Editorial Review

An innovative toy for those who are way too young to look after real fish, this soft baby toy is a seven by seven-inch "fish bowl" with two transparent side panels containing real water. Small aquatic critters float around in these narrow walls of water. Even more interesting are the four three-inch stuffy toys (a fish, starfish, clam, and crab) that fit into the "bowl" between the watery side panels; the magnifying effect of the sides really makes these toys (and anything else in the bowl) look as if they are under water. The soft base is weighted and makes the bowl quite stable. --Richard Farr ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Great Toy!!
We received this as a Xmas gift when my son was 1 month old. He has always like to look at the faces on the fish and has enjoyed the noise each one makes, but now that he is almost one, he plays with it for hours!! He loves to put the fish into the bowl, take them out, put them back in, and then he tries to put other toys in as well to see if they will fit. He plays with this on a daily basis. Disregard the other unfavorable reviews and definitely buy this toy. Your child will enjoy it!! Great value!!

GREAT TOY for Smart Babies!
This toy is great! I don't know what some of the other reviewers are doing, perhaps not interacting with their babies and expecting the toy to entertain by itself. Our son started playing with it at about 5 mos, especially the fish( le poisson) and crab (crinkle crab), just handling them, shaking them a little. By 6 mos he was taking the fish and others out of the aquarium and shaking them, etc. Now at 7 mos he can put the fish and friends in and out of the aquarium. He likes shaking them, manipulating them, throwing them and having a great time. Our friend's one year old also enjoys playing with this toy, placing the fish in and out and such. It is a toy that babies would play with on their own, but that lends itself to interaction with parents. It is not a loud, battery powered, flashy toy. I think it is a nice toy to use before a baby is quite ready for a shape sorter. They can work on coordination and not get so frustrated. The size of the fish, crab, clam are all perfect for small hands too. Great to chew on for teething! I strongly recommmend it and would get it for a friend in a minute.

don't bother
I put it on my registry because it really is very cute. Too bad my daughter doesn't think so. I have given it to her regularly and at nine months she still has no interest in it. It is the least played with toy in her toy box. None of the kids in her playgroup ever looked at it either.

Worth waiting until they are 9 months old
We gave this toy to my son when he was around 5 months old and I was afraid it may be on the boring side (my husband had really liked it). He has always responded to the faces on the sea creatures and been drawn to the shiny plastic sides or chewing on it all, but it's only now, at 9 months, that he's playing with it consistently. We put it away for a couple of months and now he is enjoying taking the animals out, watching the water move in the sides, and occassionally putting the animals back inside (he also enjoys throwing the animals out of his crib and watching them fall - and me fetch them from underneath). If you've given this to a young baby try reintroducing it periodically and you may be surprised.

Boring
This is, in relation to all the toys available today, a pretty boring little toy. My daughter has never been very interested in it. Maybe it is the weird, plastic-y smell that it has . . . ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Worth It!!!
This is the best thing besides the bouncer that my daughter loves.My daughter can spend an hour or more underneath it!She "trys" to talk to the bird when it hasn't moved in awhile!(She's almost 3months old but loved it since Day 1. Soon she'll be able to explore all the stuff on the mat when she gets more tummy time! I totally recommend this item!!!!!!

Well worth it!
Love this playmat... the only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is that it lacks a "kicking option".To take care of that problem I bought the wind chimes in the playmat area and they hook to this gym and my baby can kick at those.He loves to watch the bird and it is pleasant to listen to.

fantastic toy for baby
My daughter loves this toy. The bird at the top flutters on when the baby kicks the bars. The music and chirping sounds are both quite nice. The toys that come with it to hang from the bars are very nice too. I like that the toy hangers are kind of horseshoe-shaped, so that if baby pulls hard enough the toy will come off the bars and she can play with it. We've taken a couple of them and put them on the carseat.

My 3 y.o. old plays roughly with it, and so far it has held up!

great play mat
we just recently purchased this for our 6 week old son, and he ABSOLUTELY loves it, he just stares and stares and if i set him on his boppy underneath it, he can kick at the toys. it is GREAT

Great entertainment for even young ones!
We started putting our son on this mat to play at 5 weeks old. He absolutely loves it. He stares at the bird as it moves and likes to look at the toys hanging down. He coos, smiles and kicks while watching everything go on. Before we got this, he would only stare at the ceiling fans in our house, so this was a welcome distraction. We can't wait to watch him become more active and able to actually play with the toys hanging down. We also use the mat to make sure he gets plenty of "tummy time." ... Read more

Reviews (14)

My Daughter's Favorite LeapPad Book
We have several LeapPad books but this one gets the most use. The games are simple enough that my daughter, age 2, can play with very little help. It keeps her attention. I noticed recently she had picked up several Spanish words and can count to 10 in Spanish. Our Dora selections, including this one, have paid off.

Great educational piece
This book is great as are most of the LeapPad products. My son loves to use this book daily. It helps him learn words in both spanish and english, and he already knows quite a few words in spanish and he is 2-1/2 years old. I would recommend this to anyone who is looking for something that their child will use for hours and all of the leapPad Books are as educational as this one. A great Product.

Had it for a year and still going strong
This was purchased for my daughter last year when she was three for christmas, it is now a year later and she still loves it. I love the leap pad systems and my first leap was great and now i think she will be going into the regular leap pad and like my others will enjoy hours of fun. You will not go wrong with dora!!

dora the explorer
the game will not stay on

Fun AND educational
Dora is a hit in our household, so this leap-book was only fitting for us to purchase. If your child enjoys Dora, you won't be disappointed in this fun little book. I was really pleasantly surprised by the educational content, and all the fun it provides, it is packed with a bunch of interactive little games that keep even a 2 year old interested. My 2 & 4 year olds both love this book. My four year old was jealous that he didn't have THIS book for HIS leap pad (he has bigger leap pad). This book teaches vocabulary both English and Spanish, problem solving, cooperation, and shapes and colors as well. My only wish is that they had more books to buy. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Shopping for groceries with Mommy will seem more real than ever withthis pintsize poultry and produce carrier. Though only about 2 feet high, thered-and-yellow cart is designed to resemble a grownup's cart. It even includes afold-up space with leg holes near the cart's handle--Mommy usually sits babythere in a real cart--where tots can place a tiny doll. Bright blue plasticwheels add contrast and additional color to this cart, which will last as longas your child's toddler years. --Diane Beall ... Read more

Reviews (44)

Wonderful for girls or boys!
I have a 2 year-old toddler boy who normally loves to push things around...anything from chairs, tables, big strollers, to even the strollers for dolls whenever he's at the toy stores. So, I found this to be a great toy for him that he would love.

told you
i wrotea review for the summit fruit basket about that fruit being a runner up! this is a 90's classic and i love it.

