Editorial Review

Designed for children in preschool through second grade, and easily portable, the Leapster multimedia learning system offers educational games, reading exercises, art tools, and interactive videos in one electronic device. Atop an ergonomic silver body sits a 4-inch, 12-bit color backlit display protected by a blue rubber shield. Slide a Leapster cartridge into the slot, and learn letters, sounds, colors, shapes, numbers, and more, using the touch-screen stylus and multi-directional control pad. This unit comes with a bonus cartridge of six learning games; other Leapster cartridges are sold separately. Control knobs let you adjust volume and brightness; there's also a stereo headphone jack. Required are four AA batteries, not included. --Andy Boynton ... Read more

Reviews (475)

The best toy of all time
My parents gave this to my four-year-old for christmas with five games.She hasn't stopped playing with it yet and it's mid-May!We're going on a trip to Scotland this summer, so I bought her two more games to play on the plane.That should keep her going for the entire 8 hr. flight.She just loves it so much she plays it non stop.As for the battery life, I have only changed the batteries twice in all this time.I think it does really well for batteries.This is by far the best toy she owns because she's having fun and learning at the same time.It's like a cross between game boy advance and an educational computer game.Buy this toy.It's worth it.

BEST ITEMIN STORES TODAY
I purchased this item for my son at Christmas, and he has played with it everyday since. My son is 9 years old and has Autism and he loves this item.

PIECE OF JUNK!!!
I am so disappointed in Leapfrog!We purchased the pink leapster for my daughter for her birthday and it doesn't even work.I don't know how on earth this product made it past Leapfrog's quality assurance team... or should I say what quality assurance?

Leapfrog cannot even warranty their product because they don't carry the pink ones. All they can do is send a replacement one in a different color. That didn't work with my 4 year old that wanted pink and got one for her birthday. So, we are having to pay double the shipping to return the defective product and pay the shipping for the new one.

The most frustrating thing is that this isn't the first Leapfrog product we have had to return that was defective.We also had to return the letter magnets because they wouldn't recognize the correct letter.NOW THAT'S EDUCATIONAL.

We won't be purchasing any more Leapfrog products because their quality assurance is sub-par. ... Read more

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

Editorial Review

LeapFrog is well known for their interactive learning toys and now they've paired with Disney for a princesses' tour of language and math. Cinderella and Belle will help guide your child through various learning activities, such as: letter hunt, spelling games, addition and subtraction games, and number find. Both Belle and Cinderella tell jokes, sing songs, and are generally encouraging with sweet and cheerful voices. If your child decides to stop playing and doesn't turn the laptop off, the princesses ask, "Would you like to play some more?" and if there is no answer, the computer shuts itself off. An LCD screen displays letters, numbers, and other pictures during all the activities. Moms and dads will be glad to note that there are two volumes and virtually no set-up. Requires 4 "AA" batteries (included). --Megan Sullivan ... Read more

Reviews (33)

This is a good learning toy
My daughter loves Disney Princesses and she wants to get on my computer sometimes but is still too young to do things herself,so I got her this and she loves it!! She has learned quite a few things from it also. It is very durable, I think you get your money's worth. It makes them feel so big!!

Great learning toy
I bought this laptop for my daughter's 3rd Birthday.I think she has used it everyday since then.It really helps her learn her letters.She knows just about all of them now, after using it for about 3 months.I like that it is teaching her but she is having fun at the same time.She really enjoys playing with it.She says she is going to check her email when she uses it.There is a volume control, which is good.It also seems very durable.I haven't had any problems with it so far.I would definately recommend this toy for any little girl.

Great Toy
I bought this based on reviews for my 2 year old and she loves it.It keeps her busy while I am on my computer and she is learning new things. It will be a little while till she is totally using this product but well worth the money - I recommend to all parents. ... Read more

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

Editorial Review

Outfitted in orange and purple, this electronic learning system for preschoolers plugs directly into a television, and at first take looks a lot like a video-game console. Insert any of Vtech's "Smartridges" into the unit for lessons on language, math, phonics, problem-solving, music, and more. Children can choose between two difficulty levels. Included are a large joystick, adjustable to right- and left-handed kids, and an Alphabet Park Adventure cartridge; other cartridges are sold separately. There's also a storage compartment on top that holds up to six cartridges. The system can run on either three C batteries or an AC adaptor; strangely, neither are included. --Andy Boynton ... Read more

Reviews (260)

