Leap Pad?

[sophmama]

Someone had given my dd (2 y 9 mo) a leap pad a while ago but had given a book that didn't go with the leap pad, so I took it back and finally picked up the right one. I didn't know how much the books cover! I got her the quantum leap book for geography. She was jumping up and down with excitement when she saw the book today. She loooooves maps and the nice thing about the leap pad is that it can compensate for my lack of ability to read to her all day long like she would like. She can use the pen just fine and loves to hear about all the countries. Another book has solar system, anatomy, and musical instruments. She's in heaven.

She still can't use a mouse well because her fingers inadvertently click the other buttons on the mouse. I need to find a kid friendly one. She loves Starfall.com but can't do it on her own.

I am a wahm so I can't spend all the hours of my day reading to her, going over whichever list of spanish vocabulary she's tugging on my arm to do, and I refuse to put on videos all day because they're not interactive. I have to have some time to work every day, so the leap pad is a big hit right now. I'm so glad I decided to look at the upper level (quantum) books because there's a lot in there that she's really interested in right now. I know an adult reading to her is ideal, but one on one time is not available all day every day in our house. She gets a LOT of hours from dh and I, but not as much as she wants. :

So - that's my glowing review. But what do you think? I know it's not going to get into abstract stuff, but for now, she really likes to memorize stuff, so I think it will help meet that need. Any thoughts?

[Rigama]

We love ds's leap pad.

[loraxc]

Can you tell me a bit more about this? I've always avoided LeapPads because I thought they just promoted dumb books (you know, The Care Bears Go Shopping...) but DD would love to find out more about geography and stuff like that, if the reading level isn't TOO steep. What would you say is the grade level of the material? Can your DD understand it pretty easily? Would a 2.5yo who is not GREAT in fine motor (she also has that problem with the mouse) be able to manipulate this?

[sophmama]

My dd can't handle a mouse on the computer but loves starfall.com so the leap pad is a great alternative. She picked up how to use it right away. I can't stand all the character books but they have a lot of others that are just purely educational. They also have Dr. Suess which I love.

There are a lot of great titles in the quantum leap category. They're more advanced, but my dd still likes them and gets the parts she's interested in.

There are also a lot of good basic books that help with basic reading. I won a phonics one on ebay but it hasn't arrived yet - so I don't know if it's good yet.

There are a lot of basic topics under the leappad library and also the leappad plus writing which my dd is not ready for yet I got the one that has it enabled for later.

I'd like to get more of the phonics stuff since that is what my dd is into so much these days. I'd never have a leap pad replace reading time, but my dd wants to be read to more hours in the day than I can do - it gives her more learning time that she can do at her own pace. The pen/wand thing is just the right size for her little hands to hold. It's pretty basic - once I showed her how to turn it on and to "touch the green go circle" on each page as she turned them, she did fine with it.

[sophmama]

Lol - minutes after I typed this I heard my dd on the laptop working her starfall game saying, "I got it!" She's using a minirature laptop mouse that fits her hand better. She's figured out how to click on stuff and move the mouse. So I guess I'd better make sure that we have some filters on the internet soon. :

[LeftField]

Re: Geography and computers

We don't do Leapfrog and video games, but I did have a 2 year old computer user (ds1) and I do have a 2 year old that loves geography (ds2).

Wrt the mouse, my oldest always did well with the kind of mouse that has a button on the inner left side. He could always right-click but had difficulties left-clicking for some reason. I guess it's because their hands are so little at that age. So with this kind of mouse, he would click the button on the inner side of the mouse as an alternative to left-clicking. I don't know if I'm explaining that too well.

Wrt to the related geography question, do you have Google Earth? My 2 year old LOVES Google Earth. He just randomly chooses a land mass and zooms in and out, but he does it for the longest time and he really loves maps. He couldn't identify a country on the map (maybe the US), but he loves looking at them. Just a thought if you (Lorax) are looking for geography on the computer without going the Leapfrog route.

HTH!

[LeftField]

Originally Posted by sophmama

Lol - minutes after I typed this I heard my dd on the laptop working her starfall game saying, "I got it!" She's using a minirature laptop mouse that fits her hand better. She's figured out how to click on stuff and move the mouse. So I guess I'd better make sure that we have some filters on the internet soon. :

LOL. Watch out! Once my oldest figured out the computer, we couldn't get him off it! One day, he managed to launch dh's war game from an icon on the desktop and start a new game. He was 2 or 3. : Around 2.5 (I remember this because I was almost due with ds2), he opened my homebirth checklist on the desktop and "drew" circles all over it with the circle draw tool. Better start checking out what is easily accessible on your desktop!

[trinity6232000]

I'm sure that nobody wants to buy a whole new computer, but....

I use a Mac and dd has been using the computer since she was 2.5 independently (with me there too). Since
a Mac mouse doesn't have two buttons it was easier for her to use. She loves to draw on the computer, and
right now is really into Sudoku puzzles.
I have the computer set up that each member of the family has to log in, and has their own screen, set with
their own password. So dd can't open up my applications, or programs. It also allowed me to set up the sites
on the internet that I approve of so that she doesn't click on something she shouldn't.

[boatbaby]

Huh?

Can someone help me understand the Leap Pad thing (a slow mama on the gifted board, this topic caught my eye )

You buy the basic Leap Pad "thing" and then you can buy the "books" or software in different topics and stories that "plug" into it?

Am I getting it here?

We always avoided talking toys/ battery toys for DS who is now 2. But I KEEP hearing how great Leap Pad can be for things like geogrpahy, spanish, phonics... but whenever I google Leap Pad or look at the stuff on Amazon I get SOOOOO many choices, I am not sure how to start? HELP!?

Thanks smart mamas!

[HappyToBe]

Consider Leapster, too in addition to Leap Pad. Much smaller and easy to use on big trips.