Durable, practical, excellent for pretend play!
Six months ago for Christmas, I had purchased a pretend play farmer's market for my almost 2-year-old daughter. However, upon the purchase, I realized that she would enjoy the experience much more if she had a shopping cart to go with it. After perusing over the products available at the local toy store, I chose this. Not only did it look more durable than the other carts, but it also was more pleasing to the eye. A bonus feature I found was it has a "seat" up front to put her teddy bear or doll in (none of the others had this feature), just like when going to the grocery store with Mommy!

To this day, this shopping cart is one of her most used toys, and it doesn't show any signs of falling apart anytime soon. In addition, it was also one of the easiest "assembly required" toys I have had to put together (by myself, no less). I am so thankful I found this product!

Emma's Grandma
Emma got this toy at 12 months. She is now 19 months old and likes to walk around the house and "shop" with it while picking up her toys. It's even sturdy enough to give her a "ride" in it.

Great toy but one safety hazard
This is a wonderful toy. My daughter, who is 12 months old, has had this toy for four months and has never tired of it. She loves to push it around and fill it up with her toys. It's also great for when kids are first walking since it has no sharp edges. There is only one safety issue: the toy comes with plastic play money -- dollars and coins. The dollars are fine, but the coins are a chokable hazard. Although they seem too large (which is why I didn't immediately throw them out), my daughter was able to get one lodged sideways in the back of her mouth and choked. If a family friend hadn't noticed, I'm afraid of what would have happened to my daughter. I happened to have the video tape on and was in the other room when it happened. When I play back the video tape, I'm horrified. My daughter clearly picks up the coin, inserts it in her mouth, then begins to choke and gag. Other than that, this is a truly great toy. Three of my friends have it and also love it. However, we have all thrown out the yellow plastic coins.

Update to this review: I received a call from a representative at Little Tikes who was concerned about the possible choking/gagging hazard from the plastic coins that come with this toy. The rep said that they take safety concerns like this very seriously, and she's forwarding notes from our conversation to the design engineers at Little Tikes. I am very impressed with Little Tikes and believe that they're a caring company. The rep did mention one thing: this toy is for kids 24 months and older. I got it when my daughter was first walking (at 9 months), which might explain why the plastic coins posed more of a hazard than they might normally for the appropriate age range. However, since my daughter is tall and has loved the shopping cart from day one, I would still purchase it when I did. I would just throw out the plastic coins. I believe that Little Tikes is a wonderful company with equally great products, which is why so many of the toys I buy are made by them. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Doesn't have to be just for easels...
Being a preschool teacher I use these all of the time. I have found that taking the sheets out individually clipping them to the easels clip to be the best way to work with them. Even if you don't have an easel these are wonderful for children of all ages. Large, unlined sheets of paper encourage children to be creative and to express themselves in a completely original way. For infants, toddlers, and preschoolers I will often tape the sheets to the table and let them color/paint/glue to their hearts delight.

Too Heavy
I bought this pad for my twins. They use it on their little tikes double easel. This pad is a little to heavy to stay underneath the clip. When they start drawing on it, it starts to slip down. However, easel pads are not easy to find in our area, so I will probably continue to buy these. They have lots of pages in each book and good quality paper for "little artists". ... Read more

Reviews (8)

I LOVE THIS TOY! GREAT FOR ALL AGES!
This toy was bought for my 10 month old son and he LOVES this toy! My 4 year old son, 12 year old Daughter, and my 30 something husband also LOVE this toy as well as the cool blocks that come with it and the others that you can get separately. We also have the Giraff and will be getting the wagon too! This is one cool toy! I see lots of fun years ahead with these toys! It's great for ALL ages!

Great first truck!
This is by far my son's favorite toy. He has had this since he was six months old. At first, he just enjoyed shaking and mouthing the blocks. Now that he is 8 months old, he loves pushing it around and listening to the music. He hasn't gotten the hang of putting the blocks into the wheels or filling and dumping the truck yet, but we look forward to seeing the progress. I'm sure we'll get many more months out of this toy.

Great toy for a little kid
My son received this when he was about 9 months old and loved it. It was the one toy that he played with constantly! He loves putting the blocks in the back and dumping them out and every time the truck rolls, it plays music. Really cute!

A happy boy!
I just got this for my 7 month old son. He has several lines of the peek a blocks and loves them. This one is a little different than his others because the blocks actually fit into different places on the truck. He is crawling and loves to move it around (It sings a song whenever the wheels move) He loves the blocks. I am trying to show him how to put them in the truck and dump them out! He likes also putting cheerios in the truck! The blocks also work well for teething, they are textured and he loves chewing on them! This is a great product and I can see it keeping his interest for a long time. My niece is 19 mos old and when she comes to visit, she loves to play with it too!

