Do you think LeapPads are beneficial to learning?

[randomrach]

I've just ordered my daughter a LeapPad for her 2nd birthday, I'm sure she'll be able to use it but I'm just wondering if anyone else's child has one and if you saw any benefits from them using one? Also, do you limit their time using it and how long do you let them etc..? They always have good reviews and are supposed to be the best for learning but what do you think?

 

[OmarsMum]

Not really, at that age DS preferred the ipad apps over the leappad, games are also too expensive. He learned a lot from the ipad apps, but the leappad ones are a bit limited, but we didnt go for the basic ones, the ones we have are math games, so I'm not really sure about basic letters & numbers games

We didnt limit the use of tablets at that age, he was obsessed with the ipad for few months then he got over it, we have the leappad, ipad & tv in his room, but he barely uses them since he was 2.5 yrs, he has more interesting stuff to do.

 

[emma4g63]

Hiya same as above really as madison has a ipad and loves ipad apps and netflix!! Lol
She is 26 months and has used it since being 14 months ish and has learnt. Alot from various app- she could count to 20 knew all her colors and letters by 22 months and I think alot came from apps
We never limited as she also had stages were she wanted it alot for a few weeks then not at all for months etc .. she rarely plays apps at the mo !!

 

[freckleonear]

My two both have Leappads. I have never limited their time on them as they will use them a lot for a few days and then forget about them for weeks (they didn't get them until they were 3 though, so a younger child might need limits). The Leappads are very robust and I much prefer them to other tablets because they are completely safe and child-friendly. We've built up a big collection of apps over the years and the children have learnt a lot from them. Hope your daughter enjoys hers.

 

[Lina]

I was thinking of getting a leap pad too but the reviews talk about expensive apps, how expensive are these really? also do they have a mains charger or are they battery operated? Sorry to hijack OP.

 

[randomrach]

Lina, I'm in the UK and have ordered from amazon. The tablet was £42 (rrp £90) and the games were £9 each (rrp £20 each). Amazon regularly has good offers on them and innotab tablets aswell. I ordered the LeapPad2 which comes with a rechargeable battery pack and mains adapter, I'm sure they would eat up many batteries if they didn't have that. The games also have age ranges on aswell, so just pick the ones for their age range.

Thank you ladies. My little girl is a real tech monster and knows how to use a touch phone for camera, youtube (for Peppa pig lol) making phonecalls, 'texting' people and playing games, she is totally obsessed. Really, I don't mind her using computers and tablets as long as she's doing something productive with it.

 

[RcdM]

I got one for my dd when she was about 18 mo and it's too advanced for her. She likes playing with the ipad way better. It says it's more appropriate for starting with age 3 so we put it away and will bring it back out (and maybe re-gift it, haha) to her when she's older. The apps and games are interactive but you have to really understand what you're doing. The only app/game she can play is the one where you can draw freely. The rest of them she just clicks around with the pen and pushes the home button over and over. The ipad at least has free apps that just let them play a piano or touch shapes and it's much more simple.

 

[jd83]

I don't think they are worth it educationally for the price. My son has an Innotab, which is pretty similar, and he hardly plays with it except to do the art finger painting type apps, or take pictures. Most of the actual games he hardly plays; total waste of money. I bought some apps for it too, which he also doesn't play. He far prefers apps on my kindle, so if I ever upgrade him to something else, it'll be just getting him his own Kindle and putting his educational apps on it.

 

[sequeena]

My son has a leappad 2 which we bought brand new for £30. It is mostly just for fun right now.