Help! My son got a Leap Pad for his B-Day and it is driving me CRAZY!

[hennaLisa]

What should I do? It was from his only Uncle. My son is 3 years old. I thought it wouldn't be a big deal, but the thing makes constant obnoxious very loud noise, and I can't find any redeeming value in it. Is there something I am missing? Why do people get these for their kids? Should I hide it? Break it? Take out the batteries? Donate it? Get used to it? What should I say to my son's well-meaning Uncle who was really excited about sending his gift? Help!

[Jenni1894]

Would your son be upset if it disapeared one day? 

My son got a vsmile handheld at about 3.   He did play with it non stop for a few days...then it dwindled to no interest by about 3 mos.   you could let him keep it and give him time limits on playing it.  Or he loses it for a day/certain time if he doesn't obey.   you could put tape over the speaker.  Like duct tape.  We have done this for quite a few loud toys!! 

[Tjej]

I put scotch tape over the speaker of any sound making toy in the house and it makes a really big difference.  Try that.

Tjej

[hennaLisa]

Thanks for the ideas! It's true he does seem to play a toy for a while and then just forget it exists. Maybe that will happen with this toy... I just don't know if I can stand it until it dwindles away. It might be partly because I'm 38 weeks pregnant and feeling a little up tight about having a new baby around. I will definitely try the scotch tape over the speakers idea to at least lessen the obnoxiousness!

[Cascadian]

Definitely the scotchtape. I think everything we owned that made noise had scotchtape over it...it really helped...

On another note, I don't find the LP games that obnoxious, personally (granted, I'm not pregnant!) We have a DSi now and that thing is obnoxious!! My newly-turned 3 yr old learned to read wonderfully with the LP, so I think it has some redeeming features, if you choose the right games :) Good luck!

[nextcommercial]

The Leap Pad isn't too obnoxious to me...... I haven't listened to it while I was hormonal though.     But these kids have a piano that the kids can either play themselves, or turn on preprogrammed music.  That thing drives me insane.  especially the preprogrammed music.  One song is a Polka and they love that song.

The scotch tape idea is great!

I, personally wouldn't get rid of a leap pad that his uncle bought.  It's expensive, he was happy about it, and your son likes it right now.  

[Mommy2Austin]

I really wish they would make these things with headphone jacks!!!

I'd try the tape suggestion. If that doesn't quell it, maybe having a set "LeapPad" play time. That way he's not constantly running around making noise with it!

[Subhuti]

If his uncle had not given it to him, i would make it go away.

Maybe you can just put it in a special place til uncle visits? Tell your son its battery is low ...

[hennaLisa]

Any suggestions for redeeming software or whatever you get for it? I would not mind it as much if it seemed like it was something useful - like learning to read. The stuff that came on it is like this little animal telling my son he sent an e-mail (when he did nothing) and then talking non-stop about random other things!

[Cascadian]

It's an educational company - most (all?) of the games are actually educational and really well done (albeit about half use well known movie and tv characters - a good hook. We're not allergic to licensed characters in our house - all in moderation). A quick search on amazon.com will list age appropriate ones as kids are at all different stages of development (and most of the kidlets on MDC seem to be born doing algebra and Shakespeare ).

For young kids, we liked Mr. Pencil's learn to draw and write and Letter Factory.

[robiam]

they do have headphone jacks on the leap pads it is on the top where you put the games in

[mamalisa]

I might misplace it and then find it again when you have the baby.  Those things can keep a kid busy for hours and it will be really helpful for you when you're stuck on the couch nursing for hours.  They do have headphone jacks and Fisher Price makes great kid sized headphones that run about $8 and are perfectly sized for little heads with big foamy earmuff ear pieces.

My dd learned a lot of sounds and letters in a very passive way on our monthly 4 hour trips to Chicago.  I was really surprised because it doesn't seem like they are really paying much attention and then all of a sudden they know sight words.

[bandgeek]

I would do the tape trick and also just limit his time on it.  Maybe a half hour a day or something.  When you are washing dishes and can't really hear the sound well anyway. Lol

[Imakcerka]

Don't worry they all break!  Seriously give it another month and that thing will stop working!  We went through 4 of them in less than 6 months.  The screens stopped working.  A broken toy can sometimes equal a happy mama!  I'm wrong for that I know.

[kibba]

I would just turn the volume down and get over it to be honest. I really don't think the leap pad is that bad. All of our toys are battery free, but DD has a leapster explorer and just got a leappad from her grandparents. We just limit game time and it's really no big deal. 

[jtbuko]

I would just keep it put away and pull it out for special occasions.

[wishfulmom]

Mr. Pencil saves doodleburg is really cool.  We have the leapster explorer with the camera and in the camera mode, any photos they take, can then be turned into puzzles on the screen.  They can make video montages with music, and make 'stop motion' animation videos.  We drew a little car over a photo of my son so it looks like  he is driving.  We can also turn it down really really low.   Three years might be a little young to get all the benefits out of it.  There do have alot of programs and apps for it on the website.

[Polliwog]

Your DS is a little young but there are some great games for the LeapPad. My kids were given a LeapPad and an Innotab for Christmas and love them. We've never had battery-operated toys before but these are great (for different reasons.) The LP has a volume control and a headphone jack.

[thelinuxmotion]

i know im a little late, but the leap pad has a headphone jack..............................................................................................................................................

[JudiAU]

I certainly wouldn't replace the batteries....