It’s no secret that kids love to be the center of attention and the life of the party, especially if that party is a karaoke party! A must-have for perfect nights (and days) of karaoke fun is an age-appropriate machine with functionality. The right setup will allow kids to get into the groove and express themselves through dancing, singing, and interacting with the crowd.
We might think of karaoke machines and reminisce about singing Journey after one too many drinks, but karaoke for kids is a whole new world entirely. Allowing kids to express themselves and giving them a tool to help them know the words and learn about music through practice and repetition encourages development and a love for learning through music.
Don’t worry. We won’t throw you to the wolves here. We know there are a ton of karaoke machines out there and it’s tough to tell what’s what if you’re not familiar. Check out all the things you need to know about Karaoke machines below before you skim our reviews.
These are cool if you enjoy a system that feeds from the integrated song system. Typically, they work using cartridge players that are built right inside the, usually not bulky, microphone. Cartridge capacities vary but can hold up to 300 songs.
This type of machine is super portable but still has to be hooked up to a tv. It’s your simple karaoke cd player with speakers, can be hooked up to a stereo system and requires tv hook up to read lyrics on screen. Typically, they’re pretty sleek and portable.
If you’re looking for one of the most compact machines on the market, this is the type for you. The MP3 system it’s what’s used to pull lyrics to songs on the screen, which means that anytime you want new music to sing to you can download the songs you want and delete any tracks you don’t want anymore.
If you’re striving for simplicity, you may go for the all-in-one system. It’s a machine that has a screen that plays lyrics, has a cd player, and speakers all together. The downside (or upside for some) is that it requires you to curate your CDs for use.
Let’s face it, guys. Kids are hard to keep entertained; they have one track minds. But magically enough they can watch and sing along with Disney movies for hours if you let them! Why not give them the option to sing along to their favorite movie soundtracks while getting them off the couch and into the action of performing?
We’re sure your little one is quite the character, but you might be surprised to see your child’s confidence and personality soar after a few rounds of karaoke. There’s no better way to prepare your child for the world than by giving them the tools that build confidence and help them learn to be comfortable in their skin.
The best part of karaoke for kids is that they can play on their own, with siblings, or parents and relatives can join the fun for quality family time. Kids will love being energized by singing for the group and cheering on everyone else as they take a turn. Boys, girls, and kids of all ages are sure to have a blast!
Mostly, we’re only joking about the cons list. We’re sure you’ve already thought this purchase through, just make sure you’re up for all aspects of karaoke!
While they’re touted as being tools for entertainment, there are some fringe benefits of kids using karaoke and learning through play. Kids can work on their literacy, often knowing works to songs and seeing them come up on the screen can improve their reading skills.
Singing karaoke will also improve concentration and memory, facilitates language development, sentence structure, and even some parts of speech just by singing. Apart from singing and working out the brain, singing karaoke gets kids and adults alike working on their stage presence! That means off the couch and, on the move, working out the cardiovascular system.
Sound and Voice Control: If you didn’t already know, your typical karaoke machine might go above and beyond with these controls. Some features may include the ability to forward songs, rewind, and mute. Kids should also be able to start singing and hear their voice replace the singer's voice relatively quickly.
Microphone: Well, we know we can’t possibly get down with karaoke without a receiver so, it’s arguably the critical part. Most machines have the microphone separated as an attachment that hooks into the audio input jack. You’ll want to make sure the device you buy has a kid-friendly receiver that’s easy to hold and use with little people hands!
Speakers: You may want to pay special attention here depending on how you plan to use this machine. Many kids’ setups will have speakers with 5 watts which is excellent for solo singing and just a couple of friends. But if you plan to make the machine part of a more significant gathering, you may want to opt for speakers with 10 watts or more.
Portability: You never know when your child may want to drag the karaoke machine out to a slumber party or take it their favorite aunts house when you head out for date night so, portability should be considered. When looking for an excellent portable machine you may think about how compact it is if it’s lightweight, and whether or not it comes with rechargeable batteries.
Built-In Screen: These are great machines that have the screen built in so there’s no worry about hooking up to a television or a computer. Some of them come with output and video jacks, so you have the option of hooking up to a tv if you like. Screen sizes are typically around 7 inches.
