Playskool Crew Dusty The Talking Vacuum Review

My mother bought this "must have" toy for my daughter for Christmas in 2006.  After perusing parenting magazines and doing online research, this seemed like one of those toys that every child was destined to love. 

Well it's 2008 and I'm still waiting for my daughter (or even my son) to love Dusty the Talking Vacuum Cleaner.  If it's been used ten times I'd be surprised.  I just don't get what all of the hype was about.  My daughter has more fun pushing around her play broom (well, sometimes it is used as a light saber) than pretending to vacuum with this toy. 

I'll admit that Dusty the Talking Vacuum Cleaner is cute and looks good next to my daughter's play kitchen.  Heck, I'll even venture to say that it's kind of cute when he talks.  What I can't fathom though, is why this toy is the big deal that it was made out to be.  It pretty much sits in the corner of my daughter's room collecting dust.  The only reason why we still have it is because I keep thinking that someday she will actually play with it.  Some parents dream of their children going off to college and I dream that my daughter will use a fake vacuum.  How pathetic is that?

Unless your child really loves to clean, I would pass on Dusty the Talking Vacuum Cleaner.  You would be better off buying a REAL vacuum (child-friendly, of course) and letting your little one do some real cleaning.