Don't Buy This
This started out to be a wonderful toy for my 4 year old son.But after a month (and after I'd spent quite a bit of money on the cartridges) the problems started.The power goes on & off at will.When I called the V-tech 1-800 number they walk me through the re-set process which takes 2 minutes & is a pain the he heiney.And within a few days it happens again.What a pain...

vsmile a bit disappointing
I bought the vsmile thinking it looked cute and would be a great way for my child to learn.From the beginning, the controller had a loose part rattling around in it.After about two weeks the "enter" button kept getting stuck.I had to pay shipping to send it back, but it was replaced with a new one.I will be calling tommorrow to have the unit replaced.Often the power button would stay on and now after replacing batteries, the power won't even come on.A bit disappointed at this point because my child rarely got to play with it.

stopped working
I thought that this was a cool toy until it stopped working afer about 2 weeks. ... Read more

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

Reviews (5)

Worth every penny.
Bought this for my 3 year old daughter who gets a new toy just about every other day.As a result, she is really spoiled and will typically discard her old toys for the latest present.Not so with the Leappad.She loves it!It really is neat.The books that come with it are great -- one asks you questions, like your name, favorite food, favorite color, etc.; you talk into the microphone; and then it uses your responses throughout the story.The other book is about a frog (the Leapfrog?) and it has a story and games -- like rhyming games -- and helps out with your letters (something she is very into right now).She also has a PowerTouch system, and while she will tote that out from time to time to play a song from Blues Clues or Elmo, she never had much interest.I have a feeling this is something that she's not going to lose interest in or outgrow too quickly.A steal for $20!

leap frog microphone is AWESOME HERE!
This is a DEFINATE MUST HAVE!My kids LOVE the fact that they can hear their voices reading what is written.... I have bought like 3 additional microphone abled books. They are a BIG HIT in this house hold.We buy lots of leap frog products, and this one is my children's favorite.They could play and play and play.... I love the fact that they like this item so much!It is suppose to help with fluency and it does, my daughter absolutely loves reading and is doing wonderfully with this item.... To give you an idea what products we have from leap frog: My first leap pad, original leap pad, leap pad with microphone, and quantum, and the leap pad plus writing, turbo twist, spelling and a brain twist one, 2 leapsters which my kids love too! 40 some leap frog books......imagination desk, leap frog princess computer....This one is my families FAVORITE other than the leapster!Hope they come out with more microphone type books...A+++ leap frog! Keep up the AWESOME job!!!! :)

BEST TOY MONEY CAN BUY!
This is by far the BEST toy I purchased for my children this Christmas.I actually purchased it in exchange for the InteracTV that I was very disappointed in.Boy am I glad I did.All four of my children, ages 2, 3, 8, and 11, have fun playing with this Leap Pad. And I love that it will last them for years, and is also compatible with the Quantum books.
I bought my 11 year old his first Leap Pad when he was 5, and paid over $50 for it, but he used it for years.The Leapfrog company even sent me a new stylus when the original no longer worked. Unfortunately, after years of being banged around, our old leap pad now doesn't read cartridges, and I decided to purchase a new one.This particular Leap Pad with Microphone is worth every penny!When your child points to a red dot, it asks a question like, "What is your name?""What is your favorite food?""how old are you?", etc etc... and incorporates your child voice into the story.Easy enough for my 2 year old, but fun enough for even me!I'm so glad I returned the InteracTV and bought this instead.(Same price at my local Toys R Us!) ... Read more

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

Reviews (8)

So much better than a gameboy!
My first grader loves this game/toy. It is great for rainy days or car rides (especially with headphones) and it isn't just an empty gaming experience as it is all learning based.Sad but true, I've even learned a few social studies facts that I should have known as a 1st or 2nd grader!!!The head to head game is a lot of fun and my daughter really loves to beat Dad at that.
Bottom line, it is entertaining, it is educational, and my daughter enjoys playing it. In fact, she has asked for the next higher grade level cartridge...and I am only too happy to oblige!

Finally - All in One!Great Toy!
We really like the multi-subject format, as my son was asking for multiple Turbo Twists (Spelling, Math, Fact Blaster), and that wasn't going to happen.It holds his attention, and in fact, the adults pick it up and play with it as well.Very happy with this product - glad Santa brought it! They just need to come out with a carrying case of some sort, so we stop misplacing the cartridges!

