At a LeapFrog LeapReader parent party all the kids win #Ad

I was given the chance to host a LeapFrog LeapReader, “Ready, Set, Read & Write Party.  As the host of the party I was provided with some product and the responsibility of being the ringleader for a group of 4 year olds.  That job was made much easier because the LeapReader is very intuitive for children ages 4 and up to use almost immediately.

Prior to the party I was familiar with LeapFrog’s products.  Both children love watching the LeapFrog videos and we have Fridge Words and our oldest has had a My Own LeapTop since he was two.  As parents, we were on the fence about what to get him next because he’d grown past the LeapTop and needed something more challenging.

The LeapFrog LeapReader is a seemingly simple device and the magic all happens with this pen.

It’s not really a ‘pen’, it’s a reading device that has volume controls, a headphone switch and the ability to read over 100 books and games.  What’s great about the device is that on some of the games it can spell the word phonetically, in addition to reading it word by word or telling the story.  Just run the tip of the pen at the pace that you want to read and it’ll read it for you.

Skip words, read the same word over and over, pick out words that start with the same letter-there are endless ways for your child to use the LeapReader.  Be sure to use the pen to engage the characters on the pages.  It functions just like an app on a tablet computer.  When you touch Lightening McQueen with the pen he’ll say something, ditto most any character on any page.

There are games that the kids can play and, because it’s a pen, it’s also a great way to teach them how to write.

During the party I gave each of the kids an introduction to the pen and the guidance symbols at the bottom right page.  These symbols help guide the kids through the book if they need to play a game or simply continue reading.  Once each of the kids knew what the symbols did they flowed through each activity with ease, laughing and having fun.  The boys kept going to the dinosaur and CARS pages, while the girls liked the Disney Princess pages and anything with animals.

The LeapReader retails for $49.99 and is a great educational stepping stone to a tablet, if you even want them to have one of those.  What’s cool about the LeapReader also is that it’s all education.  It’s certainly entertaining and fun for the kids, but there is nothing about this device that won’t teach them something.

As a bonus, the books are more affordable then you might think. One point of hesitation to our purchasing a children’s education system was the cost of the games, which cost upwards of $20.  Most of the books and games for the LeapReader are more affordable, costing between $9 and up.

 

We received product in exchange for this review and hosting of the party.  All thoughts are our own.