Kids Preferred Eric Carle Hungry Caterpillar Activity Sets Baby Product Review

Kids Preferred has introduced a line of baby products featuring The Very Hungry Caterpillar and his literary pals. Reviewed here are the Apple Playset, Attachable Activity Caterpillar and Caterpillar Bolster.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar Apple Playset includes an apple container and play pieces. Babies can open and close the apple for in-and-out play, look through the window panel for peek-a-boo play and The Very Hungry Caterpillar and peek out the side hole in the apple.

The Attachable Activity Caterpillar with music and sound contains adjustable straps for attachment to crib rail, stroller or carrier. There are ribbon tags for tactile exploration, dimensional antennae with crinkle sounds, a ring with sliding beads for cause-and-effect play, a spinning ball with beads that makes a sound when spun. Additionally, the Activity Caterpillar plays Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, has dangling rings to grab and a squeaking apple with pocket for in-and-out play.

The Grow-With-Me Caterpillar Bolster is an activity cushion intended for babies six months and up. The Caterpillar Bolster grows to 18" and fits around baby's tummy. The cushion includes storage pockets to hold baby's favorite things and for hide-and-seek play. Also included are a cup holder for a snack or drink, clear pocket for in-and-out play, ribbon sun rays for tactile exploration, ring and sliding beads for cause-and-effect play, stretchy strawberry with a squeak sound and dimensional antennae with crinkle sounds.

All products include multiple sounds, textures and graphic prints for visual stimulation. The printed fabrics are based on original Eric Carle artwork.

INDIVIDUAL CATEGORY RATINGS

EASE OF USE

All of the toys featured in the Very Hungry Caterpillar Set could not be easier to use! The parents on our review team were thrilled with how easy each piece was in its own way.

The Apple Playset is super easy for little hands to get into and out of. The different pieces of food inside the apple are large and soft - and definitely easy to grab.

Our parents were especially pleased with how easily the Attachable Activity Caterpillar attached to their cribs, strollers or carriers (and unattached to switch between the pieces). The Attachable Activity Caterpillar was also very easy for little hands to operate - spin the bottle to hear the beads, crinkle the paper and more!

And Grow With Me Caterpillar Bolster was truly the biggest hit of all! Sized for babies six months and up, this awesome little bolster grows to 18" and fits around baby's tummy. Place it around your little one and watch them grab, smile and explore! Talk about easy!

DURABILITY

Obviously these are all baby toys - and they are expected to get messy, drooled on, and stuck in mouths. With that said our parents found no reason to believe any of these pieces would break down with normal, everyday use. Stains that were a little more serious wiped clean with a damp cloth - no concerns here.

VISUAL APPEAL

This is one of those times when five stars just isn't enough! Each piece is more adorable than the next! Our parents stopped in their tracks when they saw the toys designed with Eric Carle's Very Hungry Caterpillar theme - and the kids couldn't keep their little hands off them! Bright colors, fun patterns - an absolute visual hit!

FUNCTIONALITY

Each piece in the set packs a ton of functionality. Remember, we are talking about toys for infants - so they just need to have a lot to grab on, interact with and explore. And each toy does just that!

The Apple Playset has plenty of pieces to grab and take in and out, and it is equipped with a window for your little one to watch as they work.

The Attachable Activity Caterpillar has 6 different segments for baby to explore - each rewarding baby with a different movement or sound as they work.

And the Grow With Me Caterpillar not only "grows" in size to fit your child - but it is loaded with 6 different segments that will inspire your child's play.

COST EFFICIENCY

Compared with other baby products on the market, our parents were very pleased with the pricing on each of these items. In our blind surveys, all fell within the range recommended by our team - and that is enough to earn five stars for sure!

ORIGINALITY

All of the parents on our review team were familiar with The Very Hungry Caterpillar story, as well as other works by author Eric Carle. Not a single member of the team however, had ever seen any of these toys before - and believe us when we say, they were a welcome site! In the world of baby toys these aren't exactly groundbreaking, but a new theme and spin like each of these are was certainly enough to please our crowd! In function, our parents had seen similar, but in design - nothing compared!

OVERALL RATING

By now - you could probably guess where this review was heading! Five stars all the way! Our parents (and yes, their babies too) loved playing with all of these toys. They are bright, colorful, functional and fun - and absolutely original! Kids Preferred took a classic story loved by generations - and brought it forth in a fantastic line of toys! Excellent!