Reviews (29)

Future American Idol!
My kids adore this machine!Not only does it go through all the ABC's, shapes, and favorite songs, but it gives them a chance to sing to the music too.They love the microphone effect.Make sure you stock up on batteries!My kids run them out because they use it all the time.I would definately invest in some earplugs if you don't like listening to all that music.I find it very cute when my kids go around singing those songs, though.

Leapfrog does it again.....
We bought this toy for my daughter's 2nd birthday and she loves it.I have had no problems with this toy at all.This has a volume feature and my daughter loves singing into the microphone.The songs this plays are great too!All in all, leapfrog has done it again with another great toy.

My daughter couldn't hear herself sing.
The volume for the microphone is so low that it is hard to hear the child singing.Also the microphone cord when moved causes static and if the mic is too close to the speaker it will cause high pitch noices. Lastly the voice comes out sounding muttled and that is not when I was using the voice effect. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Preschool    2. Learning    3. Electronic Learning Aids (ELA)    4. Electronic    5. Math    6. Alphabet    7. Music    8. Activity    9. Musical    10. Counting   

Reviews (344)

Wow! My daughter loves her ABC's!
My daughter received this as a gift when she was too young (24 months old) for it.I held it off to the side for 6 months & then finally decided to give it to her right before she started preschool.

She loves to sing her ABC's now.The Fridge Phonics set reinforces the letter she is learning in school.We bought her a carry case for the letters & fridge magnet.She will carry it around & change the letter whenever she's in the mood.

I think this is one of the best educational toys out there for the alphabet.It tells the child the name of the letter, the sound(s) it makes & a few words.

Great learning toy
We have had this on our fridge for about 5 weeks now and my grandson loves to play with it, he now says the sounds before the little machine tells you the sound.

It is made very sturdy as my grandson has already had the peices thrown all over the place and the little machine too and there is no sign of any hard play with it, it still looks brand new.

Great, and durable toy
My 3 kids all love this, they can sing along with it and change letters so keeps them entertained.
One of them threw it in a sink full of water and it still works even after non stop singing for days!! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Preschool    2. Learning    3. Electronic Learning Aids (ELA)    4. Electronic    5. Alphabet   

Editorial Review

"Rut-roh!" There's nothing more frightening to Scooby-Doo than losing his munchies. Kids can help him and his human companions figure out a culinary mystery using LeapPad's multisensory, experiential learning interface. In Scooby-Doo and the Disappearing Donuts, kids see, hear, say, and touch throughout the book, making it easier to retain and enhance oral, vocabulary, and phonics skills while developing concrete reading-comprehension skills.

It's simple to use (just insert the cartridge and book into a LeapPad, and use the attached stylus to hear information), but this system is an innovative technology that provides entertaining, effective learning, designed by a Stanford-trained reading expert. As well, the system has been credited with the TMA's Educational Toy of the Year and People's Choice awards.

Two notes: Make sure the LeapPad book you get is appropriate for the child's educational level; this one should be a challenge for kids up to age 6. As well, know that some LeapBooks work on both LeapPad and LeapPad Pro, like this one, but some books only work with one system. --Diane Beall ... Read more

Reviews (18)

love that leap pad
Alex got this for his birthday and it was the ONLY thing he wanted to pay with for the rest of the day!

Lots of fun..
My 2 kids love just about every LeapFrog book that we've purchased.This particular Scooby Doo story is a lot of fun and the games that are included in the book keep the kids attention.

I give 3 stars for durability, as I will for all Leap Books, only because the book does not provide storage for the cartridge. It sure would be nice if the books had small plastic sleeves for the related cartridge. We have a number of books and keeping the books and cartridges together are a little tough. The chances of losing the small cartridges will keep my durability rating lower than 5.

Also, the 3 stars for durability is related to a design "flaw". The wire from the pen and the bottom of the book are constant fighting for space. To turn the page, without possibly bending the page, requires you to hold the wire down so it doesn't interfere with the page. Easy enough for an adult to do, however my 5 year old doesn't remember to hold the wire down all the time. 50% of all of our pages have creases in the bottom of the pages...all in the same spot!

another winner
The best part about this was that Uncle J was paying more attention to it than A - he said he just wanted to know how it ended. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Learning    2. Electronic Learning Aids (ELA)    3. Reading    4. Preschool    5. Animals    6. Dogs    7. Electronic    8. Alphabet   

Editorial Review

With all the high-tech electronic toys available for kids today, it would seem that the basics would be long forgotten. However, often the classic toys are the ones children want to play with the most. This classic block set includes 50 solid wood 1-inch-square blocks that are ideal for stacking or building. Two sides of each block feature carved letters or numbers in bright primary colors for teaching the alphabet or counting during play. The other four sides feature stamped letters, numbers, or pictures for additional practice in identification. Blocks come in a hard plastic storage case with a cord handle for easily transporting to Grandma’s house. This block set will most likely become the most used toy in the playroom. --Cristina Vaamonde ... Read more

Reviews (13)

These are the good kind
All alphabet blocks are good, but these are much better than the Imaginarium brand ones.The MYKIDS brand blocks are good too, but the color contrast is better on these.The most crucial characteristic is that a block has different letters on opposite sides, so you have at least two of each letter.There are a lot of words you can't spell when you only have one of most letters, and even if you have enough sets of blocks to compensate, it's still unnecessarily many blocks to look through.And if you aren't spelling words yet, there's still the same-versus-different play, which is sabotaged when you don't have any same.Then there's the spatial-skills aspect: if you turn the H block one way you get the 8, another way you get the U, and so on.These have it right on all criteria.

