Kid-Friendly Audio Players: PLAYSKOOL Made for Me Digital Music Player
Pros: Very easy to use, Supports MP3, WMA and WAV files, MP3 unit works in other toys, basic playlist support, voice recorder
Cons: No headphone jack, much larger than other MP3 players, unable to add more memory
Ages: 0+
List Price: $80
The Player
The PLAYSKOOL Made for Me Digital Music Player is definitely an interesting product. Rather than creating their own MP3 player, PLAYSKOOL teamed up with Creative, a well known name in the computer audio world, and the result is something quite unique. This colorful, funky device is actually two parts: a player and a small MP3 Unit that slips into the back of the player. Without the MP3 Unit, the player can only play the six preloaded songs and 3 sounds effects. Connecting the 128MB MP3 Unit adds 51 additional preloaded songs, plus the ability to add your own songs.
The player has basic control buttons: next/previous buttons on the feet; a large play/next button with multi-colored lights that flash with the music; and pause and volume buttons. All of these, particularly the Play button, require very little pressure to activate, making them easy for younger children. There's also an on/off switch on the side. The MP3 Unit has a playlist button, three timer select buttons (1 song/15 minutes/30 minutes), a power button, and a voice recorder so you can record messages for your child. These buttons are harder to use, preventing them from being accidentally pushed during play.
The MP3 Unit can also be used in two other PLAYSKOOL Made For Me toys, the 2-in-1 Infant Gym ($40) and the Made For Me Day to Dream Soother ($35). This is a great way to extend the life of the MP3 Unit and I hope PLAYSKOOL will continue to expand the Made For Me line with additional toys.
Included with the player are a USB cable, software CD, printed manual, and 4 AAA batteries (installed). The Digital Music Player also comes with one of three cloth "Crib Connector Jammies" that wraps around the player and provides a secure method of attaching it to a crib rail. With the built-in timer, this makes this player a great way to sooth children at bedtime.
Software
I was impressed with the included Made for Me Music Library software. It's very easy to use and the included video will have you up and running in no time. You can browse your computer for WMA, MP3 or even WAV audio files, or you can copy a CD directly into the library. Unfortunately, there's no way to adjust the settings, so you're limited to 96Kbps WMA files. Not a huge deal, but I would have preferred being able to specify file settings. Like most CD-ripping programs, this software connects to the Internet to automatically find song and album information. Unfortunately, it couldn't find the information for my Arthur CD or several other CDs I tried, so I was forced to enter the song titles manually. This is not fun! Hopefully PLAYSKOOL will continue to add albums to the online database and this won't be an issue for long.
Once your songs are in the library you organize them using the four built-in playlists ("Playtime," "Sounds," "Soothing," and "Favorites." The preloaded music and songs are divided among the first three and "Favorites" is blank (unless you've made any voice recordings). There's no way to add additional playlists, but you can use these four for anything you like. Copying files to and from the MP3 Unit is very easy.
Testing
Once the songs were loaded I connected the MP3 Unit to the player and hit play. Volume was good and the sound quality from the built in speaker was fine. The flashing lights attracted the attention of our daughter and she enjoyed pressing the buttons to switch between tracks. The large play button was very easy for her to push, but perhaps too easy: the player seemed to be constantly switching between songs while she used it. During her testing the player also survived several falls onto hardwood floors. The only noticeable effect was the song changing. She was also a big fan of the "Crib Connector Jammies," even bringing them to me to put back on the player after I'd removed them.
Final Thoughts
I really like this player. It's tough, easy to use, and very kid-friendly. The built-in voice recorder is a great way to add a personal touch to your child's music experience. The lack of a headphone jack was initially a disappointment, but probably isn't an issue for this player's target audience. And while I didn't try the other toys that use the module, being able to swap music between multiple toys as your child grows is a great idea. I also appreciated the included batteries because my daughter was able to immediately started playing with the player as soon as it was out of the box. Kudos to PLAYSKOOL for including them!
