Disclosure: I received product at no charge in exchange for my honest review.
Childhood imaginations can run wild and conquering monsters are often part of child's play.
Rocking Monsters are a brand new wooden ride-on toy created just for young children and we were lucky enough to receive one of the very first ones to see what we thought of it. Rocking Monsters are available in three different, exciting designs - Ghost, Octopus, and Shark.
Rocking Monsters are professionally designed by a graphic designer. They are natural - made of solid plywood, harmless oil, and harmless paints. Rocking Monsters are safe - with no splinters or scratches, and have carefully rounded corners. They are eco-friendly, with nothing harmful for the environment or children. They are ergonomic, extremely durable, and easy to assemble in just minutes with included hardware and tools.
We received the
Rocking Monster Ghost. It arrived in a flat, wide box that featured a carry handle at the top. Upon opening the box, we found everything carefully packaged for shipping, stacked and wrapped with cellophane so there would be no damage or movement of the pieces in shipping. The hardware was all together in a zipper bag, along with easy to follow assembly instructions.
The wood used to create the Rocking Monster is absolutely beautiful. We love the natural look of the wood! I inspected each piece of wood and found absolutely no defects on any part of them. The main body part of the Rocking Monster was already assembled and we only needed to attach the leg pieces and the handle pieces.
The already assembled body of the
Rocking Monster was created with two large pieces of plywood and three smaller pieces that create the "seat" of the Ghost. The two large pieces are slightly different, which creates an interesting three-dimensional appearance from different angles. There are rocker support pieces that slide into the main body, which are then attached with the included screws.
Once those are screwed down, the two large rocker pieces slide down onto the rocker support pieces. The pieces fit snugly, even before they are screwed down, which indicates careful planning and construction by the creators of the Rocking Monsters. Once the rocker pieces were added, we flipped it over to screw those to the support pieces.
The handles fit down into the head of the main body and are also attached with screws. I am so incredibly impressed with the solid construction of this toy. I believe the only way a
Rocking Monster can be destroyed is to be thrown into a raging fire. It is so solid that it can withstand the weight of a 150 pound adult!
For over 25 years, I have worked with young children in preschool settings. I have seen hundreds of different kinds of toys and I've seen how children react to toys. One of the most exciting things for a child is to have a toy that they can climb on and ride on. What could possibly be more fun than a monster that they can conquer?
I wanted to show you some close-up photos of the quality of the wood used to create the
Rocking Monster. Honestly, I believe this toy could last for hundreds of years, being passed down from generation to generation of children just waiting to be big enough to ride on it. Its design is ergonomic and perfectly sized for a 2 to 5 year old.
I also love the addition of a single color of natural paint to just a few spots such as the handles and the inside of the body. I cannot find anything about the Rocking Monster that I don't like! But the best test of all is whether or not a child is going to like a toy, whether they will use it regularly, and whether it will hold up to whatever they can dream up.
Our
Rocking Monster Ghost has been thoroughly tested by a two year old who is very close to turning three years old. He was so excited when we pulled the pieces out of the box and jumped around while we assembled it. I'm not so sure he was happy that I kept stopping assembly to take more pictures because it meant he had to wait longer to climb on top. When he finally got to get on, he easily climbed on, swung his leg over, and rocked away.
He has rocked slowly, quickly, back and forth a little and a lot. I worried a bit that he might rock over, but the rocker pieces are perfectly designed with a bump at each end to prevent that from happening. Even with bare feet, his feet were comfortable on both the rocker pieces and the rocker support pieces, both of which are great spot to place little feet. The handles are naturally placed in the perfect position which helps generate ongoing child-motion for rocking. He has giggled, laughed, squealed, and rocked constantly. He is delighted with his Rocking Monster!
on Kickstarter!
