Monday, December 15, 2014
Discount Lauri Toys Tall-Stacker A-Z Pegboard Set (Uppercase)
We love the basic Lauri pegs and pegboard at our house so I decided to expand the play by getting these letters. Lots of ways for creative play, all 3 kids enjoyed. The only minor disappointment was that the box said it included an activity guide, which ours did not. But in no time they were building their own letter towers!My almost 2 year old and 5 year old love playing with these. Wish they weren't made of foam, but they are still awesome.
Buy VTech - Disney Princess - Magical Learn and Go
My three year old LOVES this; she calls it her computer. She types her name and her older sister's name--I think that the keyboards having the ABCs in order versus the QWERTY is great for little ones who are just learning to identify the letters and their sounds. Having "princess" voices talk to her (versus the older mechanical-sounding voices) is part of the reason this toy is her favorite.
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I got this for my twin nieces that REALLY wanted a princess laptop and they love it. The games range in difficulty and so far they can't get enough.The messages from the princess' are they fave!Best Deals for VTech - Disney Princess - Magical Learn and Go
I bought this vtech magical princess learn and go for my 4 yr old daughters bday and she loves it.It keeps her busy for hrs....what I like best is all the learning games and NO cartridges!Honest reviews on VTech - Disney Princess - Magical Learn and Go
Its very entertaining yet educational. Love the QWERTY keyboard and my daughters love all the princess talk. Perfect for my 4yo to understand and interact with the activities.Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for VTech - Disney Princess - Magical Learn and Go
I got this for my husbands friends kid for Christmas, and it was a lot bigger than what I thought it was going to be which was wonderful. I was glad to see that it also came with batteries and worked very well. She is 6, and usually loves playing with outside toys, so I hope that she likes it.
Best VTech Bugsby Reading System Pen and Starter Book Deals
We first purchased the Tag for our (then) 5 year old son, but could not get the audio to download. After numerous emails to LeapFrog and many tries on several different (family & friends) computers, we just could not get it to work. Very disappointing as I felt that it was truly a quality product. The only book he can use with it is the one it came with.
Enter the Bugsby. Each book has it's own cartridge which has a place for storage inside the back cover. For that reason I gave it an extra star for "ease of use" (at least for us!). As long as you don't loose these you're good to go and can change out the cartridge for a new story as many times as you want(the Tag could only store 5 stories at a time, if you wanted to add more you add to remove another). The pen device works in the same manner as a Tag. It has a place for headphones to be plugged in, buttons to adjust the volume up and down and a "read the whole story" button.
As far as the book that comes with it goes, it's a simple story about how Bugsby, who has lost his glasses, searches within different stories (accompanied by his friends Josh and Hanna)to find them. Along the way it labels different animals, and includes "game" buttons on each page (with "stop", "repeat", "yes" and "no" buttons to be used with it). Games include things such as "Find the animal next to the squirrel", "What animal begins with this sound 'p'?", "Do these words have the same vowel sound, 'cup'/'mat'?" and have different levels. Touching in different areas of the book produce little silly sounds, characters saying a few phrases, and short songs. The back of the book includes a two page spread of the alphabet with games to go along with it and a "Story Writer" spread which allows the child to come up with several versions of a short story, changing the character, action and setting. The book has the option to read each individual page or the whole book. I would say the reading level is K-2 depending on the child.
Overall my son (and I) like this product. I don't think it offers quite as many games or levels of play as the Tag, and the way the narrator voice of the book says certain words sounds strange to me (the T's are overemphasized on certain words other character voices are fine though). But considering the lower price and the fact that you don't have to worry about downloading anything, the Bugsby worked much better for us.
We have owned the Tag for some time and my 4 1/2 year old loves it. We have recently turned OFF the TV altogether, except for some on weekends. Before that, he could have cared less about the Tag. Now he loves it. I love it too. Great toy. I haven't had one problem with the downloading part. Only thing...I see no point in owning more than 10 books (do we really need more?). Our Tag only holds ten and I WON'T connect to the computer that often to change around books. The toy is very smart and it's a huge hit.
