Playskool Adventure Squad - Racer

This incredible helmet delivers interactive role play in a whole new and innovative way. Slip on the helmet, and your preschooler is instantly in charge of the road and on the run. Use the handlebar unit to control lights and sounds. The helmet also includes a microphone so your child can hear himself as he races around. Provides hours of imaginative, role-play fun. Requires two "AA" and three "AAA" batteries, included. Measures 9.75"L x 9.75"W.

The Playskool Helmet Heroes Race Car Driver lets children 3 and up feel like they're a race car driver, triggering their imagination and excitement. With a driver's helmet and a steering-wheel-styled controller that lights up and plays music and sound, this toy will have kids racing around the house at top speed with a smile on their face.

The microphone amplifies your child's voice, letting him "communicate" with his pit crew. View larger.

Working Microphone Amplifies Your Voice
The adjustable helmet has a flashing light, flip-up visor and microphone, giving it a dose of authenticity. The microphone actually works, amplifying your child's voice and letting him "communicate" with the pit crew and fans.

The steering wheel plays race-inspired music. View larger.

Steering Wheel has Built-in Interactive Adventures
The steering wheel lets children take control and zoom off on the latest chase, using their imagination and legs to lead the way. With sharp details, children will feel like they're holding onto a real steering wheel. Various buttons activate the flashing red, yellow, and green light patterns, as well as lots of racing sounds. With 30 different interactive adventures, your little speedster won't get bored anytime soon.

Built-in Music and Action Phrases
When out on an adventure, children will love making the steering wheel play race-inspired music and say action phrases such as "Come on in for a pit stop!" and "Easy on that corner!"

The helmet requires three AAA batteries (included) and the steering wheel controller requires two AA batteries (included) for operation.

What's in the Box
Helmet, controller, 3 x AAA batteries, 2 x AA batteries, instructions.

Everyone in the family loved this toy! It's been banged around a lot and hasn't broke. It's definitely worth the money!

This was a present purchased for a 3 year old. Even though he liked the sounds and lights associated with this toy, he didn't want to use it long because he said it was too "heavy." Even my 5 year old said the same thing when she tried. This toy is enjoyable but I feel the helmet is a bit over burdensome and difficult to manage for a small child.

I purchased this for my four year old for Christmas and it rapidly has become THE toy of Christmas. I even walked in on my 26 year old brother in law wearing it, who declared, "This is an AWESOME toy." My four year old is rarely without it. Great find.

It was my idea to purchase this for our son's third birthday. I thought it looked adorable, and that he'd love racing around with his interactive helmet and steering wheel. And I should preface my review by saying I'm not a particularly paranoid person who wraps their children in bubble wrap from head to toe... While I'm practical about obvious age levels and choking hazards, kids are kids. However...

Little did I know how LOUD this toy is! Not so much for the bystander, but for the child. My husband opened it with our son (after a half hour of struggling with the packaging, which you have to destroy completely in the process), and out of curiosity, propped the helmet on his own head. Thank goodness he did so -- some of the sounds in this thing are really, possibly dangerously, loud.

The concept is cute: the helmet has speakers and a microphone. When you turn on the helmet and steering wheel, several sounds play in (random?) order until you start coordinating your steering movements. The child's voice comes through at a decent level, but screeching tires, "vroom" noises, etc. are really, really loud -- even though the main speaker is located on the top of the helmet.

My husband is a composer who is well aware of the possibilities of hearing loss from misuse of headphones, instruments and toys, and he's not a paranoid guy. When he suggested I try on the helmet (which doesn't fit completely on an adult's head -- on a child, it would settle over his/her ears) -- I was skeptical. But even settled above my head and not around it, I agreed with him that the sounds were way too loud.

We called Hasbro, and my husband discussed the subject with the customer service rep. Not only did we think this was dangerous (you can't adjust the sound levels at all), but we couldn't return it because we had to detroy the packaging just to get the darned thing open. They agreed to send us a return label and then compensate us with a toy of comparable value for the age range (what that will be, I have no idea).

Needless to say, our son was really disappointed, and so were we. I hope Hasbro takes our comments seriously and revamps this for a 2.0 version that doesn't put anyone's hearing at risk. Buyer beware!

My grandson loved this, the only draw back was that he wanted me to be in the race with him, which meant running beside or behind him :-)