Very Classic
I love these blocks and they are actually going to be a decorating peice for our baby's room as well.I don't understand the complaints about how the pictures don't correspond.They never have.This set of blocks is the same as it always has been.If you want the letter to correspond buy some flash cards.I can't wait to play with these with my baby.

Toxic
I bought these blocks for my child. She licked them and the colors came off. I think they should develop a saliva-proof coloring for their blocks. Also, the licking caused my child to be mocked in kindergarden due to the strange colors of her tongue. This tramatic experience has left her and our family scarred for life. I hate blocks. I'll buy more tomorrow. Good bye. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Preschool    2. Learning    3. Construction    4. Blocks    5. Wood    6. Toddler    7. Activity    8. Shape Sorting    9. Building Sets    10. Puzzles   

Editorial Review

What's really cute? A kid that can pronounce tough words with confidence and finesse. LeapPad's multisensory, experiential interface allows a child to do just that. With The Day Leap Ate Olives, kids see, hear, say, and touch throughout the book, making it easier to retain and enhance oral, vocabulary, and phonics skills while distinguishing between consonants and vowels. Leap and his friends help kids to identify, comprehend, and pronounce new and old words correctly.

It's simple to use (just insert the cartridge and book into a LeapPad, and use the attached stylus to hear information), but this system is an innovative technology that provides entertaining, effective learning, designed by a Stanford-trained reading expert. As well, the system has been credited with the TMA's Educational Toy of the Year and People's Choice awards.

Two notes: Make sure the LeapPad book you get is appropriate for the child's educational level; this one should be a challenge for kids up to age 6. As well, know that some LeapBooks work on both LeapPad and LeapPad Pro, like this one, but some books only work with one system. --Diane Beall ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Learning    2. Electronic Learning Aids (ELA)    3. Phonics    4. Preschool    5. Reading    6. Electronic    7. Alphabet   

Editorial Review

Made just for toddlers, My First LeapPad Book takes care to encourageprereading skills while giving tots a simple, interesting story that makeslearning to read a fun first experience. Just stick the included book chip intoyour child's LeapPad, put the book in place, and the LeapPad takes care of therest.

Leap himself is the main character in this story, adding even moreappeal to young readers as he explores the galaxy with his friends. As he goeson his quest, kids learn to comprehend the story's overall meaning, understandspecific events, and practice their listening skills. In addition, this bookintroduces primary math skills--like numbers, counting, and basic geometricshapes. It even sneaks in a bit of deductive logic, emotional exploration, colorrecognition, object matching, and positions (up, down, in, between, etc.). Flipthe book over and there's more fun: over 30 activities and 4 sing-along songs.Note: The book works only with the My First LeapPad Learning System, not moreadvanced LeapPad systems. --Diane Beall ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Great
My kids love and enjoy My first leap frog books. This book is great for learning numbers and number recognition.

not as good
My daughter has 6 leappad books - this is the only one she doesn't like.I am not sure why, but it just isn't as good as the rest!

Not the best My First Leappad book
Our 3 year old does not like this book very much.Colors and shapes are too small.And there is too much other information around those items to make it clear that that is what they are supposed to be learning.It says it is supposed to teach numbers, but it only goes up to 5.If I had to do it over again I would have purchased another Leappad book instead of this one. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Learning    2. Electronic Learning Aids (ELA)    3. Preschool    4. Reading    5. Electronic    6. Alphabet   

Editorial Review

This electronic writing desk teaches kids the alphabet, letter sounds, letter formation,spelling, and word creation in a fun, interactive format. Kids can choose from sixgames: letters, a letters quiz, phonics, a phonics quiz, spelling, and "create-a-word."In the letters game, children push a letter to hear its name and see how it is formedon the LCD screen; players can also write their own letters on the "magic" writing screen.In the spelling game, children learn to spell simple words. In the phonics game, childrenfirst hear a letter and then are given a short word as an example. Along the way, thealways-helpful LeapFrog "coach" offers lots of cheerful hints so children won't getstuck in any of the exercises. Additional features include an automatic shut-off, anoversize pullout handle, a variety of comical sounds for incorrect answers, and atwo-position volume control. --Tami Horiuchi ... Read more

Reviews (84)

A Fantastic learning tool!!!
My first son received this when he was 3 and loved it..it really solidified what he knew about letters and helped him to learn the difference between upper and lower case. Now, my second son, who just turned 2, knows all his letters simply from playing with this desk, and I am amazed! He played with it and still plays with it constantly, and just from playing with it was able to learn them all on his own...which is great for me, a mom of three, who doesn't always have the time to sit down with him. This toy occupies him for hours and is so educational, and I know that as he gets older, he will love using more of the many options it offers. This is such a great learning tool, I would buy another if this one broke tomorrow!

