Holiday Gift Guide 2011 #1: Big Adventures Construction Peak Rail n' Road ~ Review & Giveaway

With two little ones, I have found it is a must that the toys we have can withstand the wear and tear of daily use. Tough enough to stand up to even the most adventurous imaginations. I am always on the lookout for high quality toys that we can depend on lasting us for years to come...toys that each of my kids will be able to enjoy as much as the last. That's why I love Little Tikes and know I can always count on them for just that.

Since 1970 Little Tikes has been offering families an amazing selection of innovative children's products that encourage them to get up and be active while playing. Offering everything from baby toys and children's furniture to riding toys and workshops...they have created a line of products that parents can trust and turn to time and time again.

Over the years we've owned several Little Tikes products. Having always been very impressed with the quality, educational value and overall appeal...I couldn't have been happier to learn we were going to have the opportunity to review their Big Adventures Construction Peak Rail & Road!

Features/Benefits:

• Crane spins 360 degrees and picks up/drops boulders
• 3-way boulder auto-loader
• Working lift bridge and railroad crossing gates
• Large, easy-grip vehicles hold and dump boulders
• Race vehicles out of tunnels and blast through Avalanche Valley
• Encourages imaginative and creative play
• Put-and-take play encourages development of fine motor skills
• Large enough for multiple children to use and play with together
• Recommended for ages 2+ years

When the Big Adventures Construction Peak Rail & Road arrived, I was already impressed with the size just looking at the box. I expected something smaller, and was thrilled to find that it is a very nice size. Large enough that more than one child could play with it at a time, but small enough that it doesn't take up a ton of room.

At almost 2 years old, Kaden is very much into anything dealing with trucks, trains and construction. He was immediately drawn to the box the moment he saw the picture on the front. He couldn't wait to check it out, and neither could I!

As I pulled the pieces out of the box, I will admit that I was a bit overwhelmed. There were quite a few pieces and I couldn't help but wonder how long everything would take to put together. Thankfully, it was a piece of cake. In no time at all, I had everything assembled and ready to use. Almost every piece simply snaps together, and the ones that don't, simply screw in. I was very happy with how quickly and easily it went together, especially since I now had two anxious children waiting behind me to play with it. :)

This construction set impressed me even more than it did while looking at it online and on the front of the box. Again, I love the larger size as well as the many features that make this something little ones can enjoy for hours on end.

Once the kids started playing, they were there for hours. The fact that the can put a train on the rails, move dirt with the toy dump truck and just have a lot of fun with imaginative play makes this a toy offering endless building fun.

Kaden really enjoys racing the train around the tracks and loading the truck with boulders. The vehicles are a very nice size and something Kaden can easily hold onto and maneuver, even with his tiny little hands.
Kaelyn on the other hand, enjoyed checking out the other details and features this toy has to offer. For instance, the crane that spins 360 degrees and is able to pick up and drop boulders. And, the 3-way boulder auto loader so she can fill the train and truck for Kaden. These are two of the features Kaden is still getting the hang of using, but are perfect for Kaelyn who is a bit older.


Little Tikes even thought of the neatest, littlest details that she caught onto right away. The working lift bridge and railroad crossing gates are definitely a couple of her favorites.

I had a feeling this would be a toy my kids would enjoy, but had no idea just how much fun they would have with it. Since setting it up, they have both spent hours play with it and exploring. It's neat to sit back and listen to the creative things they come up with. Kaelyn even likes to pretend that the boulders are large coconuts that the truck takes to the grocery store to sell! There's so much room for imaginative and creative play with this toy, and that's the type of product my kids tend to turn to day after day to play with.

I love that the Little Tikes Big Adventures Construction Peak Rail & Road is something both my 2 year old and 4 year old can play with together. There are so many ways to use this toy, that there's something that suits each of their interests and ability levels. As a parent, I love toys like this that grow with my kids and it's definitely one I see being played with for years to come. If you're looking for a high quality, fun toy that encourages creative play, I would definitely recommend checking this out. It would make a fantastic Christmas gift this holiday season for any young child on your list.

Buy It: You can purchase the Big Adventures Construction Peak Rail & Road for $49.99 at LittleTikes.com.

Win It: One very lucky reader is going to win a Big Adventures Construction Peak Rail & Road of their own!

Mandatory Entry - Visit Little Tikes and let me know another product you like.

Extra Entries: (Only valid after the mandatory entry has been completed. Leave 1 comment for each extra entry)

1. 1 extra entry - Follow Little Tikes on Twitter

2. 1 extra entry - 'Like' Little Tikes on Facebook

3. 1 extra entry - Sign up to receive the Little Tikes Newsletter (bottom of homepage)

4. 3 extra entries - Grab my Holiday Gift Guide 2011 button (right sidebar) and leave a comment with the URL where it can be found.

5. 3 extra entries- blog about this giveaway (linking to this post and Little Tikes) and leave THREE comments with the URL to that post.

6. 1 extra entry- Follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway (You can tweet once a day for one extra entry every day)! You can copy and paste:

#Win a @LittleTikes Big Adventures Construction Peak Rail & Road toy! http://bit.ly/vkCtYP Ends 11/21

7. 2 extra entries- subscribe to A Mom's Balancing Act via e-mail (found along the side column) and leave TWO comments letting me know.

8. 2 extra entries- 'Like' A Mom's Balancing Act on Facebook

9. 2 extra entries- Follow my blog publicly on Google Friend Connect

10. Enter any of my other current giveaways. Leave me a comment on which one(s)....ONE entry for EACH giveaway you enter!!

This giveaway will end November 21st and is open to the US Only

**The products for this review and giveaway were provided for free. All opinions are my own and were not influenced in any way.