Bop-It! Pull It! Twist It! Spank It! What?
Remember when you were little?
What was your favorite toy?
Was it Simon? A simple electronic game of repetition and memory.
Was it Battleship? A guessing game that revolved around Naval strategy.
How about Connect Four? Pretty sneaky Sis.
Whether it was Light-Bright, Color Forms, Shrinky Dinks or Micronauts, they all hold a special place in our hearts. For whatever reason, they struck a chord. They piqued our interest and kept us coming back for more.
Sometimes when I buy a game for my kids, I think back to those special toys and try to identify the qualities that made them so unique.
Were they colorful?
Were they interesting?
Were they intellectually stimulating?
I believe it's extremely important to pick toys that resonate with our children. They should add educational value, teach them to play fair, and either win gracefully or lose with dignity.
And then there is this toy...
It's hard to put into words exactly how I feel about this thing.
But let me try.
For starters, it's audibly interactive and requires your child to follow the game's commands by reacting quickly in pressure situations. This undoubtedly stimulates brain activity and helps develop your child's reflexes, as well as, sensory perception.
Another plus is the sleek and stylish design. It's interesting to look at, as well as easy to grip and hold.
Lastly, it's challenging but not impossible to grasp; making it hard for kids to master quickly but not too hard for them to become frustrated or discouraged.
All of these are positive qualities for a toy to have.
There is just one thing about it that disturbs me.
It sounds like a bad 70's porn movie.
Maybe I'm being a bit prudish but it makes me uncomfortable when my daughters are are being dominated by a perverted, robotic sexual deviant.
I'm not sure how the marketing folks failed to identify this in the focus groups but I'm calling them out on it.
Imagine playing a game of Simon Says with Ron Jeremy.
The game becomes incredibly awkward for me within the first 5 seconds.
Power on.
Male Robot Voice: "BOP IT!"
Male Robot Voice: "TWIST IT!"
Male Robot Voice: "PULL IT!"
Male Robot Voice: "PULL IT!"
Male Robot Voice: "PULL IT!"
Male Robot Voice: "SHOUT IT!"
Daughter - "UGHHH!"
Male Robot Voice: "TWIST IT!"
Male Robot Voice: "PULL IT!"
Please make it stop.
Family game night should never sound like a raucous gang bang.
The problem is, my kids love it. Now while I realize the game is completely harmless to my daughter, I can't bare to stay in the same room with her while it's on.
On the other hand, when my wife is playing it...
That's a whole different story.
Baum Chica Baum.
What was your favorite toy?
Was it Simon? A simple electronic game of repetition and memory.
Was it Battleship? A guessing game that revolved around Naval strategy.
How about Connect Four? Pretty sneaky Sis.
Whether it was Light-Bright, Color Forms, Shrinky Dinks or Micronauts, they all hold a special place in our hearts. For whatever reason, they struck a chord. They piqued our interest and kept us coming back for more.
Sometimes when I buy a game for my kids, I think back to those special toys and try to identify the qualities that made them so unique.
Were they colorful?
Were they interesting?
Were they intellectually stimulating?
I believe it's extremely important to pick toys that resonate with our children. They should add educational value, teach them to play fair, and either win gracefully or lose with dignity.
And then there is this toy...
It's hard to put into words exactly how I feel about this thing.
But let me try.
For starters, it's audibly interactive and requires your child to follow the game's commands by reacting quickly in pressure situations. This undoubtedly stimulates brain activity and helps develop your child's reflexes, as well as, sensory perception.
Another plus is the sleek and stylish design. It's interesting to look at, as well as easy to grip and hold.
Lastly, it's challenging but not impossible to grasp; making it hard for kids to master quickly but not too hard for them to become frustrated or discouraged.
All of these are positive qualities for a toy to have.
There is just one thing about it that disturbs me.
It sounds like a bad 70's porn movie.
Maybe I'm being a bit prudish but it makes me uncomfortable when my daughters are are being dominated by a perverted, robotic sexual deviant.