My sons new favorite toy...
I ordered this for my 4 year old son last week and ever since I gave it to him he loves to practice his writing on it.This desk has a lot of different activities on it that the child can play with and still have fun learning.Like the other reviewers, my only complain is that it times out too quickly.But still it's a great teaching tool for kids learning to write letters and words.

Excellent Preschool Learning Tool
My son is 4 years old and in preschool, this product has significantly helped him to not only recognize the letters in the alphabet but also how to write them.My only complaint is that it "times" out too quickly and asks them to play again later.Other than that, it is an excellent product. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Electronic Learning Aids (ELA)    2. Alphabet    3. Phonics    4. Reading    5. Preschool    6. Learning    7. Games    8. Electronic   

Editorial Review

Here's a learning toy that offers kids a wonderful, interactive introduction tothe world of letters, sounds, and colors. Alphabet Pal features several ways to play--pullthe string and, antennae flashing, the jolly green caterpillar rolls happily along singing thealphabet song.When one of the caterpillar's 26 multicolored alphabet legs is pressed,kids hear the name of that color, letter, or letter sound depending on which mode theychoose. Best of all, Alphabet Pal is a parent's friend, too--it's not too loud and turns off byitself when idle. It comes with three demonstration batteries, which should be replacedwith regular AA batteries. Made of durable plastic, the toy is 7 by 11.5 inches long.--Marianne Painter ... Read more

Reviews (88)

Unfortunately, not up to Leapfrog's usual standards
With that said, try something else. The idea is good, but they made it so annoying to both child and parent, that it just isn't worth it. Aghhh. Leapfrog's first stinkaroo, I'm afraid! It just about drove me nuts hearing that voice singing all the time. It really isn't too much fun for my son since the cord is WAY too short to pull. It just kept slipping out of his hand and he couldn't stand to pull it - he had to stoop over or it would do a "wheelie." Nope, there's too many other great pulltoys out there that has this one beat. It's way too flimsy and doesn't stay on the floor at all, but falls over easily. Leapfrog makes great toys but this one needs some revisions. It's just such an annoying toy for parents and no that much fun for kids since it won't stay on the floor correctly. The sensitivity needs reviewed as well. Golly, the cat can walk past it and it starts singing. Not too fun at 3:00 a.m.!

In addition, I just saw the revised version of this catepillar.It is now a plus toy with the same features, but it is not a pulltoy.Looks tons better!

ABC...
My daughter got this at her 1st birthday and now she is 20months and pulls it around singing her alphabets..its to cute!! If you pull the sing it automaticly starts singing the ABC:S - it also helps teach colors,what the actual letters look like and is just very intertaining to the kids as well as parents.

Daughter loves it!
We got this for my daughter when she was 9 months old and she absolutely loves it.She quickly figured out how to use it, and claps along with the music every time.The volume level control is a great feature, and it auto turn off saves batteries.Worth every cent! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Games    2. Learning    3. Electronic Learning Aids (ELA)    4. Alphabet    5. Preschool    6. Electronic    7. Baby and Infant    8. Electronic Learning Aids    9. Reading    10. Writing    11. Phonics   

Editorial Review

This purple and silver electronic lap-book looks worth the sacrifice of foregoing afternoon cartoons--and it is. The two included storybooks ("Ernie's Neighborhood" and "School Skills") fit inside the book and, thanks to microchip technology, kids can read, count, talk, and sing along with characters using a handy stylus as a pointer. They can stop the story whenever they like to figure out words, phrases and puzzles along the way. Buttons for letters, words, music, and "surprises" are within finger-distance, and so is a full reference of capital and lower-case letters. There are also 60 or more learning activities stored in the book, designed for kids between 3 and 8 years (or up to the 2nd grade). Activities range from simple (spelling, telling time, music) to more complex (problem-solving, comprehension, vocabulary). Required: four AA batteries. Diane Beall ... Read more

Reviews (83)

NOT ALL THAT IMPRESSIVE
We got this toy for our daughter when she was two years old and she didn't play with it. She is now four and still deosn't play with it. The books that go with it are not that great and are limited.The cartriges that go with the books are hard to keep track of because they are small. The learning system messes up and gets off track very easily. I don't recomend this toy and will be selling my hardly used power touch at a garage sale.

