Comments on: LeapPad Ultra – a compromise on screen time?

By: Molly

Molly — Mon, 09 Dec 2013 12:03:20 +0000

I think tablets and PCs both offer slightly different things. Frog has a PC at pre-school and we also have a PC at home, although it’s her dad’s so she doesn’t use it. The thing I like about the LeapPad Ultra is that it can be easily transported. So, for example, she can sit in the kitchen and have a go on it while I’m cooking tea. What I also found with the LeapPad is that the games ARE educational. So, although it might look in the video like she’s just putting a pet through a pet wash on a silly game, she’s learning about numbers, hand-eye coordination moving the stylus and fine motor skills. It also covers colours and letters. There are so many different games and, from the ones we’ve tried, they all have an educational slant. As with everything though, all in moderation. I wouldn’t let her go on it for a long period of time.

By: Cass@frugalfamily

Cass@frugalfamily — Sun, 08 Dec 2013 20:17:35 +0000

I’m a big fan of electronics for children as long as it’s in moderation and this looks great for younger children. Thanks for the great review x

By: Ghislaine Forbes

Ghislaine Forbes — Sun, 08 Dec 2013 18:16:34 +0000

Everything in moderation. As long as F likes doing shows and pretend play chuck in some screen stuff too that’s fine…just NO “EASTENDERS”! love ma x

By: Jen Walshaw

Jen Walshaw — Sat, 07 Dec 2013 20:38:42 +0000

Both my boys have been brough up on LeapFrog products and I am a blogger ambassador for them even though my boys are now a little too old for their products, I love that you can limit their access, review what they have been doing (easily). I have always limited access to electronics and feel that a something like this is OK in moderation and when mostly supervised. AT Frogs age I would rather they play with the leappad and the appropriate games you can buy for it, than an adult tablet. Both the boys use IPads and PC’s at school, so have access to technology there as well as at home. I know how much it costs to replace the screen on an ipad so would never give one to my child, but would and have given them these in the past and have gifted one to my friend for her nearly three year old this christmas. I am a big believer in everything in moderation is OK.

By: Emma

Emma — Sat, 07 Dec 2013 20:29:52 +0000

They sound great… I know what you mean, I don’t mind screen time so much if it’s educational…

By: Boo Roo and Tigger Too

Boo Roo and Tigger Too — Sat, 07 Dec 2013 19:38:06 +0000

I’ve never really looked into the kids tablet market as I always thought that they were overpriced when you could get an ordinary tablet for nearly the same price. Although after reading your review I can see the benefits of the LeapPad Ultra and maybe I need to think of this as a solution for Tigger next year.

By: otilia

otilia — Sat, 07 Dec 2013 18:50:08 +0000

we bought kara a leap pad last year for christmas but she enjoys playing games more on my iPad. so i think she would love one of this ultra ones more. hm…maybe it is time to sell the old one…

By: HPMcQ

HPMcQ — Sat, 07 Dec 2013 17:58:52 +0000

we don’t have a leap frog but we do have another kind of tablet at home. i too was hugely surprised by the amount of educational games there are around and how good some of them are. times are changing so quickly i think tablets are part of that for children too x great review x

By: Emma marsh

Emma marsh — Sat, 07 Dec 2013 14:57:25 +0000

Really interested to read this Molly- we are umming and arring over buying our nearly 4 year old a ‘pink tablet mummy it’s all I want!’. I’m not sure whether a tablet is more beneficial than a PC at preschool stage. Having just been to visit 3 primary school for the 2014 intake they’ve all got pc’s in the classrooms. It’s so hard to make a call on which technology will actually benefit them as well as giving them half an hour of fun (educational). I also think I’d rather she played with something with educational content than just pressed buttons on a Disney princess pretend laptop. Oof. No idea what to do yet, would you buy it for frog for Xmas? Xxxx

By: Emma

Emma — Fri, 06 Dec 2013 22:33:29 +0000

At the end of the day it’s the worrying thought that there are those households with children playing on them for long stretches at a time. Where parents give their children these digital toys for an easy life. And to children so young. My just 2yo loves my phone. I posted 2 days ago on the very subject, wld love u to take a look Molly. You know I wonder about the social skills of these kids that only interact with machines. And then I think of their parents, their role models who are always on their digital toys too. Ah, it’s all gone to the dogs, as my dear ole gran used to say!