Reviews (4)

We own two copies...
My daughter loves the Disney princesses and she also loves her My First LeapPad.In fact, she often plays with her LeapPad in her Disney princess tent.I should also mention that she knows both English and French.

Anyway, we bought her the French version of this book, but she didn't take to it all.Then we got her the English one, since her English is more advanced than her French.She didn't take to it either.Each time, she tried the reading section a couple of times, tried some of the games, then switched it for one of the books she likes much better.

Nevertheless, we've since discovered that this is only the case when she's alone or with my wife and I.Whenever we have company, she will take it out to show off her reading skills in both French and English.So we cannot say she hasn't learned some vocabulary and reading skills from each version, but it just did not sustain her interest.

All that and more
my sister is 5 and autistic.She is developmentally about 2 yearsbehind schedual.I got this book for her as well as the MY FIRST LEAPPAD BOOK and she is now reading!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Great story book
This is a great addition for the Leap Pad game. The story book is two sided- one side for Jasmine's story and one for Belle's story.My daughter loves it!It can be read to them or they can use the magic pen to slide over the words to hear it read orally.Each page has a game that goes along with that part of the story!Great product! ... Read more

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

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   

Reviews (5)

Madeline
I was disappointed with the quality of this item. The dancing Madeline would not consistantly spin and play music, she needed a good hard tap to get her going. I returned her for this reason. I also thought the outside decoration was cheap--it just seemed to be glued on. I did think the interior was nice as was the pull out drawer. I might have kept it if it worked properly.

Lovely gift for a little girl
It has been 3 weeks since my daughter received this for her 4th birthday.The other toys are played with on different days, but this is the only gift that is, without fail wound, opened, and closed each nite without fail.Wonderful twist on the old balerina style, much more meaningful to a madeline fan.She carefully places her little rings, bracelets and necklaces in there designated spot each nite (never could get her to put them away before!)Really charming, any Madeline fan would be pleased.

A beautiful little must-have for any Madeline fan!
From the moment my 3 1/2 year old opened this and the little figure began to twirl around to her beloved "Madeline" song she was enchanted.It has a little drawer on the bottom (that is used for various treasures) and a ring compartment and several other dividers on the top for jewelry or hair clips and such.Unfortunately, the beloved box was left on the floor and accidentally stepped upon by big brother which totally broke off the top of the box.Dad was actually able to glue it back together and it almost looks and works like new! Pretty enough to perch on a bookshelf for display and use! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Preschool    2. Arts and Crafts    3. Fashion    4. Jewelry    5. Beads    6. Activity    7. Musical    8. Musical Instruments    9. Learning    10. Music   

Reviews (53)

Piece of CRAP
My daughter received this item as a christmas gift. The first one we got was broken and the register would not work. My MIL returned it and got a new one. The new one worked for ONE week and then that register stopped working. The scanner worked only half the time. I didn't have the heart to tell my MIL that the toy wasn't working again. But BEWARE this toy is a piece of crap, big ole hunk of junk. Do not waste your money. Your child will learn NOTHING from this because it won't work long enough.

Worth the money!
Wow!I inadvertantly made a comment at Christmastime that my daughter (2+ at the time) would like this, but I didn't really want it as our house is very small.So, I was extremely surprised when she opened it Christmas morning from some close relatives.This is probably the best gift ever.She, my younger daughter (now 1yr), and my daycare kids play with this every day.It seems to be a magnet for them.They absolutely love it.I'm asking for the extra cartridges and food for her birthday next month to add some variety.I had no problem at all putting this together and have no other problems with it at all.Our house doesn't get much light, so the scanner doesn't always work, but they don't seem to notice.They love playing with the food and money and even use their grocery cart with this as well.Make sure you read all the reviews... I was surprised to see some negative ones, but I guess every product will get them.Make your own decision.I'm glad my kids got this toy.