Fun, but little hands like to push many things at once...
I just bought this (...), brought it home, put in batteries and my son (2 1/2) went right to it.Hoever, it may be too advanced for him.I thought it would not be because he already knows his letter, numbers, colors, shapes, and can even do a 24 piece puzzle in less than five minutes.But this thing has a lot of options.He went to one page and pushed on everything and then wanted to go to the next page, not wanting to push the bottons at the top for tother activites.I'm sure he will get into those more as he gets a little older and this will make an excellent toy, but I was hoping for something that would keep his attention for a while now.I also wonder know if I should've gotten the "My First LeapPad" because of the pen.That's the reason I didn't get it, I thought the finger would be easier, but now I see at my son's age, it is too hard for him to only use just his finger, he wants to rest his hand on it as well, pushing about ten things at once.I miht put this back in the box for six months or so and get one for younger kids in the meantime.ALthough as he uses this more, he might still get some good entertainment out of it, if he will be patient enough to let listen to the directions for the suprise games, etc...

TWO YEAR OLD LOVES IT!
My son got this toy for his second birthday last October and really loves it.I guess it is similar to the Leap Pad but since I've never seen the leap Pad I'm not sure.The board basically fits storybooks on it along with a cartridge that accompanies each book.Kids turn the page and the interactive story book plays and responds to your childs touch.They can press on basically everything on each page and hear a sound or phrase and even play simple number and color games.The voices are right out of Sesame Street for the book that comes with the set.

It's quite easy for kids to turn on and use all by themselves.The toy is quite durable and is not a battery hog.I know that there are many more story books out for the Leap Pad. Hopefully Fisher Price will continue to support the toy with more and more story books because it is a very well made toy.VEry educational and fun for kids. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Preschool    2. Learning    3. Electronic Learning Aids (ELA)    4. Electronic    5. Math    6. Alphabet   

Editorial Review

Here's another great LeapFrog innovation that lets children play and learn at the same time. The Imagination Desk Learning System teaches kids letters, numbers, phonics, counting, and vocabulary on a lively multimedia desk. As a child colors in the pages, they come to life with characters, games, and music that teach letters, colors, and other preschool skills. Three engaging modes (learn, game, and music) offer tons of variety for kids as they play, extending both the fun and appeal of the desk. The set includes the interactive learning desk, the "Let's Learn Letters" coloring book, and crayons. The unit features volume control, storage for templates and supplies, and a carrying handle. It uses four AA batteries (not included). ... Read more

Features

• Teaches letter names and sounds, fun facts, numbers and counting
• 3 engaging teach modes (learn, game, and music)
• Includes interactive desk, coloring book, crayons, volume control and storage space

Reviews (33)

good product! LOVE LEAPFROG!
I think this product works great and would recommend it to anyone with little ones learning their ABC's. This was a birthday present for my son and he loves it. We haven't had any function problems with the Imagination Desk or any of the other Leapfrog products we have in our home.(and we have many) My new favorite...Leapster!!!! I think Leapfrog makes good quality, educational toys for kids in a wide range of ages.

No add-ons available....
The Imagination desk itself is great... My 3 year has enjoyed it for the last 6 months. So why am I giving it a 3 star, you ask.

Well, I can't find any additional coloring books and cartridges for this. The only one Amazon has "Rhyme and Sing with Mother Goose" is not available.

Now that my daughter is looking for something new, the Imagination desk is useless. (...) However, all but the "ABC"-one needs an add-on cartridge. But I cant seem to find that anywhere.

terrific toy
My three year old recieved this for her birthday and loves it.It is simple enough that she can play with it by herself, but interesting enough that she thinks she is doing something similar to the activities of her older siblings.Each sheet lasts a long time as she will color every inch of it!The toy is very responsive and plays different songs, etc., as she colors.Perfect for a child who likes talking toys, as so many kids do. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Preschool    2. Learning    3. Reading    4. Electronic Learning Aids (ELA)    5. Electronic    6. Math    7. Alphabet    8. Counting   

Reviews (13)

Besttoy ever to learn ABCs
I bought this puzzle for my son when he was 2 and half. Although it takes more time for them to complete, this is the best toy to learn upper and lower case. My son learnt it immediately and now he is 3 yrs and keeps spelling all the letters in his little books, even spells the names of grocery stores.
Without this toy I wouldn't have taught him. This is one toy you can buy it without 2nd thought. It is very sturdy and no sharp edges. Even though some lower case letters look similar, it's not difficult for little ones to make out the differences. The letters i and l are very small, so, keep an eye on little children not to put in their mouth. But don't avoid buying it and teaching them.
After seeing this puzzle, many of my friends bought this for their children too and all are satisfied. no regrets.

Great buy!
I got this back when my son was only about 9 months old to supplement my home-made flashcards & the educational videos. I didn't take out the plastic at that time since I know he'd just eat them. I just let him point out the letters besides the alpha blocks that he's also learning from. To make a long story short, my son's mastered the alphabet at 14 months old (& to think he was 5 wks preemie when he was born) both the upper and lower case letters and all the letter sounds.Now at 18 months, he's reading the words that he used to know by recognition only.He can actually read now and builds the words using the letters on this puzzle.I'd say it's worth the money!

