Pretend Play Reviews

The concept is the same as Colorforms--a bright background scene with moveable characters--but here the background is magnetized, and the character pieces are made from heavy vinyl. The set is boldly illustrated with various fairytale characters: a princess, a fairy godmother, a handsome prince, a king, a dragon, a dwarf, and, inexplicably, something that looks a lot like a Tasmanian devil. The scene is swathed in lots of cheerful pink. A fun toy, even if it doesn't quite jibe with the cover copy, which reads, "Ability to slide the pieces creates action, making the scene come alive." Isn't that coming-alive stuff the job of the imagination? --Claire Dederer

You'd have to search through at least a dozen fairy tale books to find a princess dress as pretty as this one. The floor-length, ice-blue gown is made from shimmering satin that reflects light in quite a magical way. The washable dress has an off-the-shoulder effect with a band of white pretend fur that drapes dramatically around the shoulders. Above this fur, the upper portion of the neckline is made of white transparent fabric, with an attached necklace of pearl trim. The waist is fitted with a sash that ties in back, and more faux-fur trim accents the curved side panels falling from the waist. For the finishing touches, a faux-fur muff and a silver crown with fur-like trim are included. Take lots of pictures of your little ice princess! (We know she'll melt your heart.) --Marcie Bovetz