Now if only Mattel could get the rights to the Talk Boy…

I’m not going to lie– I had a Fisher Price radio as a kid, complete with tape deck. Sure, mine was an actual working device that played music and recorded via microphone, but there’s nothing wrong with this vanity piece, is there? The one thing we did not have as kids was the Little Gamer, aka, The Game Boy inspired piece. I think these are cute and they are familiar. It’s a good way for little kids to play and become familiar with dead media since they likely won’t use it in their day.

Official press release via Fisher Price:

At Fisher-Price, we’re always looking for ways to create playful connections between children and the grownups in their lives.

Taking inspiration from the ‘80s and ‘90s, and the current pop culture interest in all things nostalgia, we’re launching retro-inspired toys for babies and toddlers through our Laugh & Learn® line – a boombox, a mixtape and a hand-held gaming device – that will remind parents and caregivers of gadgets from their youth and “introduce” these items to a new generation of children. The new toys include: 

Laugh & Learn® Puppy’s Mixtape – There was an art to making the perfect mixtape. With Puppy’s Mixtape, we’ve done the work for parents and caregivers, incorporating content that teaches the alphabet, counting, colors and more via songs, sounds and phrases. While I’m sure we all remember the challenge with cassette tape ribbon, we have made that experience fun for babies by introducing an interactive tape ribbon that little ones can wind up and down.  

• ​Laugh & Learn® Busy Boombox – One of our designers pulled an old boombox out of the attic, and quickly realized the product’s many knobs offered the opportunity for it to be turned into a toy. Enter the Busy Boombox, a light-up pretend stereo loaded with activities, music and sounds. The boombox’s cool tunes teach the alphabet, counting, colors and more as baby slides the station tuner, presses and toggles the switches, or opens and closes the cassette deck. When we tested the item in our Play Lab, kids loved it, gravitating toward the various buttons and levers.

• ​Laugh & Learn® Lil’ Gamer – This handheld “gaming console” takes families back to the ‘80s and ‘90s with a D-pad, A and B buttons, pretend game cartridge and a light-up screen. The toy integrates music, sounds and phrases, and teaches directions, colors, numbers and shapes. 
   

These products join current Laugh & Learn items including the Laugh & Learn® Servin’ Up Fun Food Truck, Laugh & Learn® Grow-the-Fun Garden to Kitchen™ and Laugh & Learn® Countin’ Reps Dumbbell, to name a few. 

Our Laugh & Learn line was created more than 15 years ago as a platform to teach the alphabet, counting, shapes and more through everyday objects children see at home. Now, this line will also bring those learning experiences to life through toy versions of nostalgic products that parents and caregivers grew up with.