Leapbook - pros, cons, and keys to good use?

[Curious]

After seeing Dd's neice's leapbooks/pads, I decided they didn't do anything I couldn't, at least at Dd's age (2). I got some ideas how to liven up the action when we're reading books, and decided that at least for the next year or so, I didn't want to bother with one.

Dd loves books, I want to foster that enthusiasm. We have a great time with books and she will sit and amuse herself sometimes. I like a lot of interaction when we are together, and when she is playing by herself I like to see her use things that stimulate her imagination - blocks, fake food, puzzles, etc.

Well, when we told IL's please no plastic or talking toys, they must have heard plastic and talking toys please. Because in addition to a plastic wonder, they gave Dd a leapbook for her 2nd birthday. MIL said "now you don't have to read to her anymore," though I believe she was joking.

I don't like that it depends on continued purchase of additional modules, none of which can be purchased used (as can books). Talking drives me crazy when it comes from toys, and I don't love the idea of Dd learning to interact with a machine (unlike many, I feel that computer literacy can come much later and a 2 year old need not learn to use a mouse as a key to sucess in life).

As for the pro, if I can help her learn to use it, it might prove handy in the car. I would keep it special for long car trips, which are otherwise peppered with lots of "you read Mommy" and I am in the backseat much of the time getting carsick.

So shall I love it or lose it?

I would appreciate any suggestions on how to best use the thing, and hearing people's experiences with 2 year olds and leappads.

Thanks.

[Peppermint]

Yep, well, I didn't get one until dd was 3, but I taught her how to use it, and now it stays in the car, and that is the only time she uses it. I think you are right on track, they are not for use when mama could be reading with her, but are ok when you can't.

[L.J.]

Ours is a care toy as well.
I have also used it on occasion where I've been very busy with my youngest.
I actually love the music book. It has a game at the back where you hear a song & have to guess the composer. I play that when I get a chance! It's fun.

[ShannonCC]

We just got one a few weeks ago (dd is 4). For us, it's a car toy. Honestly I wish I had gotten one a long time ago now that I see how well it works for keeping my dd happy in the car! She hates car rides and has since she was a baby. We bought it last month because we finally agreed to visit my SIL/BIL at their house 2 hours away and I thought this would help on the trip. I was right I can't read in the car at all without nausea and major headaches so that's not going to happen.

I was worried she'd want to play with it all the time. The first few days she did play with it a lot and I let her. Then, when she stopped being obsessed with it, I put it away and now it's only pulled out for long car trips. Oh, and I got headphones with it so she can use those in the car and not keep her brother awake

It is NOT a substitute for having a person read to a child! I hope your MIL was joking too :LOL

For the record though, I have seen the books and cartridges sold on eBay so you can get them used.

[Ragana]

We got our daughter one at about the age of 3 1/2 as a present from our new baby. It is also mostly used for car trips or as her "laptop" when she wants to work beside me. It did not dampen her enthusiasm for books or the library at all, and we still read to her every night.

One reason we got it is because we get deluged with all sorts of gifts from far away relatives, and a lot of these eventually end up at Goodwill because we don't have room for them. We figured we would tell family that they could get her replacement LeapPad books instead - they are small, easy to mail and store, and relatively inexpensive, about $15 each I think. And at least they have an educational component.

PS Thank goodness you can turn off the annoying repetitive music and turn down the volume and still play the games!!

[Mommiska]

My mom gave my dd a Leapbook when she turned 3. DD really enjoys playing with it, but it's just one of the things she enjoys.

We dont' restrict her use of it, and I'd guess she plays with it maybe every 2-3 days, and spends perhaps an hour with it. We read to her WAY more often than that, and she will 'read' to herself as well.

It's actually been a great thing for my two girls to play with together...dd1 will show dd2 how to use it, and they'll sometimes play some of the little games with each other (dd1 helping dd2).

[indigolilybear]

Hate the thing.

We have a few modules. We left it in our summer home this summer and haven't missed it a bit!! It didn't work well, like the pencil thing doesn't read very well....skips around and is hard to direct to read a line. DD liked it but hasn't asked about it once!! We liked it for long car trips, but really, I am not a big fan of young kids getting into the whole computer mindset so young!!

I definitely recommend against it.

[Missgrl]

Moving this to Childhood years

[Curious]

Thanks for the responses. I'll be keeping it in the car for long trips. Today I went on a short drive and Grandma (MY mom, not MIL) sat in the back and helped Dd use the pen so she can do it on her own on the longer trips.

Dd, who has never had an electric toy, was startled by some of the sounds at first, but it seems like this will be a good thing for the car trips when I'm sometimes at my wits end with what to do to amuse her. We limit the long trips but they are sometimes unavoidable.

The obnoxious sounds are better than Dd's crying, and orders of "out out out of the carseat!" for hours.

Thanks for affirming my thoughts.