I recently purchased the Bugsby...mainly because I thought my son would love it. He does miss his "friends" from TV and VTech's books have a lot of the characters that he recognizes. It's nice too. Sings a lot more than the Tag (you have the option of turning off the music). Also when you touch the page on a certain spot it gives three (or more) responses...that's different than Tag. If you touch a spot with Tag, it's the same every time. Adds a bit of variety. It's cheaper than the Tag...books cheaper too. My son loves seeing SuperWhy and World World. But, after seeing a new, exciting toy and playing with it for a bit...he asked for his Tag during quiet time. The cartridges are hard for a 4 year old to put in (sort of hard for a 31 year old too!) My 7 year old handled it well, but my little guy will no way be able to handle that for a while. If they were easier to put in, it might be a nicer feature over Tag because there is no connecting to the computer.
Anyway, overall, they are both very nice toys. The Bugsby is great, but comes in slightly lower than the Tag in our opinion.
They both love it so far. It's still early as they've only had it for a day so far. I will update this as we use this more, but initially, I was trying to decide between this and the Tag system. There were good reviews for both systems as well as some complaints about quality issues.
After reading reviews on both, it appears both products do the same thing. Bugsby was onsale and about a third of the price. Bugsby's books were also cheaper, and I didn't see any reason that convinced me that I should get the Tag.
Tag vs Bugsby summary of differences
Tag hold 10 books which are downloaded.
Bugsby uses cartriges.
There are Pros/Cons to both approaches. Catridges can be lost (there is a plaeholder in each book) Downloads require installing software, downloading, and syncing with the pen)
Tag has more books to choose from
Bugsby costs less.
I also liked that we didn't have to get the computer involved with downloading stuff. The cartridge system works great in our home and my kids are very good about putting away the cartridges after reading each book.
The books are durable and the pen appears to be so as well. My very destructive 4 year old hasn't broken it yet!
My only complaint with this toy is the battery life. It is ridiculously short. My daughter can only really play with this toy for maybe an hour straight before the batteries need to be changed on the little bug. So, get a battery charger and keep the batteries charged at all times.
Otherwise, it's a great toy.
Enter the Bugsby. Each book has it's own cartridge which has a place for storage inside the back cover. For that reason I gave it an extra star for "ease of use" (at least for us!). As long as you don't loose these you're good to go and can change out the cartridge for a new story as many times as you want(the Tag could only store 5 stories at a time, if you wanted to add more you add to remove another). The pen device works in the same manner as a Tag. It has a place for headphones to be plugged in, buttons to adjust the volume up and down and a "read the whole story" button.
As far as the book that comes with it goes, it's a simple story about how Bugsby, who has lost his glasses, searches within different stories (accompanied by his friends Josh and Hanna)to find them. Along the way it labels different animals, and includes "game" buttons on each page (with "stop", "repeat", "yes" and "no" buttons to be used with it). Games include things such as "Find the animal next to the squirrel", "What animal begins with this sound 'p'?", "Do these words have the same vowel sound, 'cup'/'mat'?" and have different levels. Touching in different areas of the book produce little silly sounds, characters saying a few phrases, and short songs. The back of the book includes a two page spread of the alphabet with games to go along with it and a "Story Writer" spread which allows the child to come up with several versions of a short story, changing the character, action and setting. The book has the option to read each individual page or the whole book. I would say the reading level is K-2 depending on the child.
Overall my son (and I) like this product. I don't think it offers quite as many games or levels of play as the Tag, and the way the narrator voice of the book says certain words sounds strange to me (the T's are overemphasized on certain words other character voices are fine though). But considering the lower price and the fact that you don't have to worry about downloading anything, the Bugsby worked much better for us.
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This review will compare the Leapfrog Tag and the VTech Bugsby. Thought maybe this would help others in their decision making.We have owned the Tag for some time and my 4 1/2 year old loves it. We have recently turned OFF the TV altogether, except for some on weekends. Before that, he could have cared less about the Tag. Now he loves it. I love it too. Great toy. I haven't had one problem with the downloading part. Only thing...I see no point in owning more than 10 books (do we really need more?). Our Tag only holds ten and I WON'T connect to the computer that often to change around books. The toy is very smart and it's a huge hit.
