Hasbro Play-Doh Magic Swirl Ice Cream Shoppe Review

My children love Play-doh so it was no surprise when my daughter received the Play-doh Magic Swirl Ice Cream Shoppe by Hasbro from the Easter Bunny.  Both of my kids couldn't wait to open up the box and start creating yummy treats.  I have to admit, I was a little excited too.  We ended up playing with this toy for over two hours, which is an eternity for my kids.

As much as my children love this toy, I have some issues with it.  Let's start with the good stuff first though:

* Cute pastel dough colors including one with sprinkles.

* Sprinkle Maker, Whipped Cream Topping Maker, and an Ice Cream Press.

* The set contains cute minature cones and sundae dishes to make yummy looking treats.

* Lots of fun molds to make ice cream toppings and desserts (gummy bear, nuts, pretzel, candy, cookies, etc.).

* Your child's imagination is the limit - there are a lot of different molds and options which can entertain your child for hours.

With the good comes the not-so-good so here it goes:

* The presses can be hard to push for younger kids and the Play-doh often comes oozing out of the sides if too much is put into the mold.

* The swirl cones do not look like the picture on the box after coming out of the press.  My kids didn't mind but some children may be disappointed.

* This toy can get pretty messy with Play-doh getting stuck in all sorts of crevices and the small sprinkles and toppings ending up all over the table and the floor.

* This is bulky to store and cannot be disassembled to put back into the box.  Also, as with most toys, the pieces can get lost if not kept together with the ice cream maker.  I have found plastic cones and sundae cups in my daughter's underwear drawer and underneath my son's bed.  I'm one of those mom's who insists on organization (and rarely gets it) so it bothers me that there isn't anyplace to store the accessories with this product.

In spite of the issues that I have with the Play-doh Magic Swirl Ice Cream Shoppe, my kids love it and that's what matters the most.  They are content to play with this for a couple of hours and I really enjoy watching them play so well together and using their imaginations.  They like to serve ice cream desserts to family and friends and are even using play money for their transactions.  Any toy that teaches them while they are having fun is definitely worth the money. 

Speaking of money, the Play-doh Magic Swirl Ice Cream Shoppe retails for about $16, which is a reasonable price for the fun that it provides.  And don't be surprised if your kids get a sudden craving for REAL ice cream when they are done playing.