Thames & Kosmos Spy Labs Inc: Listening Toy Listen & Gain Top Secret Intel | Essential Tools and Tricks of The Trade from The Detective Gear Experts for Kid Investigators

This is a cool idea, and my kids have played with it a bunch. You basically point it toward a sound you want to amplify, and it does sound a bit louder in the earpiece. The string is definitely a weak point, but so far its still working, and we've had it a couple of months. My children really enjoy this entire "spy equipment" line of toys, and I'd definitely buy more.

This is for kids and works for them to play it's little cheap flimsy and not for long range listening but close you can hear. It's a cute gadget

Despite being perfectly packaged and something kids would love, I'm not sure that the THAMES KOSMOS SPY LABS INC: LISTENING TOY FOR KID INVESTIGATORS will actually work for most children. The problem with this little spy gadget is that the only way you can hear amplified sound is through the earpiece. It's too large to fit in my ears, and it kept falling out. It would be even more difficult for a child.  Unless you have it positioned exactly right, the sounds you hear are not amplified. As a pretend toy, I don't doubt kids will really like running around pretending to be a spy. As a functional toy, it misses the mark. It takes one AA battery; it's not included and has to be inserted by an adult. This is done by removing a screw from the back of the of the toy. You'll need both a screwdriver and an AA battery to get it up and running. You can expect pretty lackluster performance, but when it does work, you can hear things a little better. My experience is that it works only intermittently. The sound cuts out periodically, probably to protect a child from hearing loss. The trick will be getting the earpiece to stay in a kid's ear. As a toy for kids, it would be much better and more practical if it had headphones. Unfortunately, the earpiece is permanently attached to this spy device. There is no jack to swap it out for cheap headphones.

It's by all means not a high end device but one you get past the fact it's a cheap plastic toy then you should be OK that it may work for simple listening for big kids or adults. Not for funny young kids. It works to listen in on distance conversations and TV.

My son loves to play with this. All of these spy products from this brand he has liked so far. It is well-made and easy to use. It is for older kids as the cord to the earpiece is very long and not suitable for young kids. Overall, I would recommend this.

I got this for my 5 yr old, but he has a hard time using it or understanding when it's working correctly as the effect isn't very strong. My 12 yr old understands it a bit better and has been able to use it to listen in to conversations. It seems like it needs to be almost a line of sight to the conversation to work though, and has a range of maybe 10-15 ft. It's barely more effective than just listening with ears, or putting a cup up to a door.

In bought this for fun with the kids. It's plastic but hopefully holds up well. It was very easy to use! Is not a big product, small just as you would expect it to be to be discreet! I plan to use it when I need to hear people talk about me hahah

This is obviously a toy based on the cost and age range alone, but I thought it would be fun for my wee one to play with and it was something different.So if you are anticipating buying this to secretly listen in on your ex while you sit creepily in a nearby car outside his home, eavesdropping on coworkers to see what they really think about you while they are in the break room while crouching awkwardly on a toilet against an ajoining wall, or maybe want to hear your husband talk on the phone while he's locked in the bathroom speaking in hushed, suspicious tones, this is not for you. Definitely not.But as a cool toy to just amplify nearby sounds, it is fun.We did test this by whispering to each other while someone else listened across the room. Honestly I could hear what was whispered a lot clearer than without using this. But it basically is a directional microphone with an earbud.It is affordable and I think most younger kids would find this quite entertaining, but level of interest is limited. Mine thought it was so neat, played with it for a while and then it was history. Tossed in the toy box of 'old news' doom.Overall: it works, is affordable and we had no problems with it prior to it's early demise in the black toy hole.