I recently purchased the Bugsby...mainly because I thought my son would love it. He does miss his "friends" from TV and VTech's books have a lot of the characters that he recognizes. It's nice too. Sings a lot more than the Tag (you have the option of turning off the music). Also when you touch the page on a certain spot it gives three (or more) responses...that's different than Tag. If you touch a spot with Tag, it's the same every time. Adds a bit of variety. It's cheaper than the Tag...books cheaper too. My son loves seeing SuperWhy and World World. But, after seeing a new, exciting toy and playing with it for a bit...he asked for his Tag during quiet time. The cartridges are hard for a 4 year old to put in (sort of hard for a 31 year old too!) My 7 year old handled it well, but my little guy will no way be able to handle that for a while. If they were easier to put in, it might be a nicer feature over Tag because there is no connecting to the computer.
Anyway, overall, they are both very nice toys. The Bugsby is great, but comes in slightly lower than the Tag in our opinion.
Best Deals for VTech Bugsby Reading System Pen and Starter Book
I bought this for my 4 year old daughter since she has started trying to read. I also have a daughter who's almost 2.They both love it so far. It's still early as they've only had it for a day so far. I will update this as we use this more, but initially, I was trying to decide between this and the Tag system. There were good reviews for both systems as well as some complaints about quality issues.
After reading reviews on both, it appears both products do the same thing. Bugsby was onsale and about a third of the price. Bugsby's books were also cheaper, and I didn't see any reason that convinced me that I should get the Tag.
Tag vs Bugsby summary of differences
Tag hold 10 books which are downloaded.
Bugsby uses cartriges.
There are Pros/Cons to both approaches. Catridges can be lost (there is a plaeholder in each book) Downloads require installing software, downloading, and syncing with the pen)
Tag has more books to choose from
Bugsby costs less.
Honest reviews on VTech Bugsby Reading System Pen and Starter Book
I went back and forth between purchasing this or the Tag system. What sold me on this one was the books offered. My kids love Wow Wow Wubzy, Olivia, Max and Ruby, Wonder Pets and so on. I did not see some of these characters offered in the Tag system (at least not back in November when I was Christmas shopping).I also liked that we didn't have to get the computer involved with downloading stuff. The cartridge system works great in our home and my kids are very good about putting away the cartridges after reading each book.
The books are durable and the pen appears to be so as well. My very destructive 4 year old hasn't broken it yet!
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We got the Bugsby reading system for our 3 year old daughter for Christmas this year. She is OBSESSED with this toy. Loves it. There are a ton of options with the different books from matching games, reading games, straight reading through the book, and word searches.My only complaint with this toy is the battery life. It is ridiculously short. My daughter can only really play with this toy for maybe an hour straight before the batteries need to be changed on the little bug. So, get a battery charger and keep the batteries charged at all times.
Otherwise, it's a great toy.
Review of Remo RHYTHM CLUBr, Floor Tom, 10"
I bought this for my 2-year old. I wanted a real drum not a toy, so I looked for the brand used in her Music Together class. This is a professional quality drum. Durable construction and great sound quality. Amazon had this on sale and the price could not be beat!
This was delivered before the estimated delivery date and the quality of the product is excellent! Very durable, especially for a two year old boy.
I will not hesitate in purchasing from this buyer again.
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This toy is loud and durable. Toddlers will love it; parents might not. After all, after giving the gift, grandparents can return to their own quiet domicile.Best Deals for Remo RHYTHM CLUBr, Floor Tom, 10"
I recevied the drum today and am very pleased with the value/quality. Shipping was very good too. Will recommend buying this product from thsi company.Honest reviews on Remo RHYTHM CLUBr, Floor Tom, 10"
I purchased this as a Birthday Gift and I wasn't disappointed at all.This was delivered before the estimated delivery date and the quality of the product is excellent! Very durable, especially for a two year old boy.
I will not hesitate in purchasing from this buyer again.
