Having two car-obsessed girls here at home, I’ve written at length in the past about girls being underserved when it comes to toy cars. Back in November of 2012 (can’t believe it’s been two years already), I did a guest post for TTPM entitled “Time to Play: An Octane-Obsessed Little Girl,” then writing about Addie since Little Finn was just four months old at the time. Our journey into the world of toy cars had just begun, rekindling a passion of my own youth in the process. In the time that’s passed, we’ve both bought and received countless toy cars, trucks and vehicles, many of which have been reviewed here at Rock Father HQ and shared with all of you. Now comes what is perhaps the first instance of a company addressing girls directly, with Jada Toys‘ introduction of their Girlmazing line of R/C vehicles.
Having experienced first-hand a crowd of girls in front of our house playing with various R/C vehicles, I know that a lot of parents haven’t even considered them as play options for their kids – because they’ve told me. And, as much as I love certain aspects of “gender neutrality” (which comes up all the time), a lot of it still comes down to perception of color… and where the toys are placed in-store. When Girlmazing first hit my radar, I’d seen them featured with the other radio-controlled cars in the Walmart Toy Department, but since they’ve been moved into the “pink aisle” where more girls are likely to spot them – and you know what? They’re HOT. I’ve seen empty spaces on several occasions, and right now four separate assortments are sold-out on Walmart.com. A perfect item for my 2014 Holiday Wish Guide here on THE ROCK FATHER? Absolutely.
Available in 1:24 and 1:16 scale assortments from a company that knows cars (Jada makes fantastic diecast replicas), they’ve got all the licenses that kids and grownups want to see, including the Chevrolet Camaro, Ford Mustang and Lamborghini Murcielago. While those are cool on their own, the JEEP Wrangler Assortment can even hold your child’s pre-existing dolls and figures. One of these rockin’ rides was sent to us for review, and while the fine print states that 8″ to 10″ dolls work with the Jeep, the seats are adjustable – a cool feature that allows them to slide forward or backward to accommodate dolls of different sizes… but you know what else works? Action figures. My girls have been using 3 3/4″ to 6″ figures with their Jeep, with characters from STAR WARS to SCOOBY-DOO going for a ride. The Girlmazing vehicles are also customizable, so Addie decked-out her Jeep with stickers. I told her a skull on the windshield might make it hard to see through, but hey – imagination!
Curious to see this one in-action? Check out the short video below. As the temperature here has already dipped well-below freezing, this video was shot in our kitchen…
Look for Girlmazing vehicles in-store at a Walmart near you, or keep checking for them to be back in-stock online. For more information on the full line, check out the official site.
