Alphie
© 2010 Playskool (Hasbro)
Drill and practice gets a new face, voice and brain, with this updated edition of one of the first robotic learning toys. Powered by three AA batteries (included) the 9 inch tall robot is controlled by inserting one of 30 two sided cards into his belly, covering every letter of the alphabet and numeral up to nine. The cards are color coded on the bottom so Alphie can keep things straight using an optical reader. There are eight possible button combinations so children can make matches (e.g., 2D shapes with 3D shapes; sets with numerals, and so on). The LED screen and light-up mouth gives Alphie a wide range of expressions. All in all, the modern Alphie experience is high in child control despite the excessive headache inducing narration (parents, take note: there's a volume slider button on Alphie's back). If a child gets tired of an activity, he or she can simply pull a card and start over. Content is tried and true "school readiness": shapes, colors, numbers, patterns and memory. Feedback is fast, varied and personal, and a smart battery saving system turns Alphie off after a few minutes of non-use. If you don't mind the chatter, Alphie would work well in an early childhood classroom, as a portable, self-contained skill reinforcement center.
$40, Smart Toy
Teaches: alphabet, animal names, colors, shapes, matching, rhyming
CTR Rating: 86%