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I ordered this months ago and it has been used weekly since it arrived. Very satisfied customer. Sturdy enough to be used as a drum and a step stool.Best Anatex Six-Sided Play Cube Deals
Very impressed. Sturdy and well made. Lots of activities. Will provide many hours of play for kids. I couldn't find one fault with it. Well worth the money. I would definitely buy again.
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For one I LOVE it's made in the good old US of A. Also it's a wooden learning toy that will last well beyond my kids having kids. I have an almost 3 year old and 1 year old twins and ALL three can play and learn at the same time without trampling on each other's space. Well worth the money and a lot better than spending $10 bucks here or there on cheap China made produces that won't last longer than a bad cold.Best Deals for Anatex Six-Sided Play Cube
Got this for granddaughter she is 2 years old and loves it. Emjoyed seeing her face when she saw it. Out will be memorable.Honest reviews on Anatex Six-Sided Play Cube
This activity center is VERY expensive. It is NOT made with parent or grandparents in mind. It is made for waiting rooms like pediatricians' offices. Too bad. There are lots of activity centers/play cubes on the market aimed at parents and grandparents, and most are far less expensive than this Anatex model, but they are NOT as stimulating or sturdy, nor do they offer as many different activities. I have four Grandchildren and they can all play with the cube at the same time. They seem to enjoy the five different activities, the colorful beads, the grinding of the gears, and moving through the mazes. Yes, this cube is very expensive, but some purchases are easier to justify than others.Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Anatex Six-Sided Play Cube
It is fun to see several kids playing with this toy at once. We adults are especially happy because this toy does not end up in the children's mouths. The one thing this large toy lacks is casters on the bottom, which would make it easier to move.Non-Slip Grip Silicone Skin Case for LeapFrog® LeapPad® Tablet Reviews
List Price: $19.48
Sale Price: $7.15
Today's Bonus: 63% Off
great price only bad thing is it doesn't allow the charger to be plugged in without adjusting the skin. does seem to work every other way
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it fits the console well, not perfect, but it fits, holds up fairly well, my son ripped one piece off, but he is really destructive, so im just suprised that it still remains in one pieceBest Deals for Non-Slip Grip Silicone Skin Case for LeapFrog® LeapPad® Tablet
Well as expected. Not great, not fabulous, nothing out of the ordinary. Just ok for what it was intended. Didn't really need it.Honest reviews on Non-Slip Grip Silicone Skin Case for LeapFrog® LeapPad® Tablet
I only put one star on the questions about being fun & educational because it's a cover for a toy.Best LeapFrog LeapReader Interactive Human Body Discovery Set (works Deals
Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program I gave this to my nearly 6 year old, and he hasn't been able to stop playing. He even had to bring it over to a playdate to show it off. I asked him how he liked it, and he said, "Great!" There you go-that's a 6 year old's code for "5 stars."
We've been a huge fan of the Tag pen and books, and this one is no exception. Actually, it might be the best one that we own yet. I think that there's only one negative aspect to the Tag reading system, and that is that the Tag pen will not hold enough books. Keep that in mind if you're looking to get more Tag books. This book takes up a good chunk of the pen's memory storage, so if you already have a lot of Tag books loaded on your pen, you'll probably have to make some room.
is it worth it? Definitely. It is a kid-friendly introduction to the body. With a press of the pen, the child can learn about various systems-the skeletal, nervous, digestive, respiratory and muscular systems. There's a "board game" that quizzes the child on what they've learned with true/false ("yes" or "no") answers. For example, the game will ask if the femur is part of the skeletal system, and if they get the correct answer, they move an extra space. This game can have one or two players, which is great because my son can play by himself or invite his younger sister, a friend, or me to join him. There are tons more that this Discovery Pack teaches-my son has literally already spent hours playing with it, and I'm sure he has hours more before he'll even begin to get bored. He's traced the path of the digestive system. He's learning about how different animals' bodies differ from our own. He's learned about the brain being the control center of the body. He's learning correct words for parts of the body that I would never expect a 6 year old to know! The Discovery Pack even has an original song that he's been singing along with. He's learning, and he's having fun-it makes me so happy to witness!
