*** If you want to join in, read the post here and then link up to the MckLinky below. It will be open for a couple of days. If you do not have a post ready to go this week, I will be posting a new one each Thursday. Also, post or email me if you have a question about a toy that you do not own but are considering buying so that we can look for someone to give you a review of it. For example, I have two little boys so it is very hard for me to decide what to buy my five year old niece. I would love some suggestions.
I am going to talk about two Leap Frog toys. My sons and I are big fans of Leap Frog toys. It is very difficult to find quality bilingual toys but Leap Frog has recently come out with several. The first of our favorite toys is the Leap Frog Fridge Farm Magnetic Animal Set.
Your child mixes and matches the animal pieces to make a correct animal or create a silly mixed-up animal. The child knows whether or not the animal is correct or not by the song that it sung when you push the button.
Pros- 1. This toys is DURABLE. I can't tell you how many times the boys have dropped (or thrown it) onto the hard kitchen floor.
2. The boys always giggle at the silly songs for the mixed-up animals.
3. This toy comes in either English only or bilingual. The bilingual version has an extra button to switch between English or Spanish.
4. There are two volume settings.
Cons- 1. You have to keep track of the pieces. Ok, this is our fault. We have misplaced a couple of the pieces over the last three years so most of the animals that we make are the mixed-up kind. :)
The second favorite toy today is Baby Croki (Spanish version) or Baby Tad (English version). We bought this little frog for D almost four years ago and it is now getting a lot of playtime with M.
Pros- 1. The sounds and music are pleasant. Each of the shape buttons on his chest sing a different song. We, of course, own the Spanish version and I like the traditional songs that it plays.
2. It teaches color and shape words.
3. The frog's right hand has a button that plays up to 5 minutes of soft wordless music. When D was a baby, he would fall asleep to the music.
Cons- 1. The body is hard and stiff so it is not a cuddly toy.
2. If it is in the child's bed at night and the child accidently touches it, it speaks. I know this because D's crib was in our bedroom for a LONG time and I was often awaken to "Estoy aquí!" (I'm here!)
A toy that I am interested in: Anyone have My First LeapPad Learning System? If so, what do you think of it?
my brain is foggy. thought it was for saturday not thursday.
ReplyDeleteread my most recent post. http://theadventuresofbear.blogspot.com/2009/10/toys-my-child-will-actually-play-with.html
I won't mcklinkey it.
i'll have to wrack my brain to find a real toy she loves. I'll mcklinkey that post later today.
We have two My First Leap Pads. They are really durable - both of the ones we own were yard sale finds and they work great. The books are pretty durable too. My 3yo and 22mo both play with them. The 22mo just pushes things randomly, but the 3yo listens and follows instructions. Not one of their absolute favorite toys, but they get them out at least once a week.
ReplyDeleteWe have the farm too (in English). We got it when Anna was 18 months. Strangely, she was never interested in the animal songs, but she likes to press the music button and dance to that music. This toy is still on our fridge.
ReplyDeleteNo experience with Leap Pad. I am old-fashioned and don't like electronic books.
We have used My First LeapPad. They have various in Spanish. We have the Princess one, and Winnie the pooh books in Spanish. They are really cute. I liked how they helped my girls follow directions in spanish. Each page can either be read or you can play the game. It depends on your child but at age 3, my daughter loved to play the games and could do it all by herself (after a few times with me). They seemed pretty durable, but she did have a baby sister and she would grab the pen. After about a year, the pen broke. I actually asked grandparents for another one when it was Christmas time. She love dit so much!
ReplyDeleteI was actually just thinking about buying a LeapPad now that my daughter is getting a little older.
Hope this helps!
My daughter didn't really like the LeapPad system. I would suggest finding it at a garage sale, just in case it doesn't get used. Luckily, I found a set with a bunch of books for only $10 in a backpack. I was able to resell it on CL after I found out she didn't care for it.
ReplyDeleteWe have it. My older son loved it and played with it all the time. My son, who is 4 now, tries to play with it. It's a little hard for him to remember you have to hit the GO button on every page before that page will work.
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