LeapPad: Leap 2 Music - "Hit it, Maestro!" Interactive Book and Cartridge

This book is a must buy if you own the LeapPad the Nutcracker page alone is worth the cost of the book & the leappad!!!I have 3 daughters ages 2, 4, and 6 and out of all the LeapPad books I have bought them --they all spend more time on this one page then any other book.It has a wonderful game where the book plays part of the music from the ballet and you have to decide which dancer the music was written for --even my 2 year old will sit and play this one game over and over.I never would have believed a 2 year old would know that this music belonged to the Chinese dancers, or the SugarPlum Princess, or etc.but she is really getting good at it.Other cool pages include info on other composers and on many different instruments --this book is a must buy!

This is a great interactive, interesting and fun book for the leap pad. My five year old son loves it, and even uses it on long car trips.It's something he can do by himself, it's also fun to share with adults.He has learned to identify all kinds of classical music, to my amazement.I find this book much better than some of the other leap pad reading books, because there's so much too it.Highly recommend!

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Of all the Leap Pad books, this one held my son's interest the most. It manages to teach children a remarkable amount about classical music and composers while holding the child's interest. My son spent hours playing with this in kindergarten and very quickly learned to identify all types of instruments, music and composers. His first grade music teacher recently reported to me with amazement that my son knew about the composer Saint-Saens, knew about his work "Carnival of the Animals", and even recalled that Saint-Saens had learned to read at the age of 3! My son knew all this from his Leap Pad! Best of all, he just loves playing with it and still goes back to it periodically. I wish the company would produce another one like it on other types of music, as this one is just so fantastic.

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My two children, 8 and 6 love this!They have learned so much, and play with it over and over and over.I highly recommend this and hope that Leap Pad will come out with another music book perhaps featuring Jazz this time.

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I agree with all who say this is the best Leap Pad book. My kids spend more time with it than with all the rest combined (and we have about half a dozen different books). This book is truly fun, and truly teaches children about music -not just facts about composers, but also about parts of the orchestra, different styles and periods of classical music, and how music conveys ideas and feelings. I'd like to see the Leap Pad manufacturers apply the creativity of "Hit It Maestro" to the visual arts, sciences, history, etc.

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Basic Fun Fisher Price Record Player

My parents still have my 30 year old music box record player and it still works great -so we were pleased when someone gave us this new "classic" version as a gift for our boys.It does have a similar look and feel, but if you really want the original be warned that this is not the same toy.Engineering analysis follows below.As a toy though, the kids love it and it is reasonably durable.They will need help operating it when younger but it does give them that sense of tactile control of the music that the original was renowned for.

I was perplexed as to why this needed batteries and why the discs looked different than I remembered though, so I took a closer look yesterday at it:

The original player had a real music box in the record player "head", and the bumps on the discs would strike the teeth of the music box, producing the notes, which echoed in the box chamber.The discs turned via manual wind-up.A brilliant re-imagining of the music box in a record player format, not unlike a real record player in how it worked, and a highly cherished toy.

Evidently someone realized that it was far less expensive to use a 25 cent memory chip and a speaker instead of all those mechanical parts (study though they were), so the new player works as follows:

The record head has four pressable buttons which line up with four ridge positions on the discs

Each disc no longer has "bumps" for notes, but instead simply has a combination of four continuous ridges

The memory chip identifies which disc is being played by the ridges depressing the buttons

The wind-up still turns the disc manually, but all it does is tell the speaker to play while turning.

So, if no ridge being present is 0, and a ridge is 1, then Humpty Dumpty might be 0-1-0-1 while London Bridge might be 1-1-1-0 and so on.Hence the appearance of the discs.

You don't really need the disc at alls just wind it up (so the chip knows the music is "on"), and press the buttons under the head with your fingers to activate different songs.

All of this is invisible to toddlers, of course, but adults may miss the faster and slower variations of the original and be annoyed at having to now use three batteries in what was once a battery-less toy.

I was so excited to see this record player reissued as I loved this toy while growing up.Ultimately, I purchased at at a brick and mortar store after waiting for it to become available through amazon.com.Beware, it is not of the same quality as the original, nor is it as durable.Gone are the music box tines from the original, replaced with most likely a memory chip (if you have the old records, you will be unable to use them with this player).The record player has also stopped in the middle of playing multiple times despite using fresh batteries, and the machine being properly wound.For a better sense of nostalgia, you would be better served finding a vintage one at a garage sale or elsewhere online.

