V Tech Switch and Go Dinos

Editor's rating:
8.2
Reviewed by Bobby Brower
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We like

Quickly converts from car to dino in a matter of seconds

Teaches kids facts about dinosaurs

You can change the eyes of the dinosaur or the faces of the drivers

Batteries are included with the toy

The toy says and plays over 50 phrases and sounds

Small and can be taken anywhere

We don’t like

The noises can get loud

The phrases never change or update

How it works

V Tech has created a small toy for young children that will teach them all about dinosaurs in a fun and interesting way. The Switch and Go Dino is part-car and part-dinosaur that makes over fifty sounds and talks to your child with growling sounds and dinosaur facts.

The toy starts out as a car and then with a few small moves the car opens up and becomes a Tyrannosaurus Rex. The toy also has an LCD screen that shows dinosaur and car driver faces. For a reasonable price and the ability to give your child hours of fun, the V Tech Switch and Go Dino is a great buy for the child who wants a toy they can bring with them on the go that will also help them learn.

 

The Car

The Car

The V Tech Switch and Go Dino starts off as a car before it transforms into a dinosaur. The car is a free-rolling car, which means that the wheels are free to go forward and backward with just a quick push. The car is green and has a bunch of decals on it that make it look like a real racing car. The car is also made of a hard plastic that is durable considering the car will most likely wind up being rolled downstairs, off of chairs, and off of tables. The LCD screen that is located on the front of the car doubles as the car’s windshield.

Through the windshield, you can see the car’s driver, which will be displayed on the screen. There is a small button located underneath the screen that when pushed will change the look of the driver in the car. You have a few drivers to choose from as you click the button and each driver has its own look and personality. Choose the driver that works for you, and you can begin to push the car around with your driver behind the wheel.

Behind the driver on the screen, it will appear as if the driver is passing scenery as if he is really driving down a road. He will speak to your child and say phrases like, “Start your engine” when he is turned on. He will give commands as he is being pushed around by saying phrases like “Turn the wheels” and “I’m king of the road” as he drives through the house.

As the car moves the vehicle will make sounds that replicate a revving engine, and when the car stops and starts, the power level will show up on the screen showing the power of the car going down when the car slows down and going up when the car speeds up.
Switching From Car to Dino

Switching From Car to Dino

The magic of the V Tech Switch and Go Dino is that it can be easily switched from car to dinosaur in just a few quick moves. To change the car you pull out the back fenders to form a tail, you pull out and twist the side panels to form legs, and underneath the body of the car you pull out two arms that are the T-Rex arms that are the signature mark of a Tyrannosaurus Rex.

The toy knows to switch modes from car to dinosaur toy when you switch the front end of the car to the dinosaur’s head. Once you do that, the windshield of the car, or the LCD screen changes from the face of your car driver to the eyes of the dinosaur. The eyes look menacing and mean as the eyes of a T-Rex ought to be. The sounds will also change on the toy from revving engines and the voice of the driver to the voice of a dinosaur growling sounds. The entire switch from car to dinosaur takes about thirty seconds.
Dinosaur Mode

Dinosaur Mode

The dinosaur mode of the V Tech Switch and Go Dino is the most educational of the two modes. It’s the dinosaur mode that makes the toy such a great buy for kids. In dinosaur mode, not only will the toy make all the sounds of a dinosaur, but when the dinosaur talks it will give educational information about dinosaurs and about Tyrannosaurus Rexes in particular.

You can push the button on the top of the T-Rex to change what his eyes look like. It’s the same button you would press if you wanted to change the look of the driver when the toy is in car mode. The dinosaur’s legs are transformed from the wheels of the car, so the dinosaur can very easily roll around and be pushed just as the car is pushed around on free wheels.
Dinosaur Phrases

Dinosaur Phrases

When in T-Rex mode, the V Tech Switch and Go Dino will say several educational phrases that educate children to real facts about Tyrannosaurus Rexes. The T-Rex will say phrases like “I eat meat. I’m a carnivore” and “I have sixty teeth, and some are as long as knives.” The dinosaur will also make other phrases that are funny like “I’m king”, “Bow down to your king”, and “Rub my feet.”

