We received the Fisher-Price Smart Toy Bear as a gift for Christmas. After reading some reviews we thought we would share our own review and experience to let you know how we liked it.
From Fisher-Price
Who knew Smart could be so cute? Meet the Fisher-Price Smart Toy Bear — an interactive learning friend with all the brains of a computer, without the screen. The more your child plays with Smart Toy, the more this remarkable furry friend adapts to create personalized adventures the two of them will love! Sounds like the start of a true friendship… one that will help your child grow socially and emotionally, too. And thanks to unlimited Wi-Fi content updates through the free app, the fun never ends! What makes Smart Toy so smart? Revolutionary technology! Smart Toy listens and adapts to your child to figure out their favorite activities. With the help of voice and image recognition, Smart Toy recognizes your child’s voice and his Smart Cards so your child can choose what they want to do! And remember, with unlimited Wi-Fi content updates, there’s something new to learn and do every day. NO PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE DATA is transmitted by Smart Toy.
Our Fisher Price Smart Bear Experience
Anyone remember the Teddy Bear from the 80’s that you popped a cassette tape in and he told you stories and moved his mouth and eyes? Back then I thought he was pretty smart. Nowadays, cute talking bears have been replaced by other “smart” toys like tablets and video games that do all the thinking for your child and their sense of imagination is all but extinct, right??
Aha! Not anymore! Enter Fisher Price’s Smart Toy, an adorable, interactive friend who actually listens and adapts to your child to figure out their favorite activities. The Smart Toy is available as a super cute teddy bear with an adorable voice, a monkey, or a panda. With a small built in scanner much like a QR scanner for a smartphone, your Smart Toy scans individual “smart cards” that come with the toy that help he and your child pick new games, activities, even chores. Paired with the free parent control app, you the parent can chose what your child does with the Smart Toy as well (think activities like healthy snack time selection and tooth brushing.). I tested this out by leaving the bear alone in my daughters’ bedroom while they were playing an adventure story game with “Beary” (what my kiddos named him). From my command center on my app, I switched their activity to “clean up” time, and could hear Beary from the other room making clean up into a fun game…and get this…the girls actually got into it! I heard them laughing and running around the room, cleaning up and putting away toys and clothes. How amazing is that?? Mom and Beary for the WIN!
With the help of voice and image recognition, Smart Toy recognizes your child’s voice and his Smart Cards so your child can choose what they want to do. From the app, you can program the child’s name and your Smart Toy will address your child by name! And with unlimited wi-fi content updates, your Smart Toy will never run out of things to do with your child and their unlimited imaginations! But don’t worry, there is no personally identifiable information transmitted via wi-fi, and no visual or audio input to the toy that can be “hacked” by internet creeps with nothing but time on their hands. Totally safe! His hidden battery is rechargeable via included USB cable to your computer or charging block.
The toy is rated ages 3-8 by the manufacturer. My 2 year old loves to hold him but she doesn’t really understand the point of the cards and games yet, basically just likes pushing his bright glowing on/off switch on the pad of his foot. The 6 and 9 year olds though, LOVE Beary! They love his stories and especially his adventure games. The toy will have your child gather objects or props, like a blanket for use as a flying carpet, and come up with a crazy fun-filled adventure complete with sound effects that your children will love!