The Discovery Pack also includes some stickers, which we haven't even touched yet. The stickers work with the Tag reading pen, which sounds like they'll be a lot of fun, too. He'll be able to build a glow in the dark skeleton and fill out milestones on a growth chart.
I'm very excited to learn what else my son will discover with this set, and possibly get more of these Read and Learn packs! We might have to make more room on our pens, but I think it will be worth it.
Age wise, this was perfect for my five year old. The pictures aren't too detailed, and not over simplified either. I'd like to think he could learn all the different names for bones, etc...but if not, at least he sees how complex his body is, and I've already used it to show him where his tummy-ache is coming from.
It also comes with a cute fold out growth chart with health reminders.
In all, the information is useful and age-appropriate.
But here's the thing: it's the TAG system itself that annoys me. When you have a TAG, you buy the device and you buy the books or games, but you aren't done. Instead of providing audio (the basis to which the entire program works) on CD, you have to install Leapfrog's setup on to your computer (which took quite awhile, even though I already had the LeapFrog Explorer). You have to connect via USB, follow the vague computer instructions and finally, slowly, download the audio to your computer and THEN download it to the TAG reader. It seems an extra hassle. I wouldn't mind it if it were on a CD, but it seems unreasonable to have to go online to get to the guts of it all, especially if you have a kid breathing down your neck eager to play.
Additionally, while you can download the audio to your TAG, it can't hold every book/game you've purchased, so at times you have to get rid of audio files on TAG (they remain on your computer, though) to make room for new ones. That means keeping track of which games/books are "in play" and which aren't.
I like the TAG, I've also purchased the Phonics set, the Solar System, etc (not on VINE, on my own) and my son does like them. Each time I do the downloads for audio though I get irritated. Perhaps because this isn't a "cartridge" game system...which ultimately is much easier to manage.
However, my two cents is this: buy the Leapfrog Explorer or LeapPad. Yes, it costs more, but has more options. He doesn't get bored with that, ever. Whereas with TAG he gets distracted easily. And believe it or not, his eye doctor actually recommended the Leapfrog Explorer for his eyes because one was wandering a bit (it helps the two focus together).
TAG will not last (in interest) as long as the more expensive Explorer, which makes games up to eight and nine years of age. TAG ages out about 5 or 6. You'll get far more use, and more sturdiness, from the Explorer.
The set comes with a double-sided, fold-out, six-panel "book" that contains information on the skeletal, muscular, digestive, respiratory/circulatory, and nervous systems along with the skin and a large three-pane diagram of the body and a selection of games. Also included is an interactive growth chart (with songs) and stickers. Tag reader is not included (though Vine reviewers were sent one).
I was expecting it to be like the rest of the Tag books, where it contains a story and a variety of fun games. This is not like that. There's no overarcing explanation to follow along. It's just touching parts and getting the names, along with a bit of explanation. Props for its interactivity, a great way to learn without simply memorizing the names and functions. Some of the systems are presented well. Others (such as the muscular system) are so basic it was barely worth including them. The games are a bit too challenging or vague, such as body detective, which says near/far as random organs are pressed. I found the songs jarring and annoying; my son didn't care for them either. There's a lot here, but none of it seems very engaging or coherently presented in my opinion.
This is sure to be a hit if your child is already showing an interest in how the body works. Otherwise, another Tag product might be better for them. My son is six and he didn't get much of anything out of this. Maybe in a few years it will make more sense.
The Interactive Human Body Discovery Pack is sort of between being a book and a board game. It's sized like a book, has a total of 12 'pages', and can be read like a book. But like a board game it's made from the same sort of heavy card stock that board game boards are made of and it can completely unfold accordion-style. This double-purpose setup means that my child can explore the book just as easily in the back seat of the car as she can spread out on her play table at home. One small improvement I would have liked to see is better waterproofing of the pages. My daughter accidentally spilled some water on it and, though it was quickly wiped up, the paper soaked up the water pretty quickly. No lasting damage came about but still, better waterproofing would have been appreciated.
Before I continue, a note to prudish parents: There is no penis, vagina, or boobs in this product. The closest your child gets to "naughty bits" is the rectum and its inevitable byproducts.