Great learning tool for letter recognition
This is quite inexpensive for all you get. I love that this is a combination of upper and lower case letters.

This puzzle can be made the traditional way or it can be used as a moveable alphabet. A moveable alphabet is a name for little letters that kids can manipulate on their own. Moveable alphabets are used in Montessori schools and other schools. After buying an expensive moveable alphabet of only lowercase letters (that is all that is available from that other manufacturer) I realized I could have bought multiple sets of this puzzle and use them in the same way. A moveable alphabet is used in freeform activities with your child to teach letter recognition. It is a tactile exercise as the child is holding the letter and moving it, rather than it being a little mark of ink on a page. You or the child can also form words with the letters and sound them out and read them as a way to supplement teaching reading. (Multiple puzzles would be needed so that there are more than one letter each.) My children hold up the letters and ask me which it is and we play games like that, that either they or I invent.

This puzzle is very durable as are all the other wood puzzles from this company.

The only downside is that organization is key if you want to not lose any of the pieces. This is too large for the puzzle holder that this company sells. Also beware the L's and I's are quite small and definately are choking hazard sized..so if you have little ones, take care to keep this out of their reach.

I think this is an inexpensive learning tool that every child should own. Please buy this for your child or give it as a gift to other children.

The puzzle doesn't have fancy graphics or bells and whistles to entertain. Games could be made up by the parent working alongside the child to make this interesting. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Toddler    2. Activity    3. Puzzles    4. Wood    5. Easy Puzzles    6. Alphabet    7. Learning    8. Preschool    9. Jigsaw Puzzles    10. Pegged   

Editorial Review

The interactive Fun and Learn Phonics Bus combines friendly talkingcharacters, songs, and lights to help children learn the letters of the alphabetand the sounds they make. Players can choose one of four games, such as Learn aLetter, Find a Letter, and Find a Letter Sound. The Phonics Bus motivates littleones to follow oral directions, and the characters provide helpful clues andencouragement. Raised plastic alphabet letters on the side of the bus are easyto press, and youngsters can practice tracing each letter shape with afingertip. A 20-month-old tester loved rolling the sturdy vehicle around thehouse, and constantly pressed letters to hear the various melodies play in themusic game mode. As they grow, kids will be ready for the more advanced learninggame options. Three AA batteries are required, for hours of electric power.--Lauren Bernard ... Read more

Reviews (22)

My Son Loves It!
We keep this toy in the car. It is the perfect size for little hands and sits in his lap. It has several settings so you can really get alot of use out of it. Plus, we noticed that he has started to relate letters and sounds to words like "D" for "dog". I highly recommend it.

Best Toy I Ever Bought
I bought this toy for my 21 month old son.Within 2 weeks he knew most of his alphabet by sight.He started noticing that letters were all around him: in his books, on posters we have hanging on our walls, on street signs, etc. Within another 2 weeks he was able to play the quiz modes of the toy and get the answers right most of the time.This quickly became on of his favorite toys.
The music and songs that the characters sing get a little annoying after a short period, but it's worth it for the educational value.
Well worth the $20!

GREAT TOY!
My daughter received the Phonics Bus when she was about a year old. She is now 5. It has been dropped a lot. The letters still come out very clear.I like that it also quizes the kids, not just says the letters and sounds. It has now been passed down to her little brother. (who has done more than just drop it)This toy is very educational and very tough. The batteries also last FOREVER. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Preschool    2. Learning    3. Electronic Learning Aids (ELA)    4. Electronic    5. Alphabet    6. Electronic Learning Aids    7. Reading    8. Writing    9. Phonics   

Editorial Review

Learning to ride a bike is small potatoes--at least compared to a kid that can rattle off more new words this month than last month. LeapPad's multisensory, experiential interface allows a child to do just that. With Richard Scarry's Best Little Word Book Ever, kids see, hear, say, and touch throughout the book, making it easier to retain and enhance oral, vocabulary, and phonics skills while learning new, useful words. Scarry's characters (like the familiar Huckle Cat) help to identify and pronounce both new and old words correctly.

It's simple to use (just insert the cartridge and book into a LeapPad, and use the attached stylus to hear information), but this system is an innovative technology that provides entertaining, effective learning, designed by a Stanford-trained reading expert. As well, the system has been credited with the TMA's Educational Toy of the Year and People's Choice awards.

Two notes: Make sure the LeapPad book you get is appropriate for the child's educational level; this one should be a challenge for kids up to age 6. As well, know that some LeapBooks, like this one, work on both LeapPad and LeapPad Pro, but some books only work with one system. --Diane Beall ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Great book
This a wonderful book to help expand the vocabulary of young children.The pages are not cluttered with unnecessary background images.The sounds a funny noises are cute too.I recommend this for any child.

