Tuesday, September 15, 2009

A New Favorite Toy and a Giveaway


This giveaway is closed.
Mommyto3cuties is one of the winners.
Spell Out Loud is the other winner.
Congrats!

Thanks to all who entered!

About a week ago, my children found a huge box on our front porch. I was not expecting anything, so I could not imagine what was inside. We proceeded to take the box inside and open it up. As we lifted the flaps of the box, my girls immediately started to jump up and down and scream. "Zhu Zhu Pets!", they both screamed. I started to ask, "What in the world are Zuu Zuu Pets?". Then I remembered ~ a while back I had applied to review these toys with my children. I had completely forgotten. I explained to my children that the company had sent us these toys because they want to know what kids think about them. Needless to say, they were thrilled!


If you are like me, and have not seen or heard of Zhu Zhu Pets, here is the company description:

Zhu Zhu Pets are the world’s first innovative, realistic, interactive, plush, and artificially intelligent hamsters that talk and move around in their own playsets. Zhu Zhu Pets include two play modes: nurturing mode where the hamsters coo and purr, and adventure mode where the hamsters explore their habitat with intelligent audio and mechanical responses to various habitat stimuli. Over a dozen add-ons can be purchased to build an ever-evolving hamsterworld for your hamsters to play in and explore. Zhu Zhu Pets are the newest craze among kids and expected to be the most popular toy of the year!

You can also see the commercial here.

As the girls unpacked the box, they could not stop giggling. They were so excited and could not wait to play with everything. My lovely husband put everything together, and my children got busy testing. Here is what they thought about each item they received:
  • Hamster Fun House - This is like the main house for the hamsters.
  • Hamster Wheel and Tunnel - The hamsters really run on the wheel, and they go fast!
  • Surfboard and Sleep Dome - It is so funny to see the hamsters ride the surfboard. When our hamsters are tired they go to sleep in the sleep dome.
  • Hamster Car and Garage - The hamster car is fun and easy to do.
  • Spiral Slide and Ramp - The spiral slide is like the one at our school, so it is funny to see a hamster go down one.
  • Go Go Adventure Ball - Sometimes the ball did not work good, but when it did it looked like a real hamster was inside.
  • Zhu Zhu Pet Hamsters - They are so cute. They make little noises and zoom all around. When they run into something, they turn around and go the other way.

As you can see and read, these toys were a hit. I appreciated the fact that all three of my children (girls - 8, 6, and boy - 3) were equally engaged. It is really hard to find toys or games that are fun for all of them, but Zhu Zhu Pets kept them entertained. It was great to see all of my children playing together cooperatively and having such a good time.


I also liked that the pieces are easy to assemble and use. The only thing that was remotely tricky was the Go Go Adventure Ball. There is a little plastic piece that comes with the ball. This plastic piece has to be put on the bottom of the hamster before you put him into the ball. Without this piece the hamster cannot run correctly inside the ball. My three year old had a bit of trouble putting the piece on. However, my girls were able to do it perfectly and helped him.

As much as we liked these hamsters, I do have one bit of advice. Before your children begin playing with the hamsters, please explain to them that they should NOT place them on their heads (or anyone else's) while the hamster is "going". Otherwise, your child may end up like this:


Yes, the hamster got stuck in my daughter's hair. My son thought he was being funny and placed the hamster on her head while the wheels were turning and her hair got wrapped all around the wheels. This was a nightmare to get out. Consider yourself warned!

For this giveaway, two lucky people will win two Zhu Zhu Pets each. To enter: Leave us a comment about which Zhu Zhu Pet toy you think your child would like best.




For extra entries:

  • Subscribe to my blog.
  • Tweet about this giveaway.
  • Blog about this giveaway.
  • Follow me on Twitter.
Please leave a separate comment for each extra entry. The winner will be randomly chosen on Monday, September 28 and contacted by email. Prizes will only be shipped to US addresses.

Good Luck!


66 comments:

Wendy said...

Wow, what a great giveaway. My little guy would love the Go Go adventure ball.

Wendy said...

I subscribed in google reader :)

Jaime said...

She would love the hamster car
copperllama at yahoo dot com

Jaime said...

I follow on Twitter
copperllama
copperllama at yahoo dot com

Jaime said...

I subscribed via my yahoo
copperllama at yahoo dot com

Ren said...

The Hamster Car and Garage for sure.

Ren said...

I subscribe to your feed.

crazytown mama said...

what a great toy! My guys would probably love either the spiral slide, wheel/tunnel or the adventure ball - i cant decide! :) too many fun options...

crazytown mama said...

i subscribe via bloglines :)

Teena Batten said...

My grandchildren (2) would love the whole kit and kaboodle. Very easy to maintain. LOL

Carisa said...

The Hamster wheel or ball...If they win, I am sure we'll have to get it all ;) Love this toy!!!
;) Carisa

Carisa said...

follow you on twitter ;)

Carisa said...

I subscribe ;)

Mozer said...

Just my kind of pet! My kids would love the Go Go adventure ball.

Mozer said...

I follow you via Google Reader.

Mozer said...

Also follow you on Twitter (SBMozer)

Annette W. said...