Outside of the funny phrases, the educational dinosaur phrases help teach kids while they are playing and this kind of learning is happening unbeknownst to your child. Play and education are being rolled into one making playtime fun for both child and parent.
Safety

Safety

The V Tech Switch and Go Dino does not pose any major safety hazards. There are no small parts or any potential choking hazards to be found with this toy. The toy also does not pose any kind of poking hazard either as it does not have any sharp edges or objects that come with it. Parental supervision is always recommended when your young children are playing with toys to ensure that they play with them properly and don’t potentially hurt themselves or others.
Batteries Included

Batteries Included

The V Tech Switch and Go Dino runs on two AAA batteries that are included with the toy. It is recommended that you always have fresh batteries on hand when purchasing a new toy in the event that the batteries do not have a full battery life from resting in the toy while it is sitting on the shelf. Sometimes, the batteries may die in the toy or they may die quickly after purchase. When there are fresh, new batteries on hand, you will not have to worry about the toy not working to its full potential.
Volume Control

Volume Control

Some parents have found that the constant phrases and growling and talking coming from the V Tech Switch and Go Dino can become quite taxing, but the device does come with volume control. Next to the button that changes the face of the driver and the eyes of the dinosaur is a volume button that allows you to put the toy on either low, medium, or loud. What is even better, the toy can also be turned off completely by clicking the on and off button that is located on the back of the toy.
Group Play

Group Play

One of the pluses to having a toy like the V Tech Switch and Go Dino is that kids get to play with other kids. V Tech sells an entire line of Switch and Go Dinos, so kids can buy them all and play with friends. As with all group play activities, children get to learn how to play fair and share their toys. Kids can also keep their Switch and Go in car mode and kids can race the cars against each other and create courses for the cars to roll through around the house. When the toys are in dinosaur mode, kids can learn interesting facts about the other dinosaurs that are available in the V Tech family of Switch and Go Dinos. Kids can learn together and play together, which always helps kids grow in a better, healthier way.
Portability

Portability

The V Tech Switch and Go Dino can be taken anywhere. When opened into a dinosaur, it is only about eight inches long. When folded into a car, it can fit in your pocket. With such great portability, the toy can be brought with you on car trips and visits to family and friend’s homes. Your child can play with it and share it with other kids, and together they can learn and play together. If you own more than one type of the V Tech Switch and Go Dinos, you can bring them all and your child can share their toys with anyone.
Motor Skills

Motor Skills

By using the V Tech Switch and Go Dino your child will be working on their gross motor skills. Your child will have to use their hands to pull apart the car to switch the modes from car to dino, and when they do so, they will be using their coordination skills and problem solving skills to quickly figure out how to switch the dino and make it a car and the car a dino. Your child will work on their manipulation skills and become better coordinated with their hands.
Age Range

Age Range

The V Tech Switch and Go Dino is recommended for children between the ages of three-years-old and eight-years-old. Children under the age of three-years-old may not have the dexterity needed to manipulate the parts of the toy to turn it into a dinosaur. Also, children of a young age may not be able to identify what a dinosaur is and get the full effect of playing with the toy. Kids over the age of eight-years-old may not be entertained by a toy that has simple technology. The ages of three to eight is the perfect range for the toy to be able to be fully enjoyed by your child.
Price

Price

The V Tech Switch and Go Dino is not super expensive, but it is not inexpensive either. The price may be out of the price range for some parents, but for those parents who can afford the dino, it is a great buy considering it will last your child up to five years if it is taken care of properly. The downside is that it can get old for your child pretty quickly considering the phrases don’t ever update or change, but your child can get hours of enjoyment out of it especially when the toy is in car mode.

Conclusion

The V Tech Switch and Go Dino is a great addition to your child’s toy collection. Although it may be out of the budget for some parents, the toy is priced just above the middle-of-the-road for a toy of this type. Your child will be able to switch the driver on the screen along with the eyes of the dinosaur when it is in dinosaur mode. The toy also has a great educational value in that it will teach your child interesting facts about dinosaurs while they are playing. Your child’s skills at manipulation and their gross motor skills will get a workout when they take the toy and flip and switch its parts to turn it from car to dinosaur and dinosaur to car.

The toy is small and can be taken anywhere, which means that your child can entertain themselves in the car, on an airplane, or wherever they wind up. Your child can never be without their favorite toy, and it is a great toy for your child to share with others as they learn to play fair and share in general. If you want your child to learn while they are playing alone or with other children, the V Tech Switch and Go Dino is a great buy for their toy collection as this is a toy that takes the play to a whole new level.
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