Very Cute
I am not usually a fan of Richard Scary stuff. The animals are a bit wierd and the books are just way too busy for my tastes. Furthermore, my son hasn't been too interested in RS stuff either.

However, we got this book as a gift and my son loves it.

The book is not too crowded that my son can't pick out the page what he wants to touch. Each animal says something or makes a cute sound. There are some fun games that have been quite a challenge for my son.

My son is 2 and 1/2 and this has been just right for himas he begins to learn. Now, if there were a Richard Scary ABC that was just like this, I'd probably buy it too.

Enjoy ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Learning    2. Electronic Learning Aids (ELA)    3. Reading    4. Preschool    5. Electronic    6. Alphabet   

Reviews (3)

Wonderful!
My 3 year old son loves Bob the Builder, and has enjoyed learning to use his "My First Leap Pad" with Bob.The pictures are engaging and the games are easy to understand.We will definitely look for more Bob leap pad books!

Disappointing
My son (3 1/2) loves the characters in the First LeapPad book series, but doesn't really enjoy the LeapPad books. The pace is s-l-o-w. The orientation is instructional -- and not very fun. The system depends on the reader pressing a green "Go" button to identify which page is active. Every page is framed by a border that is reserved for the successively located "Go" buttons. This works fine until your little pre-reader zips the stylus over the full page looking for hidden treasures and triggers a "Go" button for a different page. Then everyone's confused. If your child is used to structured learning, they'll probably like this a lot. If your child is used to the pace and interactivity of computer software, save this until they have some preliminary reading skills.

My 2 year old loves this!
I bought my 2 year old son a My First Leap pad for Christmas.Out of all of the books he received he enjoys this one the most.He is not a fan of Bob the Builder and does not like the show on television, but he sure enjoys this product.There is a lot of praise and positive reinforcement.He loves to hear them cheer and tell him that he did a great job.If the games are too difficult, the book allows him to just touch the various pictures on the pages which make various sounds etc. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Preschool    2. Learning    3. Electronic Learning Aids (ELA)    4. Electronic   

Editorial Review

Introduce your toddler to numbers, letters, and music with this interactive driving toy. Your child can: discover the differences between Upper and Lowercase letters; motor through numbers one through ten; listen to the sounds of the engine, horn, and other traffic sounds; or bop along to some cute songs. A little LCD screen shows numbers, letters, or scenery as your child uses the steering wheel, gear shift, ignition key, and horn to navigate through the learning modes. In driving mode, your child can follow directions, listen for the sounds of rain, or a train, and see the corresponding images roll by. In music mode, the gear shift can quicken or slow down the pace of the music. To advance to the next tune, just tap the horn. The gear shift also sets the pace for how fast you want to move through the numbers or letters modes. All this steering and shifting is good for developing your toddler's fine motor skills, as well as cognitive skills. This is a toy that won't get old fast; there are so many ways to play.Requires 4 AA batteries (included). --Megan Sullivan ... Read more

Features

• Variety of basic skills
• Music and images
• Interactive steering wheel
• Five learning modes

Reviews (9)

a blessing
We bought this toy for our sons 1st birthday. He loved it. He would sit for 20-30 minutes just playing with it. At the same time we were working with our 2 daughters on learning the alphabet and the sounds of each letter. Well one day while ds was playing with the toy both our daughters sat down on either side of him and started saying the alphabet and learning the sounds. I never expected this toy to entertain a 1 yr old, 3 yr old, and 5 yr old all at the same time. It has truly been a blessing and made teaching the alphabet so much easier and fun.

Ehhhh, not a favorite in our home
I love LeapFrog products. The LeapStart table and Drum were hits in our home, as are the Fridge Phonics.However, this one just doesn't have that much to it!The lights action is very basic (think leds - very 70's) and leaves much to be desired.In addition to that, the letters aren't very clear - V, B, G, Z... all sound like they are making the same noise.

My son hasn't shown much interest in the item, either.He will play with it for a minute or two and then that's it.

I would have given it less than 3 stars if it were not durable.That is IS.But fun?Don't think so!

Wonderful toy
We love this toy!! It's fun and educational. My 18 month old loves the driving fun, music and cool noises and I love the letters and numbers and how the toy says what each letter sounds like. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Preschool    2. Learning    3. Pretend Play    4. Electronic Learning Aids (ELA)    5. Electronic    6. Baby and Infant    7. Electronic Learning Aids   

Reviews (32)

Near Duplicate of Letter Factory DVD
This is a great learning tool for Leapster. However, we own the Letter Factory DVD and found this to be nothing more than the identical item. I expected more games or expanded learning. There are only 2 simple games. My 5 year old son says "too boring". We have watched our DVD for over a year and love it. This simply was not any different and not a good purchase for us. So, if you don't own Letter Factory DVD, you should get this!

