The Bottom Line
Pros
- Combining basketball goal and football goalposts in one toy is a clever idea.
- It adjusts from 4 feet tall to 6 feet tall, which is taller than many similar outdoor toys.
Cons
- If kids play with a full-sized basketball, the rim falls down with every shot.
- Threading the net was much too difficult and I ultimately failed at it.
Description
- Outdoor toy combines basketball and football play into one toy.
- Comes with a tiny basketball and a tiny football.
- Unfortunately, it cannot stand up to kids playing with a full-sized basketball.
Guide Review - Step2 Double Play Basketball and Football Set
Step2's Double Play Basketball and Football Set is a clever idea. It's relatively simple to release the center portion of the backboard and turn it into tiny football goalposts. (My neighbor said, "If your kid can kick that field goal, he's going straight to the NFL!")
I loved the idea when I saw it at Toy Fair, but was disappointed after a few days of playing with it. The problem is in the product design. The basketball rim is made to snap down for football play, and as soon as my sons threw a full-sized basketball through the hoop a few times, it began falling down with every basket.
Now, here's my challenge. Is it fair to criticize this outdoor toy because it doesn't stand up to play with a full-sized ball? My family, like many, has an adult-sized basketball hoop attached to the garage, but it's too tall for my little kids. While my husband and I battle it out in heated games of H-O-R-S-E, the kids like to shoot at the toy basketball hoop, and it's just not practical to expect them to only play with the tiny, cheesy little ball that came with the toy.
It comes with a tiny basketball and football after all, and it's safe to assume that the manufacturer didn't intend it for this kind of play. It is worth mentioning that the rim is big enough to accommodate a full-sized ball.
I was just disappointed that it didn't last longer under "normal" use.