Melissa & Doug Birthday Party Birthday Cake Reviews

• Sweet Confection Falls Just Short Of Perfection

  
  By A227U9E0A431OY on 2003-11-05
  In general I applaud the Melissa & Doug company for its dedication to simple, classic, durable wooden toys that are genuinely educational in that they invite imaginative play rather than recite facts to a passive child at the push of a button. The birthday cake toy is no exception. Since my daughter received this toy for her third birthday, we have baked and decorated dozens of cakes in her play kitchen, and thrown birthday parties for each family member, as well as all the dolls and all the stuffed animals.
  However, I can't help feeling that this toy could have been a bit better. Basically it consists of a red wooden serving platter, and a cake comprised of six sections that velcro together to form a circle. Each piece is quite large -- almost as big as a real slice of cake. The set includes a cake server that can be used to cut the slices apart, which provides that satisfying velcro-ripping sound. The cake is painted white with blue icing swirls, and has velcro spots in concentric circles on top for the decorations. The decorations are painted on wooden discs that velcro to the top of the cake. The set comes with seven candles that can be velcroed to the top as well. There are only three different decorations -- strawberries, jellybeans, and gumdrops. I would have included icing flowers, so that the cake could be decorated like a "real" cake that a child might have for his or her birthday. Also, I would have made the candle flames detachable so that the candles could be "lit" and "blown out" by the child. Also, it is very difficult to cut out and serve the first piece of cake, as it tends to refasten itself to the pieces adjacent to it before it can be lifted out and served.
  Still, this is a neat toy and a good addition to a child's imaginary kitchen. Two months after our daughter's birthday, she still plays with this toy quite regularly. It's constructed so durably that I'm sure my grandchildren will be playing with it, too!
  
  

• Great quality learning toy that will last generations!

  
  By A2W4BO3M0A1KPL on 2005-05-04
  When you find food type items for your child they are either plastic or tiny paper packages that are damaged with mimimal play, not so with Melissa & Dog wooden toys! And it's only through play do our children learn about things they will do when they grow up.
  
  The birthday cake is a huge hit in our home with our 28 month old daughter and I assume will only continue as she grows! Whats nice is that your child can create their very own cake creations. The Happy birthay round piece comes off so you can celebrate any reason to bake a cake and they even thought of adding lite birthday candles as well. There are jelly bean, strawberries and gum drops to decorate their cake creation. The cake is divided into pie shaped wedges and would also be perfect for discussing fractions later on down the road. Everything is held together with a nice sturdy velrco. A red plate and also cake cutter are also included and everything fits nicely into the wooden box and has a platic top that easily slides on and off for older children. This is a toy that will last though out the years and is definately worth every penny!
  
  

• Great For the Future Baker

  
  By A3GKPMHV4U64IY on 2006-06-07
  What you get is a large wooden cake, wooden candles, decorations, a cake server and a wooden storage box with a clear sliding top. The cake is already been cut into slices that cold together through the wonder of velcro. The top of the cake also has lots of spots of velcro. The wooden candles can be stuck on this way. There are also cake decorations in the form of jelly beans, strawberries and a central birthday decoration. These are painted wooden disks backed with velcro.
  
  My daughter loves this toy (having first played with the pizza version at a friends house). I can not count how many times she has changed decorations and served me a piece of cake. All of the velcro works well and does not peel off. The candles can sometimes lean a little but I have heard no complaints. Although the pieces have been kicked around my hardwood floors countless times none of the paint has chipped. The only drawback is trying to use the cake cutter to remove the first piece. Velcro loves to grab and it is not always easy to get two spots on opposite sides to release at the same time if using the server. My daughter was not put off by this.
  
  All in all this is a well-made and durable toy. It is sure to be fun for any child who likes to help out in the kitchen. Remember that due to small pieces this is not appropriate for children with a tendency to put things in their mouths.
  
  

• Great for girls AND boys!