Amazing miracle worker
My son has been in speach therapy for 1 1/2 years.He did not start talking till he was 2 1/2.Now a 4 year old, he is as stubborn as I am and wouldn't sing the alphabet song with me, nothing I did could encourage him to learn his letters or his numbers.I stumbled onto this at our base exchange and he loved it.I would let him play with the sample one when we came into the store.I brought my husband to show him how interested he was in the system.So we made the investment.I am amazed.He got this from Santa for Christmas and by the beginning of February, he knew all his letters of the alphabet and what sounds they make!He learned the proper way to make the L sound (hard for him)and when I correct him he starts singing the leapster song.He loves this game.I have since (March) purchased the Word factory and he is trying to READ!!He loves the "sticky letters" concept.I can't believe how well these games are made as to hold the attention of a very busy 4 year old! Who is no longer in speach therapy :)

One of the best learning cartridges ever!
I can't say enough about this cartridge for the Leapster.I never imagined just how much my little boy would benifit from this game, but he truly has learned to reconginize all his letters and knows the letter sounds just from this cartridge!He is'nt 4 yet and he has had this game for 3 months and still plays with it a lot.He really likes the video (as well as we have the Letter Factory DVD that is a good investment too) but he likes the cartridge better since he can watch the Letter Factory video on long car trips.I have worked with my little boy on recongizing his letters and after Santa brought this cartridge it was only a few weeks later that he started telling me what each letter was!He would point to signs, things on tv, boxes- basically anything he saw with letters and tell me each letter, I was so impressed and now he is starting to spell words and tell me what they are!He knows how to spell his first and last name in lower case letters and upper case- all because of this cartridge! He is beginning to spell lots of words! I am so impressed with the letter factory!I am very pleased with this cartridge and would suggest it to anyone looking to buy it for their little one! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Preschool    2. Learning    3. Electronic Learning Aids (ELA)    4. Electronic   

Editorial Review

Unzip this 10-by-14-inch, bright turquoise, soft cloth book, and you'll find two animal-packedalphabet trains spanning both pages. Each train car is a pocket, and each pocket is embroidered with aletter of the alphabet. Inside the pockets you'll find friendly little pillow animals, each one marked with aletter of the alphabet: the pink elephant rides in the E car, and the green alligator rides in the A car.Your child will love taking the animals out of the pockets and stuffing them back in (a favorite toddleractivity). You'll have fun teaching your child the names of the animals and letters, such as N for newtand X for xenops. When playtime is over, your toddler can zip the whole gang safely inside, grab thesturdy handle, and tote the little animals to their next destination. --Elisabeth Fredrickson ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Fabulous Learning !!!!
I bought this for my daughter when she was 1 1/2 years old last christmas.She loves it, (and so do I).She still pulls it out to play with.Amazingly enough, we have never lost an animal for more than a few weeks.Since there is a space for each animal, it is a great storage too.You are able to see if you have everything when it is put away.Which leads to another great part about this toy, my daughter LOVES to put all the animals back in their "garages" (as my daughter calls it).Very soon after we bought this, she was memorizing her letters and telling me what each animal was.Since they all have matching letters on the animals and their "garages" it helps the younger ones find out where each goes.I can't say enough good things about this.I hate to buy toys that get put in the toy box and never get pulled out again.But this one has definately kept her attention.When you put that with the educational opportunity, how can you resist it?It is cute!Oh and you know how you get tired of playing the same toys with your children?This one is fun for the adults too. I forgot to mention one of the most important details.There is a form you get with the toy to order more animals if you lose any.

My favorite toy for my kids!
This was a gift to my newborn boy, but my 2 1/2 year old adores it!
Pros:
1.helps teach letters (each animal has the letter that starts its name on its back)
2.compact, portable
3.cute!
4.animals good for other play (my daughter likes to pretend to "save" them when they are stuck in a tree, or have them ride in her "airplane" (shoe)... and much much more
5.OK for babies (although the animals are smallish, ~ 3inches tall, they never presented a choking hazard for my son -- who likes to chew them)
6.The animals machine wash well (see chewing note above :))
Cons:
1.Lots of pieces to lose -- we lost the lion for quite a while, but he showed up behind the entertainment center
2.Some of the animals are not so recognizable -- I think "N" is a newt, but it's hard to tell.

Despite the few cons, this is probably my favorite toy that my kids have. Thus, 5 stars all around!

A worthy investment
I bought this for my daughter at 17 months and she loves it. Not only is it beautiful, it's the best quiet time toy ever!! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Electronic Learning Aids (ELA)    2. Electronic    3. Stuffed Toys    4. Stuffed Animals    5. Pretend Play    6. Vehicles    7. Trains    8. Animals    9. Learning    10. Alphabet    11. Preschool    12. Baby and Infant    13. Toddler    14. Push and Pull Toys    15. Activity   

Editorial Review

What's really, really cute? A kid that doesn't know the meaning of some words yet, but really, really wants to. LeapPad's multisensory, experiential interface makes kids want a big vocabulary--in a bad way. With Richard Scarry's Things to Know, kids see, hear, say, and touch throughout the story, enhancing oral, vocabulary, and phonics lessons given throughout the book. At the same time, Scarry's characters help to identify and pronounce new words and pronounce old words correctly.

