If you are looking to give them "relatively" inexpensive that carries the iPod name, it will suffice. However, compared to the other (more expensive) iPods, it's not worth it.

I think the Shuffle is designed for people like yourself... an inexpensive iPod, but still an iPod...

Keep in mind also that, at approximately the size of a stick of gum, a shuffle will be relatively easy to lose. Yes, it's as cheap as you can buy an iPod (unless you buy used, which has its own set of emptors to caveat). But, personally, I think 8- and 9-year-olds are a little young for that. Would you give them $100 watches to wear?

Ipod Shuffles are pretty much just another "memory stick" based MP3 player. I have several that I use for exercise, etc. I bought the shuffle on a whim becuase I had heard good thing about them. Basically on a scale of 1-10 I would give it a 5 or 6. I found the sounds quality so-so, it was higher priced than other devices of the same capacity and the ear buds were of a pretty poor quality.

You do need to use Itunes to load the device. For some that is a positive, for others (like me) a negative. If I had to do it over again, I would not buy an Ipod shuffle

Diane