Education Toys

Showing posts with label International Playthings. Show all posts

Monday, August 27, 2012

Zanzoon Map World - Interactive Talking World Map Opinions

Price : $44.99

Zanzoon Map World - Interactive Talking World Map Opinions - This interactive talking map will teach you fun facts about the countries of the world by simply touching the map! You’ll hear detailed information about capitals, flags, languages, sites of interest and much more.

This review is from : Zanzoon Map World - Interactive Talking World Map
Educational but I am leery about the quality . This is a good educational product. It is a good map of the world and seems engaging to the young people who use it. The activities include quizzes about countries, learning languages, capitals, landmarks, flags and other interesting facts about countries. The map shows all of the countries' flags and capitals.

My biggest critique is that the sound is difficult to hear and it does not have headphone options. If there is any background noise, I have not been able to understand what it is saying. I think the durability is also questionable. It's use requires it to recognize pressing buttons for each country.

At this price, I would hope it would be long lasting.

Zanzoon Map World - Interactive Talking World Map Reviews
Educational and can be a fun game too . Just some background - this review is from my personal/adult opinion. I accidentally ordered this and realized this was too old for my kids.

As the description states, there are tons of countries, capitals, flags and other trivial facts available in this little gizmo. You can press on the country and it will tell you about it. You can press on another button, and it will start telling you which flag is which. I like how it has the ability for "two players" to play a trivia game, or, just one person can answer the questions. Either your kids can play on their own, or, perhaps you could use this on a Friday night instead of a board game.

A couple of things that would make it better:
-clearer speach/speaker - most of the time I can understand, but sometimes I can't (contributed to one star loss on ranking)
-ability to press on flag - like the countries, I would like to press on a flag and it tell me what it is. If it has the ability, I've overlooked it.

The map is pretty sizable. If you are laying it down, you'll need to do so on a hard surface (hard floor or a big table) - this will not work on carpet and probably not a bed. I haven't tried pinning it up on a wall. I'm not really sure how durable it is. I think it might last a while based on older kids using it and not abusing it.

My review is based on the product itself and does not consider the price. I think this can be a neat educational toy/item, but, I think you need to really think about the recipient and their family prior to the purchase.

Zanzoon Map World - Interactive Talking World Map Opinions
At Almost $50 This Is A Rather Spendy Toy . First of all I want to say that this product is definitely a children's toy recommended for ages six and up I have no idea how it ended up under office supplies initially. As to how much fun the toy is? For a child who loves maps, learning facts and playing by themselves likely lots of fun and I know those kids are out there as to a certain extent I was one myself. But for the child who only loves sports, outdoor activities or video games not too much fun. The educational value of the toy is great and I think just having a world map around the house is excellent for getting kids interested in geography and the world around them and this product has many more features than a regular map. I can see it being used by home schoolers who want their child to have a strong grounding in geography or in regular elementary or middle school classes where maps and world geography are a focus. As to the durability I can only say in our house it wouldn't last that long though we tend to be rougher than average on our belongings. If spending close to $50 on a toy I want it to be durable or one of a child's very favorite things that will last for years and I'm not sure this item would meet that criteria for many of the children I know.

Great Map for Kids! . This map is exactly what I was looking for! It's perfect in my son's room and he can learn learn and learn whenever he wants! Talking maps are the BEST!!!

Could be better . We purchased this map for our children ages 7 and 9. It is a fabulous idea. My kids are learning about all sorts of places around the world and it is peaking their interest in geography. I bought it at about 75% off. For the original price, this is NOT worth it. At the price I paid, it is. The quality is a bit lacking - was hoping for a "stiffer" type map that was laminated - not a flimsy one. Also, the voice is VERY hard to understand. So, the kids have a very hard time finding the country since they cannot even understand the voice. Overall, it is a great idea, just needs to be improved.

