High-quality metal cart is great for pretend play! Just like the real thing, avoid leaning on the handle.

<p><strong>Toy Description</strong></p> <p>Stainless steel grocery cart has four solid plastic wheels, red plastic handle bar, and a foldable sitting area with red plastic seat. The front wheels are spring-loaded. Three stabilizing legs help prevent tip-overs.</p> <p>Anti-tip Feature: Too much weight being put on the cart will cause the spring loaded front wheels to sink into themselves, letting the three stabilizing legs reach the floor. Once the legs are on the ground, the wheels become inoperable, keeping children from pushing each other around. This is also supposed to help keep children from injuring themselves should they climb onto the cart&rsquo;s front.</p> <p>The hex wrench required for assembly is included. Assembly usually takes less than 10 minutes.</p> <p>Dimensions: 23 X 12 X 15 inches for the whole cart.</p> <p>Inside Basket Area Dimensions: About 11 X 12 X 15 inches. A gallon of milk can fit into the basket with some room to spare.</p> <p>We found this cart easily fits into the back of most vehicles, making it easy to take along to the grocery store.</p> <p><strong>Play</strong></p> <p>Pretend to shop, take stuffed animals for a stroll, or just walk around the house.</p> <p><strong>Observations</strong></p> <p>We found almost nothing but amazing feedback for this toy, and we can understand why. A solid metal frame holds up to even rough play and accidental tumbles down stairs. The plastic seat folds up to increase the holding space and folds down to carry a stuffed toy or doll. The wheels, though plastic, are durable and can handle wood, concrete, tile, carpet, and sometimes grass. Lasting for years with only minimal signs of wear, this cart is great for kids who like to help out and pretend to be grown up.</p> <p>Very easy for small children to maneuver, the cart rolls smoothly, with most children being able to transition the cart from hard surfaces to carpet with little or no real difficulty. Of course, high-pile or super squishy carpet may prove problematic for anything with wheels.</p> <p>Because the cart is not some flimsy plastic design, the child must actively work to push the cart forward. Just like with a real grocery cart used by adults, wrists, elbows, and muscles in the arms are activated to maintain control. In this way, pushing carts are a great activity to help develop balance as well as upper body control. Spatial awareness can also be improved.</p> <p>Of course, not all children are going to be perfect cart-drivers right away, so we do recommend taking a few precautions to help ensure the safety of walls, furniture, and other surfaces in the home. There are no sharp corners or jagged places on the cart, but it IS made of solid steel, so ramming speeds can certainly be achieved. No form of pads or bumpers are included with the cart, so we suggest either wrapping strips of fabric or felt around the corners of the cart if scuffs and bumps seem unavoidable.</p> <p>We have not heard users complain of the wheels damaging hard wood floors, though we recommend making sure there is no debris (dirt or tiny pebbles) stuck to the wheels, as this can cause said debris to be ground into the floor. The wheels should probably be wiped down if the toy is played with outside before being brought back in.</p> <p>The cart may damage floors if it falls over, though, as it does have a bit of heft.</p> <p>It is important that the recommend age be minded. Not intended as a walker, the cart is only meant for children who are walking without assistance. Children who lean on the cart&rsquo;s handle or use it to pull themselves run the risk of having the cart flip over onto them. Think of this toy as being a miniature version of the real thing: don&rsquo;t lean on the handle, don&rsquo;t try to climb up the sides, and don&rsquo;t try to coast along with only one foot on the ground.</p> <p>Though this cart is small (coming to about knee-high on an average adult), it is suitable for children of various heights. We found that children from 3 &ndash; 8 enjoy playing with this toy.</p> <p>Overall, we&rsquo;re really quite impressed with the quality of construction. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Care</strong></p> <ul> <li>Wipe cloth down with a damp rag</li> <li>Hose off outside and let air dry</li> </ul> <p><strong>Parts and Pieces</strong></p> <p>The Melissa and Doug Company usually has great customer service, so don&rsquo;t hesitate to contact them if a problem arises with the cart.</p> <p>Email: <a href="mailto:Service@MelissaAndDoug.com?subject=" linktype="5" target="_self">Service@MelissaAndDoug.com</a></p> <p>Phone: (800) 718-5365&nbsp; M-Th 7am - 6pm Eastern or on Friday 7am-5pm Eastern</p> <p>For callers outside the US and Canada, please see their <a href="http://www.melissaanddoug.com/contact" linktype="3" target="_blank">Contact Us Page</a>.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Concerns</strong></p> <p>We have no concerns for this toy. It&rsquo;s sturdy, well-built, and extremely durable. It can handle whatever a child can throw at it. Unfortunately, children can&rsquo;t always handle what they throw at themselves, so please make sure that the toy is being used in an appropriate manner:</p> <ul> <li>Children should not use this toy as a walker. The cart is meant for children who have fully learned to walk.</li> <li>Children should not climb on the sides of the cart. This could cause it to tip over.</li> <li>Children should not lean on the cart as they push. This could cause the cart to flip over.&nbsp;</li> </ul>

Written by: The Guide For Toys

Date published: 2016-05-21

10.00 / 10 stars