A Fun Way to Learn
My first grader really likes this.I wish the screen was in color and had a backlight but the adjustable volume is wonderful!I'm learning a few things from this toy too! ... Read more

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

Reviews (8)

Finally a LeapFrog toy my son and I both agree on!
LeapFrog products have disappointed us in the past, so it took a lot of research on my part to consider a LeapPad for my son.Overall, I'm satisfied with the quality of this toy, but question the overall educational value of the LeapPad books.It amuses my son for hours a week, and when traveling, which we do frequently, it's a godsend.William took to the LeapPad immediately, and was able to operate the features of the books with little assistance.He's not yet 4, but instinctively follows along even though he may be working a Kindergarten book.

LeapFrog has very few books that are microphone enhanced (only 7 so far), and the stores don't seem to stock them.My husband was able to find one at Staples of all places, but he didn't happen to notice it was for 1st graders.My son was so thrilled, we opened it anyway.Initially I thought the microphone feature was ridiculous.I couldn't understand why a parent would want to hear their little one chatter back to a noisy machine.Part of the purpose of this toy, is to encourage quiet time, and learning.Right?Well, this feature has proven to be entertaining, and actually has the potential to be educational especially when working on phonics.A pair of headphones really comes in handy when listening to your child play the microphone enhanced books.I definitely recommend a set!

The writing aspects of the toy encourage me for the future.We have 2 writing books, in addition to the writing book that came with the unit, and they have gotten a lot of use already.When in writing mode, it's one on one interaction between parent and child.These books work without the pencil insert, and sometime William opts to work them that way.Unlike some of the regular LeapPad books, the writing books are educational in my view.The Kindergarten books show children how to trace letters & numbers, work mazes, draw shapes, and so forth.I question the age recommendations on the books though, as my child has already mastered the Pre-Kindergarten book, and understands a good portion of the Kindergarten book.LeapFrog has recently added more writing books to their library, so they are not as limited as the microphone books.My biggest problem with the writing feature is that erasing crinkles the pages, and the lead leaves grooves behind.It might have been better had LeapFrog designed this product with a dry erase type of insert, and coated the pages with plastic.That probably would increase the cost of the books, but how many tracing letters & numbers books do you need?

This brings up another problem I have with the LeapPad in general.The books are expensive.If one pays the suggested retail price for this product, and adds just 2 books, that's big bucks!I personally don't think the books are worth the suggested retail price, so I bought a bunch at 50% off, and plan to stock up when the next sale comes along.

We have encountered cord malfunctions too.The first time it was user abuse.My son bit the stylus pen, and must have damaged the cable.William is a lefty, and even though the cord is long at 16", it must annoy him, because it's installed on the right side giving right handed folks more room to work.I recently discovered the replacement pen is malfunctioning too.I went ahead and order 2 more pens at $5.00 each.Toy stores carry replacement pens, but they don't sale the stylus pen yet, so we have to wait 2-weeks for another.Because of this, the LeapPad is a somewhat supervised activity.I definitely don't trust my son with the Magic Pencil yet, and since I've already paid $15.00 on replacement pens, I can't quite image how much more I'll be pouring out on additional books, and batteries.I've replaced the batteries once, which isn't bad considering he played with his LeapPad for hours upon hours during our recent trip to New England.In addition, I don't trust him to remember to put both the book and cartridge back in his backpack when he's done.Thus, for the meantime, I control those aspects of the toy.

The LeapPad Plus Writing & Microphone Learning System works with the entire LeapPad library, except for the My First LeapPad books.LeapFrog selects the maximum age recommendation of this product to be 8-years old, so that it will confuse consumers into purchasing the Quantum LeapPad four-years later.This platform is compatible with the Quantum library, so there's no need to buy another LeapPad.This irrates me a bit, but overall I am satisfied with this toy, and my son loves it.

Great educational toy.
My 3 year old daughter received this as a gift.It's the same as the LeapPad, except that it has the added writing feature and microphone feature.The writing pen is the same as the LeapPad, except that you can twist the stylus to allow real pencil lead to come out, and then you can write on certain LeapPad Plus Writing books.The downside of this is that after they write on the book, you have to erase it!But you can also opt NOT to use the pencil lead.(You don't need it for the large majority of books).I simply took the stylus out and let my 3 year old play without it.For those who already own the LeapPad Plus Writing system, you can buy a separate microphone attachment.But this system has both already.

I would say that 3 years old is the youngest age that I would try this system, and probably 4 years old is better.My daughter knows all the letters and their sounds already, but she still enjoys the simpler books, like the Princess Book, over the more academic books, like the Phonics program books.