A Nice Educational Toy for Four and Five Year Olds . At first I thought this was going to be a tough item to review. Certainly, I couldn't sit down and play with it and write what I thought, because, well because I already know most, if not all, of the world's countries. I actually wanted to get this for my nephew, but he's eight and I don't think he's smarter than all the other kids in his class and he turned his nose up at this map. Of course, he plays Halo and loads of other video games, like most kids his age I'd imagine. So when they say this map is for ages six and up, I think they should be saying, six and not up.

So, I wound up giving this to the little four-year-old boy who follows my nephew around. He loves it, really loves it. He has an older sister, who is nine and she helps him when he can't pronounce something or doesn't understand something. After watching them play with this a couple times I think I'd revise the ages this toy is suited for to between four and six.

But other than the age thing, I do think this is a very educational map or toy, whichever you prefer to call it. I've seen how it captivates that four-year-old boy and how his older sister enjoys helping him with it, almost like she's a teacher. Before this, they didn't play together much, probably because of the five year age difference.

So, four stars from me. I would have giving it five, but I think it's a bit spendy and if I was a parent who shelled out half a C note for a game my eight-year-old, Halo playing son would scoff at, I'd be a little cheesed off. Four and five year olds, that's the right age for this.

Not what we hoped for . This map is a great idea that was executed poorly. At the very least, all countries big enough to put a thumb on should say their name when pressed, and a child ought to be able to press anywhere on a country to hear the name, not just a tiny star representing the location of the capitals. Made mistakes too, at least within Hungary.

A Useful Educational Toy Helps Kids Learn While Playing ! . This large package contains a 27 x 20" nice map of the world and can have your child learning while playing. The map is hung on the wall. It provides numerous animal facts, and a quiz mode to test the child's memory of what they have learned. It is loaded with animal pictures, sure to be enjoyed by even the younger children. It seems to hold the child's attention. The important information provided by this "toy" makes it valuable. The suggested sales price for Interactive Map World Talking Map is a little on the pricey side, but we have spent more money on children's toys that have far less educational value for our children.

Great educational toy . I recommend this map to children and adults. it's truly very useful and wonderful, it's more than a toy.
I like it so much

Cons Review

Broken at first use . Bought this for my daughter for Christmas. Just layed it out flat on the table and tried to play it last night and it seemed to work for a bit and then the audio would break into horrible static.

Product Image

Feature Zanzoon Map World - Interactive Talking World Map

Map size: 35.5" x 23.5"
Learn about each county - the capital, the language, special sites and monuments, and much more
Learn more than just where the countries are
Just touch the map and learn
Fun, interactive talking world map

BUY NOW Zanzoon Map World - Interactive Talking World Map

Product Details

EAN : 3760145119056
MPN : z11905
Brand : International Playthings
Weight : 2 pounds
Height : 3 inches
Length : 26 inches
Width : 12 inches
Binding : Toy
Manufacturer : Intl Inst for Human Empowerment Inc
Manufacturer Maximum Age : 99 years
Manufacturer Minimum Age : 6 years
Model : Z11905
Publisher : Intl Inst for Human Empowerment Inc
Release Date : 2010-10-15
SKU : Z11905
Studio : Intl Inst for Human Empowerment Inc

Where To Buy

You can buy Zanzoon Map World - Interactive Talking World Map on Amazon . Click here to Read More

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Zanzoon Animap - Interactive Talking Animals of the World Map Info

Price : $44.99

Zanzoon Animap - Interactive Talking Animals of the World Map Info - This interactive talking map will teach you fun facts about animals of the world by simply touching the map! You’ll hear real animal sounds as well as detailed information about habitats, diets and much more

Feature Zanzoon Animap - Interactive Talking Animals of the World Map

Map size: 27" x 20"
Learn about each animal - his animal sound, habitat, diet, fun facts and much more
Learn more than just the animals name
Just touch the map and learn
Fun, interactive talking world map

