Discovery Ball? You like it, right?

[jennifer13]

I just looked at the Leap Frog Discovery Ball. I was 99% certain that most people here loved it, and I had planned on buying it for my 7 month old. But when I saw it it struck me as kind of loud and annoying. Or, maybe it IS loud and annoying but babies love it anyway? Please advise. I don't mean to insult people who love it, I just didn't remember hearing any negatives about it. Thanks!


Jennifer
Mom to Norah 5/23/03

[egoldber]

If you don't like it, then I wouldn't get it. I looked at it once in the store and was not impressed.

[houseof3boys]

It is on our Christmas list for Ryan right now. Ryan played with it in the store for a few minutes and seemed highly entertained with it! Jamie from the boards got it a few weeks ago and she said Kayla really liked it and she is 7 months old if that helps. :)

I do agree with Beth that if you find it loud and annoying now don't get it. Imagine how annoying it will be after you hear it constantly if you don't like it??!??!?!

[justlearning]

I do NOT like this ball at all. I bought it a month ago for my son (who's now 7 months), and he has shown very little interest in it since the first few days after I bought it. He has other toys that play music and light up when he spins a rattle (Sparkling Symphony mirror, Leap Frog learning table) that he likes much more. It seems that the Discovery Ball bores him after only a few minutes. And a flaw in the design is that it repeats the "A-B-C" song from the beginning if he doesn't spin it again right away. I was using the Discovery Ball on his highchair to keep him entertained while I got his food ready, but I have now replaced it with a vintage activity tray that I got for $1.50 at a thrift store--he likes this toy SO MUCH more because it has more things to spin, a bell to pull, another squeaky thing to press, balls to slide, etc. And I like it more too because it doesn't run on batteries and doesn't make any annoying sounds (I'm already getting tired of the Learning Table sounds). One more thing--if you are going to get the Learning Table, that also plays the A-B-C song, which is kinda redundant with the Discovery Ball.

I know that other babies on here have liked the Discovery Ball but in my opinion, it was a wasted $17! (I'm actually considering taking it back because he hardly even played with it.) I even tried taking it off the stand to see if he would like it more as a ball to roll but that wasn't that interesting to him either. In contrast, he loves playing with the O-Ball (I think it's called that, it's $7)--that will keep him entertained for a long time.

[McQ]

Ditto. Except I threw away my box so now I'm stuck with this toy that neither one of us like.

Allison
~ mommy to Declan 3.24.03

[alleyoop]

DS likes the ball OK, liking it more now that he has the finger power to push the letters on his own. His favorite thing is to spin it on it's stand as fast as he can to hear the entire song. THough, he doesn't search out the toy to play with and I bet wouldn't miss it if I took it away.

However...my DH HATES the toy! He likes amusing me with the letters by having it spell P.U. or F.U. or B.O. or the like. It absolutely P.O.s (ha ha, he does that one, too) him that you can't sound out words with the letter sounds. It makes this stupid chime sound that you can't avoid. I am sure it is so that people like him can't sound out bad words... but come on! :)

I agree, if you don't like it, don't get it!!

[Jeanmick]

I agree...if you think it's loud and annoying, then don't buy it. It's bad enough that toys can cost a pretty penny these days and worse if you have an expensive toy your baby does not like and it takes up space in the toy box, unused. My DD and DS happen to enjoy playing with it and so, for us, it was a good buy. I personally don't really mind the sounds/music of the ball so much since my kids like it...it's that electronic Barney Guitar that's in my DD's toy box that drives me nuts at the moment! :P

Don't worry about your thoughts on the toy. I don't feel insulted in any way. Sharing opinions and thoughts are what these forums are for. :)

[cchavez]

It was on our Xmas list. But Diego's great-grand mother got him the Leapstart Learning drum. Since we already have the Learning Table and G-m is getting him the Leapstart Spanish Kroki. I thought it would be overkill to get the ball. So I told my MIL to take that off the list but I think one of his aunts got it for him....bummer!!

[cchavez]

Since I can't find the gertie ball at a B&M store and don't want to pay shipping on it....what is the o-ball? tia

[deborah_r]

See this thread, there should be a picture of it.

http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/dcboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=12&topic_id=9813&mesg_id=9813&listing_type=search

[JillMelissa]

My daughter (6 months) HATES this ball for some reason! She got it as a gift and the second I put it in front of her, her little face crumples up and she starts to cry. I have no idea why! Maybe I'll try it again in a few weeks and see if she feels better about it then...

[McQ]

Now I need to eat crow. Declan has started playing with the ball ever since I posted earlier. It's now off the stand and he rolls around with it and picks it up. Go figure. But I'm sure if I got rid of it he wouldn't miss it.

Allison
~ mommy to Declan 3.24.03

[lisams]

We got the Discovery Ball when DD was playing with it like crazy in the store. Then we brought it home....! She notices it once and a while and spins it and then is done. I took it off the base, and she had more fun with the base then the ball itself. This toy has been a real disapointment.

Lisa