A good set, especially on sale.

I'm a real big fan of the Little People sets, both in terms of message and fun. They're popular for toddlers and still get played with as they age up a little as well. To me this set is good, but a little disappointing in terms of what can be done with it. It's main draw is size and the figures it comes with, there are far less phrases and buttons to be pressed. Some of the smaller Little People sets I have, have a lot more to say than this one.

That being said, I still recommend it at sale price (I'm very frugal and I'd pay $50 for this) or as a gift to someone who doesn't have other Little People sets or many 'big' toys. There's still a lot of fun to be had and the animal (and man) figures are great for transferring to other playsets and games too. You can have a lot of fun hiding the figures around the house when they get a little older and playing 'find the figure'.

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Design
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The size of this set is really stunning and definitely makes a statement. To an adult, when it's on the floor it's not massive (about knee height on a short person), but for a toddler it's huge! It's also, impressively, designed to be used on both sides, so it's a 360 degree toy. On this note, I would love if it had some wheels or something to swivel it around, as if you have a small apartment it might be hard to find room to play with this that doesn't cover half the toy.

It comes with one man and some animal figurines. There are stickers that give some 'suggested' areas for the animals, but you can put them anywhere you like. The set is well-made, pleasing to the eye and the figures are especially cute. My set was great quality and didn't have any flaws or issues, as expected of a big brand like Fisher price.

I appreciate the inclusion of a volume mode. The quieter mode is perfect for early morning play or those times where you just need a bit more quiet, but on that note it can be a little difficult to hear. The louder mode is a normal volume, but might struggle to be heard in a loud house or with a kid who has hearing difficulties. It can, of course, also be turned off.

One thing I had trouble with as well was often pressing a button couldn't 'interrupt' another button and one of the buttons did also have a tendency to get stuck down.

This is the bilingual version, which means the English plays, followed by the French. As I've mentioned on other toys that are bilingual, my ideal would be a button which allows you to pick, French, English, or both. Toddlers don't get bored or frustrated (they are too young for such silly bothers) but unilingual parents might feel left out and unable to help 'play' or just find it annoying. While an extra language is always a plus, not everybody wants their kids to be bilingual, so it's definitely worth mentioning there is no sole language option on this.

It is, however, perfect to help teach your kids English and French together.

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Features
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Spinning water basin - The boat (and two extra pieces that you can put animals or the man on) can be rotated to give the impression that they are moving. They will also pass under and 'touch' the soft green vines (made of fabric). This is pretty fun and since it doesn't use any battery, that's also a plus!

Peek-a-boo bush - A cute feature that a plastic 2D bush pops up and down, revealing the animal hiding behind it. Kids enjoy using this one again and again.

Drop-through waterfall - Drop a figure down the waterfall. This one feels less well implemented, like an after-thought. The figure flies out at different angles, clatters a lot and makes a ton of noise. Needless to say, kids love it, but I worry about it smacking them in the head some day.

Zipline - This sweet little Gondola style zip-line is a massive hit and they have so much fun with it. Put a figurine in the car, move it to the left and then press the button for it to slide across to the other side on a slight angle.

Light up trees - A section of the trees lights up with a soft glowing light when you press the button, colours vary depending on the phrase and it plays different phrases and sounds, sometimes relating to the weather. Very cute and good for teaching.

Pop-up computer screen - Press the button and a different computer screen pops up, phrases have facts about animals. A little bit of education and they really love the pop-up screen.

Light-up nursery - Press the button to have soft, coloured lights in the grassy area and different phrases and songs play as well.

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Set-up
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Assembly is not as difficult as expected, though you'll need a large table (coffee table is fine) and help if you have back or mobility issues. it says put aside 30 minutes, but I feel 15-20 minutes is plenty. Most of the first few steps are click in and then you need to screw some stuff in as well due to the size (phillips screwdriver needed - crosshead), all the screws are the same size and mostly just there to keep it steady and together.

They've hit a home run with the instructions here, not only are they extremely clear, large sized and easy to read, but they even provide a video that is also easy to follow. To access the video scan the QR code (for those who aren't tech-savvy, a QR code is the square filled with squiggles) download a QR reader app on your phone and open it, using the phone's camera to 'scan' the code by holding the camera over the code. It will open the youtube link for you.

It's true that at one point, the way the instructions are printed, changes order slightly, but they are numbered, so just follow the numbers are you'll be fine. Everything fits together easily and is easy to screw in.

It needs 3 x AA batteries (not included).

The playset comes with all the needed parts for assembly (including an extra screw, but no screwdriver), which when assembled will make the 'Share & Care Safari'. It also comes with accessory figures; One human man/boy, a hippo, an elephant, a lion, a panda, a monkey and a bird. As always it has 'tabs' to connect to other Little People sets.

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SUMMARY
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Pros
+ Well-built and sturdy.
+ Assembly is clear and easy to follow.
+ Large size set that's very impressive.
+ Includes 7 cute figurines.
+ Has French and English.
+ Zipline Gondola and other fun activation features.
+ Songs and phrases and light up elements.
+ 2 different volume settings.

Cons
- Perhaps not as many phrases as some Little People toys.
- No way to select a single language, long phrases might annoy some parents.
- Batteries not included.

Recommended: Yes. I feel the price is a tad high, compared to other Little People playsets, so I would recommend getting it on sale, but it's definitely a good toy.