leap frog vs Vtech? (x post LAH)

[bobandjess99]

Okay...so my parents have informed me they would like to get dd a gaming system for xmas......I am cool with that, as i was hoping to get her one next year anyway... No, i don't think it's evil to play video games a little bit, and dd LOVES to learn through electronic means...sorry, I'm a crappy NFL mom.....anyway, the point of my quesiton is this....

They will buy pretty much whichever one I ask them to. I was looking at the leap frog baby and leapster TV system from Lf......and the Vtech vsmile regular and baby.....

Dd is 2 and 3 months old...the age recs for the "baby" versions are 9 mos - 36 mos......the age recs for the regular versions are 3-7 or 4-8 years...right now, it seems like the baby ones are about at her current level...but I'm thinking she will outgrow them quickly? OR will she enjoy them for a while? a "regular" one means she will likely not "get" it for another year or so..but will then be able to use it longer??

So, out of all the edutainment style learning games, which would you get? Assuming the grandparents were paying? Which one is best? Do your kids like one or the other better? ease of use? graphics? games/cartridges? Recs please? pu-weeze?

Feel free to suggest ones not on my list.....it can be anything under about $100......

Thanks!

[Nikki Christina]

id get a baby version

i dont think she'd be able to play the older versions for awhile
i think she'd at least enjoy the baby one for another year

my grandma just bought my youngest the vsmile baby for christmas.. shes only 19 months though. but she saw a display in the store & went CRAZY for it!
they are pretty cheep also.. $45 for the system & a game..i think some games are built in also...

[MamaChicken]

I think you have to look at how your daughter is with other electronics games. My DS had been playing games on the internet (Disney.com) since he was about 2. Someone got him a game that was age appropiate when he was 2 1/2, but he had already outgrown it. He was so used to responding to the computer it was nothing to pick up the older stuff. We have never had V-Tech, but he LOVES his Leapster (he's now in 3rd grade).

[bobandjess99]

thanks for the info so far...just to add, she LOVES electronic games...she has been playing computer games since she was 9 months old, and tries very hard to play her brothers game boys and super nintendo......but, she is used to the "baby" version games(like jump start baby), where basically if you hit a key, something happens, etc....she doesn't really "get it" yet that you need to do SPECIFIC things to achieve a specific end(which is what the "preschool" level games make you do..like pick the CORRECT letter, etc...).....but I'm thinking that will come in the next year? I just went and tried out the LF baby and leapster and lmax games....cuz you can on the website....unfortunately, the baby ones were REALLY LAME..i think she'd hate them....but the ones for the other systems (ages 4-8) were definitely way too hard for her, probably for at least another year or two.....UGH!!!

Youy can't actually TRY the vtech ones on the website...but I'm leaning towards a vtech concole right now...it is for ages 3-7, and I think she'll be at a level to play the easiest games soon.......

When we go to the store (like, 3-4 times a week, just to waste time, since being a SAHM is boring..lol!) she ALWAYS spends quite a bit of time in the game aisle, playing the different games on display......but again, she gets angry, because she doent GET that she needs to do the right thing in order to win....

more, people?

.....

[PeacefulSeams]

My son has the regular VSmile. He LOVES it. He is 3 1/2. He has been playing with it since he was 2. I had to show him how to do the games and the joystick but once he got the hang of it, he's a pro. My niece also has a VSmile. She loves hers too. I'm pretty sure there are more game options for the VSmile than for the Leapster. Next year we plan on getting him the VFlash that just came out. He has learned a lot from it and is excited to play it. It is his 1 big reward of the day. You can select levels of easy or normal for most games. I highly recommend the VSmile!