Look out, parents, your kids are going to do backflips to get the Paw Patrol Look-Out Playset! At least my youngest did when he first got a look at this big, super-fun-looking toy.
If you are fans of Paw Patrol, a cartoon series on Nick Jr., then you know a little about what to expect from this toy. If you don’t know the series, here’s a quick synopsis: there are six puppies who work together with a young boy named Ryder. They form Paw Patrol, a team that speeds to emergencies in the neighborhood and always saves the day.
This playset is nearly as entertaining as the show. Imaginary play possibilities abound—there are some moveable parts, and lots of opportunities to use them. These cool parts include: An elevator that goes up and down with the pup of your choice sitting on it; a slide that puppies can slide down and then plop themselves in a little car; a periscope that moves, so pups are able to see danger from any angle; and of course, there is the alarm itself that rings out the Paw Patrol alarm. In addition to the actual Look-Out headquarters, there is one puppy—the main dog, Chase, and a vehicle.
Like any bulky item, some assembly is required. My assembly skills are pretty strong, but the slide on our playset just wouldn’t, and still won’t, stay on. My kids attach it themselves now, and I am the only one who gives it a second thought (because for a toy costing $29.99, I expect all the pieces to stay on). Judging from the product reviews, this was not a problem unique to the playset I have. However, other parents praised it for being sturdy and able to withstand some serious play.
With or without the slide, my kids play with this happily, and they are only mildly interested in the Paw Patrol cartoon these days…it’s imaginary play they love—making little figures carry out the adventures inside their own heads. And that imagination and creativity are the priceless items to remember when toy shopping. If a toy can spark that, it’s a toy worth investigating and possibly purchasing!
Kate Schwarz is a full-time mom and wife living in Great Falls, VA. In addition to being a reader to her three small children, Kate is a writer, distance runner, crossfitter and blogger of raising kids with books at www.katesbookery.blogspot.com.