BUY NOW Zanzoon Animap - Interactive Talking Animals of the World Map

This review is from : Zanzoon Animap - Interactive Talking Animals of the World Map
good enough for a three year older . My three year old son has been playing this for a couple of days now and he seems to like it. The size of the map is not too small or not too big. I can say it's ideally sized for three year olds and younger children. The material of the map is multiple layered coated paper that seems durable in my opinion, although I would have to see how long it will actually last. I put this animap on the wall with thumbtacks and it's hanging well despite the weight of the plastic box that's on top of the map.
There are three main play modes in this animap, and my son likes the quiz mode. First, of course, he played the discover mode to what all the animals and buttons are, then he really seemed to enjoy the quiz mode. He also, actually, learned stuff he never knew before (continents and ocean names). One thing that made him confused was the non-animal buttons on the map. There are boats, airplanes, a helicopter, and a hot air balloon over the ocean or the continents, but they are not really buttons. As my son keeps pressing those non-animal buttons just like any other animal buttons on the map, there is no sound coming from these icons. My son was disappointed and confused and asked why these airplanes and boats did not work. I know this map focuses on the animals on the continents, yet it would have been nice if all the objects on the map were interactive, not just the animals. Also the buttons are not too easy to make it work; my son had to press really hard or find the right spot on the animal images. I wish the buttons were a little more sensitive so the kids can do easily.
The price seemed a bit high for what it is, yet this is not a bad educational toy for my son. I am sure there are apps for this kind of interactive toy and games on the iPad and iPhone app store (if you own those idevices) and they cost way less, but it's easier and convenient for kids to play with on the actual poster. Also it's more than four times bigger than an iPad screen so kids get to see the whole world map in a glance.
Overall, it's good enough for kids around three years old, but I would only recommend when the price gets a little bit cheaper.

Zanzoon Animap - Interactive Talking Animals of the World Map Reviews
Entertaining but too many weak spots . There is some good information in the Animap - habitats, diet, sounds, even music. It's entertained a two-year old and a five-year old for a few weeks now. The five-year old can even do quiz mode with a little help.

There are a few problems with it - one is that the sound is way too quiet. We often have to hold the speakers to our ears. Another is that the buttons are hard to press precisely - placing it on a hard surface helps, but little fingers have to push hard and in exactly the right place to make them work.

Their favorite thing to do is to dance to the South American music, but the quiz mode keeps the older one happy for a while.

For $45, the sound should be far better and the buttons easier to press.

Zanzoon Animap - Interactive Talking Animals of the World Map Opinions
Educational fun and much less obnoxious than Barney. . Remember the old See `n Say from Mattel? (Me neither- I'm much too young, but I've read about it in history books...) Well, if it got together with an old-school classroom wall map and had a baby, this would be the result.
The concept behind the Zanzoon Animap (Interactive Talking Animals of the World Map) is nothing new; in fact, it teaches the same lesson that parents have been teaching their kids for years, on their own in the real world and with books. The way that it teaches this lesson, however, not only engages kids' imaginations and holds their attention, it also makes it much easier to spot a guerilla, python, toucan, etc. (Not many toucan running around major cities these days...)

To use, you hang the map on a wall, and kids (or adults) touch a section of the world, then hear the sound of an animal who lives in that region. Along with the animals' "voices," the map also provides fun facts about the animals, including their habitat, diet, size, and much more.

Although listening to facts on kids' favorites can get a bit tedious, it's much (much, MUCH) less obnoxious that listening to Barney songs, and doesn't even compare to what I'm sure my parents put up with when I'd hold the arrow down on my old-school toy and pull the string listening to "the cow goes mooooooo" for hours on end. At least in this case it's more than just the sounds of the animals.

Highly recommended for teaching kids all about animals- their sounds, their homes, their favorite foods...

