If you see a good toy roar with me... ROOARR! (Leapfrog Roll & Rhyme Learning Lion)

Member Name: karalouk

Product:	Leapfrog Roll & Rhyme Learning Lion
Date:	30/07/09 (73 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Helps learn colours, the difference between day and night, animal noises, animal names. Great songs

Disadvantages: Some parents may find him slightly irritating

My daughter received the Leapfrog Roll and Rhyme Learning Lion over her first christmas.

The lion is a very cute little chap - yellow, plush, with a silky mane. He also has a little plastic spinning toy in his belly with a small pink heart shaped button above it.

The spinner has 2 sides to it - a nighttime scene and daytime scene.

When the spinner lands on daytime it either sings a song or asks a question. The song is really cute and catchy and goes "I am a lion I roar all day, I pounce up and down, that's how I play. Reach up high, roar, reach down low, roar. I am a lion I roar all day". The questions start with a rhyme and are along the lines of "Lets look for colours, what do you see? If you see blue roar with me... blue sky, rooarr". The daytime scene consists of green grass, flowers, a tree, blue sky, sun and a rainbow.

When the spinner lands on the nighttime scene it again either sings a song or asks a question. The song is lovely and again is very catchy, it goes "Even lions get sleepy when it's time for bed, I'll stay cosy and warm with my mane round my head, goodnight, sleep tight, now it's time for bed". The questions start with another rhyme and are along the lines of "The stars are out, our friends are near, let's say goodnight, who do you hear? *Insert monkey noise* monkey! Goodnight, sleep tight". The nighttime scene consists of the lion sleeping under the stars and moon, with a tree next to him.

The spinner automatically lights up when in use but the heart shaped button also lights up the spinner for when you'd rather just look than listen.

I believe the lion is brilliant for young children as it can encourage learning of colours, animal names, animal sounds and the difference between day and night. It also encourages language, speech and imaginative play. The spinner is also very easy to spin and is suitable for even the youngest of children.

This was always one of my daughters favourite toy when she was younger and before she could even talk she was roaring along with him!

He has a hidden battery compartment in his back. The lion takes 3 x AA batteries, which lasted us around a year of constant use before we had to change them. There is also an off button and 2 volume settings. Because the lion takes batteries you can't put him in the washing machine but you can clean him with a damp cloth.

The only real downside from a parents point of view is that the songs might really irritate you. They do tend to imbed themselves into your brain and you'll find yourself singing them all day long.. and at inappropriate times! I am quite fortunate as they really don't bother me and I actually quite enjoy them, unlike some of my daughters toys. Some parents are not so fortunate, as I discovered whilst searching google for a photo of the lion...
http://blogs.clubmom.com/daily_dose/images/img_51 30.jpg
Ouch!

Also beware if putting him to bed with your child - the slightest movement and he'll burst into song! Not fun at 3am...

The lion is suitable for children 6 months and onwards. In my experience the lion can make for hours of fun up until around 18 months. The toy is still fun and enjoyable for children over 18 months but holds their interest for alot less. My daughter (now 2 years old) now knows the songs and loves to sing along with them - she also loves to give her lion lots of cuddles, I think he is quite special to her as she has known him for as long as she remembers.

There is also an elephant version of this toy, but which we don't have or have never tried so I can't comment on it.

The Leapfrog Roll and Rhyme Learning Lion is available at all good shops (that sell pre-school toys) including Toys R Us, Argos, Tesco, Boots, Amazon.co.uk and Mothercare. It is generally priced around the £10 mark which I think is very good value for money and will also make a lovely gift for any child between 6 and 18 months.

Summary: I am a lion, I roar all day!