Are LeapPads any good?

[Steve's Girl]

OK, based on this thread I need some guidance. I sent away for a LeapPad last year with Quaker proofs of purchase and put it away since DS was too young for it at the time. He’s going to be 3 in January so I planned on giving it to him this Christmas with a few books/cartridges for it. I’ve picked up just one cartridge for it so far and now I’m wondering if I should just skip it and look at the Leapster. The Leapster seems like it would also take the place of his ailing VideoNow Jr. that we pull out for plane rides, sick days, etc. We had considered a DVD player, but I think I like the idea of a Leapster instead. We could do the pad for Christmas then do the Leapster for his birthday a month later, but I can just see that resulting in the pad never getting use…unless we do with the Leapster what we do with the VideoNow Jr. and not allow access to it all the time. But then again, I could give the pad to Toys for Tots and give someone else a chance to play with it. Of course we could always wait another year for the Leapster.

Any words of advice?

At 3, my kids would not have been ready for Leapster. The LeapPad is perfect for this age.

 

[pantherlj]

At 3, my kids would not have been ready for Leapster. The LeapPad is perfect for this age.

I agree. My 3 yr old was too rough with older DDs leapster. I waited until she was 4.

 

[Whosemom]

My kids love the leap pad. It was really a new and eerie experience when we first gave them to them along with headsets before leaving on a 2 hour trip. We kept having to count heads, it was so quiet.

I got my older girl (9 then) a quantum pad, which is basically the same - they share books. It just looked a little snazier. Thinner maybe. but they didn't make many books for the older kid version because that was just before they came out with the leapster.

I think $30 plus shipping would be obnoxious. $30 is WalMart-ish I think. We even found one at Goodwill that we bought for $2. Yipee!! Also, we always find books for $5 at a children's clothing resale place (Once Upon a Child - I think they are national)

 

[KristinU]

Great, thanks everyone! The Leap Pad it is then, for now at least. You all just saved me well over $100

 

[DW2006]

We are on our second one. We have the little touch, the my first and the regular leap pad. My oldest son got his leappad when he was 3 and he loved loved loved it. It has now gone through two more..thus we had to replace it this year. We are actually using it in our homeschooling. We have the complete phonics program by leapfrog and they use it for review.

If your girls enjoy the my first then I think they would enjoy the leap pad or the quantum pad, there are scads of books that vary in interest and learning levels.

 

[The Disney Bunch]

Well, I bought the LeapPad with microphone because the BigLots by us has it for $20 this week. I liked the LeapPad because I feel it is more educational. The Leapster makes me think of video games & GameBoy. I don;t want my girls playing these things all the time. I just wanted something that would help them with their reading, math & writing. Thanks for all the imput!

 

[LynnTH]

My kids DS7 and DD5 have both. They had the Leappads before they came out with the Leapsters. When we first got the Leappad's they played with them awhile but mostly sat in their closet. The both got the Leapsters 2 years ago for Christmas. They both are used constantly and they aren't like video games at all - they are educational and fun but also easier to carry around. My son's Leapster stopped working correctly a few weeks ago and we tried to calibrate it again and it still wouldn't work. I called Leap Frog and they went through the same things with me -still didn't work. So, they had me send in the broken one and sent my son a brand new one. I thought that was great customer service for something we have had for almost 2 years. I love Leapfrog products.

 

[WantToGoNow]

The Leapster makes me think of video games & GameBoy. I don;t want my girls playing these things all the time. I just wanted something that would help them with their reading, math & writing. Thanks for all the imput!

That is exactly what Leapster is about. Every game made for the system educational - with fun characters built in. It is nothing like regular video game systems - i.e. Game Boy.

 

[catherines_mama]

My DD is 5 and she got the LeapPad for Christmas 2 yrs ago. At each birthday and Christmas since I've gotten her more books etc. She really loves it. It is great for car rides or boring Drs waiting rooms. We've had issues once the batteries are low, but if you keep them fresh, it works great! DD does love it!