  
  By A30S42VVTDR4HU on 2005-11-04
  This is a great, durable toy. Unlike most toy birthday cakes on the market today, it is NOT pink. It does not contain pink flowers, pink icing, or have pictures of girls on the box. It does containg lots of fun "candies" in vibrant colors. This is an essential gift for little boys who like to play with fake food. My son puts this in our "supermarket" in the bakery section when we play store. He also uses the candies to feed his zoo animals. A great, versitile toy!
  
  

• 2 going on 3...loves it!

  
  By A2G7WU49Y8FKKU on 2004-06-04
  My daughter has been creating birthday cakes all around the house...when I saw this I just had to get it for her...she loves playing with it and it is durable...I like the idea of the toppings and candles however I agree with the 1st reviewer...should be frosting and blowable candles...but for the money, it is a great toy
  
  
• Great toy!!
  By AWZWHNHYH10A4 on 2005-07-06
  I purchased this toy for my 3 year old daughter for Christmas. Seven months later it still gets almost daily use. It is very high-quality and perfect for the little ones who love to play birthday party at this age. Highly recommend!!
  
  
• Made in China
  By A39ZS3PXDM1K08 on 2008-10-13
  I was a huge fan of Melissa and Doug products. I went in to buy this set at a local toy store and was saddened to see the Made in China label- in fact all the products that were in that particular store by Melissa and Doug were made in China. What bothered me about that fact was that they market themselves as USA made and that clearly isn't the fact anymore.
  
  I chose not to buy it anymore- particularly with the amount of red paint on this toy food product. Now they do say they test and test and safety test.
  But as a parent, I chose to not buy it anymore because of my concerns about product safety from China.
  Sad to say I will no longer be buying Melissa and Doug- the stuff is adorable I just can't be guaranteed of it's safety anymore.
  
  
• Continual fun for ages 2+
  By A9EVBE6MJ4YX4 on 2006-11-08
  Of course kids are all different, this toy may not hold the interest of a child with little interest in pretend play cooking. However, I think the vast majority of children will LOVE it. I have a 2 yr old & a 4 yr old & both play with it constantly. Younger ones may not comprehend so much that they are decorating a birthday cake, but the facination of adding and subtracting the decorations (velcro candles, candies, strawberries) is great. I think the construction is good; nothing broken yet. Only down side to it is collecting up all those circles (candies/strawberries) & candles! I'd recommend this gift for boy and girl (I've got both).
  
  
• love this toy for so many reasons
  By A2GSTD3N7QHU5E on 2007-08-23
  
  Bought this toy for my granddaughter 3 weeks in advance of her birthday, so she would have the fun of anticipation, practice "blowing out" candles, etc.. Also, she was getting a play kitchen for her birthday, so she will be able to "bake" cakes when she plays.
  
  It has been a big hit, not only with her but also with her mom and dad.
  
  It is arranged in pieces that are velcro'd so she can "cut" it. There are plenty of ways she can decorate it, count the decorations, etc., and it all fits into a wooden box so she can organize it and put it away.
  
  The only reason I did not give it all 5s is that the box needs to be more sturdy, and it is made in China, so I am slightly worried about the possibility of lead in the paint. I should contact Melissa and Doug to check on that.
  
  
• Very cute!
  By A2I7XZLTYYOD79 on 2007-10-03
  Both of my children, 3 and 1, play with this toy quite a bit. It is very durable and cute. I love the simplicity of this product. There are a lot of pieces that could get lost and I always play with it with them because it is not recommended for under 3, but 1 year old insists he can play too. The pieces for the cake topping are small and round and could be a choking hazard. We like to practice singing happy birthday and blowing out candles. Makes fun for imaginary play with kitchen items. Would recommend a container with a lid for storage as the box that it comes with is open on top and "spills" easily. Overall great product and will buy more of these for my children.
  
  
• Happy Birthday!
  By A2NVIASVFCFIEY on 2004-08-03
  This toy is great for 3 and 4 year olds who love to play birthday party. My 2 daughters love to set up parties all over our house. When I got this cake for my daughter, we 'celebrated' everyone's birthday. This toy definitely allows the child to use their imagination.
  
