Vtech - Sit to Stand Alphabet Train | Top Christmas Toys . Net

Vtech - Sit to Stand Alphabet Train

Dec.04, 2008 in Top Christmas Toy 2008, toddler toy

What do you get when you cross the alphabet, a train, and a child that’s learning their numbers, colors, and more of those basics? You get the Sit to Stand Alphabet Train, a best-selling toy from Vtech that many parents are rushing to buy their little ones for Christmas.

The Sit to Stand Alphabet Train is a brightly colored plastic toy that young children can ride. It features letter blocks (predictably, 26 of them), a 12-page book that teaches letters, five number buttons, and cute elephant hood ornament that is conveniently movable, perhaps to play with elsewhere—like the tub! The buttons not only teach kids numbers, but play songs, too.

The main part of the toy consists of the train, where all of the gadgets are, and the carriage, where a happy toddler can sit and ride. The toy can be played with alone on the floor or pushed as a walker, which helps with first (and second, and third) steps. In addition to the different ways a child may play with the toy, it also has two different learning modes: Walker Mode and Discovery Mode. Both the manufacturer and online sellers recommend the toy for children 12 months to three years old—such a large range would need at least two learning modes to be considered effective!

How the Sit to Stand Alphabet Train works is a bit more difficult to explain than merely listing its features. One way a kid can play is: he or she can put a block in a hole on the train. The train will then say the name of the letter and a word that starts with that letter. For example, if a child picks out a block with the letter ‘Y’ on it, the train will then say that it is the letter ‘Y’ and ask the player to find a yo-yo. The picture of the yo-yo is on the reverse side of the block with the letter ‘Y’ (the same is true for all other objects and their corresponding first letter).

Many of the positive reviews for the toy praise its durability and the overall entertainment factor, while the negative reviews mostly criticize the toy’s price tag of $50.00, considering it to be too much to ask for such a simple toy. At least it comes with the three AA batteries it requires to run.