As a shopper, I've never been much of a browser. My MIL can shop for hours and hours and maybe not buy anything, but while I don't mind the company on excursions like that, I very much prefer to enter a shop or store with specific items in mind, get them, and go! The more I browse, the more I end up buying. This is why I love Internet shopping! I can go to a store knowing exactly what I want, browse through the category, find what I want, compare prices with other stores, and then purchase the perfect product - all without having to listen to my children fight because the cart is too small, or stand in line with a dozen other equally impatient people. The Internet prevents me from buying impulsively, too. By the time that I check out, I feel like I have truly found the best deal, and I don't spend time fretting over whether or not I could have gotten the item cheaper elsewhere.
Recently, I was introduced to CSN stores.com. At CSN stores, you can shop for products from over 200+ stores full of goods for your home and office. From nursery items to toys to home improvement and even items for your pets - the selection is truly astounding! They offer free shipping on almost every product, too, which is hard to beat. Their customer service was top notch, as I had to contact them when I forgot to give them the apartment number for our temporary housing when we first moved to Seattle. The customer service representative took care of contacting FedEx for me, even though it was my mistake, and he made sure that before he got off the line with me that I knew exactly what to do to make sure my package made it to our home. It's so nice to get the best of both worlds: hassle free shopping combined with the personal touch of great customer service. If you're in the market for nursery furniture and not feeling much like battling the cold temps to drive from store to store looking for the perfect set, be sure to check out the selection available at CSNbaby.com. They have one of the most comprehensive selections I've ever seen in one place. There are cribs ranging from over $1000 all the way down to a more affordable $130 and every price in between. Plus, it looks like you can get some real steals, too!
CSN stores did not send us a new crib, but they did send us some really fun Playbrix Cardboard Bricks from Educational Insights to try out. If you've been thinking about adding some cardboard bricks to your playroom or are looking for a good holiday gift idea, then click on Read more... below for my full review.
Fun Factor **** - I've had my eyes on these Cardboard Playbrix for a long time, but was never brave enough to make the investment. I hated to buy yet another big, bulky toy that my children would just ignore. Then, in late August, we were invited to a playgroup at a new friend's house who had some cardboard building blocks. They were a huge hit with all the kids, mine included! When the opportunity came to review them, I of course, didn't pass them up. When they first arrived, my kids were still waiting for their toys to arrive here in Seattle from Chicago. They played with their new Playbrix almost daily. Sometimes they built houses with them, sometimes they used them as stepping stones to walk across the empty living room, and sometimes they simply used them to stack their other toys on. I love that while there are three different sizes, you can use two of the greens to make a brick the size of one red or four blues to make the size of one red which makes them easy to build and stack.
For the last month, our Playbrix have been a little neglected, mostly because both Nadia and Isaac have been making the rounds through all the toys that just got unpacked and rediscovered, but today I offered up the suggestion of building with them, and we all had a blast! At first, we were going to build a "house" for all of our dinosaur friends. Then, Isaac discovered it's a lot more fun to jump into the walls and knock the whole house down. Nadia, never one to miss out on a good time, joined him. However, the third time was a charm, and we finally got a decent structure built. Upon completion, I swiftly whisked Isaac away so Nadia could have a little bit of time to enjoy her little "house." We had a small tea party as all of our imaginary friends were sick, but it was a good time, and I anticipate the blocks now becoming a much more regularly played with toy, especially as we have to spend more and more time indoors this winter.
Materials/Durability *** - I was a little bit skeptical of the concept of cardboard toys for my kids, especially after throwing out a cardboard playhouse that didn't last more than a month or two. However, the design of the Playbrix is such that they actually have built-in support on the inside of each brick. Like I mentioned, both Nadia and Isaac used them as stepping stones and none of the blocks are any worse for the wear. I gave them three stars because clearly they can't get wet, but otherwise, I'm impressed with the design. They did take about an 30-45 minutes for my husband and I to assemble, but it wasn't a complicated process. The Playbrix come with very easy to follow illustrated instructions, and each brick, regardless of the size, assembles in exactly the same way. Once we had each done two or three, the rest of them went together painlessly. The big bricks which are red and green seem to stay together a little better than the smaller blue ones. But, with a little piece of packing tape down the seam of the blue ones, I think they would stay together much better.
The only real negative is that they do take up a lot of space. We have reserved three shelves of the bookcase below for our blocks. These would have been a terrible toy for us in Chicago, but in our new home with more storage options, we don't even notice that they are there. If you're going to build any real structures, you'll also need ample floor space. We did go for the large 54-piece set for review which seems like a lot of bricks, but I don't think we'd be happy with fewer. Just a consideration for those of you who might be a little tight on space.
Price *** - For a durable toy with so many options for play, I don't think the $52 price tag for the 54 piece set is a terrible price. In fact, the best deal is to go with the bigger set. You can buy smaller sets, but you'll only end up buying more, you might as well save the money in the long run and pony up for the 54 piece set all at once. You'll be glad you did.
Overall Rating ***1/3 - The only negatives about this toy are simply the assembly time which there is really no way to get around as well as just the volume of space they take up. Well, and also the fact that the blue bricks are going to need a final taping step. My kids love them and find multiple ways to use them in their play which is important. They are sturdier than they look, and won't completely break your holiday budget. While out of stock today, you can buy the 54-piece set at CSNstores.com.
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