make learning fun (LeapFrog Leappad)

Member Name: barbie84

Product:	LeapFrog Leappad
Date:	28/12/08 (43 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: great fun and teaches

Disadvantages: books are ripable

For christmas this year my daughters recieved the leap pad and the leap pad plus writing, there is very little difference between the two, the only difference being that the plus writing one has an attachment to turn the stylus into a pencil that writes.

The writing unit works off 4 aa sized batteries which are not included, there is a screw to stop children being able to remove the batteries which is great as a lot of toys for this age dont have the screw any more and my youngest is a nightmare for removing the batteries out of toys.

Th exterior is a nice solid plastic in blue and green that wont damage or scratch easily which is what you want with young children, there is a button you need to press to be able to open the leap pad on the side, it is a large button ideal for small fingers.

Once open it reveals the area for the books to go, these just sit in they dont need to be cliped in like the baby version so is easy for a child to do on there own.

The on off button is the only button on the machine so isnt confusing, the cartridges clip easily into the side of the machine, they are a little stiff to remove at first but get easier with time

The voice tells you what book you have in when you turn it on and reminds you to always press the green go circle with the stylus each time you change page.

The stylus is attached with a piece of wire and is a god size and shape for little fingers, it had rubber bits at the end making it easier to grip and is an ideal way for young children to learn to hold a pencil

When you run the stylus over the words on the page it tells you the word helping to learn with reading, some of the words in the books are in bold, these if you press the stylus on them once tell you the word and if pressed streight after again the meaning of the word, ie, cottage, that means a small house.

As well as this the book also has pictures where if you touch them with the stylus the characters talk to you, there is a game mode on each page which asks you to find words begining with certain letters or a number of items teaching basic reading, alphabet and maths.

The volume controls are in the book which are up and down arrows with plus and minus signs on them.

These are a realy good way of teaching at the same time as having fun, my daughters love these and have had hours of fun with them, there are loads of books available with all different themes to them so they should never get board of learning with this.

The only thing i do dislike with this is that the books i was expecting to be similar to the baby one where they were rip proof and wipeable but they are not, they crease easily and are easy to rip.

Summary: a great learning aid