Wheelchair II (2006-2011)
Dec 26, 2009 14:26:59 GMT -5
Post by daughterofthedryad on Dec 26, 2009 14:26:59 GMT -5
My little sister, who is in a wheelchair, got this for her doll for Christmas. She loves it, and I think it's great!
The frame is sturdy gray plastic, the wheels are real rubber and the front wheels swivel like a real chair. The chair is scaled to fit the doll, just like my little sis's chair is scaled to fit her. She loves that the big wheels have rims just like her own chair, so the doll can push herself. There are also handles on the back of the chair; ours weren't flimsy at all. I was really pleased with the brakes--they don't actually stop the wheels from moving but you can push them back and forth--the little brake handles are very sturdy and well-made.
I was really pleased with the footplates as well. They rotate just like a real chair's and you can make them go any way you want--however, you have to keep them at a certain slant for the doll to actually have her feet in them while sitting in the chair.
The doll fits very nicely in the chair and it's great that she can actually put her feet on the plates, since AG dolls aren't articulated. I have only one qualm about it--the seat! The back and the seat of the chair are made of plastic fabric that velcroes around the frame--but they're totally unsupportive, especially the seat. The back of the seat is attached to the frame but the front isn't, which means it doesn't support anything. The little pocket is cute, great for holding doll books or mini mags (not much else, though).
If this were a real chair for a disabled little girl (such as my sister), the seat and back would need to be made of hard, sturdy material and the arms would be able to flip up out of the way. It would also likely come with a tray that attaches to the arms. And, the footplates would swivel out away from the chair so the doll could back up to it in a standing position and then sit. Oh, and there would be a seat belt!
Despite these inaccuracies, my little sister is greatly pleased with her doll's chair and I think it's adorable. I see no need for it to fold up--it would be too complicated for little hands and serves no purpose (the chair is small enough to take places without having to fold it up). One thing I just thought of, if it were for a disabled girl the frame would be available in a color and the seat would likely be black, not the other way around! Apparently that's one thing the first doll chair got right.
Grade: A- for the wheelchair (minus for the flimsy seat and lack of a seat belt)
C if you're expecting an accurate reproduction of a wheelchair for the permanently disabled
The frame is sturdy gray plastic, the wheels are real rubber and the front wheels swivel like a real chair. The chair is scaled to fit the doll, just like my little sis's chair is scaled to fit her. She loves that the big wheels have rims just like her own chair, so the doll can push herself. There are also handles on the back of the chair; ours weren't flimsy at all. I was really pleased with the brakes--they don't actually stop the wheels from moving but you can push them back and forth--the little brake handles are very sturdy and well-made.
I was really pleased with the footplates as well. They rotate just like a real chair's and you can make them go any way you want--however, you have to keep them at a certain slant for the doll to actually have her feet in them while sitting in the chair.
The doll fits very nicely in the chair and it's great that she can actually put her feet on the plates, since AG dolls aren't articulated. I have only one qualm about it--the seat! The back and the seat of the chair are made of plastic fabric that velcroes around the frame--but they're totally unsupportive, especially the seat. The back of the seat is attached to the frame but the front isn't, which means it doesn't support anything. The little pocket is cute, great for holding doll books or mini mags (not much else, though).
If this were a real chair for a disabled little girl (such as my sister), the seat and back would need to be made of hard, sturdy material and the arms would be able to flip up out of the way. It would also likely come with a tray that attaches to the arms. And, the footplates would swivel out away from the chair so the doll could back up to it in a standing position and then sit. Oh, and there would be a seat belt!
Despite these inaccuracies, my little sister is greatly pleased with her doll's chair and I think it's adorable. I see no need for it to fold up--it would be too complicated for little hands and serves no purpose (the chair is small enough to take places without having to fold it up). One thing I just thought of, if it were for a disabled girl the frame would be available in a color and the seat would likely be black, not the other way around! Apparently that's one thing the first doll chair got right.
Grade: A- for the wheelchair (minus for the flimsy seat and lack of a seat belt)
C if you're expecting an accurate reproduction of a wheelchair for the permanently disabled
