My kids love their technology, from their tablets to playing on my cell phone or even my laptop. I use devices all the time too, so I understand how much fun they can be. But sometimes, I’d like them to be able to enjoy music or listen to stories, without having to sit in front of a screen! Of course I would need to be able to control what they accessed and it would need to be portable too since my kids are quite active. And it has to be kid friendly, with few buttons as possible but enough that still gives them control over the device. And this is where the portable jukebox for kids from Jooki becomes the perfect solution.
About Jooki
A dad named Theo embarked on a quest to build the best music player for his kids. He felt music was a key ingredient in the life of his kids, but was getting frustrated with DJ’ing all the time. All his music was online and was out of reach for the kids as he didn’t want to hand over his smartphone. Theo teamed up with his friends Will and Pieter and after some serious labor a new child by the name of Jooki was born. In summer 2016 they presented their baby to the world through Kickstarter. Following a successful campaign the adventure continued when they went on building a lot more Jooki, a story worth telling on it’s own…
Fast forward to November 2017, the shipping to the backers starts… just in time for Christmas. A few months later the long-awaited Spotify integration is announced and now Jooki is there for all parents to offer their kids their take on a billion songs…
Jooki
This portable speaker is perfect to play songs or stories for your child. It can go anywhere since it is wireless, has Wi-fi built in, and you can stream music directly from Spotify. Stories, books, music and other files can also be downloaded and assigned to the figures to play offline as well. The device comes with 5 characters, a USB charging cord, and a 4GB memory card.
My Thoughts
As parents and caregivers, I think it’s important to give our kids some independence as much as we can. Obviously I mean this in a safe and loving manner, not just turning them loose on the internet! This should include the devices they are allowed to use, either with an adult or on their own. That’s one of the reasons I love using the portable jukebox for kids from Jooki.
It’s a portable speaker that can stream music or listen to stored songs, stories, podcasts, and more by using the figures assigned to each playlist. The playlists are created within the app from your smartphone or computer. You build the playlist for your little one, assign it to one of the color figurines, and when the child places the figure on the Jooki? It automatically starts playing! No complicated (or tempting) buttons to push. And you build the library for them to choose from and they can pick from within that library whatever they are in the mood for.
Maybe it’s a princess story hour as they play dress up with their girlfriends. Maybe it’s a rock and roll dance party in the back yard with the neighbors. Or maybe it’s a summer evening soundtrack for a family get together.
The rechargeable battery will run for about 8 hours between charges, and you use a simple USB cord to charge it. The Jooki also can connect to Wi-fi so you can stream songs or pocasts, as well as update the playlists and library easily. They specifically built this little jukebox for small hands and it is sturdy, and also includes a carrying strap to help haul it around safely.
Portable Jukebox for Kids from Jooki
I love that the kids can literally take this anywhere. Whether they are using the pre-approved Wi-fi streaming stations I set up in the free app, or they run one of the media files I downloaded for them, it’s a perfect screen-free device. They can use their imagination to go along with the stories, and move their little bodies with the music! It’s great in the car, at the park, or even on vacation. And yes, parents, it includes a headphone jack so only your little one can hear whatever they have playing!
Need more than the 5 figure tokens included with the set? You can purchase extra tokens to expand the Jooki’s library! Need to have a wireless speaker for yourself when the kids aren’t using it? Simply use your app to load up your music, podcast, or audio book and you’re all set! Now the Jooki is splash proof, meaning a little water won’t hurt it but it’s not made to be submerged. It’s still great out on the boat, by the lake, or the pool. So cut back on the kids screen time this year without taking away a device by letting them enjoy this portable jukebox for kids by Jooki!
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We’ve added Jooki to our Fun Spring Gift Guide! #SpringFunOnMDR Check it out here!
