Reviews (3)

Good Introduction To The United States Map
Our 5 year-old son plays this game with us and we all enjoy it. This game is a great way to teach children the names and locations of the states.It also teaches an interesting fact about each state.In this version of the game, the players don't have to know the names of the state capitals, but since that information is provided on the game board my son is picking up on it too.

There is a 60 second timer so you can help level the playing field by varying the amount of time older players have to read the card and give the answer.We give our son 45 seconds and my husband and I get 15 seconds.We all finish well ahead of the timer, but we find it easier to use the main intervals marked on the timer.You could use different intervals if you desired.

Durability: We buy a lot of board games and this one has held up better than the others.The cards are thick so they are not easily bent.Also each set of cards has a zip bag so they stay stacked and sorted when you put them away.

We love it.
Our daughter loves this game. She got it when she was 4.5 years old and it became an instant hit. She learned a lot from this game since then. Now she is almost five years old and we are ready to get her the Great State game for older kids. (she calls it "Great State Senior.") And we are going to give the Great State Junior game to some of her best friends for their birthdays.

Great for Vacations
Our family loves to travel the United States.I picked up this game to give my five year old son a visual aid in learning where we have been and where we plan on going.It has helped him on many level of learning.Just a great game for great kids. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Learning    2. Games    3. Board Games    4. Trivia    5. Geography    6. Preschool    7. Activity    8. Family Favorites   

Subjects:  1. Learning    2. Talking   

Reviews (2)

FUN STORY FOR THE POWER TOUCH
When my two year old got his power touch last October he received a couple of extra storybook and Elmo's Big Surprise was one of them.With actual voices from the show this book fits into your Power touch as you can follow along the story and pause to press on virtually everything on each page.Lots of fun games involving ABC's, Numbers, Words, colors, etc.Very fun and very educationalWe really love our Power
Touch!

elmo's big surprise
I love this book! My daughter and I sat down and she absolutely LOVES this Sesame Street book!I think that this is a must have for children that are from ages 2 1/2 on up...it is so cute!My daughter loves to touch each bird and etc...to do what the book tells her, and she likes to give high fives for when she does stuff right! Please Fisher Price make some more power touch books! I will be in line to buy more :) ... Read more

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

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

Editorial Review

Created by a volunteer math aide in Ann Arbor, Michigan,Moneywise Kids contains two simple, fun games that will help kidsunderstand how money works, in terms of dollar value and spending power.In the first game, Bill Maker, kids take turns rolling the dice andearning dollars that are commensurate with the numbers that come up:roll a 2 and a 6, for instance, and you get $8. As they accrue wealthwith each turn, players exchange smaller bills for larger ones untilsomeone winds up with $100. In the second game, Bill Breaker, eachplayer starts with $100 and earns more money with each turn, but playersmust also draw "moneywise markers"--bills for such real-life expenses asfood, medical care, and taxes--and make payments along the way. Andwatch out for those hard-luck chips that mean big bills. The player whocollects all six markers and still has $100 in savings is the winner.The game is lively and only lightly competitive, with an accent ongrasping the mysteries of dollars and cents. --Tom Keogh ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Moneywise Kids
I purchased this game for my 5 year old girl.She seems to like it.It is a game that she is willing to play, but it is never her first pick.It does seem to be a good way to introduce money, but if you want your child to understand the value of money I don't think this game will help.Ex: health care is $10 and a place to live is only $30 (I wish!!)

Great game!
We bought this when our son was six.He's now seven.He really enjoys playing this game.The skill of money conversion is obviously something he can take with him into real life.I also use the opportunity while playing the game to have mini discussions with him regarding the expenditures the game approaches - that we actually have those expenditures in real life and that it's important to save money and be able to pay for them.

