Fisher-Price Brilliant Basics Baby's First Blocks

My son received this toy as a gift for his 6-month birthday. At the time, I remember hearing about how some plastic toys (often made in China) contain harmful chemicals that are known to cause cancer and feeling concerned that this toy might be one of them. I didn't do anything for awhile, seeing how my son enjoyed playing with the toy and thinking (stupidly) that if this toy were truly harmful, it wouldn't be sold in the U.S.

One day, I came across this toy on Amazon and noticed the warning to CA residents under "Product Details." I couldn't believe it when I read this toy is made with harmful chemicals known to "cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm." I bet a lot of people who are giving this toy 5 stars are not aware of the warning.

UPDATE TO REVIEW ON 10-28-09: Amazon has removed the warning about the harmful chemicals, and in response to an inquiry I sent them told me "Product information from the item detail is added or deleted upon manufacturers information." Amazon suggested I contacted FP, which I did, and the FP rep said he couldn't find anything in their records indicating the toy's manufacturing had been changed. The toy's production has not been altered since 2007. He suggested that perhaps the warning wasn't accurate, and that's why it was removed. That may be, but it seems like a pretty big mistake for Amazon to make on multiple FP toys. I see now that none of the FP toys that previously had this warning have it now.

As for my son's reaction to the toy, he liked to bang the pieces together and put them in his mouth, but he never bothered to try to sort the shapes since the top doesn't stay in place, as others have mentioned. My son always removed the top and took out all of the pieces, no matter how many times I showed him how to sort the shapes with the top in place. Talk about poor design! I should have given it 1 star for the "educational" rating in hindsight, but I figured that theoretically it could be of some value if a child didn't remove the top. Also, Amazon wouldn't let me go back and change my ratings.

I just got another shape sorter for him from Amazon (the Tolo Rolling Shape Sorter), and within minutes he tried to put the shapes in the slots because he couldn't remove either the top or the bottom of the unit. Now that's an educational toy!

This is a basic, durable, inexpensive toy. However what I don't care for is the fact that the lid doesn't snap on. I'm sure this is that way so babies can take it off, but I prefer the sorter that the child has to put the shapes through the holes. My baby figured out that it was easier to take the lid off! I like the Smartronics cookie jar sorter much better.

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As my 14 month daughter works on getting the right shape in the right hole. It's true that sometimes she just gets frustrated and picks up the lid and throws the shapes in the bucket instead of sorting them, but when I play with her talk to her and ask her where each shape goes she really focuses and we get them together. She looks so proud of herself when she gets them right, too! But even when she is playing by herself and taking the lid off, it's still a very fun toy for her to put them all in, take them out, and do it all over again!

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With all the recent news about lead, BPA and other harmful chemicals being found in many children's toys, I've been investigating any toy my child has been given.Someone gave my 7 month old this as a gift.It doesn't say "BPA Free" or anything on the box, so I decided to call the company.

Fisher Price has only issued this statement (here's my paraphrase): that BPA is a known carcinogen, and that it is dangerous when food products come in contact with it.Since Fisher Price does not sell any "food storage" items like bottles or nipples, it is not as much of an issue.They do not put BPA in their high chairs, but do use it in their toys.

So, I'm not going to let my son use it....as EVERYTHING ends up in his mouth :)

One good thing I can say about Fisher Price is that it was easy to get ahold of a customer service rep.If this concerns you at all, give them a call, too!The more people who call and say it's important, the more likely they are to change their practices and produce safer toys for our children.

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I am surprised at how many people complain about how easily the lid removes. My daughter received this toy at 6 months old. It SHOULD go without saying, but at six months old they are not looking for specific shapes as much as basic concepts. She would bang the blocks together, bang the bucket parts together, and dump the shapes out and put them back in, over and over. Then a couple months later, she started trying to put the lid on; because of the ease it encouraged her and she would get so proud of herself. By the time she was a year old she would set the lid on the ground and match the shapes up on the carpet. Then she would clean up her mess and put the lid on. Now at 14 months, she is able to use the toy for what it is intended. The colors of the toy are vibrant, which is a wonderful thing for a child's development in the early years. My daughter loves this toy and she is extremely advanced for her age. Baby's don't just magically learn their shapes because you gave them a toy. A six month old need to be taught, and there are a lot of lessons that come before putting small shapes in a hole.

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