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We bought this product for our daughter for her second birthday because both my wife and I had the original as kids.The new product is far inferior to the original and here's why:1) The new product is NOT a music box like the original.2) Because of #1, the new product requires batteries.3) My Aunt still has one of the original products and it has better sound!Yes, 40 years later and the music box sounds better than the cheap digital recording.4) You still have to "wind" the new toy (I won't call it a music box because its not) just to make the "record" spin even though all sound is electronic.5) The switch to start/stop the music has a cheap feel and sometimes doesn't work.Finally......this product costs $29.99 at Meijer so DON'T PAY $59.99 on line!!!!Bottom line, I am returning this product in favor of buying an original on e-bay.Thanks for a ruining another childhood favorite!

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This toy is just a cheap knock-off of the original--though the price is anything but cheap at $30.00.It doesn't even have a music box, but instead uses a digital speaker.The buttons under the "needle head"select the tune. Th mechanical portion of the toy is not reliable--it frequently sticks so that the tunes stop and start unpredictably.The new door for the "records" feels like it will break every time it is opened, and the yellow mechanical on-off switch doesn't switch reliably.In short, the build quality is cheap.The whole thing feels like a $3 chinese imitation, which, in the end, is what it is.The kids stopped playing playing with it after a few minutes because it was so unreliable.This was a sore disappointment, since grandma has a 30-year-old original version that works perfectly, and it is always the favored toy when we visit.Fisher Price advertises this as "The original 1971 Fisher Price Change-A-Record Music Box", which is not true.

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When I ordered the player for my 3 year old I was so excited to share something from my childhood with my son.But when we opened it on Christmas day I was extremely disappointed.The chime reader that my record player came with has now been replaced with something much less nostalgic.It's computerized inside but still needs to be wound up frequently!!! And the sound is very mechanical and not sweet sounding from the chimes like I remember.Do not buy this newly re released product is you are trying to connect your children with your childhood.You'll be very disappointed and empty pocketed!

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Bankshotbilliards' Foosball Report w/ 12 Soccer Foosballs

Poor quality balls. They slide around and are difficult to control unlike the solid white rubber balls.These plastic balls have a decent weight but are too slick.

The balls worked nicely with my foosball table. They look good, fit well and there's plenty of them to go around. Never worry about being without a ball again!

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I received a basic foosball table on Freecycle®, and needed inexpensive balls for it.These fit the bill, and arrived safely and timely.

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No these are not tournament balls but I am very pleased with what I needed them for! If you are not a professionalYou will like thesegreat value!

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I liked the price per ball ratio, however when I ordered and then used the Foosballs I noticed that the surface of the ball sometimes made the ball roll erratically on the table.These were bought for a company breakroom and the overall opinion of the balls were pretty negative.

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Luvvies Fred Cow 5" by Russ Berrie

so cute and my niece went crazy over it

it's nothing special really but she loves fred... who doesn't love a cow... fits easy in purses and pouches and niks n crannies so you can bring there toy everywhere

I thought I was ordering a slightly larger version of this stuffed animal, so was initially pretty disappointed when I got this one.Its not quite 5 inches, so its a tiny stuffed animal.Other than that though, its a great stuffed animal cute, very soft, and very well made.As long as you are expecting a palm-sized stuffed animal, this one is great!

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Taf Toys Infant Car Seat Style Toy

Like another review I have found that the mirror is not in a place that would allow the child to see herself.However that is alright since there are other components to entertain the child.The toys dangle and seem to dance and jingle while the car is moving.This movement always prompts my daughter to "talk" to the characters and keeps her happy for much longer than she would otherwise be.The only complaint I have about this toy is that you need a headrest in order to attach it. But my daughter has loved this toy since she was a month old and still does at four months old.

Better used as a toy to attach to the inside of the crib.Unless your baby has crazy long arms or the back of your seat is really low your baby will probably not be able to reach the toys, just look at them, which was a tease to my kid.Didn't really like...

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I bought this a year ago after an unsuccessful attempt with a similar item by Sassy.This is much better!It holds the toys out so that the baby can see and reach them.They dance as the car moves and are very entertaining.Today my 13 month old was actually able to squeeze the sun hard enough to make it play its music for the first time.He was so excited.The velcro is strong enough to withstand tugging from a child but the toys can be taken off to be used separately (in a stroller or a restaurant).As mentioned before, you do need a headrest to attach the toy.All in all I would call this a very good buy.