The name speaks for itself
This is a game our son pulls out and asks us to play with him.And, even better, it is a game we like playing, too.We got Moneywise Kids when our oldest child was a first grader.He could already count money, but this game helped him solidify his skills painlessly.What we really liked was the playing option that teaches money management.Players must plan for clothes, food, transportation, housing, etc.Our son will argue with us over our choices, telling us what is most important to pay for next, such as food or clothing. When he plays with his sisters, we overhear him advising them on their choices, too. In this game children have a decent chance of beating adults, which makes them happy to play again.Moneywise Kids is an enjoyable, quiet game with few pieces. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Board Games    2. Money    3. Math    4. Counting    5. Games    6. Learning    7. Activity   

Subjects:  1. Learning    2. Reading   

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

Reviews (5)

Who knew learning could be fun?!!
I am so glad that I purchased this puzzle for my niece and nephew (ages 3 and 6).They love it!After they put it together, they ask a lot of questions about the states.Then they want to take it apart and do put it back together again!To be honest, I was very suprised that the 3 year old sat down long enough to help put it together (His attention span is short).This puzzle definitely is definitely a must for young kids.

On a side note, a reviewer stated that their puzzle had the Twin Towers in it.I got my puzzle about a month ago and mine has a picture of the Statue of Liberty, so perhaps the one I got was from a newer line.

what a great learning puzzle
My 4 year old nephew just loves this puzzle!It's the best!The large pieces make it easy for him to manueuver.

Great Puzzle
We got this puzzle for our 3 kids last Christmas. It is big, bright, sturdy and very educational...even for me! Of course the first thing we noticed was the picture of the Twin Towers over New York. (Not sure if they are still making them like that)This is something I will keep forever, and that my kids will continue learning from for years to come. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Wood    2. Pegged    3. Activity    4. Foam Puzzles    5. Puzzles    6. Floor Puzzles    7. Easy Puzzles    8. Map Puzzles    9. Geography    10. Preschool    11. Learning   

Reviews (2)

Wonderful for Transport
My 6 year old daughter loves this item and it is so easy to take anywhere.She plays with it in the van, during her brother's soccer games and even during church (occasionally).The sound can be turned off and all the games can still be played easily.My daughter is 6 years old and spells at a 5th grade level.I'm not sure that this toy contributed to her spelling ability but it could have only been beneficial.The only negative that I have for this toy is that it takes 3 cell batteries and if your child plays with it as much as mine does this toy can become very expensive very fast.I am now considering the Expert Turbo Twister which takes AA batteries since I really don't want to spend another $10.00 to make the Mindmania operational again.I do recommend it but just be aware of the batteries.

Great for making good use of down time at school
My 7 year old son loves this toy.He takes it to school and plays with it during recess (when its too cold to go outside) and while waiting for the bus and during the ride.He has both the math and spelling versions and brings both to school to share them with his frieds. They are a huge hit in his class and some of the other children have now purchased their own.I would highly recommend this toy.Its much more educational, and almost as much fun as a game boy. ... Read more

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

Editorial Review

Don't underestimate the amount of creative, educational, quiet play packed into this compact travel kit by Lauri. Kids can use the 25-piece "locktagon" construction set to build imaginative shapes and structures. Three lacing and tracing cards come with long, grippable threads to keep hands and eyes busy. A 27-piece puzzle teaches kids letters and their sequence in the alphabet. The pieces to four round, "fit-a-space puzzles" help children learn their shapes while doubling as fun pieces to string together. The tracing cards are made of durable chipboard while the rest of the kit is created from a nearly indestructible bumpy crepe rubber that's fun to touch and manipulate. With its handy rubber handle and Velcro-fastened lid, the kit is fun to tote along to Grandma's house, restaurants, or on long vacation trips. Don't worry about losing pieces; Lauri will mail replacement pieces to you for 50 cents each. --Joan DeClaire ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Awesome toy-worth every penny
We recently purchased the Primer Pack for our boys (they are 2 1/2 and 4yrs old)This toy was worth every penny we paid for it. We took this on our trip to Milwaukee and it kept both of the boys busy on the car trip, during dinners and down time at the hotel.Will be loking for more "lauri" toys to purchase in the future.

great going out toy
This is the perfect toy set to bring out to dinner with your toddler. A lot of mini activities to keep him/her entertained throughout the evening!

A good quiet toy.
I got this for my daughter she turned two.She didn't do much with it then, just pulled all pieces apart and scattered them.Now she is two and a half and I pulled out the toy again.Now she is definitely interested.

