LeapPad3 Makes Learning Fun!

 I have a four-year-old daughter and she is always trying to grab her older brother and sister's iPods. I tried to let her play some learning games on my iPad and she wound up sitting on it and cracking the screen. After that experience I was thrilled to get the opportunity to test out the LeapPad3. Its a sturdy handheld tablet designed just for kids and its tough enough to put up with all they can throw at it. Right off the bat, I can tell you ours has been dropped, thrown and kicked more than once and its none the worse for wear. Even the stylus is fixed securely with a string to prevent it getting lost. But lets move on to some of the other features.

 The LeapPad3 comes complete with one game already installed and thousands of apps and cartridges you can purchase for an additional content.The game that comes with the LeapPad is a virtual pet game called PetPadParty. You can choose between cats, dogs, bears, penguins, robots and more. You can give them names and set them up in a virtual world. You can choose its name, colors, and care for it. Its definitely a cute game and my daughter is an animal lover so she really enjoyed it.

In addition to the game that is already installed, you can also go online to the store to find hundreds of other game options. You get one game for free with your initial purchase.  My daughter picked out Escape of the Sillies. When they get away they bring happiness to our world.  This game teaches counting skills and is perfect for preschool age.  I also allows you to add your own pictures to the faces of the Sillies. This free games feature generic characters, but you can also pick from many of your favorite personalities including Cars, Team Umi Zoomi, Magic School Bus, Dora, Sponge Bob, and tons more. They have a great selection, but given the price of the device, it would have been nice to have one or two more games included at no additional cost, even if it was a few more generic ones. I would also like to see as least one book or coloring pages included in the initial package.

In addition to all the fun games, there is still way more this system has to offer. There is a built in Wi-Fi system you can connect to the internet to download right onto the tablet. There is a camera, you can film videos, listen to music, and pretty much everything  you'd find on a adult tablet, just made simple to use so kids can handle it independently. The touch screen is receptive and the battery is rechargeable which is a really big plus.

 The LeapPad3 is  perfect for home and travel.  You can take with you in the car, to the doctor's office, or just about anywhere. The best part is that while your kids are having fun they are also learning. Every single game from LeapPad is educational. There is no violence, no mindless activity--just reading and counting and challenging kids' cognitive abilities. It challenges them again and again and can continue to do so well into their grade school years because the games and books automatically adjust to your child's level of learning. Whether you are trying to teach a preschooler basic letters and numbers or encourage an older child to improve their reading skills, you are bound to find something for everyone with the LeapPad3.

If you want to learn more about the LeapPad3 or any of the other great products from LeapFrog, be sure to visit their website. You can also follow them on face book to keep up with the latest  promotions. Give your kids a head start on reading and check out LeapFrog today.