This post features product gifted for review
Being as how this product is a bit techy I gladly handed it over to Dave to set up so he has done the review for you as well!
One of the things I enjoy most about being a dad is reading to Ben, Chloe and Amy. It’s lovely to have their undivided attention and both Ben and Chloe snuggle into me as I read. I have no doubt Amy will be the same. That feeling is one of the things that get me through the tough times.
I’ve always wanted to read to my kids. Before I was even really sure if I wanted any children, I knew that I wanted to read to them if they ever came into being. Being read to is one of my earliest memories, sitting with my mum as she read a book to me. I can’t even remember the story, just the feeling of happily drifting off into a fantastic land. It’s no surprise I became a keen reader. Something Colette and I both share and try to pass onto the kids.
With that being said I completely understand the point of this product. If you’re away from your kids a lot then this might just keep them a little happier in your absence. No substitute for actually being there but even if it just means they don’t forget your voice then that’s something.
I’ll say right now that this isn’t something we would have bought. I’m not giving up reading when I am here and I’m rarely away for more than a night but as I said above I get it if your situation is different.
Anyway on with actual reviewing. The Sparkup is a camera and recording system that you clip to a book of your choice that will read the story to your kids as they turn the pages. You record what’s on each page and the camera takes a picture and ties your recording to that picture. Hey presto! Show it a page and it’ll read back to you. Without fault in my experience. The bonus of this personal system, aside from your own voice reading to your nippers, is you can be creative and tie it to your kids by mentioning them or something they like which tallies with what’s on the page. All good stuff.
Actually using the Sparkup is a fairly straight forward process once you’ve got past the long winded explanation the device announces to you on first use. You can’t skip this. Which is a pain if you’ve already read the manual. You can re-record any pages that you don’t fancy after reviewing them with the press of a button. If you’re anything like me then you’ll feel a bit of a berk performing to a inanimate object. Especially if you’ve got Colette giggling at you from the couch and spoiling your flow! That feeling passes pretty quickly though.
Using the system is pretty straightforward. I fairly quickly recorded the book we had been sent without too many hiccups. I messed up the recordings once or twice (most likely due to giggling!) but overall the experience was stress free. The kids really enjoyed using the Sparkup. Straight after their first try they asked me to record more books which is a strong vote in its favour. I think it’s a well executed device and I recommend it for people who need something to read to their kids. Other than themselves that is.
Just to add in my two pence worth . . . whilst I agree with Dave that the Sparkup isn’t something that would be used especially regularly in our house as we do really enjoy the experience of sharing books with your children and talking to them about the stories we are reading. I can see other uses. Children benefit from hearing lots of different voices telling stories so it would be lovely to have Granny, Grandad, Aunty Nic, Uncle Will and so on and so forth recording a variety of books for them to hear. I also think that as Ben is really enjoying learning to read now it would be quite cool to have him do his own recordings to listen back to – so he could hear his own storytelling voice.
To my mind this would be a lovely gift this Christmas for a family where one or both parents often miss bedtime due to work commitments or, if like so many of my friends, you have nieces, nephews or grandchildren who live abroad. How wonderful to be able to send to Sparkup, along with a selection of books, pre-recorded with lots of lovely bedtime stories for when they are missing you?
Have a read of these posts next:
How to sneak reading into your child’s day
Please just read to your child
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I find it amazing as an extra incentive to read. I feel this will be bought by parents who actually love reading with their children already as a novelty. Its good if like you say family want to read one for children they do not get to see often. For the set up, I can imagine the giggling trying to do it properly. Be great as a keepsake when they themselves will be adults. hearing those childhood reading sessions would be something I would love from my childhood.
I have seen these around and thought they sound good. x
Anything that encourages reading is good in my book #triedtested
We do enjoy the reading live experience. But I think this will work great on days when the parents need to rest their voices!
I think you're right, it would be lovely to have the grandparents record a book. Such a good idea, and for those parents that have to miss bed times because of work etc this is a lovely way of keeping that connection there. #triedtested
I really like this idea, I think it would be perfect given that half our family are in New Zealand and miss out on all the usual things like reading to the kids. I know Nana would love to record some books for the kids!
I've never heard of these but they would be perfect if you couldn't often read to your children or like you said for other relatives to record on. It's a lovely idea so that the children could still hear you read if you weren't there x #triedtested
I love the idea of recording other family members to read the story.
