What personal listening devices do you use with your children?

[tribemama]

Hi Everyone,

I am trying to figure out what kind of player I should use for my children. We like Jim Weiss CD's and I would like for them to be able to record what they are studying (like memorizing poems) and listen to it during rest time. I feel like they each need to have their own with their own headsets to accomplish this. I know in The Well-Trained Mind she uses a tape recorder(?) again - I prefer a CD type player(everything I own is in CD format). My husband thinks taking SOTW CD's (or any of the CD's) and converting them to MP3's to be downloaded on a MP3 player would not be that difficult. Just would like to hear some feed back on what everyone else is using or doing. I am not sure MP3 players have "voice recording". I also do not want to spend an arm and a leg. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks,
Tribemama
Mother to Many.....well, 6 soon to be 7 :)

[fshinkevich]

I love the mp3 player, I got one for all my kids and they can listen to audio stories and music in bed, in the car, waiting for the Drs office, wherever!

I'm not sure what $ your looking to spend. I got myself a Sansa Fuze for 130.00 I LOVE it. We got our kids each a Sansa Clip ($50) and it does have a built in voice recorder.

There are other great mp3 players in the $20 range, although I don't know if they have voice recording or not.

To me every penny spent on our mp3 players was worth it, they get used every single day.

[Mamabegood]

Another mp3 player fan here. If you decide to get one, I recommend one that you can use with library downloads, if your library has that option (our library's is called "Overdrive"). It allows you to download library mp3s directly onto your computer, and from there onto your mp3 player. Unless your mp3 player isn't compatible, in which case you get frustrated and sweaty and spend several hours trying to figure out why not, and then end up buying a second mp3 player just to save time and then...oh well, you get my drift. :D

[summer]

I have a hand held tape recorder for the children recording themselves. For just playing, I have an radio/mp3/cd/tape player. I got it from target and it did not cost much.

[In The Great White North]

Another MP3 vote here.

It is fairly easy to convert CDs to MP3 on the computer (ds is an expert).

Our library also does Overdrive, though I haven't been able to make it work yet.

[orangeblossom]

The Sansa MP3 is great value for money. My son has one and it works great for us. It does record and it also gets FM radio. It gets hung up once in a while, but it's easily reset. For the (low!) price, it's a great MP3.
Here's a link to one: http://www.buydig.com/shop/product.aspx?omid=103&ref=froogle&utm_source=Froogle&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=SDSDMX42048A70&sku=SDSDMX42048A70

[Jenny in Atl]

Both have iPod Nanos. Much easier than a cd player. Holds tons of stuff (music, bks, and movies). We listen in the car, doctors, etc. Just love them!

[nukeswife]

My kids both have ipod shuffles which we got for $50 at the Navy Exchange. I would have loved to get them each Nano's but it wasn't in the budget at this time. They have all their kids music CD's on them. For books we use my Ipod Nano so they take turns. I recently bought SOTW 3 on CD and ripped it into MP3's for my ipod. It took me about 20 minutes to do it.

[GSMP]

We bought the RCA Opal MP3 2GB player from Stuffmart. It is reasonably priced at $37.

We have been downloading audio books for them to read.

It started by getting my husband one for Father's day.....He loves that thing....:lol:

He walks between 5-7 miles a day at lunch time so he has been doing mostly audio books from Librivox.

[workingmom]

Both have iPod Nanos. Much easier than a cd player. Holds tons of stuff (music, bks, and movies). We listen in the car, doctors, etc. Just love them!

I've run into a huge problem with switching over to macs, while my personal computing issues are much easier, I can no longer get the free service of downloading mp3 books on to my mac. so for those of you who have iphones or just mac desktops where can you get free downloadable books?

[Kay in Cal]

My boys have cheap MP3 players, as well as CD players in the thier rooms. I keep most of the school stuff on my Ipod, and then dock it in a boom box for playing aloud during school hours. I also do burn them CDs with various things on it for bedtime listening, but stock their MP3 players as well.

So, both-and here.

[Lizzie in Ma]

I got a mini dvd player and it plays cds, mp3s, and dvds and it has headphones.
It is our very favorite thing. We take it everywhere.
I also use a computer program to put everything on regular cds. We have a microphone on the computer and record voice files and burn to disc.

[mysticamethyst]

Well, mine will all be getting an Ipod for Christmas this year. I have been saving up for a while and it will be the only thing they get, minus clothes and presents from relatives. They are all asking for them, it will be the one that can play movies too. This will resolve the need for a dvd player or tv in the car as well in my mind that saves us money . This will save so many argurments for us. Good Luck with your decision.

[Jenny in Atl]

I've run into a huge problem with switching over to macs, while my personal computing issues are much easier, I can no longer get the free service of downloading mp3 books on to my mac. so for those of you who have iphones or just mac desktops where can you get free downloadable books?

Here is one place called Open Culture (http://www.oculture.com/2006/10/audio_book_podc.html). I mostly use Audible (not free) and the library. We just remove the bk from the mp3 file when we are done, like when you check out cd's from the library.

hths!