Just Okay . We got this on sale before Christmas for my 4 yr old son who LOVES animals. I wish the "voice" was clearer because he often asks me what animal or fact the map said. Also, it can be tough for little fingers to push hard enough for the map sensor to recognize they pushed the right animal/ocean/continent. So my son likes it, but gets frustrated when he can't understand it or it doesn't recognize his pushes. Would be a fantastic product if these two issues were fixed.

great . My 3 yr old daughter loves this, also it's a game fun for adults to play along with. the computer voice asks them to find certain animals/oceans, or they can just press everything on their own to learn about it. I would definitely recommend this.

Terrific map but has one flaw . Our 2.5 year old loves this map. It's got very authentic animal sounds & a sprinkling of information on each animal. The different musical intros for each continent help her grasp basic concepts of geography. However, the map has one flaw: its audio needs to be boosted. It doesn't have a volume button, so one can't adjust the volume. If it's quiet in the house, the pre-set volume is fine. However, if there's some ambient noise, the map audio might be too low.

Cons Review

Very little positive to say either about this or from it... . Maybe kids 20 years ago might have found this interesting for a little while. However, both technology and expectations have advanced well beyond this product. There's a lot wrong with it and very little that's right. To begin with it's very poorly built. Both the map and the electronics unit are flimsy plastic. The printing is at best adequate. The sound quality is terrible.

There are a lot of issues with the "games" as well. The questions are a boring series of monotones asking either "Can you find..." or "Can you show me...". If you press the wrong spot on the map you "rewarded" with a "waa, waa, waa". There is no mechanism to correct, educate, or provide further evaluation. If you don't answer in time (with the amount of time allowed fixed) this thing says either, "speed it up next time" or "too slow little explorer." Geography questions are limited to the oceans and continents.

This won't hold a child's interest for more than a few minutes. That's a good thing because it probably wouldn't last must longer than that anyway.

BTW, I feel that honest, effective reviews can take the place of first-hand experiences that are lacking in online shopping. I've always appreciated the help I've received from other reviewers and work hard to return the favor as best as I can. I hope you found this review helpful and if there was anything you thought was lacking or unclear leave a comment and I'll do what I can to fix it.

Provided About 15 Minutes Of Fun In My House . As the father of children aged 7, 5, and 3, I am no stranger to seeing fights over the latest, coolest toys that make their way into our house. When I pulled the map out for the kids, it was no exception. All three crowded around it and began punching away. When I came back into the room awhile later, I couldn't help but notice that the map was by itself on the floor.

I thought the concept of the map was quite fascinating. Here was an interactive way for the children to learn about the different animal sounds and some basic knowledge of their geography.

I sat down and began playing with the map myself. Getting the map to work is quite easy and my 3 year old was able to figure it out quite quickly. One of the things I liked about the map is the choice of animals. There is the distribution of the common animals that kids would recognize such as elephants, dolphins, lions, cows, pigs, and zebras for example. However, there were some interesting choices that I thought were great. My favorite was the beaver. I've been a hunter and have lived close to beaver habitats all my life, but to be honest, I had no idea what sound a beaver really made. There were other choices I thought were great were the dromedary and the kangaroo which I had no idea what sounds those made either.

If the map sits too long, it automatically goes into a quiz mode asking the user to identify the oceans, animals, and the continents. Buttons on the bottom of the map can be used to find out different information about the sounds, classification, habitat, eating habits, and simple facts about the animals. There are two quiz modes, but personally I found the "default" quiz mode that kept starting when the map sat kind of annoying (after the question, if you don't answer, it will give a "mwah-mwah-mwah" buzzer and tell you to speed it up next time. I do not cherish the thought of listening to this for 5 minutes every time the kids do not shut it off) so I did not want to investigate those farther.

Personally, after playing with the map, I had lukewarm feelings about this product. The product really needs a hard surface to work well. When I tried it on the carpet, it became much more difficult to push the various buttons on the map. The speaker quality is something I would expect out of an 80's era toy. The voice was muffled, scratchy, and sometimes very hard to understand. The animal sounds did seem fairly clear though. On hard surfaces, the buttons on the map do function quite well.

