Tree Fu Tom Adventure Castle Play Set Review

The Tree Fu Tom Adventure Castle Playset is a great toy for little fans of CBeebies' Tree Fu Tom.  The Treetop Adventure Castle is an interactive playset with plenty of features that will keep children happily entertained, playing imaginative games featuring their favourite Tree Fu Tom characters.

The play set needs some minimal adult assembly which I managed without too much trouble (OK I put one bit on upside down, but Ian fixed it for me!)  The set includes one Tree Fu Tom figure and a leaf board so you can play straight away (well done Flair!) Plus the  light up seeking crystal comes with batteries included (well done again to Flair!) Two things that make a huge difference to me as a parent when buying toys for my children.

The castle comes with lots of play features:

Removable light up seeking crystal - use the switch to light up the crystal to find hidden sap splats (or ladybird poo as Freddy calls them!) or turn the crystal on by standing Tom on the button while the crystal is in position.

Secret trapdoor - turn the page of the spell book to open the trap door and drop Tom through the floor.

Wind-up Super Lifto lift - Wind up the lift to raise Tom and his leafboard to the upper floor of the castle.

Flying Tree Fu fun - Tom's feet push into the flyer and he spins round as you twist the top of the castle.

Leaf board ramp - Tom can whoosh down the ramp on his leaf board!

Freddy was very excited about playing with his new toy.  As he already had a few other Tree Fu Tom characters he was able to set up an elaborate game featuring Ariela, Squirmtum and Zigzoo.  He loved using the trapdoor, causing the 'baddies' to fall through the hole.  The crystal proved to be a lot of fun too as Freddy used it to find the splats.  The lift was easy for him to use and he had it going up and down to carry characters around the castle. Freddy had many exciting woodland adventures, practicing big world magic and battling the Mushas!

The castle feels sturdy and robust and fits together well.  The features all add to the play value and there is plenty of room for children to position their characters, move them around and enjoy a great Treetopolis based game. The toy will fuel their imaginations, while the features add a touch of magic!

The toy is recommended for children aged 3 and up and has an RRP of £29.99.  Find out more on the Flair website:  http://www.flairplc.co.uk/Product/80270-Tree-Fu-Tom-Adventure-Castle-Playset/

Tree Fu Tom - The Ultimate Tom Toy

He has pop out wings, his Sapstone Belt and Holopax light up,  he says over 30 phrases, has articulated poseable limbs and plays music from the hit TV show - no wonder this is the Ultimate Tom toy! 

Freddy who is a big fan of the CBeebies show and can often be found doing his own form of Tree Fu Magic in the middle of the living room, was one very happy little boy when he saw the Ultimate Tom toy.  He immediately began pressing the buttons through the packaging to hear one of the thirty phrases that Tom says.  I managed to get the toy away long enough to liberate Tom from his cardboard and plastic prison, ready to begin his first adventure with Freddy!

Tom looks very much like his TV counterpart and is instantly recognisable.  He has two buttons on his Sapstone belt and one on his Holopax which when pressed  make Tom speak. The belt and Holopax also light up.  A button on his chest makes his wings pop out, and if you tilt Tom into flying position he plays the theme tune.

I was very impressed by the number and quality of the phrases that Tom spoke and they really add to the play value of this toy.  The phrases are very interactive and Freddy was soon discussing shrinking spells, directions to the castle and the virtues of Tree Fu magic with his new toy.  They act as prompts to some very imaginative play as Freddy and Tom embark on exciting adventures together.

The toy stands up very well and is stable and solid. No part of it feels flimsy which is nice to see in a toy of this kind.  The joints are articulated and Tom can be posed into some Tree Fu magic moves.  I like the way that children are encouraged to join in, strike poses and get active, in the same way as when watching the TV show.  It brings the magic of Treetopolis straight into the toybox!

Our Ultimate Tom toy has been dropped onto a tiled floor causing his wings to fall off, but thankfully they were easy to click back on and no permanent damage was caused. It shows no signs of wear and tear even after some vigorous play.  It's nice to see just how robust this toy is!

Any fans of Tree Fu Tom would enjoy playing with the Ultimate Tom toy.  It is a lot of fun to interact with Tom and fly him around the room as the theme tune plays.  Freddy is so taken with it, he has taken it to bed with him a few times.  Just be aware though that after it has gone untouched for a while he says good-bye until your next adventure - this can be a problem if your child has just dropped off to sleep.  Oops!

The Ultimate Tom toy from Flair has an rrp of £24.99 and is available from Amazon.