Not one of Fisher Price's finest!!
We bought this for our daughter for Christmas. It has not been a good toy! First, it was difficult to get the yellow register part to line up correctly---if you don't do that, the drawer will never close! We finally got it right, thanks to previous reviewers on this website and their info. When I went to change the batteries on it today, we ran into the same problem. Another problem is that unless you are in a very bright light, the scanner in the middle will not work. The red bins to put the food in detach, which is a pain--I am constantly pushing them back on. There is not enough room for the play food to be stored on the shelves, either, though the food is well-made. With four children, we buy a LOT of Fisher Price toys. This is the first time I've been disappointed. Somebody needs to re-work this toy or take it off the market. DON'T BUY IT!!!!!!! ... Read more

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   

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

Editorial Review

This pretend cash register may seem like all fun and games to your little one but is actually teaching him coin and money values, coin identification, numbers, counting, and quantities. The register comes with a stack of play pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters, all encased in easy-to-handle plastic chips. In explore mode, the smart coin reader on the register identifies all coins as kids drop them in, teaching their name and value. Four additional price tags represent larger monetary values and as kids slide price tags over the flashing scanner or drop coins in the register, they learn how to add values together and make totals. Kids can also set the register to price check mode to play a fun game that teaches number identification. Final checkout reinforces numbers, coins, and coin combinations once again and plays a fun song when the register opens. Throughout playtime, kids will receive encouragement and requests to keep playing from the LeapFrog's friendly voice. --Cristina Vaamonde ... Read more

Features

• Teaches coin names and values
• Teaches coin combinations
• Includes realistic play coins, including pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters

Reviews (56)

Very Dissappointing!
My daughter loves money and cash registers and anything having to do with either one. However, after only one day the tags stopped scanning completely. The coins get stuck constantly, so you the parent has to keep unjamming them! My daughter is only 2, but can count extremely well with money. This toy was a complete let down to both of us because it does not add the same way a real cash register does. Don't waste your money on this one!

Can Get Annoying Very Quickly
My daughter had a cash register which was cheap, didn't have a ringing sound and broke fairly quickly, so I decided to get her this one last Christmas, because it was made by Leapfrog and seemed to be durable and came with counting games.What a mistake!The only plus is that it's durable.I mean, that's the ONLY plus.Here's all the minuses:

1.The coins jam extremely easily.Luckily, there's a little access slot to unjam the coins.When my daughter played with it the first two times, we put the cover for the slot back on.The third time she played with it (and the third time it jammed) we threw the cover away, since we realized that every time she plays with it it was going to jam.And it does!My daughter likes putting the coins in very quickly and doing that it's easy for them to get stuck.It takes a butter knife or a screw driver to unstick them.I told her not to put the coins in too quickly, but she still does, and of course they jam again and again.To say I'm sick of unjamming these coins every thirty seconds is an understatement.

2.It's extremely loud.Now, I have a very high tolerance for loud toys.I grew up in a household where the TV was always on at full volume and everybody was always screaming at each other, so what others consider to be 'loud' toys, seem very reasonable to me.So, take it from me...when I say this thing is extremely loud, for most people it would be unbearably, blow your eardrums off loud.I would not be surprised if this thing registered a hundred decibels or more with one of those sound meter things.Luckily, there is a volume control, but unfortunately when the cash register is first turned on, it's on the highest volume setting.You have to click the volume button about fourteen times to get it to a reasonable setting (again, which to most people would still be considered loud).At first, I thought my daughter was turning it up on purpose and yelled at her, thinking no toy company in their right mind would have the setting naturally that loud.I felt like a total jerk when I realized that she wasn't doing it, and that Leapfrog wasn't in their right mind when the set the volume for this product.If I had tried it out in a store and saw it was this noisy, I would have never bought it for her.So, besides unjamming the coin slot every time, you also have to turn it down every time. (Don't expect your kid to do this--my daughter doesn't mind the rock concert volume at all.)This is a huge minus for any parent who is not deaf and would like to stay that way.

3.My daughter doesn't like the games.My daughter at first played the games, but she got sick of them very quickly.I think it's because they're a little too complicated for the age range, and like others have said, the games have too much talking and not enough action.There also isn't a setting where the toy would function like a regular cash register.When my daughter does play with it nowadays, it's usually with the toy turned off.

4.There's nowhere to store the price tags.Though the coins are large, and they all fit in the till, the price tags are too big to go in there too and with a toddler, that means a higher chance of misplacing them.I like to have all the small parts accessible to my daughter so she doesn't have to dig through the toybox looking for them, but unfortunately, we're constantly hunting for the stupid price tags.

Though it looks like a very nice toy, I would not recommend it to anyone.It's definitely more annoying, both to parents and children, than it is fun.