It's a pricey toy, and I still think that reading old-fashioned books is more important.But for a certain subset of kids, having the electronic features makes it more interesting.If you're trying to save money, then just get the systems without the writing or microphone features.You will still get a lot of benefit.

The younger kids, like ages 3 and 4, will still need parental supervision, although they seem to learn how to use it quickly.My 3 year old knows how to insert the cartridge, press ON, and tap on the "GO" sign on every page.

We're very happy with this item, and I would buy it again!

Excellent for early writing!
LeapFrog does it again! I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that they keep coming out with the best educational toys. My 5 year old daughter loves hers! She won't put it down, she wants to play with it first thing in the morning and it's the last thing she sees at night (besides me:) What a wonderful toy, and I feel good about it because it's educational and she loves it because it's fun! You can't lose:) ... Read more

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

Reviews (3)

This is awesome!
I like the language tutor and the music stuff! I also like the screen savers! It's given me great ideas! I play withit in a different way than you are supposed to. Like if I need a story starter I go to the "Magic Act" and read the sentences for an idea!

why
I BOUGHT THIS ITEM JSUT 2 YEARS AGO THINKING IT WAS COOL HAVING E-MAIL AND THINGS BUT NO ONLY WELL MATH AND HTINGS LIKE THAT IT IS A VERY GOOD LAPTOP FOR LEARNING AND IF YOU WERE TO CHECK YOUR E-MAIL YOU WOULD HAVE TO HOOK THIS WIRE TO THE COMPUTER NO REASON JUST USE THE COMPUTER (...)

WELL WORTH THE MONEY!!!
I purchased this laptop for my daugher 2 years ago and paid almost double the price.It was well worth every penny!Over and above any other education tool I have bought for her, she goes for it first.When taking long car trips, it goes with her.Rainy days she can't play outside, she takes it to her room.Very educational & she has learned a lot, especially with the foreign language tutor (Spanish, French, Italian & Porteguese). It has also helped with her keyboarding skills which are very important at her school.She loves beating each level and seeing how high she can go.I hope they develop a new product to match her skill level as she outgrows this one.A definite must buy! ... Read more

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

Reviews (4)

Great!
Another of my 3 year old's collection - he loves it and has mastered it well.Very well done.

Finding Nemo
My son loves this game. He likes to read with it. I think it is a nice addition to the collection.

Great game !
My 4YO son loves this cartridge. The children have a choice of reading the Nemo story or playing one of four games. My son does not really like the story, but it is cute. Admittedly it is difficult for an electronic toy to beat mom's reading!

The games are great. They all have multiple skill levels and are fun and challenging. I often have to force my son to let his Leapster "rest awhile". His favorite game is trying to find the fish in the deep dark ocean. On level 2 words are displayed and you have to find the fish by listening for where the word sound is the loudest. Unfortunately, there are a limited number of fish, but my kid hasn't noticed, he is happy every time he finds one. And, instead of sounding out the A like they do with the other letters, they say "Ay".

The Nemo cartridge also has a hide-n-seek game which teaches comprehension skills. Various Nemo characters and props appear in bubbles and the Leapster asks a question such as "Who helped Nemo escape from the tank?" and the child would need to select the "Gill" bubble. I haven't seen logic games like that on the other cartridge we have.

Overall, the characters are cute, the games are educational and my kid loves it. I'd give this more stars if that were possible! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Learning    2. Games    3. Electronic Learning Aids (ELA)    4. Electronic    5. Math    6. Alphabet    7. Handheld   

Editorial Review

Sibling to the award-winning Explorer Globe, this junior version can help children become interested in geography before they even start school. The Junior Explorer Globe is jam-packed with fun facts, trivia, and useful information about every aspect of the geographical world. It has four modes of interactive play, ranging from having kids search for certain pictures on the globe to playing regional music from each continent. The globe sits on a sturdy base, which features a dial to the four play functions, an on/off switch, volume control, and the attached penlike stylus. This stylus is the key instrument: kids use it to touch virtually any point on the surface of the globe to hear information and answer questions. --Pam Lauer ... Read more

Features

• Four modes include Explore, Music, Search the World & Adventure Raps
• Kids will learn about our oceans, continents, animals and landmarks
• Offers a taste of regional music and foreign phrases
• Volume control
• On/off switch

