My kids seem to have more energy than I have in my little finger, so why is it that they’d rather be tapping on a keyboard than playing outside? With the weather (finally!) getting nicer, I nudge them outdoors as often as possible…but it’s never long before someone comes to the back door in tears or telling me they’re bored and “Can I come in now?” Frustrating, to say the least. If you feel you fight a never-ending battle with your kids about less screen time and more active play, you may finally have some ammunition. This summer, LeapFrog is introducing its latest electronic gadget, LeapBand activity tracker, that’s destined to be a big departure from sedentary play. Aimed at ages 4-7, this wearable device [&hellip
LeapFrog Archive
One more week of summer vacation, so naturally it was time to bite the bullet and take the kids backpack shopping. Amazingly, it was relatively painless; my 9-year-old grabbed the first blue bag she spotted, and my 5-year-old made a beeline for Hello Kitty. Not a big surprise there; all things kitty continue to reign supreme in this kingdom. So naturally, when we got wind of the new Hello Kitty Sweet Little Shops game for the Leapster Explorer, I knew she’d be in heaven. Designed for ages 4-7, this game teaches kids all types of basic (and not-so-basic) math, including how to estimate, recognizing numbers and shapes and even how to read a bar graph (wow, already?). Of course, the learning is cleverly disguised within [&hellip
“Pure learning fun.” The new tagline for LeapFrog was a fitting greeting for the educational toy company’s holiday showcase this week in NYC. We were on hand to find out what’s big in teaching toys and from judging by the looks of the LeapFrog line-up, there’s plenty of opportunities to get kids excited about learning. First off, we had a chance to experience the just-released LeapReader. Bearing a striking resemblance to LeapFrog’s Tag Reader, this multi-level learning tool steps its up a notch or two, enabling kids to learn the basics of reading, begin to write their letters and enjoy the experience of listening to audio books. With so much functionality in one product, parents may wonder just how capable this product is in keeping [&hellip
Less than six months until Christmas; have you started shopping yet? Yesterday, I had the privilege of attending two holiday previews–Disney and LeapFrog–and boy, did I get some ideas for what toys might find their way onto wish lists this December. Over at the Disney showroom, there were plenty of stars competing for attention. We couldn’t help but fall hopelessly in love with the Monsters University products (if you haven’t seen the movie yet, run–don’t walk to the theater; in our humble opinion, it beats the original!). From crib bedding that’s already selling out, to Roll a Scare figures that make great stocking stuffers, Sulley, Mike Wazowski and the whole gang were front and center. Our favorite was the Monsters University Sulley Monster Mask, with [&hellip
My daughters have reached the age where they’re starting to play with some of the same toys. The 4-year-old loves her Calico Critters, and her 8-year-old sister is willing to join in the fun…even if she does turn the furry friends into aliens (that still counts as playing, right?). What becomes more of a challenge is when my little one tries desperately to keep up with her big sister’s gaming sessions. While I’m not a huge fan of handheld entertainment (why rely on a machine when you can be using your imagination?), that’s becoming a more difficult pill to swallow as the kids get older. So when we can find some electronic games that tap into their creative sides, then I’m all for a little [&hellip
I can hardly believe that in another year, my younger daughter will be starting kindergarten. It feels like only yesterday that my older girl was boarding the bus for the first time, and now she’s about to enter third grade! Because the little one likes to follow in her big sister’s footsteps (or at least, some of those steps!), she loves playing school even when she’s not in the classroom. I knew then that my preschooler would just eat up Get Ready for Kindergarten, the latest book in the LeapFrog Tag Reading System. If you’re not familiar with this electronic learning tool, it’s essentially a “smart” pen reader that works by touching the page to launch interactive games, reading exercises and other fun-filled activities. We [&hellip
The calendar may say summer, but last week, it was more like the start of the holiday season in NYC. It was then that I had the opportunity to meet with both Disney and LeapFrog to see what’s on tap for this Christmas, and from the looks of things, there will be plenty of toys on the top of Santa’s list this year. For starters, we were excited to see our favorite movie franchises in full form. From Cars 2, boys will surely be all revved up for Bomb Blastin’ Mater, that talks and moves, and Lighting McQueen Alive! that zooms all over the room. Both are available in the fall. Our favorite was the Big Bentley Playset (pictured here), packed with over 700 (!) [&hellip