Getting Muical Book and Replacement Batteries for Cheap

This may be a stupid blog but I think it is one that someone may actually look up how to do. I want to share how I get my batteries for watches, music books, sing along, read along and game books inexpensively and also how to replace the batteries. I always check the clearance baskets at the grocery store to see if they have any in there as batteries are an expiring item that doesn't always sell well at grocery stores, they often go on clearance before they get near expiration 

The local dollar stores and the Family Dollar stores often have smaller batteries. Many times, they have multiple batteries of one size for up to 8 for a dollar. Ace hardware sometimes has a blister pack with 6 or 8 different batteries and three to six of each size for $2 when they have their dollar events.

If I can't find the small battery I am looking for at those three stores, I have found the size of battery needed for these books at the dollar store included in an "entry alarm" that is in the tools section. It comes with three of these batteries in the alarm for a $1 so even then, it isn't that expensive to replace them.

If all those don't work, I have found the Associated Food stores have their batteries much cheaper than Walmart. Sometimes even half as much. I rarely buy watch or toy batteries there as I can usually find them other places. I have even gotten used watches at the second hand store for $1 that are working and take the working battery out and put it into the watch I want to wear when buying that battery at Walmart would be $6. I saved $5 by doing it that way.

Every music or sing-a-long book I have ever purchased, I have bought used. I mostly get them in good condition from second hand stores but have a few from yard sales. Sometimes they are still working but most times, the batteries are dead and that is why they are getting rid of them. I have a good collection of them. With the girls "collecting" different characters while growing up, we collected a few that way as giftsl. You will see in the picture above that Princess One collects Oz and we have one of those. Princess Two collected "Pooh." We have one of those. Princess Three collects "Snoopy" items and there aren't a ton of things with that as there are with Sesame Street and Disney so there aren't any for her collection. But, Princess Four collects "Muppets" and there are those and Princess Five collects "Warner Brothers" and there isn't as much that way either.

The picture above isn't including any holiday ones we have as those are stored with the holiday decorations but I think we only have three for Christmas. It is funny that the kids still play with them when they are out.

To change out the batteries, most of the newer once will have a screw right on the top of the plastic piece holding the buttons to push. Some of the older ones, you have to open the book and look on the inside of the plastic piece. There are a few older ones that you actually have to peel the plastic off to find the battery unit but that is really rare. You will need a small tip on your Phillips screwdriver usually but I have shared before how I got the small screwdriver set at the dollar store for a dollar. It is VERY handy and I use it all the time.

Just unscrew the little screw. I sometimes put it on a piece of masking tape when I take it out so that I won't lose it as it is a very small screw and if you drop it, it may never be found. Once that is out, you put fingers on either side of the holder and there are usually little ridges on the sides to help you get a grip on it. Pull away from the book holding onto the plastic piece or you may rip it off the book.

Once you have the compartment open, you can use the tip of the screw driver to get the batteries out. Replace with the new batteries and once you push the compartment back into place, it should work.

If it doesn't, there could be a few things wrong. First, it could be there was some acid leaking from one of the old batteries. If that is the case, use a damp paper towel to wipe off the acid being careful not to get any of it on your skin as it can burn. Then, I use the tip of the screwdriver to scrap the metal contacts inside the bottom of the battery hole to make sure there is nothing on them to keep it from working.

Next, it could be that you just don't have the battery shoved in the hole deeply enough to touch the metal contact. In this case, I sometimes take a regular flat head small screw driver and pry up the contact metal on the bottom of the hole so that it is a bit higher and can touch the battery. This usually works in flashlights as well as after time of batteries pushing down on the spring, sometimes it needs to be pulled out some.

The last thing it can be is that some book or toys make the screw the contact finish for the batteries to get to the unit. If the screw isn't screwed in, the toy won't work. This is a safety feature probably so that children can't get to the batteries and choke on them as they can kill kids with the acid they release or choke them on the way down. This is another good reason NOT to lose the little screw as if you don't screw the little screw back in, the toy won't work.

If it still doesn't work, some of the wires or components may have been destroyed by leaking acid from a battery or being dropped.

Hopefully, the video near the top will give enough instruction that you will be able to figure it out.