A favorite toy in our house
This is a great dump truck for any older baby/toddler who loves cars. My thirteen month old is a big fan of peek-a-blocks and this is my favorite toy in the line. The truck is constructed wonderfully, the blocks are GREAT (more interesting than other toys in the line), and you can incorporate the blocks into the truck very easily. My only complaint is that the song gets annoying but that's what the off swich is for. Highly recommended!!! ... Read more

Editorial Review

The Little People Animal Sounds Zoo features six different animals--polar bear, seal, monkey, lion, bird, and elephant--and environments for children to interact with. Each habitat floor has a small paw print that elicits the animal's sound when pressed with a finger or when the appropriate animal is placed on it. Each animal is made of soft, squeezable plastic and is about 3 inches tall, perfect for small hands. Children will enjoy the various sounds, animals, and habitats, especially the monkey. Hit the purple handle and the monkey shoots up a vine into the trees and shouts, "Ah-ah-eee-eee-oo-oo!" as he tries to grab a banana. Also included are two fence pieces and a small plastic car for the zookeeper. Requires three AA batteries (not included). --N. Mered ... Read more

Reviews (30)

We leave the batteries out...
My kids were given this "to have at Gramma's house" and of course it came home at some point. The first thing that we did was remove the batteries when nobody was looking. They still love playing with it and make their own noises. They love that the animals are those they see at our zoos or on nature shows. They love setting it up with their other little people toys.

There's a trend lately to think that kids toys need to have lights, bells, whistles, and other parental insanity inducers. Very few of those toys have any play value without the batteries; Fisher Price Little People stand the test. FP, if you read these reviews, consider: I'd pay the same price for a toy with similar play value and no battery door.

Daughter's first and favorite toy
We bought this toy for my daughter's first birthday and she still loves it 2 years later. We have been adding to her "Little People Collection" ever since. She loves finding all the buttons and levers that activate the animal noises and has learned to match the animal toys to their pictures on the playset. It would be nice if the monkey was removable, but she still enjoys making him bounce up and chatter. Believe me, these toys are addictive. I'm afraid my daughter's room will soon be over run!!

Another great FP toy!!
This Zoo is alot of fun! My daughter (just turned 2) loves the bird chirping song and the different sounds of the animals. This toy has helped her learn her animal sounds and she will sit for a long time playing and listening to the animals and repeating the songs and noises.
We are big fans of Little People and this a toy that will interest almost any child!

Just Adorable!
I bought this for my son for Christmas (15 months old now). He has played with it EVERY single day since! He loves it! He is able to identify the animals and loves to press the buttons to hear what sounds they make. This toy is adorable. The only annoying aspect is the bird! That darn bird sound (chirping) is loud and goes on and on. But this toy brings my son so much joy that I think I can put up with that annoying chirp! I highly recommend this toy....it truly is adorable!

Big Hit
My 24 month old son loves everything Little People and this set is no exception. He hasn't stopped playing with it since we bought it - he even begged to take it to bed with him last night! His favorite thing to do is to put one of the animals in the back of the truck and drive it to the other side of the zoo.

That said, I am disappointed with the moving parts. For example, the seal does not whiz down the slide, but tumbles off his platform to the ground. My son could care less about such things, though.

Overall this is a great toy for imaginative play and must-have for your Little People collection. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Classroom Teacher
This product has provided hours of entertainment to my Kindergarteners and my first graders in the last two years. I can't believe how rough they can be with the toy and nothing breaks.

Really neat...even fun for mom
I bought this set for my son when he turned 4. He didn't attempt to play with it by himself until one day I got it out, sat on the floor with him and started building really neat stuff. When he saw what I had done and watched all the colors of gears turning round and round that was it, he loved it. This set has so many options; you can build 1,000 different things. We will have this set for a long time.

Start with the Under Sea Adventure set, this as add on!
We received several gears, gears, gears sets at the same time, and found that the plain set ie Super set although initially fun looses excitement without some add ons. If I were to buy just one set I would start with the Under the Sea adventure set first, then add with the fantasy play park. The Undersea set has parts that move the gears in interesting ways from the standard set. It also comes with regular gears for building, although in limited number so the super set still helps extend the play.The motorized monstors sounded more intteresting than it was, but the parts when added to the Undersea adventure set was great fun! The gears are an interesting way of learning how things work. If your child is mechanically minded any of these sets will provide a wonderful new constructin opportunity. If your child hasn't been inclined towards let's say lego's etc.. This toy may provide some interest initially in being able to create a design that moves. However, construction with this set is more complicated than legos and for the less mechanically inclined child will still need paren'ts help beyond the age minimum's recommended.

Love! Love! Love! Gears! Gears! Gears!
My kids love their Gears! Gears! Gears! My sister bought them this set for Christmas and they are still enjoying it. The gears seem very durable and the colors are vibrant and look great in their playroom. There are so many things they can make, and the gears are a nice change from all the legos.

Kids feel like they've made a real "machine"
This set of "gears" is really neat. There are lots of pieces, very nice bright colors, and countless configurations. I really like that the set didn't include patterns to follow or directions--it just told you how to make flat gears, upright, etc. My oldest child is 3--his main fascination right now is how everything moves together. He yells at me to come see the "machine" he has made. I think it will stay interesting to him for several years. ... Read more

Editorial Review

LeapFrog's range of educational toys is exceptional, and this interactive flipbook really has that "wow" factor. In the box it looks like an innocent book, but once assembled it provides absolutely hours of entertainment with a preschool teaching focus. The book reads the text to the child, then its magic pen allows the child to touch the text and reread difficult words. Rather like a computer game, the pictures in the page also respond to touch. Each page has two to three games on it where the child has to answer questions on the text or the pictures. The child only needs to respond with the pen, so children as young as 3 can easily play all the games. LeapFrog has made sure that this two-sided book packs in all the elements of a balanced preschool curriculum. Numbers, phonics, prereading, and numeracy skills come alive through the activities. Both nonfiction and fiction text are included with a variety of musical activities. There is even a volume control on each page for weary parents on those long car journeys! Be prepared with four AA batteries (not included) and a small screwdriver. The instructions included are not specific, but the illustrations on the box are self-explanatory. Perfect for a rainy day or a long journey, My First LeapPad provides great value for the money, as your child will be entertained and educated for hours. --Jo Fitzgerald