  
• Favorite Christmas toy - girls ages 2 &4
  By A1QCQI3LBDWFA0 on 2005-01-22
  I picked this out as a Christmas gift for my 2 girls (ages 2&4) after reading the other reviews. Everyday is a birthday around here (teddy, puppy, dolly, etc..), so this toy gets a lot of use. It has been out just about everyday since Christmas, and I'd say it's one of their favorites. It does make nice sounds, the quality is great, and the storage box is a plus. At first there were issues with "sharing" the toy, but lately they have split the cake in half first, then they decorate their own half ! Great toy, fair price.
  
  
• Fun with food
  By A3H0ZQ74ITU83J on 2005-04-03
  Most of Melissa & Doug toys are durable wooden toys but this set is not as durable as the others. We have had this toy for about three or four months and the red wooden serving platter has a number of marks on it. The other pieces are holding up much better. My girls still have tons of fun, but it is something to consider when buying this item.
  
  
• Toy is exactly what you would expect
  By A2VUF2LSMFL2K5 on 2006-08-30
  I'm very happy I got this toy for my [...] son. He enjoys playing with it. Maybe not the proper way, but his way and as long as he is having fun that is all that matters. I do wish that the candle flames came off. It would be nice if they built the candle as two pieces (one piece candle and the second piece the flame). I believe another person thought this as well. Overall good toy, well built. I'm not sure how long it will hold my sons interest. But I think it is a toy that if stored away when he gets tired of it, it will eventually come back out again someday when he wants to play with it again. I would recommend this as well as many other Melissa and Doug toys.
  
  
• Melissa and Doug Birhtday Party
  By A1V24AR2WBRDD5 on 2007-01-14
  EVERY single one of my grandchildren has enjoyed this product. I have one at home, but bought this one for my 3-year old granddaughter who continues to enjoy this in her home. We play for hours!
  
  
• Um.. 50/50 here....
  By A2KLDDOEUOLZHU on 2007-07-02
  I like Melissa and Doug products. I bought THIS as my son's birthday is coming and he loved this at the library. It didn't seem to carry over at home. THERE IS NO PLASTIC LID. All the pieces fall out ALL the time. It's cute, but let your kids play with it at someone else's house.. and save your money on a better M&D product. Even if it had a lid, it would be better!!
  Novelty wore after after about 10 minutes. Oh well. In the cupboard it goes.
  
  ( I took this to church with me, for the preschool class. NOT ONE CHILD PLAYED WITH IT OR SHOWED ANY INTEREST. )
  
  
• Birthday Pary Cake Toy
  By A2VH0UT5EQFB6P on 2007-11-03
  My 4 year old loves this toy. She has shown more interest in this toy than in most of her other toys. My only fear is the paint since it was made in China. I suspect it has been painted with leaded paint, but I don't know for sure, so I just make sure she doesn't put any of the pieces in her mouth. Everything about it is cute and pretty. She loves bringing me pieces of cake several times a day. I would give it 100% rating if I felt comfortable about the paint.
  
  
• Great toy but paint chips easily.
  By A39RSNABJN8BGI on 2007-11-13
  My kids love it. They use it all the time. I eat cake practically all day, if you know I mean. It is a great toy and can be educational to teach fractions and counting. Bad thing is that it is dropped often so the paint chips easily and the wood bends. If you don't mind having less than perfect looking toys I think that this toy is worth it.
  
  
• Can't Say Enough Good About This Toy!
  By A2JU32N8XJ0JCP on 2005-01-16
  This is one of the greatest toys ever! The only bad thing I can say about it is that I only have one in my Preschool and everyone always wants to play with it at the same time! The same is true for the Melissa & Doug Pizza Set. They are GREAT TOYS!!! WE LOVE THEM!
  
  
• WONDERFUL TOY!!!!
  By A13MEZF75D8MTK on 2007-01-22
  We bought this toy for my 2 1/2 year old son. He loves playing with it! It is GREAT for imaginative play. The different pieces lend themselves to many different types of cakes so the children do not get bored! I buy this for any birthdays that I go to now! My 1 year old daughter even gets in on the fun.
  