After taking all the letters out of their places she tries to put them back, and the same for the other shapes. Needs a little help from me but she is definitely hooked.She makes the loctagons in "playgrounds" and likes to make necklaces out of the other puzzle pieces. She's not interested in lacing the cards yet though.She hasn't quite got the dexterity.It is a little challenging for her to manipulate the crepe pieces, fitting them together and so forth.But she really seems to like the challenge for now.

... Read more

Subjects:  1. Activity    2. Shapes    3. Threading and Lacing    4. Alphabet    5. Foam    6. Preschool    7. Learning   

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   

Editorial Review

Children learn about taking turns and matchmaking in this game as they try to make pairs of elated elephants, panting puppies, smiling suns, and other familiar objects. The 72 (cardboard) cards have lively, colorful drawings that make them easy to remember and a tray for storing them. Played alone, Original Memory is a quiet activity for developing concentration and memory. With more players, it's even more of a memory challenge to remember where the cards are that have already been turned over. And you have to wait your turn, which is sometimes harder than anything. The printed rules in the box set the tone for this child-friendly game: the youngest player always goes first. --Lynne Sampson ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Fun game, even young children can play
The cardboard pieces are hard enough that it takes a lot of teething on them to ruin them. THey do not bend easily. My only complaint about the pieces is they are a bit small. The small size makes it a bit difficult for small hands to manipulate them at times.

THere are many small pieces so if you loose one or two, you just take the match out of the pile and toss it away too. The game will be just as fun and no one will be the wiser.

In fact, when we play with our younger children, we often times just use half of the pieces.

THe game is the traditional memory game that almost everyone has played at one point in their life. It develops eye and hand coordination, following rules, taking turns, memory skills, picture skills and more.

Well worth the money.
Enjoy.

This is not the "Original Memory".
I had the original Memory game. This isn't it. The play of the game is the same, but mine had really cool pictures. This has silly cartoon pictures. It's not as nice.

Classic games stand the test of time
You can't go wrong with most of the classic games & this one is no different. Great fun & makes them THINK! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Games    2. Cards    3. Memory    4. Learning    5. Board Games    6. Family Favorites   

Reviews (3)

The best of both LeapFrog and Dr. Seuss!
I think we own about half of the LeapFrog products on the market.My oldest daughter is four and this is by far her favorite!(I must also confess it is my favorite, as well as one of my wife's favorites.)

It brings together classic Dr. Seuss silliness through rhyme, as well as teaching kids to read by inventing silly creatures.The activities re-enforce the lessons in reading, rhyming and vocabulary, and these reinforcement activities are just as fun as the book's storyline.

I definitely recommend it to any parent seeking to expand their child's My First LeapPad library.You will enjoy it just as much as your children.

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.

Five Year Old Son With Autism Loves It
We had bought the entry-level Leap Frog Pad for our son (five years old) who has autism, but he ignored the thing for months until the release of Dr. Seuss' "Wocket."His fine motor skills are not good, so it was INCREDIBLE to see him using the pen properly to touch the "Go" button when first turning a page (I showed him how but the book itself also offers an automatic prompt upon turning on the pad).This is a BIG deal (parents of children with autism will understand this), and I have never seen him using a pointing device or pen like this.

He likes Thomas the Tank Engine but did not take to the book for the pad (this is probably because we read Seuss so much and he is fanatical about Seuss while Thomas is more of a video-watching activity).I only gave this product 4 stars since one needs to flip over the book to finish the story, and that is problematic for my son.I know they save money by utilizing both sides of a book page, but the makers should rethink this since beginner-age users (normally developing or not) may have trouble doing this.

Once again, my recommendation is aimed at parents of children with autism and/or difficulty with fine motor skills, and of course, it will depend on whether he or she is so "motivated" by Seuss, but there are other pad books (Bob the Builder, Thomas, Dora). Seuss just happened to work for my son.