My First LeapPad is a sturdy unit with an integral speaker and a magic pen, which reads the spiral flipbook included with the set. Other books and cartridges can be bought and used with the same unit. My First LeapPad flipbook consists of both an interactive story introducing the characters of Leap and his family, and (once you have flipped the book) a selection of interactive games pages which encourage learning of numbers, colors, shapes, and music making. A pleasant and encouraging voice reads the story, which is written on the page, or if just one word is touched, the voice says that one word, encouraging word recognition. In game mode, the voice asks the child to find a specific number, color, or object and gives praise when the child succeeds. The pad is easy to use, provided children remember to always touch the Go button with the magic pen every time they turn a page. If they forget, the pen will read from another page, which causes much confusion! After a few tries, mine soon got the hang of it and could play independently. Everything is worked using the pen, including the volume control, and the pen is impossible to lose as it is attached securely to the unit. In comparison to their interactive PC games, the LeapPad failed to hold my children’s attention for prolonged periods, and although I found it amazing that the pen could recognize so many different words and objects, they were less easily impressed. There is no movement, unlike in a PC game. On the other hand, the unit is portable, so can be played anywhere, unlike the PC. The unit certainly has lots of educational value and is well made and durable. A large selection of interactive books can be purchased separately, so once the children are comfortable using the magic pen, they can try other activities. They can also choose more difficult material, ensuring that the pad grows with your child. --Rachel Elvidge

In common with other LeapFrog products, My First LeapPad is exceptionally well designed to be both educational and fun. The unit itself and attached pen are chunky enough for little fingers, and the single large button, integral carrying handle, and bright color will make it appealing and easy to use for preschoolers. My First LeapPad comes with a ring-bound book and accompanying cartridge which fit easily into the unit (you also need four AA batteries, not included). Placed right side up the book reads through a simple story, and when turned over the reverse sides contain a wealth of activities and games to play. For anyone who hasn’t previously seen the unique way that simply touching the pages with the pen produces voices and noises of all sorts, it seems like a miracle! Even for those who are familiar with it, it is still endlessly fascinating, and each page has lots of scope for discovery. The clear English voices read the story in sentences or single words as well as introducing games and activities involving music and instruments, shapes and color, reading, numbers, counting, matching, and much more. Each picture reveals a whole world of sound effects, voices, and speech from the characters according to the individual touches the child makes with the pen on the page. This makes play genuinely interactive and absorbing, and hugely valuable in terms of learning and pleasure. I recommend this product highly; it is suitable for all levels of learning between under 3 years and over 5, with each age range getting different benefits at different stages of development. --Caroline Parsons

My First LeapPad learning system by LeapFrog is a portable electronic toy incorporating the format of a flip-over book which teaches children to master skills such as writing, basic numbers, ABCs, phonics, listening, and comprehension. The desk layout includes a side handle and a special touch-sensitive pen which gives children the opportunity to develop the coordination required when they begin to write. With the pen the user can activate the different activities such as touching pictures to hear them come alive, touching words to hear them read aloud, playing a game by pressing the lily pad sign with the magic pen, activating a new page, listening to music, or adjusting the volume. The unit comes with an activity book, Leap’s Big Day. Leap is a frog with a happy voice and an English accent who introduces us to his family and different activities on each page. Although the toy is labeled for children aged 3 years and over, the activities are not incredibly difficult and would also suit a slightly younger child. For example, number work only goes up to five, and the page on what Leap will be when he grows up gives the child a number of pictorial choices and they have to select just one answer to say what a firefighter would need at work (hose, hat, boots), or what a doctor would need (stethoscope, white coat, etc.). All activities require use of the pen, which does require a steady hand at times. More books are available to buy separately, with titles such as Leap to the Moon, featuring Leap again, and Pooh's Honey Tree, which features Winnie the Pooh. The books are double-sided with a story side, which is interactive, and an activity side. The battery-powered toy provides preschoolers with a good introduction to interactive learning aids, including computers, and promotes readiness for reading and writing. --Sarah McNamara

This is a nice-sized interactive electronic learning game by LeapFrog. It consists of the LeapPad unit with carrying handle and a small, easy-to-maneuver electronic pen attached. There is a compact microchip unit which plugs into the side and a cardboard flipbook which attaches to the front. The book has two sides: a story side and an activity side. The sound is activated by touching the green Go circle on the page with the electronic pen. On the story side of the book this triggers a female English voice which reads aloud the words on the page. Your child can then touch each word with the pen to have these read aloud, or touch objects and characters on the page to hear them speak. There is a lily pad and a note symbol at the bottom of each page. When touched with the pen, the voice leads your child through games such as finding objects and people on the page. The activity side is centered on learning games such as parts of the body, colors, shapes, and counting. My First LeapPad is designed for preschool children to teach prereading and premath skills. It contains over 30 games and activities and is indicated to be suitable for ages 3 and over. My son will sit and play with the LeapPad on his own for a short time, but is only 3 and a half, and prefers me to help and guide him a little. My First LeapPad is a good learning aid and value for money as the flipbooks can be replaced with different books in the range to keep your child interested in learning. --Julie Illingworth

Learning to read has never been so fun, until now. This interactive system is an ideal tool for teaching various skills important in early years. My First LeapPad teaches ABCs, numbers, phonics, prereading skills, and premath skills. When children encounter the LeapPad for the first time, they may choose to participate in an interactive story book Leap's Big Day (included) or alternatively they may play 30 games and activities. If they choose a story they will be amazed at how involved they can become and how much they will learn. The games and activities on the reverse of the flipbook feature counting and singing songs as well as a section on parts of the body. The LeapPad comprises a spiral interactive flipbook that when used with the integral magic pen enables the story to come alive! The child may touch words and hear them read aloud or if they touch pictures in the story they too will make appropriate sound effects. This system is certainly an innovative concept that makes learning to read exciting while also challenging. --Tiffany Prescott ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Great for Little Kids
I was in a book store with my sister & my 22-month-old daughter. While I was shopping, my sister brought my daughter by the My First LeapPad toy to keep her busy. My sister tried to turn the page to finish the story, but couldn't figure out why it was still reading the items from the previous page. My daughter showed my sister how to turn the page by pressing "go." I'm looking forward to my sister giving this to my daughter for her second birthday.

love it!
My husband and I bought this for our 2-1/2 year old for Christmas. She really loves it. She is definately at an age where she enjoys learning and is very interested in colors and shapes and showing us "what she can do". This is perfect. We often travel out of town and this is great for those long road trips. Anything to keep her content. I think it will be helpful as she learns to write and read, and it is wonderful for learning shapes and colors. I would say the downfall in this toy is that the cord for the pen is a little short (suppose that is a safety issue) and also I dont like how the cartridge sticks out of the side. I think a drop in sort of thing would have been better. The books are a little tough to get in place, but she is learning. I think she is a little young still, but will get lots of use out of it, and I think it is a good time to introduce this product to her at least. We are going to buy one for her cousin this month, so I think that shows how much we like it!!