I'm not sure how the marketing folks failed to identify this in the focus groups but I'm calling them out on it.
Imagine playing a game of Simon Says with Ron Jeremy.
The game becomes incredibly awkward for me within the first 5 seconds.
Power on.
Male Robot Voice: "BOP IT!"
Male Robot Voice: "TWIST IT!"
Male Robot Voice: "PULL IT!"
Male Robot Voice: "PULL IT!"
Male Robot Voice: "PULL IT!"
Male Robot Voice: "SHOUT IT!"
Daughter - "UGHHH!"
Male Robot Voice: "TWIST IT!"
Male Robot Voice: "PULL IT!"
Please make it stop.
Family game night should never sound like a raucous gang bang.
The problem is, my kids love it. Now while I realize the game is completely harmless to my daughter, I can't bare to stay in the same room with her while it's on.
On the other hand, when my wife is playing it...
That's a whole different story.
Baum Chica Baum.
Just remember, your new friend Senator Fuschillo is a Republican and he & the right wingers might object to a video of two people in bed together.
ReplyDeleteI think Christin O'Donnell would be appalled by this.
ReplyDeleteI was all about the board games - Clue, Risk, Monopoly, etc.
ReplyDeleteAs for that damn thing, it looks like something they sell on late-night infomercials on the cable channels with high numbers. Or something the Sex and The City girls would buy and talk about gleefully.
Wrong wrong wrong for kids.
Maybe a stocking stuffer at the RNC convention?
That was the longest 2 minutes and 27 seconds of my life. I now truly feel your pain.
ReplyDeleteWe used to have a toy when I was a kid that was like Simon Sez but with a southern accent and an abusive personality. The players were given numbers not names, and when you made a mistake, the thing disdainfully twanged, "you're through, number two! Number One, you're done! Drink Pee, number three!"
ReplyDeleteApproximately. I never took it to bed though.
im sorry but that thing has a striking resemblance to a sex toy. i don't even care what it says it just looks wrong. could it not be shaped round?! and what happened to skip-it?? get the kids outside!
ReplyDeleteTo jayslilsis, is it a striking resemblance to a sex toy in general or is it to your sex toy? Anyway, when I was 8 years old growing up in Brooklyn, 57 years ago, I don't remember having any toys. All I remember was coming home and doing my homework after Hebrew School, eating dinner and then going outside and playing all sorts of games with my friends. Wow, that's a novelty...interaction with a bunch of other kids. Hmmm, maybe it'll catch on some day...again!
ReplyDeleteDoes the toy require you to grunt or can you make any noise? This things earns a hell-to-the-naw from me -- it shall never cross the threshold of my home.
ReplyDeleteIt was too disturbing to watch the whole thing. The way you were twisting the top. thanks for letting me into that part of your life...
ReplyDeletetmi
Uh, I think maybe you need that, uh, unusual new exercise equipment, the shakeweight: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbsSeVr5NSI&feature=related
ReplyDeleteu are sick! our girls love that stupid toy. i don't like the music in our video. YUV!!!
ReplyDeleteHilarious. Disturbing, but hilarious.
ReplyDeleteAnd is it just me, or can you still remember the exact smell of a Colorforms set? I was partial to my KISS Colorforms.
two words: NICE. PJS.
ReplyDelete;)
(um, and two more for me in terms of fave toys: Barbie. Pool.)
That's hilarious! I always thought The creator of Bop it was a perverted bastard. Even as an eight year old, I suspected this. But, now it is confirmed.
ReplyDeleteLove this! I've always thought it as sexually charged since my 8 year old got it for Christmas 2 years ago.
ReplyDeleteBut you, sir, took it to a whole new level.
And I thank you.
You are so right! I will never look at Bop-It in the same way again. We have the older, original one which now seems to be the "awkward puberty" version next to the newer, sleeker "adult" version...so I might be a tad bit jealous.
ReplyDeleteTHAT is hilarious! Just found your blog via twitter, I've got 3 girls and my husband says he's moving into the garage when the first one hits puberty!
ReplyDelete