Each side of the board has six panels (pages). One side of the board has the intro page giving a brief exposition on how people are all different on the inside and the outside, as well as icons letting you select Level 1 or Level 2, the latter giving a slightly more challenging set of games for your child. There's also a page extolling the virtues of "your amazing body" and the things it can do, and a page about your skin and the different parts of it. Those three panels are "top to bottom" panels that you read like a book. The remaining three panels form a single image giving a general overview of the inside of your body and are meant to be viewed "centerfold style" where you have to turn the book to see the whole thing.
The flipside of the board covers the skeletal, muscular, digestive, respiratory & circulatory, and nervous systems, plus has a small board game called "Making Healthy Choices". Every panel has a bunch of facts and sound bytes that your child can freely explore, as well as a simple game tailored to each specific system. For example, the muscular system game may ask the child to identify a muscle used when running, while a digestive system game may ask the child to trace a path from the mouth to the stomach.
I've found that the panels provide a good amount of information without getting too detailed. The panel for the skeletal system, for example, points out just 21 bones, a far cry from the 206 bones in an adult human. But the 21 call-outs are logical in their distinction and many of them are properly pluralized (e.g., "metacarpals" as a group). This provides a good amount of accurate information without unnecessarily overwhelming younger readers. Oddly, however, the muscular system panel is unique amongst the panels in that it has no call-outs at all, though tapping the TAG reader on the muscles does give you the information.
The "Making Healthy Choices" panel is sort of like Candy Land as you play it. The goal is to travel the path from morning to night while making healthy choices along the way. The game inevitably allows the child to win; it's virtually impossible to make an "unhealthy choice" as you play the game.
So, what's not to like about this system? Not much. The games can get a little repetitive to adult ears, but my child seems to enjoy the repetition and there's no doubt that she's learned a few things through that repetition. And like all TAG titles you need to download and install the TAG data to the stylus. I don't see this as being a negative but like all TAG titles there's no immediate gratification for the child, so you can decide that for yourself. And I would have liked to have seen a "Level 3" difficulty level as well as having the ability to set the level for individual panels.
Overall I think this is an excellent introduction to the human body for young children and recommend it highly.
I'd say my 3-year-old and 5-year-olds have enjoyed it the most because the body is still quite a mystery to them. My older boys have learned quite a bit in school already and were less impressed with the information presented.
It's a fun system, but I will warn you that the picture makes it look like there is a lot more included than there really is. There are several sticker sheets that DO work with the tag pen, but my kids made short work of them, creating different monsters out of body parts, and then the stickers were never seen again. So I wouldn't say that was a very durable part of the package. However, I would absolutely recommend this for a road trip when they would have plenty of time to explore each and every thing. It would keep them busy for hours.
We've been a huge fan of the Tag pen and books, and this one is no exception. Actually, it might be the best one that we own yet. I think that there's only one negative aspect to the Tag reading system, and that is that the Tag pen will not hold enough books. Keep that in mind if you're looking to get more Tag books. This book takes up a good chunk of the pen's memory storage, so if you already have a lot of Tag books loaded on your pen, you'll probably have to make some room.
is it worth it? Definitely. It is a kid-friendly introduction to the body. With a press of the pen, the child can learn about various systems-the skeletal, nervous, digestive, respiratory and muscular systems. There's a "board game" that quizzes the child on what they've learned with true/false ("yes" or "no") answers. For example, the game will ask if the femur is part of the skeletal system, and if they get the correct answer, they move an extra space. This game can have one or two players, which is great because my son can play by himself or invite his younger sister, a friend, or me to join him. There are tons more that this Discovery Pack teaches-my son has literally already spent hours playing with it, and I'm sure he has hours more before he'll even begin to get bored. He's traced the path of the digestive system. He's learning about how different animals' bodies differ from our own. He's learned about the brain being the control center of the body. He's learning correct words for parts of the body that I would never expect a 6 year old to know! The Discovery Pack even has an original song that he's been singing along with. He's learning, and he's having fun-it makes me so happy to witness!
The Discovery Pack also includes some stickers, which we haven't even touched yet. The stickers work with the Tag reading pen, which sounds like they'll be a lot of fun, too. He'll be able to build a glow in the dark skeleton and fill out milestones on a growth chart.
