Playskool Helmet Heroes - Race Car Driver

by Hasbro

Product Features

• Role-playing helmet and steering wheel controller puts kids in the driver's seat like a real race car driver while encouraging get-up-and-go activity
• Interactive play inspired by 30 different mission phrases, music and light sequences
• Electronic lights and racing sounds
• Helmet visor flips up and down, and helmet is adjustable
• Helmet comes with steering wheel controller, 3 fun cut-out accessories and instructions

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 12.1 x 13 inches ; 3 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B00188O680
• Item model number: 08769
• Manufacturer recommended age: 36 months - 6 years
• Batteries: 5 AA batteries required. (included)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #88,632 in Toys & Games (See Top 100 in Toys & Games)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

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.

Product Description

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.

See all Product Description

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars FUN!, September 23, 2008

By 

EthansMamma05 (East Coast) - See all my reviews

= Durability:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:2.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Playskool Helmet Heroes - Race Car Driver (Toy)

My 3 year old loves anything that has to do with cars, trucks, police etc... We bought the police version of this and although the helmet seems a bit big on him he loves the interactive play. The best part is the microphone that when he pushes the talk button on the handheld device lets his voice be heard through the helmet. It seems very sturdy and he likes pushing the buttons to make the siren noises and the intereactive buttons that let the officers communicate with him.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great toy!!, September 29, 2008

By 

vgsprincess (las vegas, nv) - See all my reviews

= Durability:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:4.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Playskool Helmet Heroes - Race Car Driver (Toy)

My three year old loves this helment!! He has the police helment and he loves it! My 8 month old loves it too because the lights go off on the helment and she just laughs. He plays with it all day. Even my seven year old plays with him. It is a great gift!

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars A neat concept, but dangerously loud., January 4, 2009

By 

JT (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews

= Durability:3.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:3.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:2.0 out of 5 stars 

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Playskool Helmet Heroes - Race Car Driver (Toy)

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!