LeapFrog is virtually unchallenged in quite a few of its product lines, but that doesn't seem to be slowing them down any. The company was showing off bunches of new product at
Toy Fair 2008, with most of it newly designed to hook up to the computer and help parents keep better track of what their kids are learning with all these "toys." Products like Tag -- a reading pen similar to the
FLY pentop -- can tell parents what words kids are reading well, and how much time they spend with a book, while the new
Leapster2 and Didj handhelds let parents track the curriculum the kids are running through -- with the Didj even allowing parents to work in custom vocabulary lists or other subjects into their kid's game of choice. Unfortunately, the LeapFrog2 suffers from same screen viewability woes of its predecessor, and both handhelds are quite chunky, but we did like the Didj's screen and software, and that $90 pricetag is quite palatable.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
sepirioth @ Feb 17th 2008 9:57PM
Fisrt and educatumenal!
Flashpoint @ Feb 17th 2008 10:11PM
When you try and substitute technology for true education the children become technologicaly sophisticated dummies.
I wanted to believe that the internet would help kids learn more, but all it does is give them an opportunity to plagarize and use "patchwork parphrasing". I wanted to believe these toys help children learn, but I've had similar toys when I was a kid and I honestly can say they didn't teach me a damn thing.
I run into kids on a daily basis who can't sound out words phoneticaly to spell them and even worse, with NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND tracking their progress, it causes teachers and school technology coordinators the headache of spending technology budgets to buy toys and games like this which really don't help them read - just makes them computer literate.
Math games like this aren't so bad but I can't help but feel that none of these things challenges them enough.
Abuzar @ Feb 17th 2008 11:11PM
Wait a sec, the Internet has other purposes! How else are these kids supposed to get their porn?! They cant order playboy, imagine what they would do without the internet.
Gomes Gohomes @ Feb 18th 2008 9:48AM
I am with you, Flashpoint. How pathetic is having a pen telling you how well your kids are doing in grammar? If you think that's an awesome gadget you should let someone else educate your heirs.
Covarr @ Feb 18th 2008 12:38AM
Leapfrog sucks. V-Tech is where it's all at.
mushrooshi @ Feb 18th 2008 2:13AM
You are kidding?
Covarr @ Feb 18th 2008 2:20AM
Seriously. My little brother has toys made by both companies. Leap Frog's toy is annoying, and plays the same song whenever you do anything, before doing what you asked. Needless to say, he doesn't like it. VTech's toy is awesome, much more educational, and has a piano game.
Eli Burke @ Feb 18th 2008 9:07AM
Riiiight. Because both companies, and all the toys they make, should be judged on the basis of one toy from each. Iron Toymaker, commence!
Thunderbuck @ Feb 18th 2008 5:50PM
I'm a big believer in LeapFrog's products. I have 2 small children, and while we do a lot of "conventional" work on their reading, the Leapster has been useful and effective.
As well, the Leapster has gotten my kids using technology, and getting comfortable with it, from an early age. Both of my kids (4 and 7 years old) read well above their age level, and their tech-literacy is far above their peers.
Brandi McDonnell @ Feb 23rd 2008 12:27PM
LeapFrog makes an inferior product, that breaks easily, and has the worst customer service ever.
Please Nintendo, make edutainment for toddler/preschoolers. You could wipe Leapster off the map.
Todd @ Mar 24th 2008 4:31PM
Your exactly right about the customer service. I wanted to get a replacement book and told I was going to be charged 9 dollars,later looked online in the clearance section of the site and found the whole set:book,cartridge,and flash cards on sale for 5.90 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! needless to say I canceled my order for the 9 dollar book. I will be looking into V-tech.