V-Tech smile - good buy for older children (VTech V.Smile TV Learning System)

Member Name: rrharmston

Product:	VTech V.Smile TV Learning System
Date:	02/02/09 (23 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: makes learning fun, plenty of games, cheap second hand

Disadvantages: expensive new, cost of books

Thanks to the woolies closing down sale my daughter received one of these as part of her Xmas presnts this year at the grand old age of three! I was attracted to the system as I would like to decrease her cbeebies watching and replace it with something more educational. System is meant to cater from 3-7 year olds but most three year olds will need a lot of help with the joystick :).

The system is usually bought as part of a package which includes either the blue system with Thomas the tank engine or a pink system with dora the explorer. The average cost of the package is around £40.00. The newer systems come complete with a small drawing pad, joy stick and a microphone. A second joystick can be added at extra cost for around £14.99 or less. The games focus on three different age groups which over lap slightly from 3-5, 4-6 and 5-7.

The system and games are meant to teach the following:
Letter Names and Sounds through phonics, spelling, reading and interaction with characters.
Introduces children to basic science and nature
Includes games which test the memory and develope logical thinking through games and answering questions
Encourages maths skills through counting of graphics

The system is very easy to set up - http://www.vtechuk.com/_download/HWGFCAJI.pdf.

Connect the V.Smile® TV Learning System to your TV or monitor by
plugging the coloured cables on the unit into the matching colour video
and audio input jacks on your TV set.
For TVs with stereo audio inputs:
- Connect the yellow plug on the V.Smile® cable to the
yellow video input terminal on your TV.
- Connect the white and red plugs on the V.Smile®
cable to the white and red audio input terminals on
your TV.
For TVs with a mono audio input:
- Connect the yellow plug on the V.Smile® cable to the
yellow video input terminal on your TV.
- Connect the white or red plug on the V.Smile® cable
to the white or red audio input terminal on your TV.
If there are no video and audio input sockets on the TV, you can connect
to the TV with the SCART socket using the SCART adapter (included).
1. Connect the SCART adapter to the SCART input socket of the TV.
2. Connect the 3 plugs to the sockets of the SCART adapter (yellow plug
to yellow socket; white plug to white socket; red plug to red socket).
3. Set the TV to "Video" mode

There are plenty of games available to go with the system. The details of many of them can be found at http://www.vtechuk.com. At £15 each RRP the price seems expensive for the graphics quality. The games vary greatly in price as well. I would check on both amazon and ebay as the system sells second hand for upwards of £10.00 but people often sell it with a bundle of games.

If you happen to have a budding artist then I would recommend the art studio which plugs into the smile system. If buying this second hand be aware that it needs the cartridge to operate.

V Smile Art Studio's touch-sensitive drawing pad looks like an artist's palette and has an interactive stylus which allows children to scribble, draw and learn while seeing their pictures on a television screen. It includes 12 activities and encourages children to draw shapes and create lovely pictures whilst saving on paper. Thankfully you can avoid toddler tantrums by saving up to five of the images they create. IT has a colour pallet and stamps as well.

Summary: Suitable for youn children too with adult help. Great entertainment