I'm very excited to learn what else my son will discover with this set, and possibly get more of these Read and Learn packs! We might have to make more room on our pens, but I think it will be worth it.
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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program First off, the Human Body Discovery Pack is pretty neat...it's not book form like the other Tag products, but an accordian style board with 9 views of inside and outside the body. Skeletal, muscular, digestive, respiratory, nervous system: these are four separate pages. One is a "making healthy choices" game board, 2 pages are an up-close anatomy view, one page on skin, and one on the body's ability's to do many things. Kids can play a game (two levels), repeat sections aloud,and the others are interactive generic pages. I like it that kids are asked questions.Age wise, this was perfect for my five year old. The pictures aren't too detailed, and not over simplified either. I'd like to think he could learn all the different names for bones, etc...but if not, at least he sees how complex his body is, and I've already used it to show him where his tummy-ache is coming from.
It also comes with a cute fold out growth chart with health reminders.
In all, the information is useful and age-appropriate.
But here's the thing: it's the TAG system itself that annoys me. When you have a TAG, you buy the device and you buy the books or games, but you aren't done. Instead of providing audio (the basis to which the entire program works) on CD, you have to install Leapfrog's setup on to your computer (which took quite awhile, even though I already had the LeapFrog Explorer). You have to connect via USB, follow the vague computer instructions and finally, slowly, download the audio to your computer and THEN download it to the TAG reader. It seems an extra hassle. I wouldn't mind it if it were on a CD, but it seems unreasonable to have to go online to get to the guts of it all, especially if you have a kid breathing down your neck eager to play.
Additionally, while you can download the audio to your TAG, it can't hold every book/game you've purchased, so at times you have to get rid of audio files on TAG (they remain on your computer, though) to make room for new ones. That means keeping track of which games/books are "in play" and which aren't.
I like the TAG, I've also purchased the Phonics set, the Solar System, etc (not on VINE, on my own) and my son does like them. Each time I do the downloads for audio though I get irritated. Perhaps because this isn't a "cartridge" game system...which ultimately is much easier to manage.
However, my two cents is this: buy the Leapfrog Explorer or LeapPad. Yes, it costs more, but has more options. He doesn't get bored with that, ever. Whereas with TAG he gets distracted easily. And believe it or not, his eye doctor actually recommended the Leapfrog Explorer for his eyes because one was wandering a bit (it helps the two focus together).
TAG will not last (in interest) as long as the more expensive Explorer, which makes games up to eight and nine years of age. TAG ages out about 5 or 6. You'll get far more use, and more sturdiness, from the Explorer.
Best Deals for LeapFrog LeapReader Interactive Human Body Discovery Set (works
Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program I'm a bit surprised to see all the positive reviews of this product. It's definitely geared more toward older kids (ones who can read), and while it's definitely educational, I can't say it's very fun.The set comes with a double-sided, fold-out, six-panel "book" that contains information on the skeletal, muscular, digestive, respiratory/circulatory, and nervous systems along with the skin and a large three-pane diagram of the body and a selection of games. Also included is an interactive growth chart (with songs) and stickers. Tag reader is not included (though Vine reviewers were sent one).
I was expecting it to be like the rest of the Tag books, where it contains a story and a variety of fun games. This is not like that. There's no overarcing explanation to follow along. It's just touching parts and getting the names, along with a bit of explanation. Props for its interactivity, a great way to learn without simply memorizing the names and functions. Some of the systems are presented well. Others (such as the muscular system) are so basic it was barely worth including them. The games are a bit too challenging or vague, such as body detective, which says near/far as random organs are pressed. I found the songs jarring and annoying; my son didn't care for them either. There's a lot here, but none of it seems very engaging or coherently presented in my opinion.
This is sure to be a hit if your child is already showing an interest in how the body works. Otherwise, another Tag product might be better for them. My son is six and he didn't get much of anything out of this. Maybe in a few years it will make more sense.
