Fisher-Price Has New Toy for Kids Who Haven’t Seen It All

Just when you thought kids had every consumer electronic gizmo imaginable, along comes Fisher-Price with yet another wanna-have for today’s sophisticated vid kid.

The toy maker’s latest offering--timed to take advantage of the Christmas season--is a black-and-white video camera and sound recorder with its own television playback system. In essence, the $225, two-pound system is a child’s version of last Christmas’ favorite adult gift: the camcorder.

Although the system won’t be shipped to toy stores until next month, Toys ‘R’ Us, the nation’s largest toy retailer, is already predicting that it will be among the top sellers this Christmas. “It’s an exciting product,” says a spokeswoman. “It’s intriguing not just for the child, but for the parents as well.”

For Fisher-Price, the East Aurora, N.Y.-based Quaker Oats subsidiary, the kiddie camcorder represents its most substantial move yet to capture a larger piece of the toy market.

Known primarily for its sturdy infant and preschool toys, the 57-year-old company is trying to extend its reach to school-aged children by offering kid versions of what were once considered exclusively adult devices. Last year, the company offered a fully operational still camera. Earlier offerings included phonographs and tape recorders for the 3-year and over set.

But parents shouldn’t expect any full-length home movies from their teen-age Steven Spielbergs. The new camcorders operate on double A batteries and record only 10 minutes per tape.