missesd Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 (edited) A dang iPod Shuffle... seriously, I thought I was insane for buying a 4yr old an Apple iPod. But her 15 yr old sister got a Nano, and before we redid the bedrooms, her and her 6 yr old sister would fight EVERY night as to who got to listen to it. We resorted to a splitter and my night of getting them to bed every night became IMMENSELY easier!! So when we got our taxes, for my own sanity, I bought each of them their own little shuffles. I looked at the "kid" MP3 players, but they were all big and bulky, and cost about the same. I liked that the Shuffle could be clipped to a pr of pants or put in a pocket. We had a Barbie MP3 player, my husband never put any extra music on it for my daughter. I am not sure if it was complicated or a PITA. We also had the Fisher Price FP3 player at one time, now my daughter loved it, but the songs all had to converted to FP3's :confused: This is soooooo much simpler. I, personally, know nothing about iPods but my older daughter or son can add their music without a problem :) Joy, for me!! She literally plays with her Shuffle EVERY day. Walks around the house singing her little songs, so thrilled her little "toy". TOTALLY worth the money... I just thought I'd pass it along... I did have to buy different headphones for it though. The Apple ones are too big and even hurt my ears. So I got them ear buds, with a kid friendly size cover, or whatever you call them. Edited March 7, 2011 by missesd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3lilreds in NC Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 I am seriously considering getting one for Schmooey, who will be 4 in August. :D He does really well with my iPod touch and I know he would love having his own. His sisters would be jealous though, because they have old-style Nanos. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missesd Posted March 7, 2011 Author Share Posted March 7, 2011 I am seriously considering getting one for Schmooey, who will be 4 in August. :D He does really well with my iPod touch and I know he would love having his own. His sisters would be jealous though, because they have old-style Nanos. :lol: I totally would, maybe you could see about getting them a refurbished one at Christmas time. Out of all the toys we have bought and the $$ spent, this is literally the best thing I ever spent money on. The 6 yr old likes hers too, but I see my 4 yr old use hers WAY more... ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missesd Posted March 7, 2011 Author Share Posted March 7, 2011 (edited) I also got this: http://www.amazon.com/Earbuds-Travel-Case-JBuds-Black/dp/B000PIYTEK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1299473673&sr=8-1 to put them in. Fits perfectly, and it's got a hard-ish shell to protect them. When their down they take off the headphones, wind them up how I showed them and put the Shuffle in the pocket and the headphones below. Then they get stored in my desk, when they want them, they just come ask :) This one's even cheaper: http://www.amazon.com/JPTC90-Samba-Premium-Earbuds-Travel/dp/B000LS2HGQ/ref=sr_1_4?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1299473869&sr=1-4 Edited March 7, 2011 by missesd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weddell Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 My 2 and 5 year old LOVE their mp3 players! I didn't get apple ones, although I can see if siblings had them why you would. I bought Sansa Fuzes from Woot.com (a one item a day sale site with great prices). I converted a bunch of videos to add (for long car rides) and then music and audiobooks. For headphones I saw an idea on a blog about making your own isolation headphones. You take a pair of the big ear muff headphones that people use for protecting their ears at concerts or doing loud work. Then you take regular over the ear headphones and pop the headband off. Put the ear speakers into the big earmuff ear spaces and then you have a pair of isolation headphones! They are great for car rides, plane rides, or blocking out noises around you. That way kids can keep the volume low on their mp3 players and still hear what they are listening to. Plus, isolation head phones don't really come in kid sizes and I was able to buy the kid protection earmuffs on amazon so they fit both kids. Here is a video demo that I copied. I used a different brand than he did and with the earmuff/headphone combo I bought, I didn't need to take the outer pads off. http://www.metacafe.com/watch/548578/headphone_hack_make_you_own_noise_eliminating_headset/ http://www.amazon.com/Peltor-90554-Kids-Earmuff-Blue/dp/B001ET5XAI/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1299482875&sr=8-2 http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-RP-HT21-Lightweight-Headphones-Port/dp/B00004T8R2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1299484275&sr=8-1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missesd Posted March 7, 2011 Author Share Posted March 7, 2011 My 2 and 5 year old LOVE their mp3 players! I didn't get apple ones, although I can see if siblings had them why you would. I bought Sansa Fuzes from Woot.com (a one item a day sale site with great prices). I converted a bunch of videos to add (for long car rides) and then music and audiobooks. For headphones I saw an idea on a blog about making your own isolation headphones. You take a pair of the big ear muff headphones that people use for protecting their ears at concerts or doing loud work. Then you take regular over the ear headphones and pop the headband off. Put the ear speakers into the big earmuff ear spaces and then you have a pair of isolation headphones! They are great for car rides, plane rides, or blocking out noises around you. That way kids can keep the volume low on their mp3 players and still hear what they are listening to. Plus, isolation head phones don't really come in kid sizes and I was able to buy the kid protection earmuffs on amazon so they fit both kids. Here is a video demo that I copied. I used a different brand than he did and with the earmuff/headphone combo I bought, I didn't need to take the outer pads off. http://www.metacafe.com/watch/548578/headphone_hack_make_you_own_noise_eliminating_headset/ http://www.amazon.com/Peltor-90554-Kids-Earmuff-Blue/dp/B001ET5XAI/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1299482875&sr=8-2 http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-RP-HT21-Lightweight-Headphones-Port/dp/B00004T8R2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1299484275&sr=8-1 The videos