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If you have a mirror to view your baby, dont waste money on this product! My own fits infront of the mirror so I can't see her at all! The toy is ok product, no complaints at all. Should have been better designed.

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Not much to say about this product accept that its so far useless

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24''W x 48''L Rectangular Activity Table with Thermal Fused Laminate Top and Height Adjustable Pre-

I purchased this item for my wife's in home daycare.It takes just 15 min to drill the legs into the table top and is very sturdy.The kids can get crayon on the surface and it cleans up much better than the cheap little tikes tables.A great purchase if you need this table for kids activities.

Perfect for two pre-K or K children working side by side. Sturdy and well made.Easy to assemble and clean.

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Crayola Classic Color Pack Crayons, 8 Colors/Box (52-3008)

The colors are vibrant.

They are not overly waxy like the generic brands.

They color very nicely and are reasonably priced.

It's a nice size box to drop in a tote or travel bag take them to the park, the beach, or just for entertainment on the car ride.

What truly amazing technology: You just press them to paper, and next thing you know, the color of the stick is right there on the paper. Then, you just press down another colored stick and then another and... Well, the possibilities are just endless!

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If I am going to visit a child and I want to bring a little something, I like to bring an age appropriate coloring book and a small box of Crayola Crayons.

Most of the time they have more crayons then they need but I have always liked Crayola and feel I have to bring them anyway..I cannot walk past a box in the store without taking a sniff.I keep a box in my closet, so you can say I am a closet sniffer.I ould not even imagine buying any oter brand.

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When you are giving a coloring book or blank paper gift to a child, this box is just the right size to blend in with an existing crayon collection & will resupply the favorite colors which get used up, broke, or lost.AND crayons are always appreciated by both parent & child.Made in USA.

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My granddaughter was thrilled and delighted!Who doesn't LOVE a brand new box of crayons?She immediately went to work on becoming Picasso.

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Sweet Spring Melody Mobile

This is an amazing mobile for its price!It came extremely quickly and was sent directly to my front door!The only thing that can be improved is that the music and motion time could be a bit longer, I sometimes feel like I have to continue going in and winding it up.Just wish it was a bit longer.

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Magic: the Gathering - Golgari Guildgate (239) - Return to Ravnica

Its difficult to build a good dual color deck without dual lands. if you want to build a Green / black deck then it would be good to slip 4 of these in there.

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PlanToys Turntable

This is a nice, well-made addition to a road or rail set. My son loves to turn train (or cars or dinosaurs) around with it. We generally use it with the roundhouse.

My train-loving son loves this turntable. It isn't as fancy as the "Thomas" one, but it was less expensive and my son has just as much fun with it. It's a good value for the money.

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This is a simple turn-table that spins easily.My 2.5 y/o son can easily operate it and it appears durable, as there are very few parts to break.I am very glad we bought this addition!

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Whoozit Table Top Acitivity Toy

I've purchased (and returned) many many tabletop toys because the suction was poor and because the toy was not well thought out.For instance, the Sassy fascination station doesn't stick to surfaces well and my son just sort of bats at the toy, then gets bored.The Whoozit actually sticks to his high chair tray, the counter, our table, anything!He loves to teeth on the star, play with the ribbons that are sticking out from the sides, and spins the ball.It's not as fancy looking as some of the sassy toys, but is so much better.Manhattan toy does it again!

My daughter started playing with this toy at 4 months and loves it.It is great for sticking on her Bumbo chair's tray.The suction cup is very strong, so when she pulls on the toy, it doesn't move.That way she can't drop it.This can keep her happily entertained on her own and gives me enough time to do little chores.Manhattan Toys consistently makes great, engaging toys she loves.

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I got this because my parents had the wonder wheel, and I wanted something to put on a table to keep my son busy.It was bigger than I expected (I did not read the size closely) so it's not convenient for taking to restaurants.But I use it every morning on his high chair while I'm getting his breakfast ready.He likes it, and it gives me the few minutes I need. He seems to like chewing the ribbons on the side, and the crinkly star.As well as getting the face in the middle.The suction cup does a good job, if it pops off, its just because I didn't seat it well.When I do seat it properly, it holds up nicely to my son's tugging and pulling. I would rate 4.5 stars if I could.

