Thankfully, my mother and father don’t have any video tapes saved of me singing and drumming my heart out at an early age (at least I think). As a child, I remember there being a specific joy about singing my favorite tunes and not worrying about what others thought of me yet — just me and the microphone. Not much has changed with kids nowadays (won’t like to admit the year count), although perhaps the music choices have. Luckily there have been some adaptations by these karaoke gear companies in pairing up their songs with Disney and the like, otherwise there are also models you can purchase and the CD’s separately (depending on what your child prefers). Let’s review some of the best karaoke machines for kids.
How to choose your kid’s karaoke machine
- What is your budget? Most of the best kids karaoke machines are pretty affordable, but it really depends on the range you’re set on. The models under $100 will ultimately get the job done, but there are also some more expensive karaoke machines you may want to try out if you want something higher in quality (both sound, build, as well as capabilities). Since we’re talking kids here, we recommend a low-cost system due to the possibility of it breaking (accidents happen!) that can be easily replaced or returned, but be our guest if you want to spend some more money on yours.
- Bundles available – We searched around and found some pretty nice bundles in terms of machines coming with special edition karaoke CD’s. We see a lot of Disney pairing with some machines, but if your children are into other tunes there are numerous options out there. Browse through Amazon’s karaoke music section as there are plenty of options available.
- Will you be traveling? There are some extra-portable models while others may be a bit too large to do so. Keep this in mind when choosing your karaoke machine, especially if you foresee yourself bringing this karaoke machine to your child’s friend’s parties or even to your own pal’s homes.
- Note the compatible file formats you need – If you are unaware, you need +G files. They are basically files that pair up music and graphics (hence the G) with lyrics and images. You can’t use a regular CD and automatically have lyrics show up — the same goes for files in your smart device (mp3’s and iTunes files). Here’s a nice article about karaoke machine files if you want some more info — just know that you’ll have to buy or download special versions of the songs to make it work properly.
Our choices for best karaoke machines for kids
Karaoke isn’t just for bars and restaurants. There are many models that are perfect for at home use, especially with your little ones. The following is our list of the best karaoke machines for kids. We went with a few models to give you some options. Let us know your thoughts in the comments! If you need an additional microphone(s) for your machine, also read our best microphone for karaoke for some extra help.
Singing Machine SML283
This is one of the best karaoke machines for kids available today in our opinion. It has a front-loading CD player, built-in speaker, and even an extra disco light effect you can turn on if your little one wants a fancier karaoke party. It can support two wired microphones in case you have two wanting to sing, and it has a built-in echo and balance control to help with the overall sound quality. It comes with one microphone so it’s enjoyable out-of-the-box. You can also attach your phone or other smart device to play music, it just doesn’t have an LCD screen to show the lyrics so you’d have ot look at a different screen. What’s even better about this is the option with the Frozen karaoke bundle (comes in the pink color), so if your little one is in to Frozen (who isn’t!?) it’s a perfect fit. If you want the black color still you can just purchase the frozen CDG separately. The Singing Machine SML283 is one of our favorite karaoke machines for kids especially at the affordable price. It only weighs about 4 lbs and the dimensions are 9.1″ W x 4.1″ L x 9.9″ H. It’s pretty light and will be fine to travel with despite the medium size.
Karaoke USA GF829
Here’s another great pick as the best karaoke machine for kids but it doesn’t have a lot of the flair some may prefer. You do however get an attached 7″ LCD screen, the ability record your child’s songs, and a factory 300 MP3G two-disc package. It also comes with two microphones so if you have more than one little singer they can both have fun, or if your child has a friend they can join in on the fun as well. There are RCA cables included so you can attach the machine to a TV for lyrics and accompanying graphics, or you can plug in your iPod to play MP3G files as well (you’ll need these files as opposed to regular MP3 files because they won’t show the lyrics). It’s a bit bigger and heavier than the previous model listed so you’re not likely to travel with this one. There’s also a USB\SD card slot and a headphone jack, which is always a plus in our opinion. What’s great about this is the Disney bundle they have available: comes with machine itself as well as Frozen and Disney Princess bundle. A great option here, albeit a bit more expensive — it may be what you’re looking for. Try the Karaoke USA GF829 system if it sounds appealing to you.
Frozen 66227 Disney Disco Party
Here’s a more specific karaoke machine obviously, but if your little one loves Frozen like everybody else it’s definitely one to look at. It comes with the CD-G of Frozen with hit songs like “Let It Go” and “Do You Want to Build a Snowman”, not to mention the beautiful graphics on the front to aid in the overall movie theme. Attached is an LED light show for some extra spunk and it’s operated on batteries so it isn’t constrained to a place in the house — bring it outside even. It’s only about 5 lbs so you can bring this to their friend’s house, too. The RCA cables are great and will allow you to attach it to a TV screen for the lyrics. We recommend the Frozen Disco Party machine as the best karaoke machine for children if your little one(s) love Frozen and you want some mobility with your model.
Karaoke Night KN200
This children’s karaoke machine also has a light show, plays CD’s and CD+G’s, and is equipped with two built-in speakers that aren’t the loudest but get the job done. Two microphone inputs available here but it only comes with one mic so you’ll have to buy another if you have two little ones. You can connect an additional audio source using the 3.5mm jack but you’ll need an adapter that isn’t included, so your best bet here out-of-the-box is purchasing some additional CD+G’s (it comes with a 20 song demo disc if you aren’t picky). The microphone cord is about 10 feet long is which is pretty feasible for kids wanting to dance around a bit while they sing. The LED light show is also pretty fun if your child is in the mood. The KN200 karaoke machine is another option you may want to look at and is our last pick as the best karaoke machine for kids.
