what do you think of ELC

[sweets]

is it just me or does anyone else find the early learning centre very stereotypical?

i recently bought my my mindees one of the mini sizzling kitchens and was fed up of having a big one in my dining room. ELC only do it in pink or blue! so as i have a mixture of mindees i got blue.

i mentioned it to a friend and she said she would love to buy her son the larger wooden kitchen from there as its lovely and is a good price, but they only do it in Pink!! she had enough trouble persuading her husband that their little boy would love a kitchen but there is no way that he would let him have a pink one.

there is other household type things that they only do in pink as well. what on earth is wrong with green or purple?

[Tink]

Totally agree i went in the other week to buy some paintbrushes and they only had pink or blue ones then, i'm sure Ofsted would love that.
I don't tend to shop in there for that reason, it's the same with the characters boys - blue tops, girls - pink dresses like you say, green and purple would work just as well

[Polly2]

It s also extremely over priced :(

[ORKSIE]

It s also extremely over priced :(

I totally agree:thumbsup:

[LOOPYLISA]

Ive never liked elc :blush:

[Pudding Girl]

I love the ELC things, very well made mostly but yes it annoys me too that dolls houses and household things are always in blooming pink :mad: I remember when ELC first came out, that advert with Barbie and Action Man, anyone else recall it, they made a big thing of saying they'd never have stereotypical things or TV character things in store.

hmmmmmm!

[youarewhatyoueat]

It always used to be primary colours when I first bought it, then went to the awful pastel colours, nw the pink/blue, I hate it but only buy it with a 20% code and free delivery or on boots.com when its 3 for 2 and then its not too bad for the money. But you can get such fab wooden things and natural colours I try to buy them, but I can't afford to replace all the plastic stuff i've got.

[singingcactus]

Not just ELC. I had this problem all over when I was looking for something for my son for his birthday, and when I was looking for a small world house for the setting, and even for a generic coloured toy box!

[Playmate]

I love the ELC things, very well made mostly but yes it annoys me too that dolls houses and household things are always in blooming pink :mad: I remember when ELC first came out, that advert with Barbie and Action Man, anyone else recall it, they made a big thing of saying they'd never have stereotypical things or TV character things in store.

hmmmmmm!

I remember this well. I started shopping in ELC 20 yrs ago when my nephew was born, there stuff was fab and in primary colours. Now it is very rare I shop there :(

[flora]

I have been shopping at Elc for near enough 20yrs and I have notived the changes too :(

The thing is they have been taken over many times by new" parent" companies and I supose every company has a new vision for the stores.

I do spend in there, but it is a pain ahveing to choose blue or pink for stuff. If I buy blue the girls will moan if they find out they do it in pink and the boys moan if it's in pink.

I did mention this to the store manager at my local branch and she said they had had loads of complaints about the new colour ways but from playschools/ cm's but that parent reasearch by HQ said that they liked all the pink stuff for the girls :( so they are doing what the consumer wants :rolleyes:

[FizzysFriends]

I always thought they did it so you people where more reluctant to hand things down to their other children if they have different sex children.

Debenhams have happyland reduced, I think some of it is half price today.

[Spangles]

I think the same and mentioned it to them months ago and they said they do pink and blue because thats what the majority of their customers want?

[Tinglesnark]

i agree. i just bought a plain wood dolls house from toysrus for charlie who also loves 'girls things' they are good for plain colours and even have a brown kitchen...
:blush: tangent there oops lol

[cuffleygirl]

I loved it years ago - anyone remember their clothes - they were fantastic funky, different and washed beautifully too! The whole premise was the Early LEARNING Centre focused on learning through fun - Ofsted would have loved it in those days.

Now its overpriced and garish.

[Gizmo]

I was in at the weekend and was shocked at the prices, even with the SCMA 10% off still very expensive really missing Woolies

[PixiePetal]

I have been shopping there for over 20 years but now there's not much I would buy as it is so pink/blue. I hate it. :angry:

It's so naff :(

[madasahatter]

I think in these days of supposed equality it is amazing that companies such as ElC and Argos are perpetuating stereotypical views of what is supposedly male and female.
I complained to John Lewis a few months ago because I saw an online ad for their 'boys toys' and I said it was sexist etc. I got a sort of apology back.

[helenlc]

I complained to John Lewis a few months ago because I saw an online ad for their 'boys toys' and I said it was sexist etc. I got a sort of apology back.

I complained to Marks and Spencers a couple of months ago as they launched a Formula One inspired BOYS clothing range in conjunction with Maclaren. I asked them to explain why this was aimed at just boys as my daughter and I are avid followers of the motor racing. They said that "customer research" showed that the majority of followers of Formula 1 were male. I also complained to the Maclaren Formula 1 team as well for the same reason.

They did sort of apologize but I was raving :angry: - DDC saw my FB status!!!

I think its bad that in the present state of equality in everything that things are still pink for girls and blue for boys. I have looked at getting the sizzling kitchen from ELC but couldnt decide whether to get pink or blue so have left it.

They do some nice things but they are expensive. I tend to have a look through their catalogue for ideas and then go online to source cheaper equivalents or get second hand ones on Ebay.

[LisaH]

I think their multi cultural toys are sadly lacking these days too!!:(

[Minstrel]

My three yr old son got some play food and a little 'sweet shop' from argos for his birthday. On the packaging it said 'Dept- Girls Toys' :angry:

[Daddy Day Care]

I complained to Marks and Spencers a couple of months ago as they launched a Formula One inspired BOYS clothing range in conjunction with Maclaren. I asked them to explain why this was aimed at just boys as my daughter and I are avid followers of the motor racing. They said that "customer research" showed that the majority of followers of Formula 1 were male. I also complained to the Maclaren Formula 1 team as well for the same reason.

They did sort of apologize but I was raving :angry: - DDC saw my FB status!!!


Ohhhh yes i remember that, she wasnt happy actually quite scared me lol

Dont know about the colours becuase I dont go in elc enough but I do think everything is massivley over priced.

My ds is terrififed of animals but yet he loves animalbooks and animal figures, id love to get him a laod from elc but @ £8 each (and they aint the bigger ones) hewont be getting that many

[Winnie]

Its also mostly plastic. Pink or blue plastic rubbish. They do do a nice range of wooden stuff and a few bits in red and black- i got a pop up toy box and a sensory ball pit- but I dont buy much from them. And they are too expensive.