashed because all the "stuff" is tinytiny and mommy & daddy just can't keep up with it. just tonight we were playing with some of the tiny veggies that go in the fridge and i drove myself nearly bonkers looking for a cucumber...then it occured to me that it might be in the footed pjs my 3 year old discarded to put on a "twirling dress"--it was ;)

3 is probably too young to be dealing with such teeny things...but she does LOVE it. the clothes are the biggest bother. my child LOVES to take clothes off and put them back on-- she is really good at it too, but these are delicate and really test her skills. plus, there are tons of ties which is just beyond her skill level and can break. (even i can't retie some of the smaller ties) i'm just waiting for tears from clothes breaking... so far we're okay (which is pretty miraculous...she is only 3 after all)

for being so intricate and small, i have to say, the quality so far on our pieces has been really good. the tv is not lighting up, but we're pretty sure we just need to replace the batteries (though i should really check that tomorrow). the details are amazing and i think the animals are so so cute (i particularly like the twins--because they are the tiniest! but they don't have dresses, so they aren't my child's favorite)

we've had it since november, and for the holidays i decorated both the exterior and interior. disney princesses (the polly pocket sort) and loving family dolls have visited. if you can stand a billion little pieces... you might just love it :) (we're big playmobil fans too-- in fact, i bought the playmobil church for my church obsessed child just for her calico critters to attend!)

[MamaMolly]

we have... urm.... ALL OF IT. okay... maybe not ALL of it -- my child still looks in the little pamphlets and tells me what she does NOT have (eg, the teapot ride, which she reallyreally wants and says "nana can get that for me!")....

in her defense-- NANA did get her tons and tons for christmas/birthday (so the expectation that nana would give her "more" is kinda reasonable). she got the cloverleaf manor house, 8 rooms of furniture, the extra washing/cleaning set, and a family of bears from my inlaws over her christmas/birthday (lu's birthday is on the 23rd). she already had a set of little twins, the bunny grandparents (they recently retired all grandparents so i got her those last easter), a baby/baby care set, a little swing that came with two "friends." we also gave her a christmas set (had a bear dressed as santa, a tree, some decorations and some "presents" for the animals), the new train set, and the car (TOO TOO CUTE & comes with 3 animals). a close friend gave her an additional family for her birthday (the hedgehogs)....

we suggested this as a present because lucy LOVED playing with the calico critters stuff at a local toystore. she really does like her house and plays with it daily. i have to confess, it's cute as buttons & i love it too. but! as fun as it is to have SO MUCH -- it's also a little bit of a let down because we didn't get the fun of "collecting" it over time and it can be rather overwhelming ... as it is, we have tons of the pieces stashed because all the "stuff" is tinytiny and mommy & daddy just can't keep up with it. just tonight we were playing with some of the tiny veggies that go in the fridge and i drove myself nearly bonkers looking for a cucumber...then it occured to me that it might be in the footed pjs my 3 year old discarded to put on a "twirling dress"--it was ;)

3 is probably too young to be dealing with such teeny things...but she does LOVE it. the clothes are the biggest bother. my child LOVES to take clothes off and put them back on-- she is really good at it too, but these are delicate and really test her skills. plus, there are tons of ties which is just beyond her skill level and can break. (even i can't retie some of the smaller ties) i'm just waiting for tears from clothes breaking... so far we're okay (which is pretty miraculous...she is only 3 after all)

for being so intricate and small, i have to say, the quality so far on our pieces has been really good. the tv is not lighting up, but we're pretty sure we just need to replace the batteries (though i should really check that tomorrow). the details are amazing and i think the animals are so so cute (i particularly like the twins--because they are the tiniest! but they don't have dresses, so they aren't my child's favorite)

we've had it since november, and for the holidays i decorated both the exterior and interior. disney princesses (the polly pocket sort) and loving family dolls have visited. if you can stand a billion little pieces... you might just love it :) (we're big playmobil fans too-- in fact, i bought the playmobil church for my church obsessed child just for her calico critters to attend!)

Can I come over and play? :) That sounds like SO much fun!

[Seitvonzu]

come on over mamamolly! it's really fun! :) i think when we first got it the best part was showing it off to my friends ;) ( but the girls all do really like it )

[Allisonsmommy]

thanks for all the info! I don't know how i feel about SO many tiny pieces. I am scared of playmobil for the same reason, LOL. I may get one small set and see how she does with it.

[catmele]

For anyone who lives in NJ.. there is a toy warehouse on Rte 46 which has a sale a few times a year where they sell Calico Critters at a really good price. I do not have girls so always skipped over it but see other people scooping up the bargains.

[mnosky1]

Where in NJ is the toy warehouse. City or area? Do you know the name of the warehouse My brother lives there but if definitely not up on toy stores.

My opinion - I like (probably don't love) Calico Critters as do my girls - almost 3 and 7 (my younger one is the primary one who has been into them). I put the tiny accessories into baggies and we don't usually play with those. Some of the accessories aren't so durable (paper books, boxes). And like a PP mentioned - when DD takes the clothes off the babies, I usually can't get them tied back on. For example, the baby playhouse mobile repeatedly falls off and needs put back together (and it in about 10 tiny pieces!) IMO, they are way overpriced. If my younger DD didn't "need" to have an interest that her older sister didn't have (just so we'd have gift items to buy or have for people to buy her), calico critters probably would have never made our list, given the price, and lack of really unique features. But we do have it and will continue to add to the collection and enjoy it.

[peanut520]

For anyone who lives in NJ.. there is a toy warehouse on Rte 46 which has a sale a few times a year where they sell Calico Critters at a really good price. I do not have girls so always skipped over it but see other people scooping up the bargains.

Where in NJ? dd's birthday is a right around the corner and i'm thinking of getting some for her.

[catmele]

The Warehouse is in Parsippany on RT 46. It's in an industrial section & I get something in the mail when they have these sales & they also put a notice in the paper also.

[mnosky1]

This looks like it - International Plaything warehouse sale (makers of calico critters). I did a google search and found a super old post on BB, of course!

http://www.windsorpeak.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=270062

[catmele]

Yep that is it! They have a bunch of other International Plaything toys which you find in catalogs at awesome prices as well as some other brands. I have done quite of bit of Christmas shopping there!!