So Far...Not impressed
I had HIGH expectations for this product, but so far have discovered that it's been far overrated. My 3 year old received the My First LeapPad for Christmas plus 3 additional books including the Princesses book. This product has not managed to keep her entertained or focused at all. I think it's confusing for a young child, the words are not very clear, and it automatically turns off after just a few seconds. It will tell the child to "find ___" but while my daughter is deciding what to touch with the stylus, it says something along the lines of "try again later". It doesn't give her enough time to THINK before shutting off! There are also options to play games, but after only 2 or so rounds it says something like "press the game button again". That is extremely confusing for a child.

Maybe the regular LeapPad is better. I hoping that once she gets older she'll get into this one more. My daughter LOVES anything having to do with Barbie, Ballerina's or Princesses and even the Princess book doesn't interest her. My daughter also LOVES the new LeapPad DVD "All About Letters", but the alphabet books don't quite have the same effect. If you are just looking for something that reads stories go with THE STORY READER...it's truly an excellent product.

I love Leapfrog stuff!
I love that thing. Not only is it educational, it is fun too! You can learn music as well as the body's bone structure. And to hear your child read to you and tell you what the story was about, phenominal! I am buying it right now for my three year old God daughter. All Leap pad products are amazing.

Great for any Child.
My daughter loves her new LeapPad. I am beyond happy that she would rather play with the LeapPad than watch TV. It also keeps her busy while we are in the car. The LeapPad is very user friendly and is a really great toy for any child. I also loved the girly color for my little princess. ... Read more

Reviews (116)

Cool
I got this as a shower gift and my son loves it. I have it hanging over his changing pad, and we change it from the sun to the moon at night and back in the morning. He's 4 months old now and he loves to coo and squeal at it. And he gets really excited when he can grab it and put it in his mouth! Yummy.

Favorite toy!
This is the BEST toy!!! My son has loved it from day 1! He's now 11 months and I still keep it in the car and use it for the stroller - he never tires of it! I now buy it for everyone I know expecting a baby! Great toy! The only problem was the squeaker in the green circle stopped squeaking.... but, my son still loves it! I highly, highly, highly recommend it!

just echoing: great toy but...
We keep Celeste exclusively in the car as a travel friend. The only problem is that for some reason the green arm's squeaker stopped making noise after only a few weeks; I'm not sure why. Otherwise it's still a hit. The stretchy arms are great to hang from the car seat handle b/c their motion kept Baby's attention. Unfortunately he's now in the bigger seat w/o a handle, but he still loves having Celeste as his car toy.

The color will catch your babies attention
My daughter has loved this toy from day 1. I attatch it to her changing table, car seat, stroller. She loves the bright yellow color and all of the dangling toys that make sounds and have different textures. She is now 5 months and still loves this toy. Plus when you flip it over onto the other side it turns into a moon and stars. She goes crazy for this toy

She loves it!
I don't have anything else to say. My baby loves it and that's that! ... Read more

Editorial Review

Even electronic toys have gone extreme. Kids love the original Bop It, an electronic toy that challenges response time to pull, twist, and bop different parts of the toy. The Extreme 2 version adds two more tasks, more sounds, and a taunting, smart-aleck announcer who directs the game. As you get better, the game moves faster until you miss a beat and lose, accompanied by a fair amount of noise and ridicule from the toy. People who don't think they'd ever want to play Bop It Extreme 2 won't be able to put it down; it instills a compulsive need to bop till you drop. It can be played in a group and makes a good party game--even for serious adults. --Lynne Sampson ... Read more

Reviews (18)

The Best game!
Bop it Extreme 2 is the best! My sister got it for her birthday but, I love playing it! Before I could only get 1 or 2 but, now I have 38.
I play it when I wake up, when I have extra time, & before I go to bed!
I like all the things you can play on it and, that it has a volume control and, that it tells you what the high score is.
This game is really fun! People should purchase this item.

Bop it extreme 2 vs Bop it extreme
Hi, I'm a 19 years old college student attending UCSD. I live in a suit with other students and we use to hang out, but we got nothing to do. I decided to buy this toy to promote some social interactions. To my surprise, everybody just jumps in and have a blast. We played endless Pass it! games. It REALLY trains your reflex skill. I find it so much fun that I had to write a review, which I rarely do.

As for the difference between the Bop It Extreme and the Bop It Extreme 2 versions.(I had this question when I buy this toy)
1) The Bop It Extreme 2 version has 3 levels of volume, while the Bop It Extreme has one LOUD volume.
2) The Bop It Extreme 2 has an earphone jack for personal enjoyment, while the Bop It Extreme doesn't.
3) The Bop It Extreme 2 TELLS you at the end your score(i.e. "You scored forty-eght"), while the Bop It Extreme plays different sounds to denote score(i.e. "whistle, whistle, rachet, rachet, rachet, drum, drum, drum, drum"). Hence requiring you to count and decipher which sound worth more points than other.
4) The Bop It Extreme 2 has more music than the Bop It Extreme as advertised.
5) The Bop It Extreme 2 has rubber grip and better grip-mold for the Spin it! wheel.
6) The Bop It Extreme 2 just looks much cooler, hands down! :D

Playing this game Solo is fun, but get together w/ your friends and you all will have a BLAST!

NOT soooo great,
VERY,VERY noisey. It is hard for me to get a high score. They whant you to do it so fast. (Yes, I know a game should be challinging.) And to tell you it takes a odd number of batterys,3 of 'em. One time the batterys got corroded so it made it hard to get out. I never did play with it again. The sound got scratchy too. (...)I do not recomend any of the Bop It toys to anyone.