[levar]

We just got the Leap Pad and it is compatible with the Quantum too. [ It says 4+ on the box though, so I didn't think it was for the 2+ age?] There are "over 50 titles" online at leappad.com And you *can* find used books? They are on ebay as well as our local "gently-used" store. And ask around, your neighbors might have old ones too -- ours just moved to HA and sold via yard sale all their old books since the pad was broken. And they are great as hand-me-downs too!! And at least two of the home schoolers I've spoken to use them as class room tools as well FYI.

We got it for the car. My Mom lives 1200+ miles away and MIL lives 1500+ miles away. So we do alot of driving every year for vacation in addition to the usual weekend/weekday stuff. The LeapPad books and Crayola Color Wonder papers-n-pens are a real blessing to parents who dont want to buy a DVD player for the car...

PS. They come with an outlet for head phones!! So you can put the head phones on the kid and not listen to the racket if you want, etc.

[Curious]

levar - 1200 mile, wow. Please tell more about the Crayola Wonder Pens&Paper. Sounds interesting but I don't get out shopping much to explore for myself.

[merpk]

We got them as gifts from grandparents. Kids go on binges with them, love them for a week, don't look at 'em for a month.

If we had a car, that's probably what they'd be great for.

Otherwise, they're just another toy ...

[momto l&a]

I know this is an old thread but I was doing a search to see what I could find as far a peoples thoughts about Leap Pad. My Inlaws are wanting to get dd a simular version to Leap pad and I'm not so sure I want it.

Anyway, I noticed mentioned that you can use earphones for the Leap Pad but wonder about volume control? I'm not so sure a child would notice if something was to loud, so might not that cause hearing problems?

[Curious]

Update on our leappad use. One time in the car. I keep it stashed under the front seat, ostensibly to have it available. But this way it's out of the house. And I can still tell my IL's that it's good in the car...

[levar]

Originally posted by Curious
levar - 1200 mile, wow. Please tell more about the Crayola Wonder Pens&Paper. Sounds interesting but I don't get out shopping much to explore for myself.

Oh! These things are FANTASTIC!! You buy a set of markers and color book for about $10-15 and then you can get new color books for about $5-7. The markers work ONLY on the color books!! [And actually, only within the lines of the picture so it gives the little ones an instant success too!!] So for the car that is perfect because if a pen is dropped or written on the seat or door, nothing shows up EVER!! [Clothes, Drapes, Carpet, etc too!!]

We got a gift when Taylor was almost 2 yrs old from an in-law from Kmart that had a nice "carrier" thing with it to stash all the books and pens and a board for the lap etc. I am sure you can buy them online, ToysRUs or something? I get add'l books at the drug store because they're usually discounted there; Walgreens, Rite Aid, Etc.

[I Believe in Fairies]

My issue with them is that they are for right handed kids only. My DD is a lefty.

[normajean]

Oooh, I didn't even think about the right/left hand thing. My son is a lefty and he's getting a leap-pad for Christmas. (I need something for him to do while I'm in the shower besides write on my furniture and unpack my bookshelves) Wonder how that will pan out with the left hand thing.

OK, to answer the OP--

You are right it won't do anything you couldn't do with her yourself. However, for the sake of convenience, say she's wanting a story and you are *needing* to shower, its an opportunity for her to entertain herself thats better than, say, writing on the door with magic marker or unwrapping all your tampons and flushing them down the toilet in one big ball.

DH is an educational psych for our district and they have just acquired DOZENS of leap-pads for the remedial reading levels because these things are AMAZING for the kids learning. Of course that is taken in context--you have tons of kids who need one on one help, and a limited number of adults. For my son (and probably the kids of most parents on here) its probably unneccesary, because you are reading to the kid anyway. But for the kid whose parents are both working and when they are not they are out drinking, partying, watching soaps, or whatnot, LeapPad is a great idea. The kids have something that will read to them and the parent involvement is optional.

My mom just did me a "favor" by cleaning out all her toys and gave me a bunch of those old "book and tape" set ups where the chime rings when its time to turn the page. DH goes "hey, its a neandertal leappad!" (I'm putting them all up on ebay soon). Leappad appeals to me more than this because at least it does do some reinforcement on the individual words and letters that a book and tape can't do.

My son loves books and we read to him daily. I refuse to allow leappad to be a replacement for our special reading time. The plan is its only for those times when 1-mommy needs a shower desperately and daddys lunch hour doesn't coincide 2-long car trips.

The cost is definately a deterrent though. Holy hanna! Those things are on sale tomorrow at Toys R Us for $9.99. For one book. I can usally get at least 10 books for that price at the used book store, not to mention the batteries, and when he outgrows this one and needs the next one up....yikes! Buy stock now. However, I'm thinking that in a few months they are going to be all over ebay and half.com. (speaking of half.com, if anyone wants a $5 off coupon PM me your email addy and I can send ya one.)