mp3 player for audiobooks and music - kids

[hjordan423]

Can anyone recommend an inexpensive mp3 player that my 7 and 8 year olds can use to listen to audiobooks (mostly from overdrive) as well as some music?  I don't really want to spend more than $50, but would love the ability to bookmark and switch to another book and/or music. 

 

Obviously, I don't need anything fancy or complicated with tons of features.  Can anyone help??  Thanks!!

[PeterPan]

Kindle fire.  That's mainly what my ds uses it for, audiobooks.  He's dyslexic and uses it a TON.  The parental controls are terrific, so you can turn off apps and wifi, whatever you want, but it will leave the audiobooks, the timers.  It has a camera, which again you can lock with parental controls.  So my ds listens to audiobooks and has alarms for everything we do during the day, but he only has access to apps *if* I turn them on.  LOVE our kindle.  

 

Oh, his is the kindle hdx (one model prior).  It has double speakers.  If the device you use doesn't have enough speaker power, they won't be able to hear very well while they play, etc.  I let him use earbuds, but I try to keep it just to cars, waiting in places, etc.  I'm always worried that being young he'll let the volume go too high and damage his hearing.  I'm more comfortable having him use the speakers around the house.  The double speakers on the hdx have plenty of volume.  I think some of the models are only single speakers.

Edited December 4, 2015 by OhElizabeth

[Dmmetler]

A cheap android cell phone (or an old cell phone if you have one in a drawer somewhere) that has a speakerphone capacity would work, too. Put the overdrive app and kindle app on it, take out the SIM card, and you've got a nice little music player/e-reader. Leave it on Airplane mode or disable wifi (and put a pass code on it) so it won't access the internet that way, and load stuff via USB. For most phones, you'll want to add an SD card for more storage space, which is a $10 item.

 

 

 

 

[debi21]

For mp3s, I bought something super simple last year for my five year old. Got it on sale for $15. Works fine - charges in a computer with the USB connector. I loaded it with tons and tons of kids songs for him and he enjoys it. Very few to no 'options' though. It plays through all the files but I think you can skip ahead if you don't like one. I see it's been discontinued, but I figure there must be another like it? http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007B5TRQ0?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_search_detailpage

 

[hjordan423]

Thank you so much for the ideas.  I never thought of using a Kindle Fire, but I think that's probably a good option for us.  Plus my husband just found some online for a very good price, so we'll give it a try.  :) 

[Jess4879]

Kindle fire.  That's mainly what my ds uses it for, audiobooks.  He's dyslexic and uses it a TON.  The parental controls are terrific, so you can turn off apps and wifi, whatever you want, but it will leave the audiobooks, the timers.  It has a camera, which again you can lock with parental controls.  So my ds listens to audiobooks and has alarms for everything we do during the day, but he only has access to apps *if* I turn them on.  LOVE our kindle.  

 

Oh, his is the kindle hdx (one model prior).  It has double speakers.  If the device you use doesn't have enough speaker power, they won't be able to hear very well while they play, etc.  I let him use earbuds, but I try to keep it just to cars, waiting in places, etc.  I'm always worried that being young he'll let the volume go too high and damage his hearing.  I'm more comfortable having him use the speakers around the house.  The double speakers on the hdx have plenty of volume.  I think some of the models are only single speakers.

 

Does the Kindle Fire have a built in dictionary (where they can tap a word they don't know and it will pronounce it and give a definition?) and does it highlight words as they follow along?

[shawthorne44]

With Audiobooks one thing you really want is the player to pick up where you left off even if it is the middle of the track.  Some sources, like Audible, have really really large tracks.  Most players assume music, and therefore always start at the beginning of the track.  

 

If the Fire doesn't work for you, a used Zen mp3 player from e-bay would work.