Laugh & Learn Smart Bounce & Spin Pony
© 2008 Fisher-Price, Inc.
Modeled after a stationary playground ride, the Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Smart Bounce Pony ($70, www.fisher-price.com) doubles as a wireless TV game controller. With each movement on the saddle, children as young as 18 months can trigger on-screen animations, sent to the TV via infrared signals. A roller on the handlebars provides additional effects. The software is especially designed for children as young as 18 months, using techniques that resemble the Comfy Keyboard, but works on your TV instead of a computer monitor. For example, at the easiest level, each bounce on the saddle introduces a new screen element. A spin of the roller bar will change between day and night. At the harder levels, counting and shapes are introduced. Drawbacks include an overly sugary narrator, and a setup menu that takes some fiddling. The headache-inducing carnival-like background music is on, by default, but it can be turned off if you can sort through the menus. But the biggest drawback is in the very slight delay between a child's bounce, and the screen effect, which limit stickiness of this toy. Unlike last year's bicycle, for older children, there's no game or story element. But of course, this is designed for younger children. The pony connects to your TV by way of a wireless infrared device. Parents select one of three levels of play and five learning scenes. Your child then hops in the saddle and bounces up and down, spinning around and rolling the roller ball on the handle bars. The more your child interacts, the more sound effects, songs and animations come to life, teaching letters, numbers, shapes, colors and opposites. The pony will also play songs and sound effects when not connected to your TV. You'll need 3 AAAs for the receiver and 3 Cs for the pony. This is one of those toys that will still have value, even if it is switched off. With this toy, children can (gasp) use their imaginations, and pretend to ride a real pony. Now that's a novel idea.
$70, Smart Toy
Teaches: letters, numbers, shapes, colors, opposites
CTR Rating: 82.5%