Baby Einstein Bendy Ball
After taking a long hard look at this toy, the Bendy Ball by Baby Einstein may not be all it has been cracked up to be.
<p><strong>Toy Description</strong></p>
<p>Red and blue lattice-work sides, made from a flexible plastic, meet at a yellow center, decorated with a smiling caterpillar. The sides gives a little when pressed on, while the center line stays rigid. A smaller ball inside the Bendy Ball acts as a rattle, making noise as the ball is moved.</p>
<p><strong>Play</strong></p>
<p>The red and blue “bendy” sides of the ball let young children lean on it, allowing them to balance a bit on it as they crawl forward. The rattle inside rewards the child with noise as the ball is tossed or rolled.</p>
<p>The lattice-work of the ball’s sides allows for small hands to easily grip the ball.</p>
<p><strong>Observations</strong></p>
<p>Our team found fairly mixed opinions over this toy. Over half of the reviewers recommended the Bendy Ball to others, but a large number persisted that the toy is not-as-described at its best, and unsafe at its worst.</p>
<p>Those who recommended the ball reported it being greatly enjoyed. Children enjoy the gentle flexibility of the ball, and the rattle sound it makes. These reviewers also said they had not experienced the problems that were mentioned in other reviews.</p>
<p>Complaints were made about a few issues, such as the ball not being as flexible as they thought it would be. In some cases, the ball appears made from a very hard plastic, rather than the flexible plastic it advertises. Some reviewers said the ball became more rigid over time, and lost it “bendiness” after a few months.</p>
<p>Other complaints were in regard to exposed screw heads along the inside center line. Though children could certainly reach these screw heads, our team is not sure how dangerous that would be for a small child.</p>
<p>Multiple reviewers reported that children were able to get their fingers stuck in the holes closest to the center line, requiring adult assistance to remove them, but ultimately causing no serious damage.</p>
<p><strong>Care</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Wipe down with a damn cloth.</li>
<li>Do not submerge in water. </li>
<li>The plastic melts when put in a sanitizer.</li>
<li>Though a few reviewers have said they washed the toy in the top rack of the dishwasher machine, many others have said it melted the product. As such, we cannot advise trying this.</li>
</ul>
<p>For more in-depth information on how to clean this type of toy, please see our blog, <a href="/Blogs1/The-Cleaning-Guide-for-Toys.htm" linktype="8" target="_self">The Cleaning Guide for Toys</a>. </p>
<p><strong>Parts and Pieces</strong></p>
<p>Not applicable. No additional parts are needed.</p>
<p><strong>Materials Used.</strong></p>
<p>The manufacturer reports that the plastic used in this toy meets all safety standards regarding PVC, BPA, and Phthalates. This toy is latex-free. If you have further questions, <a href="http://www.kidsii.com/customer-service/contact-us" linktype="3" target="_blank">here is a link to their contact form.</a><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: rooney-sans, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 22.0001px;"> </span></p>
<p><strong>Concerns</strong></p>
<p>As stated in Observations, a number of concerns have come up regarding this toy. While we strive to give accurate information based on what is available, we strongly encourage readers to make the best decision, as we know readers, and reviewers, have different opinions on what is acceptable and safe for children. </p>
<p>We found that many of the disatisfied reviewers recommended the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Oball-4-inch-Infant-Rattle-Assorted/dp/B00188XW26/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&qid=1457634448&sr=8-1&keywords=oball&linkCode=ll1&tag=toti08-20&linkId=2bbbed1a814ec81d1f1c8ff97b4aefd8" linktype="3" target="_blank">Infant Rattle by Oball</a>. We will review this toy at a later date. </p>
<p> </p>
Written by: The Guide For Toys
Baby Einstein Bendy Ball
Date published: 2016-02-01
5.00 / 10 stars
Detailed ReviewToy Description
Red and blue lattice-work sides, made from a flexible plastic, meet at a yellow center, decorated with a smiling caterpillar. The sides gives a little when pressed on, while the center line stays rigid. A smaller ball inside the Bendy Ball acts as a rattle, making noise as the ball is moved.
Play
The red and blue “bendy” sides of the ball let young children lean on it, allowing them to balance a bit on it as they crawl forward. The rattle inside rewards the child with noise as the ball is tossed or rolled.
The lattice-work of the ball’s sides allows for small hands to easily grip the ball.
Observations
Our team found fairly mixed opinions over this toy. Over half of the reviewers recommended the Bendy Ball to others, but a large number persisted that the toy is not-as-described at its best, and unsafe at its worst.
Those who recommended the ball reported it being greatly enjoyed. Children enjoy the gentle flexibility of the ball, and the rattle sound it makes. These reviewers also said they had not experienced the problems that were mentioned in other reviews.
Complaints were made about a few issues, such as the ball not being as flexible as they thought it would be. In some cases, the ball appears made from a very hard plastic, rather than the flexible plastic it advertises. Some reviewers said the ball became more rigid over time, and lost it “bendiness” after a few months.
Other complaints were in regard to exposed screw heads along the inside center line. Though children could certainly reach these screw heads, our team is not sure how dangerous that would be for a small child.
Multiple reviewers reported that children were able to get their fingers stuck in the holes closest to the center line, requiring adult assistance to remove them, but ultimately causing no serious damage.
Care
- Wipe down with a damn cloth.
- Do not submerge in water.
- The plastic melts when put in a sanitizer.
- Though a few reviewers have said they washed the toy in the top rack of the dishwasher machine, many others have said it melted the product. As such, we cannot advise trying this.
For more in-depth information on how to clean this type of toy, please see our blog, The Cleaning Guide for Toys.
Parts and Pieces
Not applicable. No additional parts are needed.
Materials Used.
The manufacturer reports that the plastic used in this toy meets all safety standards regarding PVC, BPA, and Phthalates. This toy is latex-free. If you have further questions, here is a link to their contact form.
Concerns
As stated in Observations, a number of concerns have come up regarding this toy. While we strive to give accurate information based on what is available, we strongly encourage readers to make the best decision, as we know readers, and reviewers, have different opinions on what is acceptable and safe for children.
We found that many of the disatisfied reviewers recommended the Infant Rattle by Oball. We will review this toy at a later date.