The bottom line, the map really did not hold the interest of my three children. It got quickly cast aside for other toys they already had. Granted, another child may find this the greatest thing on earth. The technology on this item has a dated feel to it in my opinion. I do think the map is a great concept, but the current design just seems a bit advanced to young children learning their animals and too childish for older children learning about natural science and geography.

Jon
11/23/10

Time will tell but so far it's a fun educational toy! . When I saw this product, my first thought was to get it for Devon! But after reading that it had some small pieces that could be a choking hazard for children under three, I had second thoughts. Even though he's almost four (next January), I didn't want to take the chance, knowing what a precocious child he is and that his mother can't monitor him every second.

I spoke to my daughter Debbie about Zanzoon Animap - Interactive Talking Animals of the World Map and she said she'd like to have it for her first grandson because she thinks it would be a great "bonding" toy. She plans to keep it at her house and instead of hanging it on the wall, get on the floor with him (down to his level) and enjoy learning (and playing) with him.

So I ended up giving it to Debbie. When she came to pick it up, we got down on the floor and checked it out together. (Hey, I got more bonding with my daughter... LOL) Well, most people already know what a big kid I am, so you might imagine how much fun Deb and I had touching different sections of the world and hearing sounds of animals that live there. It was fun to be reminded of other facts about those animals too: their diet, size, habitat and much more. It wasn't long before Deb and I were playing a game of our own as we tried to guess those facts before touching the board.

This game also has a quiz mode which tested our memory of what we'd heard. That was an unexpected feature I had not read about and I think it adds to the value of this game.

I'm impressed with the large size of this map (27" by 20"), by the animal photos and other miniature details, such as sharks, dolphins, whales and sea turtles in the oceans. There's even a helicopter, tiny boats and other things kids like to see and hear. Like some other reviewers, I wish this map had buttons on the planes and mechanical things pictured, but the concept behind the Zanzoon Animap, as the name implies, is to teach more about animals.

Since this game engaged our maximum attention, I'm pretty confident that Deb's grandson will enjoy it too...under her careful "watch." Since he's only a year old, this game will, undoubtedly, help Grandma babysit for several years.

Some reviewers feel that this is not high-tech enough for kids of this generation, but I disagree; I think it's perfect for kids from two (with supervision) to about five. Children will graduate from simple toys to high-tech in their own timing. In fact, they tend to discover those video games too soon for most parents, and once discovered, they become addicted at an alarming rate.

I also read that some parents get irritated by the repetitious sounds when their children choose a favorite to push over and over again. I can believe that because Deb got hooked on the elephant's trump while I kept wanting to hear the howl of the wolf. Truthfully, I'd prefer to hear any of those sounds rather than a blaring fire-engine siren or cop cars...but I wouldn't tell Devon that for the world. He loves his fire truck and all forms of vehicles.

If you're not concerned about a budget, I highly recommend this product for its educational value. It not only teaches kids about the animal kingdom, it also introduces them to maps and geography in a playful atmosphere. I reluctantly deduct one point because I think the actual value of the product should be about $35.00...or even $30.00. $45.00 in today's economy is a lot of money; it's almost half of a hundred... Ouch!

Reviewed by Betty Dravis, September 27, 2010
Author of "Dream Reachers" (with Chase Von) and other books

Basically Fun . This toy is basically fun. Maybe a little too simplistic for my six year old, but still she's basically enjoying it. She likes pressing the various animals and hearing the talk about them, playing the games where she's asked to find an animal or continent. My/her only qualms: there could be more information on the animals than the relatively simplified spiel offered for each; and when the kid is asked to locate a continent, it is unclear where on the sheet they are supposed to press to select the continent. Basically fun, but I'd say keep it to kids who are around four.