Reviews (13)

great learning and entertaining toy
My 4 years old LOVES to play with this globe and has been learning a lot from it. Yes, it doesn't say much about countries but let's not forget this is the JR version. I think it is great that they give emphasis in animals since kids like them. Also, all different languages and typical music that it includes. I think it is great that kids learn the continents at least they are aware that USA is not in this world alone. PULEASE... they didn't pay for someone's furniture to be cleaned... Don't get me wrong but this person must go around the world a bit. People have to know how to take care of themselves for a change instead of blaming someone else everytime. Gosh!
I recommend this toy. This is not a Geography professor substitue just a way to get kids interested in other areas and cultures. I suppose the more advanced version may bring the countries. I don't know. I am sure there is only so much they can fit inside this toy and as parents we can't expect to relay on a toy to teach our kids everything they need to know. We think this toy is awesome.

Watch out for stains on furniture
The toy has little rubber feet on the bottom which will leave little purple circle shaped stains on wood furniture.My son's brand new furniture was damaged and Leap Frog will not pay to have it cleaned.They were aware of the situation, however, they did not issue a recall.They simply changed the rubber feet on the toy for the new production runs, but they left all of the old ones on the store shelves.So which one will you get - the new or the old?This toy isn't worth the trouble.Leap Frogs' customer (dis)service is horrible.I will never buy another leap frog toy again.Watch out for this company - all they care about is making a buck.

BETTER THEN I THOUGHT
When my brother bought this for my 3 year old daughter I thought he had wasted his money, there was no way my daughter was going to pay attention to this globe. I was wrong! My daughter loves it and within 5 minutes she was telling me about the Statue of Liberty and the Great Wall of China. She and I love it so much that I am buying one for my neice's birthday present. ... Read more

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

Reviews (7)

Not so great for every youngster!
I bought this game for my boys after they already learned their letter sounds from the Letter Factory DVD (like everyone else, I HIGHLY recommend the DVD!)
I've been disappointed because:
1) Professor Quigley talks too much, and if several people are playing, it takes forever to get through everyone's turn!There's no way to skip Quigley's whole monologue with every letter.One active 5-yr. old boy thought it was "boring".His 3-yr. old brother played for a while, but also lost interest.
2.) The harder level of play asks for matching letters to letter sounds (which my kids can do) and also asks "What letter comes before B?" (which my kids totally don't understand.)The easier level of play asks kids to get a certain color of card, and then move forward a certain number of spaces.Too easy for the 5-yr old, but it works well for my 2-yr. old if I help move the marker.
3.) I lost a letter card from my set, and was thrilled when I called customer service and they offered to send a whole replacement set of cards!Several weeks later, I called back... found out the cards aren't in stock and they'll send them when available... I've been waiting THREE MONTHS now for a replacement set (although I'd be happy just to have the one missing card!)

ABSOLUTELY THE BEST!!!
My son, who just turned 3 LOVES,LOVES,LOVES this game! He can play by himself or with us and he runs around the house singing his phonics sounds! We got him the LeapFrog Fridge Phonics last year to help him learn his letters, but once we got him the Letter Factory DVD, he really caught on and can play this at Level 2 providing he pays attention.Fully interactive, he can repeat the question with a push of a button and has several tries to answer correctly. Also, the game keeps track of each player and seems to advance everyone so they stay fairly close together. I also like that it continues past the first "winner" and lets the other players finish and win.This game is absolutely the bast of all the other we got him!

EXCELLENT EDCUCATIONAL FUN INDEPENDANT PLAY
GREAT FOR THE KIDS AGES 4 AND UP. INDEPENDANT PLAY NO PROBLEM, (AFTER YOU SHOW THEM HOW TO SET IT UP JUST ONCE) MY 3 AND 4 YEAR OLD LOVE THIS GAME. GREAT EDUCATIONAL VALUE 2 LEVELS OF PLAY FOR BEGINNING ALPHABET TO SOUNDING OUT WORDS. EXCELLENT, THANK YOU LEAP FROG. WORTH EVERY PENNY !! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Games    2. Learning    3. Talking    4. Electronic Learning Aids (ELA)    5. Electronic    6. Math    7. Alphabet    8. Music   