These look like lots of fun. I think M would like Numnum best...bc she can say his name! haha

darlanpaulsmamma said...

my kids would like mr squiggles and the hamster fun house or skate ramp
melissa.barnes76 at yahoo dot com

darlanpaulsmamma said...

subscribe in google reader
melissa.barnes76 at yahoo dot com

darlanpaulsmamma said...

tweeted http://twitter.com/lovinmykiddos/status/4057650688
melissa.barnes76 at yahoo dot com

Unknown said...

My son would like the Hamster car. That looks like too much fun! You guys look like you had so much fun with them! lol

kakihara said...

Oh!! So cute!!! Sorry about your daughter's hair---sounds like something that would've happened to me--on picture day!! My kids would pick the Go Go Adventure Ball!!!

Carisa said...

I tweeted ;)

Madonna said...

I think they would like Pipsqueak the best.

Marie said...

My son wants the car and garage playset :-) And a hamster of course :-)

marielay@gmail.com

Marie said...

I follow you via twitter -- doodlebug40.

marielay@gmail.com

Joannof10 said...

My kids would love a skateboarding pet!

Joannof10 said...

I subscribe in Google reader...

Tracysweetangl said...

The kids would love the Hamster Funhouse and Num Num.

Tracysweetangl said...

subscriber in google reader

Carisa said...

I blogged about it on TT...
http://totallytots.blogspot.com/2009/09/treats-4-your-tot_17.html

OK-can you tell I really want to win these? ;)

Carisa

sara@augustfields said...

these little guys are fabulous! my children would for sure enjoy the adventure ball! thanks for the giveaway opportunity :)

Erica Hami said...

Interesting toy... I think my kiddos would love the hamster car and garage!

Nadi said...

Hamsters without the mess! Yay! The Skateboard and U Turn Ramp look like fun!

treflea4 at gmail dot com

Nadi said...

I'm a suscriber.

treflea4 at gmail dot com

Nadi said...

Twitter follower (naughtynad).

treflea4 at gmail dot com

Anonymous said...

Tara,

The picture of your daughter with the hamster stuck in her hair cracks me up (only because my twin daughters had a similar experience when they were 3)I was feeding my newborn daughter when I noticed the unusual silence downstairs. I went down to find that 1 twin put an electric screwdriver to the other twin's head.

Her hair, naturally, got all wrapped in the screwdriver and ripped out a 3-inch by 4-inch section of my daughters hair! I was so traumatized! I am glad your daughter got to keep her hair.

The hamsters are way cool and I love the idea that they are not living, breathing animals that my children can kill!!!

Kara

brandonsmom said...

the go go wheel looks fun :)

brandonsmom said...

subscribe via rss

brandonsmom said...

follow you on twitter @babybixcom

Gidget Girl Reading said...

they love the carriers and the ball!

Gidget Girl Reading said...

I finally joined twitter: @gidgetandfroggi

Gidget Girl Reading said...

following you and left a comment @gidgetandfroggi

Brie said...

My daughter would love this. She would love the hamster carrier
brie_gomez@hotmail.com

Brie said...

Follow through rss
brie_gomez@hotmail.com

Yelie said...

These look so cute and would be perfect for my 3 year old who loves animals but is allergic! I think he would love the hampster car!

danielleopp@yahoo.com

Yelie said...

I also subscribe!

danielleopp@yahoo.com

Cathy said...

my son would love the hamster car!

Cathy said...

subscribe in a reader

jceko77 said...

Hamster car and garage is what I think my daughter would like best
jceko77@yahoo.com

cstironkat said...

Alison likes Squiggles the best and the hamster car and garage.

Mommyto3cuties said...

My 3 little ones would love the go go adventure ball!

Mommyto3cuties said...

I follow your blog.

Elemenope said...

What a cool toy! My boys would like the car and garage the best.

Elemenope said...

I already subscribe to your blog in google reader!

Elemenope said...

I'm following you on Twitter now too!

janetfaye said...

My grandson would like the Hamster Car and Garage.

janetfaye (at) gmail (dot) com

Kelly said...

I can definitely see my kids loving the Spiral Slide and Ramp. :-) And good reminder about the hair! I remember some tough times when my sisters and I were little... my brother was pretty creative when it came to finding things that really really shouldn't go near long hair.... :-/

katie klein said...

My sun would love the hamster with the skate park set.

rubymoon said...

The Hamster Car for one and maybe the garage or the Hamster Funhouse. These are just the cutest things!
Thanks for the chance!

rubymoonstone at gmail dot com

rubymoon said...

I follow publicly (Ally)


rubymoonstone at gmail dot com

rubymoon said...

Subscribe to your feed in a reader (Google)

rubymoonstone at gmail dot com

Nicole C. said...

My daughter would love the funhouse!

choateorama(at)gmail(dot)com

Heather@justdoingmybest said...

I think the Fun House would be a hit! Heather @ JustDoingMyBest (at) gmail (dot) com

Dalton Gang said...

How in the world do you get to do such a thing...test toys? How fun!

Tara Broman said...

Dalton Gang ~ It is fun! I do blog reviews for Mom Central and One 2 One Network.