Video Camera: For a little added fun, you can shoot for a machine that includes a video camera. A typical lens is right in the built-in screen, capturing the singer as they pay attention to the screen for lyrics and giving them and you the option to review video playback whenever!
Recording: The machine you choose may come with a slot for an SD card or a USB port, which you can use for storage devices containing song recordings. You should have the option for instant playback, and you’ll have the ability to copy anything stored on the USB stick or SD card to a CD.
Now that you’ve been familiarized with all thing’s karaoke, it’s time to review our top picks and decide for yourself which one you’ll love. Here are our top picks for kids’ machines with all the details so you can skip the research, check out our reviews, and be well on your way to singing the night away.
One of the easiest to set up and get to singing is the Little Pretender Kids Karaoke Machine that comes with two microphones and an easy set up for little ones.
If you’re not into investing a lot of money or you don’t know how popular it’ll turn out with your kid, this is a great machine to ease your way into the fun of karaoke. It doesn’t come with all the features mentioned above, but great features for its lower price point.
Everything you need is packed into one sweet set up. The microphone is set up on a mic stand, which includes built-in speakers and foot pedals. Of course, the mic stand has some interesting lights for littles and includes fun noises like an audience cheering. Super easy to connect to and stream songs from both Android and iPhone smartphones.
This is a beginner machine with a low initial investment. This little pretender rock star machine is perfect for a child who loves to sing and doesn’t need all the frills.
Another great starter machine, we love the Hanmun kids’ Electronic device for beginner karaoke. This machine may be more attractive to little girls with its bright pink color, but of course, little boys can get in on the action too!
The excellent Microphone stands and set up is adjustable up to 49 inches for comfortable playing with kids of all sizes and ability. Set up and break down is easy for this well-made machine.
This great little machine brings the controls up to the top of the mic stand for little ones to access while they’re singing! They’ve got a podium that features speakers and several buttons. The microphone is attached to the stand with a handle that moves quickly with little hands.
The machine includes an aux input to play your favorite songs or the USB cable connector to hook up iPads, smartphones, or MP3 players. Kids will love the flashing lights and sounds from the control buttons on the podium to add to their show and creativity. Controls include mute, play, volume, extra sounds and more.
This simple beginner machine also runs on single non-chargeable batteries but doesn’t have the best quality speakers for more than just solo singing. Keep this machine in mind for solo singing and a few playdate friends.
If you’re interested in a machine with a few more features on offer, you’d be well off with this fun machine. You’ve got some awesome disco lights going on with this machine and a CDG player with vertical load. It’s a great, compact size with easy to carry handle. Younger kids and teens alike will adore the bright color and disco lights as they sing their favorite songs.
The Singing Machine SML-283P is a fun, compact, super portable machine with great sound output. The sleek design has built-in features that highlight its functionality. Speakers are built right into the sides of the device and include one detachable microphone although the machine comes with an additional input jack for those that want to add a receiver for duets.
This machine was built for serious karaoke fun with auto-voice controls, easy volume control, and echo modulation. There’s a cd player to play music as well as the ability to plug in MP3 players, iPods, or phones. This super versatile machine is great because it features a fully integrative system, an AUX jack so you can skip CD play and a durable and well-made outer-casing.
We’ve saved the best for last, for a more karaoke-loving family, we include this little gem on the list. It’s certainly at a higher price point, so it’s a bigger investment for those families that already know they have some karaoke lovers in the house! Finally, a machine that’s got some great sound power and the option for dual microphone use so start warming up your vocal cords!
There are multiple options for use and compatibility with AUX, USB, Bluetooth, and FM radio options. As a bigger machine, portability was considered in its well-suited construction, with wheels so it can easily be pulled along.
You can connect a tablet or a phone and set up on the display holder, use the remote control it comes with so you can walk away from the machine at any time, taking your cordless microphones right along with you.
For those a little more into the music scene, there’s an added music equalizer to give you the perfect sound while you’re belting it out! Take this sweet set up with you wherever you go without worry, it’s well made and durable, built to last.
The KaraoKing Karaoke Machine ticked off all the boxes we wanted in this type of product. The fact that it can handle the punishment of heavy use is a bonus in our book. Its versatility is another strong point in its favor. For our money, you can go wrong with this choice.
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