Not all that I had hoped...But daughter likes it!
This register does have some fun, and educational qualities, as you would expect from the Leapfrog brand.I bought it knowing that it would be more durable than a cheap $10 bo-bo brand one would be (and it is).
We gave it to my 3 1/2 yr old daughter for Christmas.I also bought her the shopping cart set too. (It's nice bcs the pieces interchange.)
My daughter likes it and plays with it fairly often. She will out-grown it soon though.
Here's my biggest letdown list:
1.) The coins get stuck.Slip a butter knife in there, and you can get loosen them with no problem.If your child will excitedly push coins through as fast as possible- this will happen.
2.) The automated voice only counts to ten.Yes, you can only count to ten.The coins are all identified correctly, but when it is in the counting mode, it's only to ten.
3.) There is no "free-play" option.Sometimes, we like (my daughter and I!) to play store, and just want to ring things up based on what we type into the register (like a calculator).You cannot ring things up for say $9.99 (and have the computer-voice identify the amount). Instead, you have to turn the thing completely off (and just-gasp-PRETEND to), or risk hearing the voice interrupt itself endlessly. It is basically designed to ring up the included Leapfrog toys only. Nor can you type in the payment amount of say $10, let alone figure change. I'm not sure you can ring up anything over $1.29?! It also doesn't "total up" multiple items.
4.) There is no debit/credit card option.How sad is that?! My daughter LOVES paying at the real grocery store and that was one feature mommy overlooked on this machine. My daughter is bummed that it doesn't have that option to swipe a card. Maybe that's a good thing?!

Things I do Like:
1.) The coins are realistic looking and have the safety covers. They are color coded to help child distinguish them while learning. They aren't a choking hazard.
2.) Volume control.Thank you Leapfrog.
3.) Unisex color, durable plastic, cute kids' voices.
4.) Works with the shopping cart.

Bottom line, my daughter likes it and it is suitable for toddlers, but if you want a more realistic cash register toy, this isn't it. ... Read more

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

Reviews (12)

Okay..
I love the idea of having music to sing-along to.I like the option of music only so we can sing along.However, some of the singers are...um...well, my daughter makes a funny face and starts laughing.The voices sound weird.She does enjoy hitting the pictures to make it talk...starts to sound like a rap...

r4wellness
This book was a disappointment. The idea is awesome, but the tunes are a little off beat-slow. We have completely enjoyed other Leap Frog books, but this book was missing zip. The pages are ripping off the spiral part. We still look forward to trying other books!

Not the greatest LeapPad book
We were a bit disappointed in this book.The tunes and tempo of several of the rhymes is different than the "usual" versions that my kids are familiar with.The pages could really use to be more durable, the cord from the pen has caused several small tears and the pages rip from the spiral binding much too easily.For the price, I would suggest getting a different book...Thomas the Tank Engine & Bob the Builder were both very popular with my 4 yr old son. ... Read more

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

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   

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

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   

Editorial Review

Everything costs, and the monsters in this funny LeapPad story prove it. They have to figure out how much coinage it'll take to buy their favorite pet, and your child will help. LeapPad's multisensory, experiential interface makes kids--even those just getting used to school--want to count as well as big kids can. With Monster Money, kids see, hear, say, and touch throughout the story, retaining new information, and enhancing learned information, like counting, adding, currency, values, and more. The book teaches early math skills in a thoughtful, preoperational learning format that kids will think is fun, not work.

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 (10)

Not What I Expected
I bought this for my six year old 1st. grader and was very disappointed! Not only did it not have quarters in the series of coins, it never teaches that "5" pennies= "1" nickle, "10" pennies = "1" dime or "2" nickles etc.. It is also very redundant with the same money combinations.

Worth the Money!!
This is a great book. It teaches counting and money (pennies, nickels, dimes). Kids pick a monster, who in turn, picks an item that costs a certain amount. Kids then add up the correct amount of money the item costs. There are all different games to play. Well worth the money!!