UPDATE: My son has moved on to the regular pad (which utilizes both sides of a book without having to flip it over).The books are less durable so we had to re-purchase one because my son did a number on it over a couple months.At times I worry that he "stims" too much with it (i.e., repeats listening to a particular, selected sound), but this has become one of his favorite toys. ... Read more

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

Subjects:  1. Learning    2. Reading   

Features

• Hours of hands-on experiments designed by a team of Harvard graduates, scientists, educators, and parents.
• Award-winning winning science kits designed for children between the ages of 5 and 12.
• Dr. Toy 100 Best Children's Products, National Parenting Seal of Approval, Teacher's Choice Award
• National Parenting Publications Honors Award, Learning Research Institute Outstanding Resource Award

Subjects:  1. Learning    2. Science    3. Activity   

Reviews (5)

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
I read the comment from the other reviews and I found them to be quite interesting.I brought the LeapPad Phonics Program Book 1-10 that is what the other reviewer was talking about (this set focus on abc's, short-long vowels, consonant, etc.)...my daughter liked it but she didn't understand their concept, but once she knew her ABC's by heart (lowercase and uppercase) she was able to enjoy the bookset more. And true, true about what the other reviewer was saying, this book (I know my letters and letter sounds) is boring, boring, boring, if you want entertainment.This book is for hardcore learning and memorizing. On Leapfrog.com this book is a called a workbook.

I'm a homeschooling mom of two (3 and 4 years old).I spend big bucks on all the gears and books for all the topics from: LeapPad, art and crafts, science, history, reading, gym, math, english, stragety games, spanish, etc.... You name it I got it.Funny thing is I found the best way for my kids to learn happens to be the cheapest way...FLASHCARDS ($3 or make it yourself).With repetition and practice with an adult your kids can master the basic such as learning ABC's, #, planets name, presidents name, states, etc.

Kids can learn everything from LeapPad and other electronic learning tools, but trust me...it takes a lot longer (by then they will be considered behind by state-school standard). Hey... if it's out of your price range, your kids don't need it. PERIOD. I only buy it because I don't let my kids watch tv...except the Brady Bunch DVD if they're lucky;)

Greateducationaltoy for every kid
Our daughter is 3 years old and we baught leap pad for her b'day and this is first book which she is enjoying.She really enjoys playing with it.Good thig is she is learning all the sounds also while playing. I recommend this book for every kid.She is able to play alone without any help from us.

Boring, boring, boring.
My son loves his Leap Pad and we have bought some really good books for it, unfortunately this is not one of them.This activity book is not fun at all, and it is hardcore learning there is nothing engaging about this book.Usually my son will sit and go through a whole book, but with this one, the few times he has chosen it he has only done a page at a time.Your kids will learn from this book, but it will take a lot of time because there is nothing really to engage them. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Learning    2. Reading   

Reviews (1)

Outstanding
When I bought the Leap Pad I thought it was a bummer because it did not come with this book although it was shown on the cover of the box. However, once I learned that this book was available I purchased it.

My just turned five year old pre-schooler has not put it down since I bought it two weeks ago. He works hours at it. Never tires. His progress has been spectacular. My wife who taught phonics for 30 years is very pleased not only with the book but the way it teachesphonics. My pre-schooler has not only learned his phonics but he is beginning to read.

I have had difficulty getting him interested in other Leap Pad learning books but not with this one. He thirsts for knowledge and this Leap Pad product has really turned him on.

I would highly recommend it for children who have already learned their alphabet and are beginning to write. The only drawback is that it way too expensive. ... Read more

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

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

Editorial Review

From Wumps to Mr. Gump to Zeds to flying kites in bed, Dr. Seuss's One Fish, Two Fish is probably one of the more well-worn books in any child's bookcase. And now 21st Century kids can move one step beyond reading this classic…to interacting with it! LeapPad's microphone-enhanced book and cartridge allows first-grade readers to practice word building, phonics, rhyming, and reading fluency, all to a musical accompaniment. This abridged version of Seuss's picture book fits into most LeapPad portable units. Youngsters use the "magic pen" to point to words and pictures to make them come to life, or to initiate games and activities, including some that allow them to hear themselves reading aloud! Kids will have so much fun, they won't even realize they're learning a thing or two! --Emilie Coulter ... Read more

Reviews (1)

This book my kids LOVE!!!
My kids LOVE this book! It is so fun for them to get to record their voices on their leap pad with microphone.They loved the games on this book too!I hope leap frog comes out with more microphone enhanced books! ... Read more

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

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