Fisher-Price Smart Connect Soothing Motions Seat

The Fisher-Price Smart Connect Soothing Motions Seat arrived days before our second child was born, and we were anxious to know: Is a high-tech entertainer really worth the price tag?

The heavy box arrived on my doorstep containing many seemingly complicated parts. The manual, however, put me at ease. Once I scanned the illustrations, everything came together logically. Only a screwdriver was necessary to finish the job. The product was out of the box and ready to use in under 20 minutes.

The biggest challenge was syncing the app to the entertainer, but it’s possible that was user error. I troubleshot the app/entertainer connection for about 10 minutes before gaining control on my smartphone.

The mobile app allows you to command the speed of the human-like motion of rocking the seat up and down and/or side to side. Various music options and ambient nature sounds with volume control are also available. The app could control the entertainer throughout the house, but we never left our baby unattended or without being a few steps away. I mostly controlled the entertainer via the remote pad on the device, but the app was a nice-to-have for showing off the cool tech to visiting family and friends.

The final structure felt solid and had a wide sturdy base. There was never a concern that the entertainer could be knocked over inadvertently—even with our 4-year-old running around the house.

The sturdy position does, however, render the entertainer stationary. The seat is rarely moved from the initial site of construction in the living room. The top basket (hard plastic) and the base (metal) made it difficult to move. It’s not impossible to move, but it makes you think twice. Also, we never had the energy to dissemble and pack for travel.

Luckily the neutral design and muted colors make it welcome as a permeant fixture in most rooms—suitable for a girl or boy. The seat was large with a sturdy soft seat pad and body support. Both could easily be remove and cleaned in the washing machine. The entertainer can support a child under 20 pounds.

My only complaints are that the AC adaptor is quite large and takes up both plugs on the outlet. The cord could have also benefited from being a few feet longer. Despite these minor imperfections, the seat has given my wife and I many accumulative hours of relief. Our newborn required constant rocking and movement to be at peace when not sleeping or feeding. With its robotic rocking and peaceful music, this device gave us some hands-free moments to tend to our own needs. It is also used as the finishing move to gently rock the little guy to sleep.

I believe we found the answer to our first question. The moments of hands-free time and a content baby make this product well worth the price tag.

Price: $175

Where to buy: amazon.com