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My 6 month old is highly entertained by this sitting in her high chair... I looked around quite a bit for a table-top toy and recommend this.I don't think it will disappoint.

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For the price I was hoping this would be the IT toy to keep our 8 month old busy at the table but he's only ever been mildly interested in it and only for a few minutes.Maybe this style of toy just isnt for him. And we did have issues with the suction.

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The Caliph - Unique Wood Chess Set, Chess Board & Chess Piece Storage

The chess set came promptly, but a piece of the black Queen was broken. Kind of annoying, but not a humongous concern. If you're nit-picky about stuff like that, though, I would be wary of buying this product. And in the end, a plastic chess set from Target works just as well.

The Arabic style of this chess set is simple and lovely without overindulging in glitz. The ivory on espresso colors complement each other well and fit with most homes. It is a display set that is very functional. A great chess set.

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This is a nice, basic chess set with nicely carved wooden pieces, in a well crafted wood case. The chess pieces are stored in a felt-lined compartment, created when the chessboard is folded. The chess pieces are uniquely decorated, and much detail is given to the crowns of the king and queen.

A nice set for anyone, but especially for a child, just learning to play the game.

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I bought this as a gift and it looks just like the picture. It has a larger board than many for similar money. It looks handmade, the pieces have nice detail, and the storage on the board is convenient. It looks as beautiful in person as the pictures show...I can see the queens and knights being intolerant to rough handling from children but for my father and I to re-learn the game it will be perfect for casual adult play. Love it!

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The Caliph wood chess set is beautifully carved and nicely weighted.The pieces are a good size for children as well as adults and the set is sophisticated enough for the most advanced chess players. The board is a nicely carved and decorated with storage for the chess pieces. Since it folds in half to store the pieces it takes up very little space.

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Melissa & Doug Deluxe Magnetic Responsibility Chart.

I bought 2 of these for my 3 and 5 year olds after reading these reviews.But I couldn't find a review that stated the titles of the responsibilities for those of you wanting to know if it will work for you; which for most it should cuz it covers most.Here they are: get ready for bed, get dressed, take bath, cear table, put toys away, keep hands to self, share, brush teeth,stop whining, apologize, say please, thank you, help with indoor/outdor chores, no teasing, show respect, load/empty dishwasher, put clothes in wash, don't use bad language, set table, take care of pet, do homework, make bed, clean room, take out trash, keep hands to self, plus 2 blank to write your own.

My 5 year old took to it right away as we placed all her responsibilities on the board. She was soooo excited and said I'm going to do that more, etc. She even added some resp. she usually wouldn't do, cuz she wanted to get more magnets; so at the end of the week we count them, assign a monetary allowance for each magnet earned (maybe 5 cents), and she can get a little toy or treat at end of week.I figured with 7 days a week and 10 resp. she could earn around 3.50 week; that's big to her right now!!

I bought this for my 4 year old and after a few days, decided to also buy one for my 2 year old.They love them!They like working for "smilies" and make sure to do everything on their list to fill up their columns.I have also considered setting up an allowance or reward system if they get all 6 smilies for the day.My mom made a similar checklist for me when I was a kid, but this is so much easier to use and it looks a lot nicer hanging on the wall.I have been very pleased with all the Melissa & Doug products I have purchased, this is no exception!

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We recently purchased this responsibility chart and it has been a great resource!! My 4-year old has been spending a lot of time whining and being unwilling to pick up her toys. We decided to give this a try and it has been wonderful. She runs into our room each morning and exclaims, "I made my bedcan a put a magnet on my chart?" The chart provids positive reinforcement for all types of behaviors. I especially like the magnets that focus on problem behaviors such as hitting and whining. The chart is durable, simple to use and understand, and very child focused. I have been recommending this chart to friends and family!! Another great piece by "Melissa and Doug"!!

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I really hope someone from Melissa and Doug reads these reviews.

This is a good product.Every parent at some point probably feels the need for some kind of 'chart' to help their child keep track of what they need to do, or to motivate them toward positive behavior.

This chart, while it's not perfect, is a start in that direction.

As a strong believer in positive behavior support, I found some of the 'chores' or 'responsibilities' too negative for my taste.For example, am I really supposed to reward little Johnny for not teasing this week?Or say, "Hooray! You didn't use bad words this week!"Rather than couch it in those terms, I'd rather phrase it positively, such as "I used good words this week" or "I was kind to my friends/sister.."reward them for positive behavior, rather than 'not doing negative behavior'.Really, these are the same as some of the other tabs.It's just unnecessary to have these negative messages on a board, and they don't really work as a positive reinforcement.

