50 out of 50 people found this review helpful.
I wasn't sure at first, but it is great! Elmo Live by Fisher-Price
Date of Review: Apr 13, 2009
The Bottom Line: This toy is so cute and so fun for any child that likes Elmo! I highly recommend it!
Introduction: This was a present my 2.5 year old son got for Christmas as one of his presents from Grandpa and Great-Grandpa (from my side of the family). Although this wasn't on my son's wish list my dad knew that my son loves Elmo and would probably like it. It was neat to see my son be pleasantly surprised to open up this life sized Elmo and he couldn't wait to get it out to play with it.
What does this Elmo look like?
This Elmo is 15 inches tall and his arm span is 15 inches across. Elmo is of course a red furry monster with big round eyes. This Elmo even came with a blue bench so that Elmo can sit down.
Then... Elmo comes (A)Live!
This Elmo requires 6 AA batteries, but fortunately Elmo does come with batteries when you buy him. The batteries are placed under a piece of plastic in Elmo's foot. There is an on/off switch right there that you just flip on when you are ready.
There are several places on Elmo that you can press his body to get him to talk. There is a spot on his back, on his tummy, pinching his nose, or pressing on his foot. All of these modes are different and will get him to say/do something different. When you press his back Elmo will play the "Elmo loves you this much" game, Elmo will give you a kiss, or Elmo will ask you to scratch an itch. When you press Elmo's tummy Elmo will either tell a joke, play a game, play a song, or ask for a hug. If you squeeze Elmo's nose his nose will make funny sounds or sneezes. Finally, when you press Elmo's foot he will cross his legs and sit down to tell you a story.
Ah... Elmo fell down! Can you help Elmo up please?
When Elmo falls down (usually when trying to sit down on the bench to tell a story) he will tell you that he fell down and needs help getting up. He also notices when you stand him back up and when you help him he will thank you.
Our experience:
My 2.5 year old son and infant daughter (who was 5.5 months at Christmas and is now 9 months old) both LOVE this Elmo. If my husband and I didn't put this Elmo out of sight this Elmo would be played non-stop everyday. Both of my children love to listen to him talk and they smile & giggle when he does things. My son really likes it when Elmo tells stories and will sit down right in front of him and listen while Elmo talks. If Elmo happens to fall down trying to sit down on the bench to tell the story my son is right there to pick him up and fix the bench. It is so cute to hear him saying part of the story with Elmo.
The silly sneezes and nose sounds are so funny with my son too. My son will keep tweaking his nose to hear all of the funny sounds. He gets going laughing until he can't tweak the nose anymore, which is just as funny as what Elmo does.
The music is by far both of my kids favorite part though. Both of my kids love it when Elmo starts singing and dancing. We all end up dancing with Elmo too. My son takes off running around the room (that is how he dances) and I pick up my daughter and we dance by Elmo. There is always tons of smiles with this!
Another positive...
I really like the fact that Elmo turns off when he is not being played with which saves on the battery power. We have had this toy for several months and even with all of the play that it has gotten we have only gone through the original batteries that it came with and are on the 6 that we replaced it with. So, you really do get the most out of the battery life with this toy.
Mom's opinion:
I just love that this toy is so well done and that my children who are at very different stages of life both enjoy this toy. Of course my son is older and understands what Elmo is saying, but my daughter just loves to laugh at Elmo as she watches and listens to him. I love that this toy can keep their attention. I also like that this is not a toy that is easily forgotten about. In fact, my husband and I have to hide this toy at times just because it gets so much play that we get a little tired of Elmo.
The only negative about this Elmo is that he is a little unsteady as he sits down and does tend to fall over a lot. Of course he will keep telling you that he has fallen down too, which will wear on you after awhile.
Age recommendation:
This toy is recommended for children ages 18 months and older.
Price:
The price range for Elmo Live at Christmas time (of 2008) was $50-$60, but just like the TMX Elmo and TMX Cookie Monster I expect the price range to drop dramatically in the next few months.
Overall:
I highly recommend this toy if your child likes Elmo from Sesame Street. Elmo is cute and there is a lot to this one. You will definitely get your money's worth from this toy.