So much better then Extreme 1!
Wow! This is a pretty fun game. The original was so loud and annoying, and the speaker was tinny. Bop it Extreme 2, though a little easier, is so much better. It also has a Bop It button that is less prone to getting accidentally hit.

EXTREME fun for all ages!!!
Bought as a gift for my son, the whole family has enjoyed this unique little gizmo. I can't help but think that this must help with thinking skills. Totally portable, it's a favorite at sleep-overs... it's even more popular than Gameboy, and that's saying something. A very healthy family game! ... Read more

Reviews (24)

Light up Mirror
This was a Christmas gift from Grandpa when my daughter was 6 mths old. She loves to look at herself in the mirror, but she really likes the lights and the music. I think the toy is attemping to teach kids rhythm through the flashing of the lights. Every time I pull the bird she gets excited. I have been trying to teach her to pull the bird, but like everyone else I pull the bird. It is a good way for she & I to interact with each other and tap to the music though. I still like this toy despite the fact a parent has to play an active part to make the toy work.

Bird is too hard to pull!!
Is it just mine or all the birds hard to pull?? I feel like I'm going to rip it off, but it won't play unless I pull really hard on it. My daughter will never be able to play the music herself. She does love to look at herself in the mirror.

Great toy
We purchased this for our daughter when she was 4 months old, at first she couldn't pull the bird and turn on this mirror herself, but soon enough she learned and plays with it all the time...She is 15 mon now and LOVES this toy, she plays with it before her naps and before her bed-time, and even during the night, if she wakes up before morning...it soothes her because she is familiar with the songs and she really enjoys the lights as well. I have bought this for 3 pregnant friends and will buy even more BE products for them in the future.

Not impressed
I bought this as a crib mirror for my daughter hoping she would entertain herself before falling asleep or upon waking. Unfortunately, the bird is just too difficult for a little one -- it really requires some strength. Also, the music is too loud for a crib toy -- it should be a little more soothing.

grrrrrrrr
I have had nothing but trouble with the bird. I have to tug on it repeatedly to make the music start, and if I can't do it I know that my 3 month-old daughter can't start it when she pulls on it. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

In The Way Duckies
I bought this for my son's carseat, so that he may have somehting to play with as we drive. The problem with it is that his carseat is the overhead kind, and the bar is too large for the toy to fit around. I have pulled it to the side, so that it fits. Also, it is in the way of my mirror that I have on the back seat so that I can see him in my rear-view mirror. He loves the toy, and it keeps him entertained, but it has a couple flaws that can easily be fixed. The band that goes around the bar, needs to be made longer, and if the duckies were spaced a little further apart, my line of view would be just fine. Overall, my son really likes the toy.

very fun for the little fingers
well I go this toy for my six month old son because he like to be in his stroller. and well he was getting boared with the toys you can clip on the stroller, so I saw this toy and I knew i had to have it for him, so i bought it and well he love playing with the hanging links that come with it, so he is no longer boared in the stroller now. I would suggest it to other parents.

Just what I was looking for
I wanted something for my 5 month old son's swing and stroller that wouldn't slip out under the tray or obstruct his view. This toy is perfect and a great price. It straps on tight to the trays on both the stroller and swing. My boy loves to bang the hanging toys around, or work his two new teeth on the baby ducks' soft heads and crinkly wings. When he's done playing, he can lean back or turn away without anything still hanging in his face. Best of all, the noise factor is really low. The music Mama Duck plays doesn't last too long, so your and baby's ears aren't under constant attack. This is definitely one of the best toys I've bought.

Doesn't fit on strollers
My daughter loves the toy however the velcro peice that attachs to the stroller is not long enough if the tray is on and too big if the tray is off. We eneded up having to sew an extra peice of velcro on to make it fit. ... Read more

Editorial Review

If there's anyone out there who thinks that the Pokemon craze would just be another fad, disappearing from public consciousness in a matter of months, well, think again. The popularity of the Japanese monster collecting game shows no sign of slowing and may in fact be growing thanks to improving technology, evidenced in new products such as this hand held Pokedex. It features electronically stored information on all 200 Pokemon Advanced monsters and features such as personalization and tracking up to six of your favorite Pokemon. You can earn trainer points as you capture the various critters on various different terrains offered. Beyond the traditional capture game, there are other challenges available including a Pokemon quiz and a new game where you help Mudkip run without tiring the poor guy out. The Pokedex may not appeal to someone who isn't already a Pokemon fan but for those who are hooked, it's a lot of fun. Three AAA batteries are required but not included. --Charlie Williams ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Oh man... :o)
Imagine a plastic barrel full of markers, colored paper, googly eyes (different sizes yet), pipe cleaners, fuzzy balls, cut out shapes, glitter, sequins, popsicle sticks...okay, there is more, but we haven't reached the bottom of the barrel yet. Basically, it's full of cool stuff that kids LOVE to goof around with. It's messy, and you'll be picking up sequins and various "shiney" things for days, but the kids will be absorbed for at least an hour, if not more.

We're homeschoolers, and when we don't feel like doing "formal" art, it's so much fun to pull out the giant barrel and say, "Okay, get the glue!" :oD

This is great!
The kids can really be creative with this, and the adults can have fun, too! There are plenty of each item in the barrel, so you can complete many different crafts. This would be a great birthday or holiday present. Just get some glue, and you're ready to go! ... Read more

Editorial Review

You don’t have to be Michael Jordan to excel at basketball thanks to this fun and versatile hoops set from the educational-toy experts at LeapFrog. The adjustable backboard and hoop can be set near the ground for very young children or elevated up to 20 inches as kids grow and seek new challenges. Best of all, the backboard lights up and talks to offer encouragement and help teach numbers, letters, and simple spelling. The tray beneath the hoop can be set to catch the two included balls or roll them back to your pintsize Kobe Bryant. This is a great way for little ones to practice their motor skills, learn numbers and letters, and, most importantly, have fun. --John Moe ... Read more

Reviews (25)

Disappointed
The connection between the base and the post for the hoop has too much play in it. Every time you touch the hoop with any force(much less grab it or yank it like every baby will do to balance and play with it) the board re-sets like you are starting over. I have checked repeatedly and the post is in as far as it will go. Not much help for learning letters and counting. Needs a re-design!!

