LeapFrog green (that’s what I call it anyway) is one of my favorite colors. You know why? It’s because I can always look down and find it in every room. LeapFrog is one of my favorite educational companies out there and as a family we absolutely adore their products. From Scout all the way up to the new LeapPad can easily be spotted in our house!
How many of you have heard or tried out the new LeapFrog LeapPad? This product is absolutely amazing. We have been testing it out in our house since the end of August and it has been an absolute hit. It is safe to say that this is one device that will keep my four year old’s attention just as long as a video game will, but with the LeapPad he is learning. I am totally amazed at how he knows exactly how to get around in the LeapPad considering that he can’t read. While I was reading directions on how to do things with it, he was already taking pictures and videos of the family.
About The LeapPad:
My four year old was one of the first kids to get to test out the LeapPad. We have in our house the Leapster Explorer, Leapster 2, and an iPad. So it’s safe to say we can at least compare this product to these three items. I wanted to toss in the iPad because ever since my sixteen year old received hers, my four year old was begging nonstop for one until he received his LeapPad. Sure it won’t do things that the iPad will do obviously but as far as sleek and trim and giving him games he loves, the LeapPad fits the bill. No bulk at all!
The LeapPad offers a 5″ screen which is fantastic! It is bright and easy to see and is much bigger than the Leapster Explorer Screen. The resolution for the LeapPad is 480×272 and it has touch screen technology. You can use the finger (as in the picture above) or the stylus that comes with the. The stylus is magnetic, but it can be attached to the device with a supplied cord. If your stylus gets lost, no worried. The great thing is that the LeapPad comes with an additional stylus just in case. I opted to attach our stylus because I knew if I didn’t that I would be spending a lot of time looking for it.
Here is Davis showing me his LeapPad while he was playing Pet Pals 2 (his favorite game)
One thing I want to point out that makes this mommy super excited is that the all the games we have for the Explorer can be used in the LeapPad. This hasn’t been the case in the past with other LeapFrog products so this is an awesome addition! Especially since he still grabs for his Leapster Explorer as well!
LeapPad is the first kid’s tablet with built-in camera, video recorder, microphone and available Animation Studio, allowing for creative exploration that can also be shared with family and friends.
What Games Come With Your Purchase?
- LeapPad camera and Video Recorder: The LeapPad’s built-in camera and video recorder lets kids capture a moment and make it their own. Kids can take pictures and add fun effects-smudge, stamp, stretch, swirl and more-or use the video recorder to shoot video, complete with sound. In three mini movies, LeapFrog’s LeapSchool character and avid photographer, Bug, offers tips on taking pictures and shooting video to help budding photographers hone their skills. Pictures can be stored on the LeapPad or uploaded to your computer. Being 2 GB the LeapPad can hold up to 30,000 pictures or 120 minutes of video. It has a countdown timer to take self-portraits and you can edit your photos with approximately 10 different tools.
- Story Studio-All About Me: Part of the innovation of LeapPad is the way it’s build to share components across apps. The artwork, photos, writing and recordings kids create all culminate int he Story Studio experience. In the Story Studio, kids create their own book about themselves that can be uploaded to view in LeapFrog Connect or shared with family and friends via Facebook or email.
- Art Studio: Create masterpieces in the Art Studio using a variety of essential and fun art tools, including stamps, shapes, the pattern brush, paint brush, pencil, eraser, and zoom tool. Upload artwork to computer via LeapFrog Connect or use it in the All About me Book.
- My Stuff: The included My Stuff gallery is where kids can view their various creative works including photos, videos, artworks, and stories. This is also where kids can delete files and view how much space they have to store their work on the device.
- Pet Pad: Create a pet to play with and love! Learn to draw letters while teaching your customized pet tricks. Keep your pet healthy and clean with feeding and washing activities. The pet is a great companion-even following a kid into the home menu on the Leappad, where kids can continue with fun by tilting the device side to side or upside down to move their pet. New features on the LeapPad is using the microphone to blow dry your pet, shaking the device to get your pet moving in Flingo and tilting your device from side to side to see your pet slide around.
To Buy or Not To Buy?
With my personal opinion I say purchase it. My four year old got his first Leapster when he was two and has enjoyed it since. He got the Leapster Explorer at the age of three and now the LeapPad. I really feel that the educational aspect of these games have really helped him when it comes to school. We as parents know they are learning but they think they are only playing a game. Even through my four year old has a Nintendo DS, he still reaches for the LeapPad or Leapster2 over that. So that I find very impressive!
What Do I Think About The Games
Honestly my four year old right now is on the Pet Pals 2 kick. He has always LOVED the Pet Pad on the LeapPad but I have never seen the excitement he had when he opened a package that contained Pet Pal 2. He had been begging for that game for awhile now (as you can hear in the video) and will spend a good bit playing it. It is very user friendly and I think it helps teach them responsibility when it comes to taking care of a pet.
With Pet Pals 2 you can
• Give your furry friend treats, toys and teach it tricks.
• Use mathematics skills to win the dog show.
• Explore a town full of fun surprises.
• Teaches emotions, responsibility, numbers, counting, addition and subtraction.
Pixar Pals: This is a great game that helps to teach science and logic, solve puzzles, unlock mini-games and more. Your child can interact with Eve and WALL-E, Nemo and Dort or Woody and Buzz. This game is super fun and is suggested for ages 4-7. I would recommend it since it does challenge my four year old, so I know he will enjoy this game for a long time!
Would I change anything at all on the LeapPad?
Honestly there isn’t much I would change at all. The one major thing would be if it could be recharged. You can use rechargeable batteries in this but it would be super handy to just have a charging station that they could place it on every night before bed.
LeapPad Explorer from LeapFrog and two game cartridges
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One winner will be chosen ! I will be using a random number generator to select the winner. Contest ends at 11:59pm EST on Nov. 22, 2011. If the prize is not claimed in 48 hours a new winner will be chosen.Contest open to U.S. residents only.The winner will be announced in this post(and emailed)
