Fisher-Price Elmo Live

Product Description

Is it live or is it Elmo Live? For the first time ever, in this truly life-like creation, Elmo really appears to be speaking as his mouth opens and closes just like a muppet. His mannerisms are right on target and his head bobbles back and forth as he speaks. Elmo waves his arms, sits and stands, and even crosses his legs while telling stories and jokes, singing songs and playing games. Children can activate the magic with a tickle or a squeeze of Elmo's foot, tummy, back or nose. Requires 6 "AA" batteries, included. Measures 12" tall.

Amazon.com Review

Elmo fans will delight in Elmo Live! This latest version of everyone's favorite Sesame Street character has Elmo talking, singing, telling jokes, and a lot more. With an interactive style, Elmo Live! encourages creative play, and with his wide variety of actions, he can entertain a kids through different stages of their development, from 18 months onward.

What We Think Fun Factor: Durability: (what this means) The Good: Talking, moving Elmo doll provides interactive fun for kids of many ages The Bad: Speaking voice is sometimes difficult to understand In a Nutshell: Elmo Live! has more movements and actions than ever, making for even more realistic, interactive play for children of many ages. At a Glance Ages: 18 months and up Requires: 6 AA batteries, Phillips screwdriver

Elmo's always appreciates a hug. View Larger.

Interactive gestures bring Elmo to life. View larger.

Moving, Talking, Dancing Elmo!
Elmo Live! features the furry, bright-red exterior and the big eyes characteristic of the popular Sesame Street character. He features complex actions that give him a life-like quality: His mouth and head move while he talks, sings, and tells stories; he gestures with his arms, and he moves his legs. He even crosses his legs when he sits on the included stool.

We found him very easy to play with -- just press his buttons to get him going. Press Elmo's foot and he will sit down on his stool to tell you a story. He even gestures to act out parts of his stories! Squeeze his nose, and he'll make a variety of silly sounds; he'll even ask you if you "have his nose" and ask you to give it back to him. Squeeze his hand, and he'll dance. Elmo even blows kisses, asks for hugs, and says he loves you. He tells jokes, acts ticklish, and more.

When he's laid on his back, or if your child doesn't play with him for a while, Elmo will go into a battery-save mode. He'll yawn, say he's tired, and shut down. Just press one of his buttons to get him going again.

Interactive Fun for Kids of Many Ages
We particularly enjoyed that, unlike some other "talking" toys, Elmo Live! doesn't just spout programmed phrases. Instead, he asks for interaction, and he responds as if your child is responding to him. For example, when he will ask for a hug and then say "thank you" as if he's received one, or he'll say he's ticklish and then will "respond" as if your child is tickling him. This makes an almost magical experience for your child, as if her toy is really coming to life.

The wide variety of things that Elmo Live! can do makes him a great toy to grow with your child. Younger children can engage in cause-and-effect play by simply pressing Elmo's buttons to see what he does. Our two-year-old tester was especially delighted with the silly sounds Elmo makes when his nose is squeezed. Understandably, her attention meandered during the somewhat lengthy stories. However, an older child will have the attention span and comprehension skills to appreciate them, as well as the silly jokes that Elmo tells.

Tips on Playing with Elmo! Live
Elmo makes lots of fun movements and gestures -- the only slight drawback is that his movements generate a somewhat loud, mechanical sound that sometimes interferes with being able to understand what Elmo is saying. He also has to be on a hard, flat surface -- otherwise he has a tendency to fall over. This in itself has a fun effect, however. When he falls over, Elmo asks you to help him back up again, and when he's put back upright, he'll say "thank you." Also, since his nose has to be squeezed with a bit of force to activate him, our two-year-old tester sometimes needed assistance with it.

Elmo Live! comes with 6 AA batteries. A Phillips screwdriver is required to replace them.

What's in the Box
Elmo Live! doll, with 6 AA batteries included

Don't buy from buyarena (Tanya Allen, Sacramento, Ca, 2008-12-01)

Don't buy from buyarena this toy or anything else. Buyarena overcharged me by double for this toy. While I have contacted them they have yet to contact me. I want to warn you although it was bought on the amazon site, the seller charged double. When I wanted to return it they cannot be found. I have had a very negative experience, my first on amazon with no resolution at all.

A little creepy and very off balance (Gloria Dempsey, California, MD USA, 2008-12-01)

Elmo makes very loud mechanical sounds when it moves and talks - you can hear the mechanisms moving inside.

There are 3 buttons to push to help Elmo interact with your child - the one on the left foot is the easiest to find, the one on the chest and back are a little more challenging for my 2 year old to push.

When you push Elmo's foot - he tells you a story. He also lifts his one leg which throws him off balance and he falls down every time even with the little stool provided. This gets rather annoying and after picking Elmo up 2 or more times, my son is done with the toy. The stool is about 1 inch too short to actually support elmo. My suggestion is to lean Elmo up against something taller to support him on that side.

Elmo dancing, sneezing, kissing your child and asking for hugs gets a little creepy after only a few minutes and my toddler is bored to death with it. He is more interested in things that go and things that keep him involved.

This toy is a good idea in theory, but in practice, it doesn't engage children as much as advertised or provide them with any educational value.

Amazon sucks (Jay B. Maurer, NEW JERSEY, 2008-12-01)

Considering Amazon sent this to my wrong address, and UPS delivered it to my old address bc Amazon told them too - I rate this toy horribly since I never got it, and no one offered to help

Elmo Live (S. Beatie, Jacksonville, Florida, 2008-11-30)

What can you say, everyone loves Elmo! He is adorable. I bought this for a christmas present for my grandson.

Great for my Elmo-loving daughter, but doesn't work right (C. LaRue, Panama City Beach, FL, 2008-11-29)

My daughter received this as an early 2nd birthday present a few weeks ago. She immediately adored it and spends 20-30 minutes a day playing with it by herself, which is great when I'm cooking or doing something else. At first she tried to pick it up and hug it like her Tickle Me Elmo doll (that I got a garage sale for a song), but after a few days she realized that it was better to just let him do his thing without her hugging on him.

After about a week we noticed that Elmo would start singing a song or telling a joke and then would abruptly stop and go back to his "rest state" with his arms down and face forward. After pulling out the directions, I realized that this isn't right (duh!)... but I also realized that he has an additional "hotspot" on his back that we've never been able to get to work!

So, I called Fisher Price and complained, and the response was less than satisfying. They told me they would send me a mailing label but that I had to pay for shipping it back to them. They would then send me a new Elmo Live. I was surprised that I had to pay for shipping back to them for a defective toy. The agent seemed very proud that they wouldn't require me to provide a receipt or the packaging. I commented that in the past few years I've had to return several defective products to manufacturers and I've NEVER had to pay for shipping. But the only way I could get this item replaced is to comply.

I guess I'll wait for the shipping label to arrive then I'll package it up and send it off and try to explain to my 2 year old where her new Elmo went. :(