Advantages: it encourages reading and writing
Disadvantages: none

...this Leap Frog Leap Frog Leap Pad Plus Writing is aimed at 4-6 year olds The LeapPad Plus Writing Learning System uses a larger platform and pencil designed to introduce children to the magic of writing as well as the magic of books and reading. And the library is organized by grade to teach writing, reading, phonics, vocabulary, math, science, music and much more There is the world of reading and the world of writing. And when the two worlds collide, what you get is pretty amazing - the LeapPad Plus Writing Learning System t starts with the Magic Pen. One minute little readers use it to touch the page and words and letters are sounded out aloud. Make a quick switch and it is in writing mode and kids write letters and words at their own pace. The writing pages are all erasable so they can be used over and over again. The games... Read review

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Advantages: bright colorful pages, stories and games cover full range of curriculum, robust construction
Disadvantages: need to keep stock of batteries, need to buy yet more books and cartridges

...however, and the books are often on BOGOF, so worth keeping an eye out for. ~~~So just what is this toy?~~~ Leap Pad is an educational toy aimed at helping children to read, and to use their reading skills to "leap" into other areas of learning and discovery. The books are split into levels. The first level for the Leap Pad is aimed at children 4-8, and focuses on phonics and reading practice. It has books that teach the phonetic sounds using engaging characters and child friendly storylines. These books are supported by readers featuring favourite characters such as Nemo and the Lion King.. Level 2 books are more advanced, with characters such as Scooby Doo providing stories that have longer words. There are also books for doing musical activities and to learn geography, about dinosaurs and so on. How the toy works is that Mom or Dad... Read review

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Advantages: Portable, can play with it by themselves!
Disadvantages: Batteries don't last long enough!

...My little girl, now nearly 5 years old, wanted to learn to read from a very early age, and we bought her this for her 3rd birthday. It said it was for older children, but I thought she'd get a lot of out it, and also I could sit with her while we used it. So we bought it from Leap Frog's site (at the time, cheaper than anywhere else). We bought the pink version (Barbie pink girl I'm afraid!), along with the pink/lilac carry case and a couple of books to get her started. She LOVED it! With help, she soon managed to suss out how it worked. She now works it better than I do! To summarise, the Leap Pad itself (£30) is the outer plastic part, hinged in the middle, opens like a large book. It comes with a pointer/pen attacked to the Leap Pad by a wire (Younger children may try to chew the pen - had to stop her doing this a few times... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Easily portable, Lots of different books available, FUN learning toy
Disadvantages: none that spring to mind.

... My First Leap pad Basically it's an interactive educational toy aimed at pre-school children aged 3-5. We started with the Leap-pad-Little-touch when the Boy was smaller and moved onto this one when he was 3. The My First Leap Pad Learning System itself is mainly blue with a few other colours here and there, like the 'magic pen', speaker, and on off button. It's quite a compact unit with a handy carry handle to one side, it's lightweight and easy to transport so a good toy for traveling in car or taking to Granny's house and the like. How much ? We bought ours for just over £25 online, are available from many stores Argos, Toys 'r' Us etc and not hard to find but I would recommend shopping around online for the best deals. It comes with a book and cartridge to get you started - we got "Leap's Big Day... Read review

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Advantages: 3 books, cheaper than buying individually
Disadvantages: finding a set with 3 your child will like ?

... Leap Frog My First LeapPad Book - Pack of 3 I purchased this pack of 3 for £19.99 online when I got Boy's Leap pad, and all things considered It was a good buy, to buy the three books I got separately would have cost me more. Recommend shopping around for the best price, would say what I paid is an OK deal. Different combinations of books are available but in my box I got these three: Dora the Explorer - " To the Rescue " Thomas and Friends - " Thomas and the School Trip" Disney Winnie the Pooh - " Pooh's Honey Tree " All of the books for the My First Leap Pad are "two in one" flip books with one story side and one activity side. The covers are fairly thick shiny card and the pages are thinner but still durable. The books I got in my set..... Dora the Explorer - " To the Rescue " Featuring the Dora... Read review

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Advantages: Helps your child learn to read
Disadvantages: None

...I remember watching a television advert for leap pad with my 4 year old daugher who made a hint that she would like one of these, at first I dismissed it as she was always saying she wanted things from the television but as time went on so did she go on about this Leap Pad so with her birthday coming up I went to the shops to see what it was all really about. We were in the ELC and saw it there it was selling at £30 with one starter book and it is basically shaped like a book it is larger and is made of good strong plastic, it is hinged in the middles. Attached to this by a wire is the pointer pen which is the key factor in working the Leap Pad it wont work without it. The starter book that comes with it is claled Leap Into Learning and helps the child understand the set up, there are lots of games throughout the book and gives... Read review

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Advantages: Great for on the move and easy for little ones to use alone
Disadvantages: theyll love it so much they will forget there other toys lol

...My First LeapPad Learning system The My First LeapPad Learning system is a great educational toy which is also a fun way of learning, I brought my daughter one for her 3rd birthday, she picked up how it works very quickly as its so easy to use- Each book comes with a tape, the books clip in to the Leap pad and the tapes slide in at the side making it easy for children to change them theirselves. It is lightweight and is not bulky making it very easy to transport ie on long car journeys or visitng freinds or family. All the books have a game on every page all you do is simply press the button and follow the simple child freindly instructions, Also the leap pad helps with reading skills your child has the option to be read to in one go or choose word for word enabling them to read along. The Key to the leap pad is its special... Read review

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Advantages: Great fun, very robust, parent-friendly features.
Disadvantages: Possibly misleading age range.

...My young son developed an obsession with letters and numbers long before he could speak (at least with any degree of sense). Now, at the grand old age of two, his party piece is to count incessantly until numbness sets in all round and his Tweenies display has been torn down and replaced by a huge alphabet poster. So, when we saw the My First LeapPad while Christmas shopping we knew it would be a big hit. Manufactured by Leap Frog it is a younger version of the more familiar LeapPad. The packaging stated it was intended for ages 3 to 5 and at the time our son was two and a half, but having already learnt his alphabet and numbers up to a hundred thanks to a patient mum and toys like Alfie bear, it looked like there would be nothing to baffle our little Einstein. I think I can best describe My First LeapPad as an interactive, talking... Read review