Best Toys

Need a good way to help your child get rid of all his excess energy and learn something at the same time? The Fisher-Price Smart Fit may just be the solution you are looking for. This system connects straight to your TV with a set of cords and requires only the mat to function. (The mat does need 4 AA batteries which are not included.) No need to load a DVD or game to be able to see the characters on your TV screen. Intended for children ages 3 to 6, it teaches numbers, letters, colors, and shapes with the use of games, music, races, and timed challenges. Set up is very simple. Just plug the mat into your TV and it is ready to go. Even young children can do it. Since it is so easy to do, your child will be able to play whenever he wants to without needing your help.

The goal of these kids toys is to help children learn and also keep them physically active. “Get up, Get smart, Get going!” is the catchy phrase attached to this line of toys.

The mat includes 8 different modes of activities with 18 challenges, games, and races that are responsive to walking, running, jumping, and stomping. The faster your child moves the faster the characters move on the screen. They also respond to lateral movement which is an exceptional feature. Another really neat feature is that your child can customize the on-screen characters themselves. Your child will love the fact that these on-screen characters are also able to interact with them.

The Fisher-Price Smart Fit will help your child learn their letters, learn to spell, learn their numbers, learn to counting, identify shapes, identify colors, enjoy music, learn to add and subtract, and develop better motor skills. They will enjoy participating in a scavenger hunt to find letters, the marching band to work on fast and slow motion activities, playing hopscotch math to do simple math problems, and the final race to see if they can beat their on-screen friends. Other games include paddle splash, the jump rope challenge, an obstacle course, and “Let’s explore.”

The mat itself has the alphabet printed along the left and right sides, numbers 1 through 10 along the bottom with a picture of a sidewalk down the middle. It also has a picture of a swing in a tree on the left side, a picture of a slide on the right side, and a red circle, orange square, yellow triangle, and blue star on the top. The bright colors make the mat kid friendly.

The first activity on the Fisher-Price Smart Fit is a warm-up session that includes four learning games and three timed challenges. Using music and a variety of learning activities your child will have fun getting ready for the final race. The movements involved help your child learn the moves that are needed to play all the games included in the mat.

Mom and Dad will be pleased to know that the mat is made of plastic and can be wiped clean with a dry cloth. The mat will fit in almost any space being 33 x 28 x 1.5 inches making it one of the top toys your children will want to play with.

This item will turn any room in your house into a place to learn. It is easy to see that this toy will be one of the top toys for Christmas 2009. Fisher-Price has done it again, found an inventive way for your child to learn and have fun at the same time.

The new Fisher-Price Smart Fit is Available from Amazon for $49.99