  
• Cutting the Cake is Fun
  By A2RJJJSSYBND30 on 2007-08-19
  My three year old daughter has played with this birthday cake continuously since she received it in February. She enjoys "cutting" the cake, placing the candles and treats on the slices, and singing "happy birthday." Anytime her friends come over to play, they take out the cake and play. Many hours of fun for all. Sturdy box, though I leave off the hard plastic cover.
  
  
• Party every day
  By A2I2FF9J4Y71RF on 2007-09-07
  My daughter loves this toy set. She makes us a birthday cake everyday, and loves every minute of it. We also play match with the circle candy pieces by turning them over and picking two to find a match, etc... She uses it to practice counting, colors and shapes. I also like the storage box and quality of the wooden product. A favorite.
  
  
• Wonderful gift!
  By A2FUQFU5XU5SCS on 2007-09-26
  I bought the Birthday Party Birthday Cake for my three year old niece. My sister said that she plays with it for hours every day and that she throws parties for her stuffed animals, their cat and her little brother. Based on her reaction, I would definitely recommend this product.
  
  
• Absolutely Awesome!
  By A1EMJLJAO1D4Z4 on 2007-10-03
  My daughter got this for her 2nd birthday. She has had a great time serving us cake, "blowing out the candles" and putting strawberries or whatever else we want on it! My husband was skeptical at first that she would like this toy but he is now amazed at how long she will play with it (and how many pieces of pretend cake he has had to eat!).
  
  
• Cake for my 3 year old
  By AZ8WHZQGQLBDS on 2007-11-09
  My son received this cake for a birthday gift. I am really surprised how much he enjoys it. It's the only non-car/truck/train type of toy he plays with. He loves serving us pieces of cake and singing happy birthday.
  
  
• Many happy birthdays to be celebrated with this cake!
  By A2ZGOWJ9DHUVPJ on 2008-01-18
  We purchased this for our niece's 3rd birthday and it was a huge hit! My 2yo daughter then received it for Xmas and the party has not ended. We love all of the Melissa and Doug toys and this is no exception. Love it!
  
  
• Melissa & doug birthday party cake
  By A1V8RFADQ1JY7D on 2008-01-22
  Another Meliisa and doug hit.
  It is made of wood and has velcro to stick slices and candles etc together.
  They have been in and out of my daughter mouth and are still here to tell the tale so it is well made.
  Brought for my daughter's 2nd birthday she loves serving slices of cake at her tea parties.
  We also use it for counting how many slices and candles will be good when we learn about fractions.
  Aswell pretend time which is great.
  So if you want is a great learning tool too!
  
  
• Wooden birthday cake
  By AUUC04UQ3FQO0 on 2008-01-23
  My two-year-old loves this toy. He decorates and redecorates each slice with "jelly beans" or "strawberries" and serves cake to everyone in the family. He got this for Christmas and hasn't tired of playing with it yet one month later. Definitely one of the top toys in our house right now. Very durable. My only complaint is the the nice wooden box it comes in doesn't have a lid.
  
  
• Happy Birthday to you!
  By A2JI3ASA64PRAG on 2008-01-27
  My girls (ages 4 &2yrs) love this and the pizza set. I only have 2 problems with them. No lid on the container box! and a bunch of little round pieces that get scattered. Can you tell I'm tired of picking up toys? LOL.
  
  My girls sing, blow out the pretend candles, serve cake, etc. It is great for Tea Parties! The slices are held together with velcro, it comes with a spatula so your child can cut it. A wide assortment of toppings, many candles.
  
  
• Fun to Play with
  By A1743Y4A9D12MG on 2008-02-18
  My daughter just turned two years old and enjoys this toy. She is really interested birthdays so this toy is perfect. It is fun to change the toppings and serve each other cake. I think it is a toy that will be with her for many years of play because it is sturdy and can scale up with her age.
  
  
  
  

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