Poor humor!
My 5 and 3 year olds enjoyed this book.I however am not so pleased.I agree with some of the other reviews that they really don't learn much about the coins and counting them, but I was also annoyed to find "potty" humor in a child's educational toy.There is a page that jokes about gas which the kids of course find hilarious, but I think they get enough of that in every day life and should not have it involved in their education! ... Read more

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

Editorial Review

Big interlocking block sets often come with too few pieces to reallydiscover the joys of building. Not so with the Maxi Large Mega Bloks. This sethas enough blocks to build a skyscraper and still share more blocks withplaymates. One hundred blocks--oversized for small hands--come in blue, green,purple, orange, and yellow. All pieces are made of smooth, durable plastic. Twopeople and one car are included as snap-on accessories. All of it fits into asee-through storage bag that zips up and has a carrying handle for easytransport. --Lynne Sampson ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Great creative toy
My daughter got this for Christmas (at 21 months) and has played with it every day since. The blocks are bright colored and different sizes so are fun to look at and build with. They are also easy to handle so a toddler can build on their own. They clean up into their own bag, with a zipper that a toddler can open and close. My daughter uses them to build towers which she knocks over and to make rectangle shapes which she calls trucks and then pushes around. She also loves helping us build fancier things like planes and elephants. The biggest thing you can build with 100 blocks is a tower 36 inches tall, or a small "chair" just bigenough for a toddler's bum. This has been enough for the first two months but she uses them so much we are thinking of getting another set so we can build big castles. Only negatives to this set: there are two little people that come with it, and a little "car" with two seats, but the two people can't fit on adjacent pegs so can't go into the car together or be beside each other in a castle.
N.B. If you're new to MegaBloks it's important to know that "mini" and "maxi" don't refer to the bag size, but to the block size.Maxi's are for toddlers.

Great for playing, but watch out for paint chipping
We bought these blocks for our son for Christmas. He loves to put the together and take them apart. As part of the set, there is a little person that comes with the blocks. Our son is 1 1/2 and still like to put things in his mouth. Was I shocked when I noticed that the paint on the little person's head had scraped off, due to my son's teeth. So although the blocks are great, just be careful that your child doesn't ingest the paint.

Great
My 2 year old daughter received these blocks a year ago, and she still plays with them all the time.It's amazing to see how her abilities have improved over the past year, as she now builds as quickly as she tears down.The colors are bright, and it is a great way to practive colors.The variety of sizes help with big/little and counting as well.They are very durable, as we've thrown them around, stepped on them, and they are still in great condition.

My only problem with this toy is the container- not very smart to package a childs toy in a plastic bag. My daughter immediately wanted to put her head in the bag. I quickly replaced the plastic zipper bag with a box. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Preschool    2. Learning    3. Baby and Infant    4. Toddler   

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   

Reviews (5)

The boy who has everything!
Our 3 year old has so much that sometimes it seems like nothing keeps his interest for long.This little tin drum keeps him busy and feeling like he is in his own marching band!Cute as anything, we love watching him walk around holding this tiny tin drum around his neck and going to town on it.Great gift!It was a little smaller than I anticipated, would of liked the strap to be a little longer to go around his neck, but not a big deal, he doesn't seem to mind?

Great drum for your little drummer boy....
We bought this drum for our (now) 3 1/2 year old son about a year ago. He LOVED it!!! He played it every day, but after awhile, the drum head got a lot of little dents in it and it eventually just caved in. But, a year's worth of fun and music is well worth (...)

Super cute, super fun!
We bought this for our 2 1/2 year old Thomas fan. It's really cute and rather reasonably priced. My son loves to bang on his drum, and dance around the living room. He plays it quite often and we've had it for about 6 months, so far we've had absolutely NO problems with the drum falling apart or getting dented up like some of the other reviews have mentioned. Bottom line: great toy for any music/Thomas fan. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Music    2. Musical Instruments    3. Percussion    4. Drums    5. Marching Drums    6. Preschool    7. Learning    8. Activity    9. Musical   

Features

• 019000081155
• sweet flavors
• 14.00 oz

Reviews (4)

Fun & Colorful Counting
This abacus has been loads of fun for my two year old who is just learning the counting basics.She loves to just sit and play with the beads or to count with the help of mom and dad.The wood and metal construction is very safe and durable like all Melissa and Doug toys. This will be a useful and fun learning tool for years to come.

Fun math toy
The colors are bright and the frame is thick and durable.It is a nice way to add a little fun to math.Plus since it is so well made, when my 10 month old wants to play with it I don't worry about her or the toy.

Great Learning Toy
Great for teaching the concept of 10's, adding, subtracting - in a fun way!Highly recommend. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Preschool    2. Learning    3. Math    4. Time    5. Toddler   

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   

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