Editorial Review

Well-designed with lots of terrific detail, Learning Resources' Calculator Cash Register completely satisfies a young child's hunger to play with bills, coins, cash drawers, and big numbers. The chiming cash register features a built-in solar calculator as its keypad, thus allowing kids to act as bankers, shopkeepers, and accountants all at once. A large cash drawer holds life-sized bills in four denominations (1, 5, 10, and 20), and four coin holders make room for embossed plastic pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters. There is even a credit card slot that dings when you correctly slide the faux VISA card through it.A suggested-activities booklet is included. Requires a 1.5V button cell battery (included) to make the chiming noise. No assembly required. Winner of awards from Dr. Toy, FamilyFun Magazine, and Oppenheim Toy Portfolio. ... Read more

Reviews (22)

Solid, Great Toy
I bought this for my 2 year old daughter last year and she has played with it all year.It works well and the voice is not too annoying or loud. When you are cleaning up the money you can open the cash drawer without the voice coming on which, believe me, is a huge plus.It is a real calculator and when she presses numbers it says them out loud which is educational.And when she presses the minus key really fast over and over again, it says "Mine, Mine, Mine, Mine" which cracks us all up :)

This is the funniest toy ever
When I got this toy i played with it for such along time and still do. You only spend $29.99 on it and it is money well spent. You make the right choice if you get this toy. The age group i would say is probably 5-whenever. Let me tell you parents what when my mom and dad got this for me i lovedit and it made me happy for so long.Three words for this toy.
MONEY WELL SPENT!!!!!!!!! FUN
so you should get this toy. KNOW dont think twice get it...NOW
dont forget get the scanner and bar codes* that go with it.
*SOLD SEPARTLEY

A preschool favorite
I'm buying this toy for my son's 3rd birthday because he makes a beeline to it everytime we go to our parent-child preschool class.He usually sets up a toy phone nearby, too. I get to be the customer and bring a basket of toy food to him which he "scans" on the notepad area.It's nice when toys leave something to the imagination.He loves the play bills and coins and pretending to make change.I believe that this toy will grow with my child and still be fun for him in a few years.

I figure that if this toy has survived daily use by multiple 2-4 year olds, it will survive around our house.If it doesn't, then I will update this posting!!! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Activity    2. Pretend Play    3. Money    4. Learning    5. Math    6. Electronic Learning Aids (ELA)    7. Electronic    8. Preschool    9. Counting    10. Electronic Learning Aids   

Features

• For use with the V.Smile TV learning system
• Combines educational content, popular characters and a video game platform
• Children help Spider-Man and friends solve problems
• Teaches vocabulary, shapes, number sequence, counting, spelling and logic

Reviews (8)

Good for a 5 yr old too...
My daughter is in kindergarten and she is only 5 years old. She enjoys the game a great deal. When she plays the game I can hear her laughing, counting and spelling. She enjoys this game and loves the fact that she can switch players, she can choose from spiderman, spidergirl and wolverine. There is a part of the game where they are in the grocery store they learn about produce and different section of the grocery store. She likes to come to the store and show me when the fruit section is compared to where the meat section is. Best of all for me is that she is having fun while she learns. The game is good for both girls and boys. My nephew also enjoys the game and he is also five years old.

Hours and Hours of fun and learning!
This game offers a little more of a challenge then some of Vsmiles first games.My 6 year old daughter loves playing it and has already learned so much from it. I often hear her spelling the words along with the game as she moves from area to area.It is definatly one of her favorite games by far!

happy mother
my child is 4 years old and have no problem playing this game. I think this is a great game he learned alot from this game. ... Read more

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

Editorial Review

Made by Fisher-Price, this electronic learning system is comprised of an InteracTV DVD, which you insert into your home DVD player; a controller; and activity cards based on popular children's television shows. Plug an activity card into the controller, and games and activities featuring that show will appear on the TV screen. Nine touch points let kids interact with the characters, in lessons covering numbers, colors, animals, and more. Cards contain more than 100 learning questions and activities, posed randomly. This model comes with three activity cards--SpongeBob SquarePants, Dora the Explorer, and Elmo's World--as well as a storage case to hold the cards and the DVD. A switch on the controller enables you to use the system on up to three different DVD players--say, in multiple rooms, or at relatives' houses. --Andy Boynton ... Read more

Reviews (225)

Not great but good enough
My daughter likes it, and it teaches well....we got this for her last Christmas and she was 3.She was able to work it pretty well.

Educational and fun!
My son loves this, he calls it his "dvd game" he gets frustrated with the sponge bob game, but it is for older kids, I think all the peopole giving it bad reviews are probably just not programming it right, or they got a bad one, that happens, mine programmed and worked the first try and have had no problems since!