It would also be helpful to have age appropriate charts: i.e., 3 5, 6-7, 8 and up.That would be a fantastic chart.As children get older, they acquire more responsibilities.When they are younger they can do things like fold, while when they are 8 or 9 they can vacuum, make beds, etc.Tying shoes is a big one for 3 5 year olds, but not so much for an 8 year old.They could use something like 'practiced instrument' or 'practiced sport'.

Well, those are my suggested improvements!I don't know if they are of any use, but I would love to see that type of product out there.

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This product was just what I needed for a five year old that was still acting like a 2 to 3 year old.With this product as a visual motivator and a bag of cheap toys as rewards, my grandaughter has went from a screaming and defiant child to a child that is eager to please and is beginning to control her actions on her own, and the changes are becoming good habits.

We had tried stickers but interest was not there.When I opened this magnetic board and put it up, she could touch it, arrange it herself, use what she wanted for the sticker and could see her results.I love this Chart.You can even tailor it to your needs anything from school, nice action, to chours that you want your child to do.And it can grow with your child.Very positive! Good training for delayed gratification.

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Periodic Table of Elements Placemat by M. Ruskin

This placemat is the perfect balance between a regulation sheet periodic table and a poster size.

It is 17.5 inches by 12 inches and coated in really heavy plastic.Has Atomic number, symbol, name, atomic weight, valence shell configuration (and big enough to actually read), boiling, melting point, density, crystal structure and is color coded.It does stop at 112 and we are up to (in theory 118) but that is not going to be addressed in most beginning chem classes.

Also 110, 111 and 112 do have names nowDarmstadtium, Roentgenium and Copernicium respectively. So a new update would be nice (hence one star off, as it was published in 2000) , but again, for beginning students this will not be an issue.

After buying other periodic table placemats and posters, this is by far the best.Most of the others were flimsy and uninspired more like posterboard.This is a real placemat with bold colors and solid finish that will last.

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This is a wonderful placemat.Even my adult sisters are re-learning from it. As a placemat, it won't get ripped or dirty as easily.

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I am a home-school educator and my son is currently taking chemistry.This laminated mat is absolutely great and he has indicated what an asset it has been throughout the coarse.One side of the mat is colored and the other is in black-and-white.Electron configurations of elements are listed, as well.To me this is a must-have for all high-school chemistry students and the lamination make it higly durable.

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This is an updated Periodic Table from the last one I bought (2002).

This one is dated 2010 and has some the newer elements named properly.

So don't go by the picture it is of the copyright 2000 version.

The colors seem brighter too of course mine is aged.

I have mine on the coffee table great conversation starter!

next to it I have the Star Chart version of placemat.

They compliment one another the very small next to the very large scale.

Great if you are going on "Jeopardy!" or studying for Chem 201.

(It keeps the beer glass from spoiling the table giant coaster!)

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Legendary Encounters Ghost

This piece is small to but still I liked it. I used it in minature halloween display with Lemax figures.

Don't you hate it when people review an item, complaining about how small it is and that the size wasn't in the description? Yet they never include the size in their own complaint? The figure is exactly 2 inches tall (from the base to the point of the hood) and 1.75 inches wide (from fingertips to the point of hood).

Yes, this item is small and plastic but I absolutely LOVE the paint job. The ghost itself is sky blue with some VERY nice white dry-brushing (and red eyes).

I just wish that exact sizing on each figure was included in the item description. Probably wouldn't have affected my decision to order it, either way.

This little guy sits on my desk in front of my computer monitor, next to an owl playing the violin. Hey, it's MY desk, okay?

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Thanksgiving Scroll Plastic Tablecover

ITEM ARRIVED AS DESCRIBED. A PLEASURE TO DO BUSINESS WITH! THE ITEM WAS VERY WELL PACKAGED, ARRIVED IN A SHORT TIME, WAS JUST WHAT I WANTED AND I AM VERY PLEASED! NICE, RICH COLORS AND GOOD PLASTIC MATERIAL.

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Morgan Products 9-Inch Plastic No-Slip Hoop

After trying to do some needlework with a wimpy hoop I bought at our closest big box discount store, I ordered this quality hoop and am super pleased!

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