Disappointing
My son got such a kick out of this toy - but only because we cheer very loudly when he gets the ball in the hoop. The toy does no cheering, counting or spelling what so ever! So from an educational standpoint - this toy was very disappointing. In order to get the "frog" to say the letters or numbers, you have to hold down the knob inside the basket for a really long time. What kid does that? When I purchased this toy, I also bought the Learning Piano and See & Sound Phonic Radio - those toys are great & I'd recommend those over this one any day.

not safe
this toy is fun and educational but is not safe. my son has hurt himself many times because the ring falls off easily and he falls with it.

Too easy to move!
My son received this toy as a gift for his first birthday and he shares it with his 2.5 year old sister. My problem with it is it's lack of height (good for a sitter, but not for a child who is standing or walking!) and the fact that it topples over so easily! Also, the backboard is adjustable, but my very light-weight daughter only has to lean on it a little bit to have it slide back down to it's lowest height. They enjoy playing with it, but it always seems to be needing to be put back up and the backboard re-adjusted!

fun for both kids
my 9 month old got this for xmas and I think his 3 year old sister has more fun with it. she shows him how to do it. I don't like that it is always tipping over. now that he is starting to "cruise" he will try to pull up on it and them both tumble. also the hoop part cames out at the base and it doesn't stay in postition. The kids have a lot of fun with it and I think it is great for learning numbers and letters, I just wish it was a little more sturdy. ... Read more

Editorial Review

The iQuest handheld provides a customized learning experience that revolutionizes the way students study for tests and quizzes--by making the process fun, fast, and effective. iQuest is the hip handheld that prepares students for tests in math, science, and social studies with study questions based on their textbooks. Small enough to fit in the front of a backpack, the iQuest also keeps students organized with a scheduler, address book, dictionary, and calculator. Use the Mind Station connector (sold separately) to download textbook chapter outlines and audio quiz questions onto a cartridge. Then insert that cartridge into the iQuest to learn chapter materials through two game modes: Pop Quiz, the fun beat-the-clock mode, and Chapter Challenge, a thorough review of textbook material. iQuest comes with instructions, a 4 MB reusable cartridge with 1,000 questions, and a snap-on cover/faceplate. Four AA batteries are required but not included. ... Read more

Reviews (58)

THE COOLEST STRUDY GUIDE THERE IS AND WILL EVER BE!!!
The Iquest Handheld and the new edition are the coolest things ever made!!! I got the older edition when I was is 6th grade. Im now in 8th. I LOVED IT! Now with the new edition its not as big and bulky and it has a cool look that you can personalize with nameplates! <br /> The Iquest gave me a reason to study and I didnt have to read all those long tedious chapters I once did.<br /> PARENTS THE IQUEST IS GREAT AND WORTH ALL THE MONEY! I GUARENTEE THAT IF YOUR CHILD DOESNT LIKE TO STUDY, HE/SHE WILL AFTER JUST LOOKING AT THE IQUEST! ITS A GREAT X-MAS PRESENT TOO!

Great for Middle Schoolers
My kids and their love the iquest. They can sit for hours learning and having fun. We tried it with the online downloads atfirst. My son's were available while he was in middle school and that worked really well. I found that I had to disable all the other palm pilots and devices for the downloads to work but then it went real easy. If you are going to download the materials I would definitly suggest buying the bigger cartridge and if you have more than one child using it I would get one cartridge for each child. My daughter has different textbooks than my son did and they weren't available so we substituted other books from the website list and she studied from them, it worked pretty well but was more work. We still use the iquest but we buy the cartridges instead of downloading. I am amazed at how much it still gets used! My daughter has her address book filled in with all her friends' phone numbers and she uses the dictionary quite a bit as well.

iQuest
I think this is a wonderful learning toy. It is very easy to use. One of the features the iQuest has is a built in Marriam-Webster 75,000 word dictoinary. My favorite thing to do on the iQuest is the chapter challenge. The iQuest comes with a cartrige for the levels 5-8 grades. You can pick which level you want after you select the game you would like. I also find the iQuest to be very convenient because there is a calender and a schedule were you can put the time in and what you need to do, there is an address book, and any time you need to look up someting in the dictionary, you can just type the word in and you can adjust the volume to 0 to 100. Additional features are pop quiz, notepad options and setup, and calculater. I think this would also be helfull to adults. I really enjoyed this toy, and I think you will to. I rated this item 5 stars for durablity because I think this toy will last a long time if you take care of it. The iQuest takes 4 AA batteries.

Absolutely wonderful!
I got one of these for my son last year, and it has been an amazing tool for him both to study with, and to look up words with. It doesn't completely replace a good dictionary but it's very portable and easy for him to use. The only problem I've had with it is that my 8 year old is more interested in her big brother's iQuest then in his gameboy, and tends to bother him incessantly when studying! I guess I need to get her one of her own. Great product.
I also find it incredibly amusing that the bad review I read about it used the word knot instead of not.

the greatest toy ever
I got this for an early christmas present and I loved it. I improved a lot in math,science, and social studies. I reccomend this toy for anyone who needs inprovement in school or whoever likes to learn. ... Read more

