| Talk 'n Play | |
| Type: | Interactive read along |
| Inventor: | Michael Freeman |
| Country: | United States |
| Company: | Child Guidance (1984-1985) Hasbro (1986-1991) Playskool (1992) |
| From: | 1985 |
| To: | 1992 |
| Website: | http://www.playskool.com/ |
| Slogan: | The Interactive Tape Playing and Recording System That Grows With Your Child |
Talk 'n Play was an American interactive desktop educational toy book reader with a built in microphone and action buttons that was sold from 1983 to 1992 as an entertaining and educational toy manufactured by Hasbro.[1] It appears to work utilizing the two sets of right/left tracks to have the "interactive" mono audio segments. It also provided a record capability so as a child could add in their own voice and create interactions with characters on the program. It was invented and Patented by Michael J. Freeman Ph.D. and licensed for use by the Children's Television Workshop (owners of Sesame Street) and the Walt Disney Company, among others (see list below). It is similar to adapted 4 channels of educational information (and recordings from the child) to produce interactivity, but the main voices were created and produced by Sesame Street and Disney characters under license. Because the toy contained an integrative book reader, some considered it an early lower tech version of the kindle. Talk 'n Play would say turn the page now.[2] Story programs were produced by others.[3] Talk 'n Play had many music programs where children could add in or take out, different instruments as the song is played.[4]
Talk 'n Play was considered 'way ahead of its time' because it was the first of this genre of educational toys that allowed children to directly interact with famous characters, via Freeman's system.[5] Talk 'N Play also won five awards for excellence in product design.[6]
First manufactured by CBS Toys under the brand name Child Guidance in 1984 as Electronic Talk 'n Play, it was later produced by Hasbro under the brand name Playskool in 1986 as Talk 'n Play. A smaller "portable" unit was also released under the Playskool brand name. Other non related items have been released from Hasbro bearing the mark Talk 'n Play.