OT: Anyone have V Smile

[SalandJeff]

Does anyone have a V Smile system? What do you think of it? Do your kids use it, enjoy it (and how old are they), learn from it.

Also, there are so many different vtech systems...what are they all. Thinking of getting this for dd. thanks.

 

[princessmom29]

We have the original V smile system and DD noes not play with it much at all the joystick is not very responsive and makes it hard to control the character onscreen. She much prefers her leapster from leapfrog. In my experience they just make a better product. We have a leap pad too that she enjoys. Didn't care much for the vtech version.

 

[daleswife]

We have the original V smile too. My DD LOVES it. She has played it so much that we have to jiggle it to get it to work now....warn out!!! She has learned a whole lot from it. The joy stick swivels from left handed to right handed and she has learned to use both.

 

[MickeyMomOfThree]

We got my DD6 a V-Smile a couple years ago and it went almost untouched. Maybe it was just her, but she prefers to play DS and Wii (not that all the games are educational, but some can be.)

 

[SandrainNC]

We have the original v-smile too. Once we bought him the V-smile pocket, he hasn't played it as much. We try to get him to use the one on the tv, but he pulls the game out and wants it in the pocket version. But he loved it until we got him the pocket.

Sandra

 

[tmarquez]

DD got this for Christmas when she was 4. She played with it off and on some, but she's not very coordinated when it comes to video games. She is almost 6 now and is much better with the coordination. We never bought new agmes, so the one she has are pretty "babyish". But she will get it out from time to time.

We also have a Playstation 2, which she likes better, but she throws a fit when she "dies" so we don't really let her play that much at all.

 

[Minniemouse07]

Dd had an original Leapster from about 2.5yo to no (7.5yo). She loves the thing. She uses it on all our trips and the use at home will ebb and flow... sometimes playing non stop for a few weeks and then not looking at it again for a month or more.

This Christmas we will be getting her a Nintendo DS and our ds (3yo) will be getting a Leapster. We need to get him a new one because dd's is well loved and although it still works, it won't for much longer! I think five years w/ a kid is pretty good!

We don't do a lot of tv gaming at home, although we do have an older XBox we use occasionally. We will probably get a Wii sometime next year when dd is 8yo and ds approaching 4yo.

 

[fortheluvofpooh]

We have the VSmile for the television as well as the handheld. the kids like the handheld but it is a PITA sometimes, there are times it won't shut off and times it wont turn on.You have to play with the batteries. This is our 2nd one, the first had the same issues and got exchanged. One of the kiddos from our dance class has one with the same issues.

 

[Princess_Michelle]

..

 

[Bren's Mom]

Ds (3) has a Vsmile pocket. He's had it for a year. In the first 6 months he wasn't able to play many of the games without help. (He has 4 or 5 '3-5 years old' games.) The last 6 months he's gotten really into it. He's able to play a number of the games very independently.

 

[SalandJeff]

Thanks for all the feedback. I was actually interested in the one that connects to the TV. I already got her a Leapster 2 for Christmas, so that will be her handheld.

 

[MickeyMomOfThree]

The one we have (that hardly got used) is the one that hooks into the TV. If you do buy it get the recharagale batteries, it used the batteries fast.

 

[SILLYANDI]

DS7 & DD3 have the vsmile pockets and it's hit & miss. DD has grown out of it but played all the time when he was 5-6. DD3 plays when we can find the cartridges, battery is charged, etc. They both LOVE their nintendo DS much better and it seems to not be so bulky.
As for educational value-I don't think there was much to it. I didn't buy it with the intention that they would "learn" and I wasn't disappointed

 

[joyfulscrapper]

We have the VSmile for the television as well as the handheld. the kids like the handheld but it is a PITA sometimes, there are times it won't shut off and times it wont turn on.You have to play with the batteries. This is our 2nd one, the first had the same issues and got exchanged. One of the kiddos from our dance class has one with the same issues.

That's weird because we had the same issues with our one for the TV and exchanged it and still have the same issues. The kids love it, though, and still ask to play it even though we have xbox and DSs. Unfortunately, because of it's issues, I rarely want to turn it on for them because it can be such a pain to get to turn on or switch game cartridges without it messing up all over again. Surprised to hear this is a common problem with them. I think I'll be calling again about it... We bought ours several years ago, though, so maybe they've been able to fix the bugs by now. The learning and playing features are good if they've fixed the bugs.

 

[Minniemouse07]

Thanks for all the feedback. I was actually interested in the one that connects to the TV. I already got her a Leapster 2 for Christmas, so that will be her handheld.

Doesn't the Leapster 2 work on the TV as well?

 

[JamesMom]

When our oldest son turned 3 we got him a V-Smile system that hooks up to the TV. He loved it! Believe the age ranges on the games - those listed as 4-6, etc did frustrate him at that age because they expected him to recognize lower vs. uppercase, basic addition, etc. At age 4, he got the pocket V-smile which plays that exact same cartridges - still going strong.
Our youngest son, 3, now plays the V-smile and occassionally our oldest, now almost 6 still plays. We have 12 games and it has been a good investment. And get the AC adapter for the TV version and rechargable system for the the V-smile pcoket (2 years and still charges very well!). the systems are used daily in our house
As far as the system shutting off, games not playing, etc. I found a fail-safe solution. Keep alcohol pads (like those for shots, like $2 at a pharmacy for 50) and clean the catridge everytime you change. Works like a charm!

 

[SandrainNC]

If you do buy it get the recharagale batteries, it used the batteries fast.

We actually bought the extra thing so we can plug ours in for that reason. I think it was around $15 extra or so.

Sandra

 

[SalandJeff]

Doesn't the Leapster 2 work on the TV as well?

I believe it only can be used as the handheld game, or you can connect it to a PC.

 

[Minniemouse07]

I believe it only can be used as the handheld game, or you can connect it to a PC.

Aaah... The one in between 1 and 2 was the Max and you could hook that one up to the TV. Dd had the later "First" version (the earlier one didn't have any games preloaded on it) and ds will probably get version 2.