Talking School Bus
Educational Toy
1987 (manufactured)
1987 (manufactured)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
Pre-school electronic learning toy. The kit contains an instruction manual, a song card, stickers, and a cube-guide. The toy consists of a plastic yellow school bus with black wheels and a driver, above which is a speaker. Lessons are given by the 'computer voice'. The bus has a handle so that it can be carried. There are five windows in the side of the bus into which a user can insert the coloured blocks, of which there are eight. Each block has a combination of letters, animal pictures and numbers. To the right of the window is a dial with various choices - numbers, counting, spelling, music, Tells It, letters. The dial can be turned to a choice and instructions are 'given' by the driver, for example it will ask for a letter and the user is told whether their choice of block is correct or not. Songs may also be played.
Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Parts | This object consists of 15 parts.
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Title | Talking School Bus (manufacturer's title) |
Materials and techniques | Plastic, electronic components, printed card and paper |
Brief description | Talking School Bus, box; Card, Hong Kong, V-Tech, 1987 |
Physical description | Pre-school electronic learning toy. The kit contains an instruction manual, a song card, stickers, and a cube-guide. The toy consists of a plastic yellow school bus with black wheels and a driver, above which is a speaker. Lessons are given by the 'computer voice'. The bus has a handle so that it can be carried. There are five windows in the side of the bus into which a user can insert the coloured blocks, of which there are eight. Each block has a combination of letters, animal pictures and numbers. To the right of the window is a dial with various choices - numbers, counting, spelling, music, Tells It, letters. The dial can be turned to a choice and instructions are 'given' by the driver, for example it will ask for a letter and the user is told whether their choice of block is correct or not. Songs may also be played. |
Dimensions |
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Production type | Mass produced |
Marks and inscriptions |
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Gallery label | Numbers
Toddlers instinctively understand numbers and are aware of how many things there are in a set. Counting follows as their language skills develop to put this into words.
Tools to help with counting, like abacuses, have existed for thousands of years. In the 1980s, designers began creating electronic toys to help children to learn through technology.
1 Talking School Bus
Designer: VTech
Date: 1987
Location: Designed USA, manufactured Hong Kong
Materials: Plastic, electronics
Museum no. MISC.198-1990
2 Abacus
Designer: Probably Britoy
Date: About 1987
Location: England
Materials: Wood
Museum no. MISC.395-1987
[Young V&A, Design Gallery, Design helps us to learn, group object label] (01/07/2023) |
Credit line | Given by Richard Prescott / Barbara Attenborough Associates |
Object history | Given by Richard Prescott / Barbara Attenborough Associates [89/155]. On entry it was noted that it was 'in mint condition in original box.' |
Subjects depicted | |
Collection | |
Accession number | MISC.198-1990 |
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Record created | July 1, 2009 |
Record URL |
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