Speak & Learn Toys - Sears Wish Book - 1981

 

       Yesterday we covered Game Boy and today we're looking at a whole different electronic toy. I wanted all of the Speak & Learn toys, but I only had that beautiful yellow Speak & Read. Looking at this catalog page, I can't even believe I had that. $54.99?! I think it was another year or two before I got mine, so maybe it came down significantly in price by that time. That's all I can figure. I was a cute kid, but not $54.99-for-a-toy kind of cute.
     In the days before every kid had a Leappad or V-smile, these toys were a really big deal. Remember, this was 1981. Even having a PC in the home was still a pretty new concept. Lucky was the kid (like me) who was able to have one of these. As far as I know, each one of these worked the same way. There was a variety of activities and games based on the concept you wanted to learn. The Speak & Read had games for, among other things, letter recognition, word recognition, associating the sound of the word with the spelling, and associating a picture of the word with the spelling. Each toy was able to be used on its own, but for enhanced learning, you could buy modules. Actually, according to the catalog, it looks like only Speak & Read supported that. I can say from experience that these toys pass the test of time. Well, that is, if the electronics last that long. My first Speak & Read has gone to the great electronic graveyard in the sky, but I found one in a thrift store a couple of years ago for $1.95 on a day they were having a 50% off toy sale. I brought that baby home, plugged it in, and got into it all over again. I defy you to play Letter Stumper and not find yourself hooked. Leapfrog thinks it's so special. Ha!