Siku Firetruck: An Old-Fashioned Classic with Modern Appeal

In our house, most toys that blink, play music, or blink to musicultimately end up suffering one of two fates: either we forget toreplace the batteries when they die, or we accidentally leave them atgrandma’s house – oops! (Considering that it’s usually grandma that buysthose toys in the first place, it’s only right.)

But one toy has had more staying power than any other in our playroom,and there are no batteries required: the Siku Auxiliary FireTender. This 16" German-made truck is equipped with rolling rubbertires, a pretend light tower, two removable ladders, a water pumper(that shoots actual water!), and a removable hose rack. Five compartmentdoors pop open to reveal built-in extinguishers, nozzles, flashlights,and all of the essential tools any good fireman needs. No little piecesto lose! Jumpseat doors give access for three firefighters to ridealong, and front doors with moveable plastic mirrors provide room fortwo more – a driver and a captain. The driver is the only figure that’sincluded, but Darth Vader and Obi-Wan Kenobi have always been more thanwilling to hop in during an emergency.

I’m still amazed at how long my 4-year-old can entertain himself playingwith this truck, and although he’s hardly pitch-perfect, I never gettired of hearing the clang-clangs and woo-woos when they come from him.Siku makes a number of other emergency vehicles including a laddertruck, police car, ambulance, and boat trailer, once you’re ready to addto your collection.

– Erika