Leap pad vs???

[DaisyBee]

I've been hearing some not so great things about the leapads and so wondering what others have found that they like? Megan has used our iPad but we would like her to have her own tablet. We've also thought about getting Jordan something to tinker with so wanting ideas for a 4 year old and 2 year old. Something they can use in the car or at grandmas house, that I can trust won't break if dropped and something they can play games and also read books on.

Kindle? Nabi? ?? Help?! Would leap pad be something to consider for jordan and get megan something better?

What do your kids have? Do you like them or wish you had gotten something different?

 

[mommymakayla]

My dd is 4 and has the first leap pad. We have no issue with it . Bought her the new leappad ultra for xmas so will have to see how that goes. But she loves them. its honestly one of the only toys she plays with anymore.

 

[fairygirllol]

We got LO the leappad 2 for Christmas last year when he was 3, he plays with it every day and loves it. I've bought him the leappad ultra for his birthday in a few weeks just to save myself money on batteries! So I can't comment on that one yet, but I do recommend them.

 

[DaisyBee]

Oh this is good to know. I had heard they were slow and frustrating the kids because too slow.

 

[tommyg]

Daisy I've been nosying around the web and everything I read says they are slower than ipads but remember they are much cheaper so it would be a suprize if they could rival a machine 3x the price however the leappad seems to be faster than the innotab.

The apps seem to be dearer £3-£7 and some are as dear as £20 however somebody mentioned somewhere those ones can normally be bought in the cartiage form and so sold on later. Also means if you buy 2 leappads the games can be swapped around.

Their is another advantage to buying the cartiage format is that the leappad ultra has 8gb of memory, cartiage games don't fill it up, like the download able apps do. The innotab has the advantage of an expanable memory I'd guess leappad will be adding that to next years model!

My DS is right inbetween your girls just coming up for 3 and I am shying away from anything too grown up for him. DH thinks we should wait another year to get him a tablet but I think it is something he'll get lots out of now. I know people are saying that if you get an ipad/andriod etc etc they'll have it for years and not outgrow it but anything you buy now will be ancient history in 5 years the way technology is moving. Think they way things have moved in the last 5 years - tablets were pills!

Maybe an option for you would be the leappad 2 (smaller and easier to handle) for the little one and the ultra for your older daughter. With the logic you can upgrade the leappad 2 in a few of years time. And maybe at that point get the older one a andriod / ipad type thing. Down side of that is that the Ultra has the advantage of being able to be linked to another ultra and games played against each other but you both play at your own level so the 4 year old gets harder questions than the 2 year old etc. Really clever!

 

[Tasha360]

We have the leap pad 2 and love it. Getting my twins the ultra for their birthdays x

 

[tommyg]

DH is getting on board with a tablet idea. He asked last night if you fill the Leappads memory can you store apps on your computer so you can swap them around?

Decided to go for one now trying to decide between the Leappad2 and ultra....decisions decisions

 

[Pearls18]

We decided to go with the leap pad 2 power (doesn't need batteries) we looked at the Ultra but after doing a lot of looking around at reviews lots of people on here and amazon say that the Ultra can't keep up with the software so it is very slow and lags, not trying to put anyone off who has one hopefully it's not that bad or they wouldn't be able to sell them but if you haven't bought it yet it might be worth thinking about.

 

[tommyg]

That's partly what's swinging me to the leappad2. But I'm sure there is an update for the ultra. However im not convinced DS will use the WiFi that the ultra offers and size I think the 2 might be easier to handle the ultra is over a kilo so heavy for a tot to carry.
We can always upgrade in a couple of years.

 

[Butterfly2]

My dd been using my ipad since she was 2 so we have decided to get her leappad 2 not sure how she will get on with it as she not getting it till her birthday next month! I just wanted something that was more durable than the ipad as she's such an active child and always jumping around I'm scared she's gonna land on mine and break it! I know some of the apps are expensive but I'm not planning on putting a lot on there just a couple of books and a game and my mum is buying her a game too so think that should be okay to keep her occupied for a bit!

 

[tommyg]

Decision made leappad Ultra, the MP3 player was the deciding factor. And their seems to be better deals on it than the power 2.
It does appear that the update has resolved a lot of the sluggish issues. And it has a faster processed than the power so should be faster. Fingers crossed I've made the right decision.

 

[Pearls18]

Decision made leappad Ultra, the MP3 player was the deciding factor. And their seems to be better deals on it than the power 2.
It does appear that the update has resolved a lot of the sluggish issues. And it has a faster processed than the power so should be faster. Fingers crossed I've made the right decision.

I'm glad they've sorted the software issues, hope your LO loves it

 

[tommyg]

Oh boy I'm having 2nd thoughs on the ultra!
I'm worried it will be too big for him to handle properly. The MP3 is what swung me but l've since realized it's a £3 app. We go on holiday on Friday and I want it for then (long flight / early Christmas present). So I need to make my final decision today to give me time to get it and charge it and load a couple of apps on it.
Why didn't we look at these weeks ago?

 

[tommyg]

After getting info on the sizes and weights I've cancelled the LPU and gone for the LP2.

Going by Leapfrog the LP2 is 2lb, the LPU is 3lb. So don't laugh I got the kitchen scales out, the iPad is about 2lb, so the iPad + DS + my phone = 3lb. Far to heavy for my shorty to carry safely without endangering his toes or my wooden floor.

I have visions that we will end up upgrading it either for his 4th birthday or Christmas 2 years away. But in technology terms that's a lifetime.

 

[Pearls18]

I hadn't even looked at the sizes that hadn't occurred to me, good thinking.

 

[tommyg]

It's not easy trying to decide and get the balance of something he'll take to after the iPad and something that's the right size for him.

Tbh I don't think a 3 year old would really make use of the extra features on the ultra but in theory it's processor is faster.
We'll see how I get on when I fire it up tonight.

Was speaking to some whos 4 yo got one last year. She really likes it and is happy with it but likes to get her hands on her siblings tablets too but I guess that's it will all toys everyone else's is better than yours. But generally she is happy with her own.

 

[tommyg]

Took me a couple of hours to get it connected to my leapfrog account, I have the account for scout the dog. I think it downloaded an update and I put 3 apps and 2 books on it ( one that came as a freebie with it).

I'd definitely set them up before Christmas day. I'm sure with a faster laptop it wouldn't have taken so long and it didn't help I'd forgoten my password for leapfrog.

I'm sure DS will love it, not convinced I made the best choice of apps but we'll see how he goes with it. Going to suggest games for his birthday.

 

[PB_Mcgee]

Yay! We have LP2power put by for crimbo....I can't believe the ultra weighs so much!!! I thought iPads were heavy so that's ridiculous!!!

Let us no how you get on with the LP2 once your back from holiday!! I got ours out of the box the other day when it arrived and it feels lovely and looks nice so Can't wait to set it up nearer to Christmas x

 

[PB_Mcgee]

What apps did you get?

I've got monsters uni, brave (bought this before realise it will be too old for them!!) toy story, cars and mr pencil saves doodleburg, but apparently th Jake and the never land pirates one is supposed to be really for 3 year olds too (ps bought 3 of the games on 3 for 2 hence so many and mil is buying one as was stuck on what to tell her to get!!) x

 

[PB_Mcgee]

Just seen this on their Facebook page.... Looks as though you can't actually use the Internet on the ultra anyway unless you look at the selection of approved sites (which doesn't look very big at all??) I'd be annoyed if I went for the ultra to find that out...