I’m sure that you’ve heard me say this before, but I guess that’s one way you know it is true. I love JustaBXgirl’s imagination. One of my favorite things to do is sit back and watch her get lost in a world of make-believe. I never really had that skill. I mean, I guess my imagination exists but she brings her’s to life in a way that I just never got a grasp on. I’m hoping that this never ends. For that reason, I am always eager to find toys that add to her pretend play time.
Antsy Pants is a line that works wonderfully with this premise. They also know that us parents don’t always have endless space so they create products that can serve dual purposes and be easily packed away. We recently received the Brontosaurus Hopper. Can I say that I adore that they called it by the type of dino it is? JustaBXgirl is into dinosaurs. She’s not obsessed with them but she genuinely enjoys learning about them. She was excited to go to the AMNH and check out the T.Rex exhibit recently. While the Brontosaurus has never been her favorite dino, she has always had a sweet spot for this kind. Her favorite is a Pterodactyl. And yes, she knows that it isn’t technically a dinosaur but instead a flying reptile. If you ask her why the Brontosaurus always makes her smile, she will probably tell you that it looks sweet.
Suffice to say, she was thrilled that Antsy Pants sent her such a sweet dinosaur to bond with. The Hoppers are great for just that. Your little can hop around the house on their backs. I’m not that fun of a mom though. My house is way too cluttered to allow free range hopping. In my home, hopping is a much more stationary activity. JustaBXgirl doesn’t like sitting still so this is a great seat for her. She sits on the dino while telling stories or watching TV and can get her energy released by bouncing. I’ve also seen her place her feet on the dinosaur while she sits at her desk. It allows her again to release some energy while she gets done what she needs to do.
Everything isn’t stationary play though. She dances with the dino, dresses it up and carefully brings her buddy around the house. I keep telling her that the dinosaur is her new pet because we still can’t get a live one.
Since showing photos of the Hoppity Hopper on IG, I’ve been asked the following questions. I wanted to share the answers with you in case you were wondering.
Does the dino self inflate?
No, you need to use a pump to inflate it but even if you use a manual pump it inflates pretty quickly. We got our pump at a discount store for about $6. It’s been blown up for close to two weeks and hasn’t had to be filled back up yet.
How do kids not fall off? Are there straps?
There are no straps. JustaBXgirl holds on around the dino’s neck and only falls off if she’s being silly and pulls the dinosaur down with her.
My child is bigger than the average five-year-old? Can he still use it?
More than likely yes. The weight limit on the item is 110 pounds. JustaBXgirl is about 43 pounds and has no problems with it. She’s about three and a half feet tall and seems very comfortable jumping around on it,
Isn’t the dinosaur the boy version?
I don’t believe in boy/girl toys for children. I believe that children should play with toys that are safe and make them happy. Target sells a unicorn version of this toy if your child is not into dinosaurs.
