[flyingspaghettimama]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phoebe \\ So, chime in please... Does Leapfrog REALY help put your child ahead of the game more so than say, actually sitting and reading regularly together?

No, I absolutely do not think that Leapfrog or any of the electronic toys put the child "ahead" of the game in any way. Most of the electronic learning toys are somewhat parent substitutes - which is fine if you like that. I will always cherish the time I went through the alphabet with my daughter saying "B says /b/, what are some silly words we can think of that start with b?" (Yeah, boogers were mentioned) Not to mention, a lot cheaper to do it myself!

But if the parent doesn't have time, or wants time alone, or the child for some reason is resistant to parent-child games, then it might work for them and would teach the same things in a different way. But I don't think it will put a child "ahead" by any stretch of the imagination. How is that we have all of these very literate adults walking around today, who managed to grow up sans leapfrog? If the Kindergartener is reading at a sixth grade level (and I mean completely, includingcomprehending) - which would be quite unusual, then that girl is probably quite gifted in any case, leapfrog or no.

 

[flyingspaghettimama]

Mayhaps this is offtopic, but electronic toys are a personal bane of mine. I grew up with them too, and my (5) siblings all had multitudes of them. I just remember wanting to absolutely MAKE THE NOISE STOP as a kid, taking the batteries out of my brother and sister's toys and saying "oh look,it's broken." Young children love repeating things, and hearing my brother repeatedly push a button that says "HI I'M BARNEY AND I LOVE YOU" I think permanantly fried my brain. Of course, I feel differently about video games - loved the Nintendo. I don't know how I feel about that now.

So, we have insisted on no battery-operated toys for my daughter, very pointedly, and so what do grandma and grandpa do first Christmas? Get her this remarkably annoying car that says "This is grandma. Buckle up for safety." Among other things. I said, "Oh how nice, you got her a toy to leave at your house she can play with here!" And made them keep it at their house - I refused to take it home, pointing out what I'd specifically asked for and how they'd specifically went out and got her something like that. They'd ask now and then over the next two years if I wanted to take it home...nope.

It all worked out, and we have no other gifts coming down the pipe that involve batteries. And I really don't care if she goes to their house and pushes that dang grandma button a thousand times! Yay for them.