TOY REVIEW: Saying “Yes” To Never Land Pirates

Fisher-Price Jake and the Never Land Pirates Musical Pirate Ship is based on the Disney Channel program Jack and the Never Land Pirates. It looks like Disney has put together a lot of franchises that are making for this year’s hot Christmas toys. This one is geared toward ages 3 to 6–and, in grand Disney style, the show and this toy is very age appropriate for the show it’s based on, which emphasizes teamwork and good deeds.

The ship has a cannon that fires projectiles, but not too far or too hard that they should cause damage or injury. It makes multiple sounds and has a crocodile (hiding behind a trap door) which goes tic-tock. The ship rocks from side to side on its wheels, and has three buttons that are used to activate its special features. Jake’s Musical Pirate Ship Bucky is designed to help children with improving their fine motor skills as they work with the small Jake and Skully figures, while they create imaginary situations in the pirate world of Never Land.

The toy is sturdy and should be able to withstand some mishandling. It is interesting that the toy is a boat, and yet the box clearly states that it is not intended for use in water. That might cause some trouble at bath time. The only real problem, though, is some confusion over how the toy is supposed to have 25 sounds and songs. A few parents have been puzzled to find they could only activate 2 sounds–until they discovered that the toy is shipped with a switch in a “Try Me” position. Once that switch is moved to “on,” all of the sounds are activated and this toy is ready to go. Except, you know, to go into the water. Keep this boat out of the water, matey.