HearthSong Sand Digger, Steel - Yellow and Red - 50-1/2"L x 24" W x 31-1/2"H

The first thing I noticed about the unopened package was it was a lot heavier than I anticipated-great news. (Sturdy) and it actually is made of better materials than I thought. It IS on the small side, but I think it appears small because the actual bucket part is small, but the entire product is just right for my son, who recieved this for his fifth birthday (he's a smaller five year old). The handles are plastic, not rubber but easy to grip, the seat is also small which I was worried about, but the kids seem to fit in it just fine and after they play in it, you don't notice. The kids don't notice a THING that "bothered" me-which were all so minor anyway. He calls it his "tractor" and his 3 year old sister adored it, too. I see it holding up for years even after they've outgrown it. It's a unique toy and they are completely aware of that. My favorite part is that it's not a "lazy toy" and the seat swivels in whatever direction the kid wants! Every other kid is fascinated by it and that's all that matters. They LOVE it and it looks so classic. Worth it.

ordered this for a Christmas present and it was ok when I received it. I put it together and it would be perfect if the crane turned. all it does is pick up whats right in front of you so you actually have to get up and turn the whole thing if you want to dig in another place or pick up things in another place.

I purchased this product as a personal purchase with no discounts for my toddler for Christmas and I am very impressed with the quality as well as the function. he is two and half years old and he is 31 lbs, the size is perfect and even allows for use as he grows. After practicing with the levers and learning how to use it within an hour he was digging and playing like a pro. The metal is a good quality and the ease of using the levers and moving sand and leaves from one area to another utilizing the swivel feature is very impressive. We use the digger for sand, lighter dirt, leaves and small sticks when doing yard work and playing in our yard and it is effective on all of them. This was left out in the weather over a weekend and even with the wet winter elements there always no rust or fading of the item. My toddler plays on this almost on a daily basis, depending on weather and it has held up great. He is active and sometimes aggressive toddler and it has not bent or broken. I would not recommend that larger children sit on the product as it is meant for younger children from toddler to elementary age depending on their size. As you can see in the picture I posted the size comparison of the actual product compared to my toddler. We had a 2nd grader (sorry not sure his weight) play on it with ease and the product was able to support him and function properly. But I would say a larger fifth grader might be to large for this product. I will buy another one for his play yard so when he has friends or family over to play there are two for them to play on and I honestly feel the quality for the price is beyond impressive.

I'd say more like 3.5 but I was feeling generous. My 3 year old likes it put the arms are real sticky and hard for him to maneuver. He's really tough for a little guy too. He still thinks it's pretty cool in his sand box tho. Seats a little wobbly but nothing major.

The only reason I haven’t returned this item is because my husband is incredibly handy and has been able to reengineer the toy several times in the past 2 days that it has been used. This toy is such a disappointment, my 3 year old adores it, but it is cheaply made and it falls apart every few hours. If you aren’t handy, then find another product because you will have to fix it or rerun it. The digger scoop fell off after the first few hours of use and the seat fell off on the second day. The screws don’t fit on the toy and my husband has had to buy new components to keep it together.

I bought two of these. My 5 yr old niece loves it. She's tall for her age and can handle the controls no problem. My 3yr son got one too and he is 3ft tall. We put the seat in the closest position and he can handle the controls fairly well. He still loves it. We take it to the beach for him to play. Kid will be occupied with digging for hours. Lightweight for easy travel and good paint to protect for rusting. Great toy.

we got this initially for my then-2 y/o and his 4 y/o brother, as they were obsessed with all manner of construction and digging, it's not cheap plastic, and (important for us) it's not a heavily brand-named-battery-guzzling toy (bob the builder, etc.). more than two years later, this simple contraption is still a huge hit, and digs in the garden, the sandbox, and even the snow (they get really excited to use it in the snow). the boys make machine noises, create construction scenarios and generally play creatively together with it.we used to put a couple of bricks on top of the base to steady it when they boys were younger, but now they weigh a little more and don't seem to need them. they will dig for hours, and fill dump trucks, move piles of stuff, and generally take turns on their own. our neighbors like to come over, too, and it's great to see little girls digging out back.the only problem we have had was the wing screw that holds the base (black) onto the seat post (red) broke early on. it's actually not a problem; now it just comes apart to move in and out of the garage. even the now-4 y/o can put the pieces together himself. it does not affect the toy or come apart when they are on it (their weight holds the seat on the base).if you are on the fence, go for it! this digger is amazing.

I would give it 10 stars if I could. Our 3 year old son got it from Grandma for his birthday, and plays with it every day. It's sturdy, the perfect size for a toddler, mobile, and great fun. Very nostalgic for those of us who played with diggers on the playground when we were kids.