Why did I bother??!!!!
My mother bought this system for my 3 year old son for Christmas.I have an Apex DVD Player and it took a while to get it programmed, but after that it worked great for a short time.Unfortunately my son loved the game so much that he was nearly devastated when one day it just stopped working.I changed the batteries, tried re-programming it, but nothing worked.He just played with the system at a friends house the other day and after seeing his delight, I purchased another system to give it another try - no luck.I can't even get the darn thing to program and now I will have to return a second one!!!By the way, there were only 2 in the store when I repurchased it last week and both appear to have been returned.Maybe they should work out the kinks before using paying customers as test dummies and further frustrating our children at an age that is already frustrating enough!!! ... Read more

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

Editorial Review

This talking book comes with an interactive "magic pen" that works like a hand-held computer mouse pointer. Children can opt to turn the paper pages and listen to the story read with different voices for each character. Or they can interrupt the read-aloud session to play with the magic pen (permanently attached with a wire). They can point the pen tip to any word on a page and hear it pronounced, or touch a picture and hear a sound effect (such as "Strike one!" for the baseball bat). Very similar to the popular Living Books computer games, this 10-by-11-inch book is more portable than a home computer. Stories in this set include Lil's Loose Tooth, Richard Scarry's Best Word Book Ever, and Winnie the Pooh in A Sweet Good Morning. The set also includes a paper piano keyboard and map and human anatomy games.--Gail Hudson ... Read more

Reviews (398)

I would pick this over the writer's Leappad
I have both a LeapPad+Writing and regular LeapPad like this one, and I can honestly say that the extra writing feature is not worth the extra money.Stick with the LeapPad regular and get a lot of LeapPad readers.Make sure that you don't buy this if you have babies that tear things up, though.My son has all the LeapPad books, but half of them are unsalvageable because of my toddler that likes to chew on EVERYTHING.The LeapFrog customer service is awesome, though... they have replaced my books for $10 each so I don't have to go out to buy new ones!

Best Toy I have ever bought
I bought a pink and purple LeapPad for my daughter when she was three for Christmas. She is five now and still plays with it every single day. Everytime a birthday or Christmas rolls around she asks for more LeapPad books. This toy has been a godsend during car and plane trips, hotel and restaurant entertainment, and any other situation when children need to sit still.

She has learned the alphabet, numbers, spelling, and reading from countless hours on this pad. She owns several books and each get used all the time. I think this is honestly the best toy invented in a long time. She has been able to figure it out because it is well thought out for the young user. They can hit the stop button with the pen to stop it, or hit the Go button to continue each story. Each book also has games and other activities, so they are well worth the money.It is impossible for my daughter to get bored with it because each book is countless hours of reading, games, music, and excitement.

I encourage all parents of young children to buy this LeapPad. It is well worth the money. It is a toy that they will not grow out of in a short amount of time because the books range in ages.It is not only educational but very durable. Our LeapPad has been dropped countless times and is still intact.The only complaint I do have is that it tends to consume batteries quickly and you need a screw driver to take off the cover to put new ones in. Other than that, that is the only negative I have to say about the LeapPad.

Toooo sloooowww for my boy
My boy has the attention span of a 4 year old. Why? Because he is 4 years old. He has no patience for the slow pace of age-appropriate leap pad materials. The learning games are too short, too slow, and too repetitive for him. ... Read more

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

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 (23)

Not enough space
We just bought this bank the other day for my 5 year old son with the intent on it being an actual bank he could keep his coins in, BUT there is not enough room.Once it gets too heavy (which was after about $11, you have to empty it.The back also comes off really easy (my 19 month old boy could open it!!), too.If it weren't for those to problems, it would be perfect!!

Best money teaching device for kids
I truly love this bank and so does my five year old son.It allows him to set a savings goal.Not only that, it has catchy little jingles that teaches them all about money.As a teacher and a parent, I recommend this bank for all.

