Toy Review: B. Sugar Chute

I originally saw this toy in the One Step Ahead Catalog and passed it by, then we got Logan the B. Zany Zoo and after we fell in love, I looked up the company on Amazon. This toy had mixed reviews, but after looking at it again and doing more research, I decided to get it for Logan for Chanukah.

B. Sugar Chute - Mango

I bought this because the reviews that I read said their kids loved the balls and Logan is very into throwing balls right now. He just sort of flings them in the air and they go pretty high. He had been using the wooden balls from the Haba pound bench I reviewed here, but those are solid wood and they hurt. Enter these light weight, plastic balls instead.

Every review I read mentioned the balls as being their toddler's favorite and that is certainly true for Logan. He uses them all the time, rolling them, throwing them, hiding them under the ottoman, and my personal favorite, holding the ones that make noise in his hand and moving his wrist back and forth to hear it. I am a little sad that of the 12 balls, 4 are solid, 4 are patterned and only 4 make noise. The ones that make noise are his favorites and I wish their were a few more in the pack.

This toy was designed to help kids learn cause and effect through using a lever, knob and key to release the balls to the bottom of the container. My cousin demonstrated the toy to Logan when he got it the first night and while the lever seemed hard to push at first, it has loosened over time. In fact, Logan can push it down already at 10 months old. Logan also likes to lift the cover up and down, removing the balls and putting them back inside the opening.

With encouragement, I can get Logan to fill the balls back into the container, though that is clearly not his favorite part. When he is seated, the Sugar Chute is actually pretty close to his size, so more often than not, he just tips it over.

As much as I love the knobs, fill and spill, and cause and effect part of this toy - it is still a little advanced for him. He really only plays with the balls for any length of time. In all fairness, it is labeled as being for kids 12 months and up.

All in all, I'd give it 3.5 stars. It has good potential for growing with him and he plays with it everyday, but I really am sad about the balls. I might come back and reevaluate this one based on how he plays with it when he gets a little older.

I think Logan might actually rank this one a little higher than I would - a 5 for the balls and a 3.5 for the actual machine.

Did anyone else have a similar experience with this toy?