and headphones sound cool!! I am not sure if they would have liked the headphones, but they would have LOVED the video, and my olders would have worshiped me at not having to watch Wonder Pets for the 100th time ;) LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knit247 Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 (edited) My daughters got their 1st iPods at (almost) 4 and 6. DH bought them 1st gen. Shuffles on eBay for about $20 dollars each, if that. They took amazing care of their iPods (I think I took them away for leaving them out just a handful of times) and used them constantly for three years! We also bought these Sony headphones for children, which have held up remarkably well. Just this past Christmas they got 5th gen. Nanos and love-love-love them! Besides music, I put their AWANA CDs, Prima Latina lessons, and children's podcasts on their iPods. It's been a great "toy" here as well! ETA: Also Geography Songs CD - they love those! Edited March 7, 2011 by FindingLaurie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missesd Posted March 7, 2011 Author Share Posted March 7, 2011 Besides music, I put their AWANA CDs, Prima Latina lessons, and children's podcasts on their iPods. It's been a great "toy" here as well! Wiw, uses I never thought of!! What a good investment... if they take really good care of these, I might have to track down some of the older 5th generation Nano's like my girls have :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jelbe5 Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 We are a Mac/Apple only family here and always have been. Last fall, before we went on a long car-ride vacation, we purchased two refurbished iPod touches for each of our girls. We have never owned DS devices and figured the touches were better because they hold music as well as games (educational ones as well as "just for fun"). My son now has one as I upgraded to a newer touch a few months ago and passed my old one to him. They all take good care of the devices and enjoy them. The have been one of the better "toys" we have invested in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knit247 Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 Last fall, before we went on a long car-ride vacation, we purchased two refurbished iPod touches for each of our girls...The have been one of the better "toys" we have invested in. I actually wish that Santa brought iPod Touches instead of the Nanos. maybe next year! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nd293 Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 Walks around the house singing her little songs, so thrilled her little "toy". TOTALLY worth the money... I just thought I'd pass it along... I have one word for you .... AUDIOBOOKS! Dd has loved audiobooks from when we first started getting them for her on CD at aged 4, and still listens to them at 10 on her iPod. Try www.storynory.com for free stories suitable for younger kiddies, or buy from www.audible.com. We got ds an mp3 player before he was 2yrs, after I downloaded some kids' music to my cell phone and discovered it would calm my car-hating toddler for a short while. It was also an excellent purchase. We went with a little Zen model as ds was too young for headphones, and the Zen has a speaker option. It was a life-saver on car and plane trips. Nikki Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cera Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 I felt quite foolish when we bought shuffles for our girls when they were 4 and 2 but it was the best investment. They were $39 each refurbished and gave me the ability to walk or jog with the girls without constant negotiation and complaint (I was jogging 1 to 1/2 hours a day and they were complaining the entire time). Now at 4 and 6 they still work perfectly and the girls have learned to add and remove music/books. I often find my 4 year old laying in bed "reading" along with audiobooks she has loaded on it. The 6 year old willingly does her chores if she has her ipod on. (The only issue we have had is with the volume so we bought volume limiting headphones). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlsdMama Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 I admit it. Our four year old (and 7yo, and 9yo, and 14yo) all have Shuffles. :D I love that they can share songs. I love no radio tuner option. And you should know I wasn't above loading it with all Bible songs and ABC songs. DS got a Sansa for listening to books on tape. I'd love to have something I can flip through (see and choose titles) w/o the radio tuner option for my less discerning children. Would hate to see my 4yo shaking it to an obscene little song and learning the lyrics... Well, or my 14yo either. :glare: But, yes, love the Shuffle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissel Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 I have one word for you .... AUDIOBOOKS! Dd has loved audiobooks from when we first started getting them for her on CD at aged 4, and still listens to them at 10 on her iPod. Try www.storynory.com for free stories suitable for younger kiddies, or buy from www.audible.com. I was going to say the same thing. We bought Sansas for our two last year, and it's been terrific. I don't even think they have any music on their Sansas, now that I think about it! If you want to put some audiobooks on there, check with your library. Ours has a downloadable audiobook library that we use almost as much as we use the regular library. The majority of the books are in WMA format, which is why we ended up going with the Sansas and not iPods, but the number of MP3 books available is growing every month. You could also burn audiobooks from discs from the library, and then just delete them when your lending period is up. And Storynory rocks! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristusG Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 Best gift I ever gave my kids was their iPod Touches. They each got one two Christmases ago when they were 2 years old and 5 years old. Now they are almost 4 and almost 7.....it's still the most used gift they've ever received. Kid friendly music, home videos, kid TV shows and movies, educational apps, game apps, family photos.....everything they could want! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blondeviolin Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 Whenever I get asked about leapster/vreader/mobigo whatever I ALWAYS recommend just springing for an iPod. MUCH better and will grow with the child! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.