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Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program My daughter is five years old and is starting Kindergarten very soon. While she has general familiarity with anatomy I thought it couldn't hurt to give her a little extra. We've got several TAG books which she thoroughly loves reading as well as a TAG map of the United States which she's less interested in so I wasn't entirely sure how she'd take to this one.The Interactive Human Body Discovery Pack is sort of between being a book and a board game. It's sized like a book, has a total of 12 'pages', and can be read like a book. But like a board game it's made from the same sort of heavy card stock that board game boards are made of and it can completely unfold accordion-style. This double-purpose setup means that my child can explore the book just as easily in the back seat of the car as she can spread out on her play table at home. One small improvement I would have liked to see is better waterproofing of the pages. My daughter accidentally spilled some water on it and, though it was quickly wiped up, the paper soaked up the water pretty quickly. No lasting damage came about but still, better waterproofing would have been appreciated.
Before I continue, a note to prudish parents: There is no penis, vagina, or boobs in this product. The closest your child gets to "naughty bits" is the rectum and its inevitable byproducts.
Each side of the board has six panels (pages). One side of the board has the intro page giving a brief exposition on how people are all different on the inside and the outside, as well as icons letting you select Level 1 or Level 2, the latter giving a slightly more challenging set of games for your child. There's also a page extolling the virtues of "your amazing body" and the things it can do, and a page about your skin and the different parts of it. Those three panels are "top to bottom" panels that you read like a book. The remaining three panels form a single image giving a general overview of the inside of your body and are meant to be viewed "centerfold style" where you have to turn the book to see the whole thing.
The flipside of the board covers the skeletal, muscular, digestive, respiratory & circulatory, and nervous systems, plus has a small board game called "Making Healthy Choices". Every panel has a bunch of facts and sound bytes that your child can freely explore, as well as a simple game tailored to each specific system. For example, the muscular system game may ask the child to identify a muscle used when running, while a digestive system game may ask the child to trace a path from the mouth to the stomach.
I've found that the panels provide a good amount of information without getting too detailed. The panel for the skeletal system, for example, points out just 21 bones, a far cry from the 206 bones in an adult human. But the 21 call-outs are logical in their distinction and many of them are properly pluralized (e.g., "metacarpals" as a group). This provides a good amount of accurate information without unnecessarily overwhelming younger readers. Oddly, however, the muscular system panel is unique amongst the panels in that it has no call-outs at all, though tapping the TAG reader on the muscles does give you the information.
The "Making Healthy Choices" panel is sort of like Candy Land as you play it. The goal is to travel the path from morning to night while making healthy choices along the way. The game inevitably allows the child to win; it's virtually impossible to make an "unhealthy choice" as you play the game.
So, what's not to like about this system? Not much. The games can get a little repetitive to adult ears, but my child seems to enjoy the repetition and there's no doubt that she's learned a few things through that repetition. And like all TAG titles you need to download and install the TAG data to the stylus. I don't see this as being a negative but like all TAG titles there's no immediate gratification for the child, so you can decide that for yourself. And I would have liked to have seen a "Level 3" difficulty level as well as having the ability to set the level for individual panels.
Overall I think this is an excellent introduction to the human body for young children and recommend it highly.
Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for LeapFrog LeapReader Interactive Human Body Discovery Set (works
Customer review from the Amazon Vine Program I am a mom of four boys, ages 3 to 10, and we are big fans of the Tag learning system. This Human Body Discovery Pack is a fun addition to our library. The book itself isn't really a book, but more like a fold-out board book. It has six panels, firmly connected, and decorated both front and back. It gives a basic overview of the body systems and the hidden clues and catchy little songs make it fun for the kids to explore.I'd say my 3-year-old and 5-year-olds have enjoyed it the most because the body is still quite a mystery to them. My older boys have learned quite a bit in school already and were less impressed with the information presented.
It's a fun system, but I will warn you that the picture makes it look like there is a lot more included than there really is. There are several sticker sheets that DO work with the tag pen, but my kids made short work of them, creating different monsters out of body parts, and then the stickers were never seen again. So I wouldn't say that was a very durable part of the package. However, I would absolutely recommend this for a road trip when they would have plenty of time to explore each and every thing. It would keep them busy for hours.
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