Easy to open
My son received this for his 3rd birthday.He loves it although it only took him a minute to figure out how to open the lock and get the money out of it.He enjoys hearing it count the money and watching it go through.He even started to repeat what they say.They dont make it easy to reset the machine after the money's been takin out as it continues to count the money as if it were still in there.But all in all it has the right idea to teach children how to start saving and counting money. ... Read more

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

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   

Reviews (3)

I was excited about this game but my kid doesn't like it.
My first grade son loves his Leapster and every other cartridge that he owns but he just doesn't like this one.I was hoping that Math Baseball would be a fun way for him to practice his beginning math skills but it hasn't turned out that way.The way the rules are re-explained is annoying for both him and me and even when you answer a problem correctly it doesn't insure that you won't hit a pop up that is caught or pitch a ball that gets hit.I guess thats the way the real world works but my son found it disillusioning and it only further contributed to his lack of interest in this game.My kid loves to learn.He loves to read.He loves to draw.We make up math games at home.I am always looking for a way to keep him stimulated but also encourage him to have a little fun.This game just didn't do it for him.

much more fun than using flashcards!
Overview (from the parent guide): Math Baseball supports number-fact drills through 12 in each of the following operations: addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.Players select the correct answer to flash card-like equations that appear on the screen.By choosing the right answer from two answer choices as quickly as they can, players advance the game.If they click on an incorrect answer, however, their team loses the play.It's a fast-paced game that increases in speed and difficulty as players answer questions correctly and slows down with easier problems if they answer incorrectly to allow more time for mental computation.The faster they solve equations, the faster and farther the ball travels.If players answer too slowly, the opposing team might catch their ball - but if they answer quickly, players can hit a single, double, triple, or even a home run!
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I hesitated in purchasing this game for my 4 year old daughter because it seemed to be geared more toward elementary grades.Much of it is too difficult for her, but there is one area where she has fun.The T-ball section doesn't operate on a timer so she can take as long as she needs to count baseballs or figure out easy addition or subtraction problems.

I had my 11 year old son try this cartridge to see if he thought the rest of the game was fun (even if it was too easy for him).He had fun for a little while, but after a few innings and a score of 40-0 he became bored.It also didn't take him long to realize that there are only 2 choices for answers and he has a 50/50 chance of getting the right answer without even looking at the math question.

The only real negative item that I saw with this program for children in the recommended age range is that it only saves one team and one game created by the user.If you have more than one child using this cartridge, they will be overwriting each other's saved games and teams.

Overall, I think this cartridge is a fun way for children to memorize their math tables.

Great game for getting fast at basic math.
This game is pretty brilliant.It has addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.You first choose if you want a combination or just one.Then you can choose practice or a real game. It works with kids just learning and really challenges those who want to get faster. If your up to bat the faster you answer the question determines how good you hit the ball.You answer really fast you might just hit a home run, and it you miss, then of course you strick out.When your playing out field, you determine how fast you get the other team out by how fast you answer the questions.It's very fun, and easy to learn.I didn't like how they reexplained things every time you change from out field to infield or started a new game, but then we found that if you hit I think it's the home key then you can pass that up, and your fun doesn't get interupted.I think it should also be known that this game is plenty of fun for kids from ages 6-11, and even longer if your kid just needs to strengthen their speed of their math, which coming from a High school math teacher is very important in Junior High and High School math. ... Read more

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

Reviews (11)

Another FAVORITE in our house!
My 3 yr old has this game along with Care Bears, Alphabet Park, Winnie the Pooh and Spiderman - this one is one of his favorites!He has learned names of animals and counting, it's AMAZING to hear for the first times out of his mouth, "ostrich, baboon, antelope, rhino etc. I would definatly recommend this game very entertaining!

The Worse
I have this Lion King V smile Smartridge my four year old Daughter it doesn't keep her interest at all. It's to slow and it has nothing to do but jump over logs there's no animals like in the movie, the harder level is just the same as the easy version I wish I could get my money back, future purchaser the game that comes with it is great that is the best one for your little ones to grow with.

Signed Take my advise Please

The Lion King is too short of a game
My son is three years old and at first he was very interested on the game for about a week, and now he feels bored playing it. I'm planning on buying Spiderman I just hope is not a short game. Otherwise the entire concept is great. ... Read more

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

Reviews (14)

I bought VSmile for my 4 yr. old
I bought this game for my son.He is so smart and loves to learn.It helps to show him what I have already tought him myself.

great for 4-6 year olds
My four year old and six year old love this game.It's probably their favorite.Yes, it requires spelling, but it's not difficult.Scooby's little roller coaster jumps up and collects the letters to spell out the word.But it's not like any points are docked for collecting a wrong letter.It's lots of fun.

So much fun.
I got this game for my daughter who just turned four in spite of all the other reviews.She absolutely loves Scooby Doo and loves this game.There are a few parts that have taken her a little while to master, but not to the point that she gets frustrated.I do not think that it is too hard at all for a four year old. ... Read more

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