It's simple to use (just insert the cartridge and book into a LeapPad, and use the attached stylus to hear information), but this system is an innovative technology that provides entertaining, effective learning, designed by a Stanford-trained reading expert. The system also has been credited with the TMA's Educational Toy of the Year and People's Choice awards.

Two notes: Make sure the LeapPad book you get is appropriate for the child's educational level, and know that some LeapBooks (like this one) work on both LeapPad and LeapPad Pro, but some only work with one system. --Diane Beall ... Read more

Reviews (2)

This is the 2nd Richard ScaryLeapbook I have purchased
We had this book and it was destroyed by our cat. We love it so much we are purchasing it again!My 4 year old loved it for over a year and now my 15 month loves it.We have several Leap Pad books and this one is by far the favorite of my two boys.I like it because it does not just tell a story like many Leap Pad books do, it allows kids to count, find items, and listen to music.

A must own!
Another must own of the leap pad series of books.This book encourages colors, shap recognition and counting while teaching kids about their seasons, musical instruments and more.On the seasons pages, they learn extra tunes including a little bit of "The Entertainer".They also learn their opposites and the importance of being polite.The best bonus is that your child's vocabulary and self-esteem get a boost. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Learning    2. Electronic Learning Aids (ELA)    3. Reading    4. Preschool    5. Toddler    6. Activity    7. Electronic    8. Alphabet   

Reviews (6)

OK
For those say ch, ll and rr are letters "they're not", I'm mexican, it sounds different when you put together 2 l's or 2 r's, or a c and a h, but they are not letters (ñ is a letter). So, this toy is correct.

spanish alphabet issue
Re: the alphabet issue.I am a Spanish teacher and of course I teach the letters ch, ll, rr and ñ (n w/ a tilde).They have different sounds.It would be delinquent of me not to tell them the sounds those letters make.However, the Real Academia, the Spanish language organization, has removed the double letters: ch, ll and rr from the official alphabet.They are not found listed separately in current dictionaries, but there are lots of old dictionaries out there that still list them as separate letters. I believe any exposure to a second language is good, even if it doesn't involve all of the sounds.It is easier to put 27 sounds on a toy that normally has 26 English ones then to put 30. If your child likes this toy, buy it!

Spanish Alphabet in Children's Toys
Actually, many of the special letters in the Spanish alphabet have been removed.

Specifically, CH, and LL have been dropped. RR was never universally used. (All this despite the fact that many American Spanish classes continue to teach this expanded alphabet.)

(...) ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Preschool    2. Push and Pull Toys    3. Learning   

Reviews (2)

Great System
I bought this for my 2yr old.Although the age group states its for older children, my son still has tons of fun with this system.This book is his favorite and he likes to read it at least 2-3 times per day.It is so neat that nearly every picture on the page can make a sound or tell you what it is.He learns lots of new words and is so excited about books.He loves the fact that Elmo is somewhere on every page.We have so much fun with this book and the whole system.He also has the leap frog system but reaches for this one first.
I would caution not to purchase if you don't intend on supervising closely.He is very rough on the pages and they come out and get torn pretty easily and this happened while I was watching him closely.

My son loves playing with this book
My two year old son received a PowerTouch system for his birthday.According to the age recommendations he is too young for the system, but he figured out what to do very quickly, and his vocabulary has certainly been widened since he began playing with the system.

Our son's favorite book is "Elmo's Noisy Day" -- Elmo and Zoe go all around Sesame Street with jars and bottles in which they collect all the noises they hear.On one page they sample sounds from the jungle, on another they capture the sounds of a busy street, and they even collect some sounds from outer space!I was impressed by the variety of sounds included, and I was also impressed at how some pictures contained unexpected sounds.For example, on the first pages, the hats on a coat rack each make their own sound, related to the profession each hat is associated with.In the music store, each of the four samples of sheet music in the background produce a different tune.On the spaceship, the different buttons and levers make different beeps and squawks.

When my son sits down with this book, he will page through and play with it for 20 minutes or so at a time.He has suprised me with some of the new words he has learned by hearing them in the book -- he casually pointed out the tuba for me the other day by name!I can't speak to the counting or spelling functions of the book - we just use it for the story, for music and sounds, and for naming objects.Some of the pages are beginning to get a little ragged with use, but since my son is two I am sure he is handling it a little more roughly than an older child would.

I would recommend this book for the Power Touch system because of the great variety of information a child can get from any page, and for the educational value of the information presented, especially for a younger child (2 or 3 years old). ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Preschool    2. Learning    3. Electronic Learning Aids (ELA)    4. Electronic