Editorial Review

The Pixter is like a personal digital assistant (PDA) for kids. But instead of storing boring appointments and phone numbers, they get to draw, do puzzles, and learn a little, too. The Pixter is about the size of a small book, and has a pretty solid weight to it. It's made out of brightly colored and durable plastic. The main action of this toy is drawing with an attached stylus. The Color Pixter offers much better graphics then the black and white version, which comes in handy with activities like Paint-by-Numbers and Connect-the-Dots. You can draw a picture free form, or you can use one of the starter backgrounds. There are tool buttons, like on a PDA, that give you access to fun stamps, special effects, and the eraser button. You can also save your creation in the Pixter's memory. There are some boppy tunes playing along with all this creative activity, but luckily for parents, there's also a jack for headphones and a volume adjuster. An expansion slot on top of the Pixter accepts ROM-based expansion cards that contain additional software and games. Requires 4 "AA" batteries. (Not included.) --Megan Sullivan ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Has entertained my child for 3 years!
We first bought our pixter in 2001 while taking our 4 year old on a three week trip to Europe. It entertained her the ENTIRE time. We even had people coming up to us to take pictures of her playing it because she was so quiet for such a young child! Of course, the next year, we upgraded to the 2.0 version (giving her old one to her cousin). She still plays with it constantly. We have a large variety of software (which I buy on sale every so often) that she keeps attached to the carrying case (I do recommend, it keeps everything in one place and is handy to carry everywhere) in a small mess bag I had. She plays it with or without the sound depending on where we are. I asked her if she wanted a gameboy or a pixter 2.0 in color for Christmas and she immediately said Pixter! It's much more imaginative and allows her to be creative. It also is great for us to play games while trying to pass time like when we are waiting at a doctor's office. We can draw, play tic-tac-toe, bingo, etc... and she doesn't make a fuss. She loves it so much, that she shows every kid she sees how it works and lets them play. It does wear the more she plays, but what doesn't? Her current one has lasted for over two years with almost daily use. All ours have lasted through tons of train, plane and automobile rides, many of them over 10 hours in length. I would definitely buy it for the 3-7 year range. I'm sure the older children may not get as much entertainment out of it as they would other systems. We'll be buying her the color version for Christmas this year!

Pixter-Color
Great toy better that the monochrome version. However, it lacks durability. My 5 year old son got one as a christmas present in 03'. We have had to exchanged it 3 times in 8 months. The primary problem been accuracy of the touch pad. Even after recaliburation the accuracy slightly improves if at all. There is no place for light as in the previous version. My son loves it when it works but gets very frustrated when it doesn't.

Broken on the second day....
We used to own the pixter but it quit working after just a few months (I was disappointed but assumed that it was just my child's overuse/rough handling) so we thought we would upgrade to the color pixter as they had since been released. We should have learned from our mistakes about the durability of this product. My daughter had it out of the box for not even 24 hours, it slipped out of her hands onto the floor, and the screen cracked and the product no longer works. This drop was only 12 inches to the floor. This is quite an expensive toy to not be able to withstand more. My children own gameboys and have dropped them numerous times and even left them in the car on a hot day, and they still work. In fact, my friend's child left his out in the rain and after drying it out, it continued to work! I am truly disappointed with the inability of the Pixter to stand up to a child's environment. I would think twice before buying this toy.

Not a satisfied customer!!!
I purchased a Color Pixter for my neice's 5th Birthday. She already owns and loves her Leapster so I figured she'd really enjoy the Pixter.Before I gave it to her I myself tried it out and honestly thought it was kind of neat but a bit limited. I know the Leapster talks to you and the Pixter doesn't. For over $80 this thing should talk. Anyway, I give it to her and she literally had it out of the box for 5 minutes and I look over and the screen has been scratched beyond belief!! I know for a fact she used nothing but the stylus on the screen. Obviously she pressed too hard which they do warn you about in the owner's manual but lets be reasonable! She did exactly what she usually does to the Leapster and the Pixter can't withstand anything but a very gentle touch which is not what you're going to get from 4 and 5 yr olds. This is not the quality that I expected. She's not a destructive child with her toys. She's had the Leapster since Christmas, has no problems with it and loves it. I had read the reviews that these Pixters don't seem to hold up very well but for heavens sake...I paid well over $100 for this thing along with another software cartridge to use with it and it's in her posession for literally 5 minutes and this is how it holds up?? Fischer Price states that this toy is for ages 4 or 5 and up but take heed!! Unless you're buying this unit for a child who's older, I would not recommend it. In fact, I don't recommend buying it at all. I do highly recomment buying a Leapster and then buying the "Draw and Learn" software cartridge for about $25. It's very nice, and the Leapster is extremely durable. If I'd known they even made such a cartridge for the Leapster, I wouldn't have even bought the Color Pixter in the first place. Anyway, I returned the merchandise and recieved a full refund so no harm done but just a warning to all. When they say the screens will scratch, they're not kidding and it doesn't take much to scratch them. The Leapsters the way to go....hands down.

A nother *GREAT* toy,
Hey ya people. I bought one of these things and I say it is the best toy ever! O.K. here is the detales about this toy: 1:There is tons of other feachers on this than the first one. So don't go out and buy the older one. (It will bored to death!) 2: It is color. (duh,I don't know why I put that.) And the old one is, well, black and white. Witch can sometimes stran your eyes. 3: There is better games included with the color. For instince, pick a seane and draw and put stamps and stuff. create words and put them as stamps. (witch is cool.) color the number. Draw by yourself. And conect the dots. wonce you conect the dots a mini show like-thingie will have to do some thing about the picture. 4: Now this is about the batteries. Well, I played it A LOT and I repeat A LOT and STILL HAVEN'T HAD TO CHANGE THE BATTERIES! And to tell you it takes four of those batteries. 5: Here is a kind of cool feature. It tures off when you don't play with it after a while. 6: It can take both black and white softwere and color softwere. So make sure you have the adapter. And wene you want a color softwere make shure you pick up a color one beacause I picked up a black and white one on accident. That's all about the stuff about it! About the learning,well what I think is educational is if you don't have paper at home you can use it whoa, I was talking about education, It teaches you to be a good artest. Durability, you know you wouldn't want to damage a PDA for kids. I don't know what will happen but DON'T TRY IT! It also makes a prefect gift for Chistmas! So go out and buy it! You will be satisfied and so will your kids. Oh goodie! I got more things about this toy! You can save one, I repeat ONE piture or something you can save in a file. Which is a drag beacause you want to save more than ONE. And I tried to set the volum because it was noisey and it got scrachey. Eventually, it didn't scratch no more. And if you look on the bottom, you can put headphones. Which to me is nice. And once you get your pixter color, just follow the dierections you ain't going to be confusied. There are SIMPLE! Later dudes and evreybody else! P.S. Hope this review helped you! A LOT! ... Read more