I really love the idea of this. Although we are with them to read a story every night it would be lovely to have their Grandparents record a story onto this as they live far away and we don't see them very often.
I love the idea of being able to have granparents etc reading to the kids, and it would have been so lovely to have when Kevin was working away every night! #TriedTested
This is lovely, if you cant get home in time to read to your child at bed time. But nothing replaces the cuddling up when you read a story. My older son works and lives in Norway for half the year, so he would be able to read her stories when he is here. Amazing #triedtested
I do like the idea of this for a gift or for parents that cn't make bedtime reading time #triedtested
I think you make a really good point about the benefits children get from hearing other people read aloud with them-this could work really well if you have family that live far away and could set it up somehow to record their voices.
I totally agree with your final point colette, brilliant to hear other peoples voices, maybe something that you can preload before giving as a gift #triedtested
It is a clever idea. I love reading to my little boy, but love the idea that you could also record nanny and grandad.
I have never seen this before. What an awesome idea. Great review darling and thanks for hosting. I think I might look into this for a christmas pressie for the kids. #triedtested
A great idea for when you are not around. dinosaur roar was a favourite book here too when mine were young. No substitute for being there to read it yourself whenever you can though. Popping by from Tried & Tested
I like the idea. We read every night to 7yo and have done since she was a small baby. It would be handy for like you say when a parent is away.
It is a great idea but I admit that it wouldn't get used much in our house because I enjoy the experience of reading to my children, I love doing all the silly voices 🙂 x #TriedTested
This is a lovely idea, my hubby often works away from home for sometimes weeks at a time, this would be lovely for him to be able to record the story for our little girl to listen to whilst hes away.
This is such a clever idea….I do like the look of this x
This looks great. Such a clever idea. My hubby works long hours so a very nice idea #triedtested
I'm with you in preferring to read to my boy, but this would be good as a toy in the day I imagine. A great idea x
I read to Monkey every night but his Dad is only home to do that once a week so I can see this working really well here for some more Daddy reading time. Also my parents live in Spain, so I love the idea that they could read to him – forgetting the issue of getting the recorder to them and bakc – but nice idea! #TriedTested
This would actually have come in real handy this past week since I lost my voice! Harry much prefers me reading to him over his Dad and has been upset that I haven't been able to. x
This would be great for the nights when my partner is at work and misses bedtime as my daughter gets upset when daddy is not home to read her a bedtime story and put her to bed x #TriedTested
Sounds a great idea for grandparents and parents who can't be there at bedtime #triedandtested
Like the idea of grandparents reading to the kids. I doubt I would use it personally as it would be a novelty item here I'm sure
I saw this advertised on tv the other day. It looks great and Dinosaur Roar is my little boy's fav book.
This sounds fab, agreed that I wouldn't use it very often but I think it would be perfect for when my little man stayed at grandparents
It is a great idea. For us it would be great for grandparents to read a story as they are far away this would be ideal x
This is so cute! My son likes to spend time reading alone after story time at night and I think he'd love this. x
A great idea if you have a parent that can't be there to do it in person
What a clever idea. I haven't heard of anything like this #Triedtested
Interesting idea, it would be good for when kids stay at grannies house. #triedtested
Such a good idea, especially for those of us who live far away from our relatives.
I think you are right about the relatives thing….that's a great idea to have nana or grandad etc to record a story for them 🙂 I know my lg would enjoy that! x
What a great concept, like you, I probably wouldn't use it all that much but when it comes to opening childrens eyes to the beauty of books anything is worth a go x
I agree that it isnt an everyday thing but is good if one parent isnt around as much or family live far away. Plus i love the idea from Jo that they could listen to their voices when they’re older!
The technology these days is amazing. What a clever idea. Beats the cassette player I used to record stories on!
It does seem a good idea for parents who are away a lot but I do love our bedtime stories so O will be stuck with me for a while longer. Great to hear your views on it though xx
what a really interesting idea and sounds like a neat gadget!
#triedtested x
I like the sound of this, not for my husband or I but for the grandparents to record something with. We live very far away from both sets of grandparents and M is now getting to an age where he misses them.
This looks brilliant, what a fab tech device!
What a great idea for when a parent is travelling, lovely that the child can still hear them read a story 🙂 #Read with me