Leap Frog Fridge Phonics Magnets: What Do You Think?

[August Mom]

Any opinions on the Leap Frog Fridge Phonics Magnets? http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/sr=8-1/qid=1067440791/ref=sr_8_1/601-1373046-0256163?asin=B000096QNK

Are they durable? Do they have strong magnets? Is the talking/music too annoying? Would I be better off with cheap plastic letters?

These magnets got good reviews on Amazon/Target, but you ladies are the experts so I thought I'd find out what you thought.

By the way, my mom got DS some adorable magnets from PBK. They are painted wooden rectangles and come in a little metal lunchbox. I love them. However, DS is just not ready for them. He likes to throw them on the floor and a couple of the letters are nicked up. So, I've put those away for now. For those of you with older or less destructive children, the PBK ones are known as the "ABC Chalkboard Set" although I didn't see them on-line when I looked.

[andrewsmom]

I got this for my 12 month DS a couple of weeks ago. Most often, he usually just throws all the letters on the floor. But now he's starting to play the music and do his little dance to it. Unlike some other toys, I don't think the music is that annoying. The letters are made of plastic, and so far they're holding up fine with all the throwing on the floor.

[CherylT]

I was searching for some other Leap Frog info and ran across this post. I have both the regular frig magnets and we just got the Phonics magnets about a month ago. DS likes both (he likes pulling them off and throwing them on the ground as well :)) and loves dancing to the music. At 12mo he is able to turn the music on himself which is cute. The one thing I like about the Phonics set is that they are bigger pieces and don't get lost under the frig :)! I've always hated having to get out a yard stick to try to fetch the others from underneath. They seem very well made and stick to the frig very well. HTH

Cheryl
SAHM to Lilli 9/20/00 & Alec 10/21/02

[bluej]

Target also has the wooden alphabet block magnets for $7.99. I don't know how that compares to the PBK price, but I'm guessing it's cheaper :)

[brigmaman]

I picked up the LF Magnet set at BJ's a few weeks ago for 12.99. It was supposed to be a Christmas gift... but mommy got antsy! My ds is 15 months and loves it. He played with it the whole time we shopped. For 30 minutes we heard, "E. E says e and E says eh, every letter makes a sound, E says e... and eh!" in that little LF voice (same voice on LF piano). There are two levels for volume and if you press the little music note the voice sings the ABC's. I only put about half of the letters on the fridge because 26 seemed overwhelming. My son takes them in and out himself but only puts them back on the fridge sometimes. I could probably put a basket there and that would work better. So far we love it.

[lisams]

All of the reviews at Amazon were great. The package says 2+, do you think it would be okay for a 12 month old? Are there any small pieces that could break off? DD would probably put them in her mouth, so you think that would be safe for her. She loves to push around the magnets on our refrigerator but I've had to put them up since she throws them so Im really interested in these.

Thanks!
Lisa

[CherylT]

My son just turned one too and they are definitely large enough for 1yo to play with. I'd say the letters are about 2 in x 1 in x 1 in. HTH

Cheryl
SAHM to Lilli 9/20/00 & Alec 10/21/02

[jojo2324]

Trish, you got these at BJs? I was just up there and missed them! Drats!

[Sophies Mom 2004]

I LOVE these magnets! They are great when you are in the kitchen cooking, cleaning up, etc. My DD started using them when she was 10 months old, and by 18 months, she knew all the letters in the alphabet! I really attribute this to the letters more than anything, as I am a working mother, and do not have much time to "work" on the alphabet with her.

Jen
Mom to Sophie 6/21/04
and mom-to-be of Josh 9/17/06

[CecilysMom]

We have these, and they are great. My sister-in-law bought them at Wal Mart and for the same price as Target, it also came with a set of numbers. I have also seen the lower case extra set at Target too.

[vdrake71]

I also have them. We bought them at Toys R Us for $9.99 during their 12 days of Christmas sale. My favorite part of this toy is the button you can push to make it sing the ABC. I also like the volume control.

[TraciG]

we have both also , the one with the animals & the letters, we've had the animal one a long time & Sydney still plays with it, I would recommend both of them, I like the music too !!

[Sarah1]

We got these as a gift for Audrey's second birthday. They don't stick to stainless steel, though, so when she played with them she just had them all out on the floor. She wasn't that into them.

[SpaceGal]

DS got these for his one year birthday from a friend of ours. All the kids at his party loved them...ages ranging from 9 months to 4 years old. Each family that left our party ended up running and buying a set for their kids. So it was a big HIT for every family and they all feel it's so educational and it helps the older children learn the alphabet and the younger ones find it fun and it keeps them busy.

[Ceepa]

Anyone else notice the original post was from 2003?

LOL.

But to add my 2 cents, we have them and DS likes them even after a year.

[emmiem]

They scratched on black fridge. It was not the letters but the battery cover on the back of the unit. Went in the trash after that.
Michele

[kimbe]

Thanks so much for this post. I had been thinking about getting the farm set for DD (nephew has it), but I thought that she was too young! I read this thread and decided to get them. We got them for DD yesterday and she LOVES them. She can't put the magnets in very well, but she loves taking them out and playing with them and playing the music! Thanks again!!!!

[KBecks]

I was given one as a gift and about 1/3 of the letters didn't work, and I think M said X.

I exchanged for another, that also didn't work correctly. That was the end of our experimentation with the product, I think it stinks.

[pampamz]

DS loved it from about age 1-2 -- I have to honestly say I highly doubt it helped him learn his ABCs but he sure enjoyed the noise it made. Some of the ltrs are a bit wanky re: pronounciation. DD is 10mo and she is starting to play around with it now.
FYI -- if I was to buy one now I'd get the animal one.
That's my $0.02 worth!