Has anyone purchased the Little Touch Leap Pad Learning System?

[KUvsOU]

I have not read any positive reviews about this and was wondering if any one the board had purchased it. If so, what are your thought and did you return it? I figure my in-laws will probably be buying this for my son. I plan on giving DH's family a list this weekend (don't know how well that will go over). If no one really likes this product, I will add this to my list as something not to buy. Thanks!

Shawna
Mom of Cade 6/16/02

[kaitlinsmommy]

I haven't read any reviews here either but I was also considering it and read several negative reviews (on Amazon, I think). Some of the parents said their children weren't very interested and the pages ripped easily. However, I would love to hear what other moms here say.

[kristie]

Hi,

Although I don't have this one, I do have the regular Leap pad for my older daughter. My younger daughter, who is 16 months, does try to play with it and has almost ripped the pages.

I too was thinking of the little touch leap pad, I know that it has tear proof baby pages, and we really like the regular leap pad.

I am hoping someone else has bought this and can review it.
I will say that we like the other leap pad we have, but not practical for a baby.

[slecompte]

I am interested in responses too, as I was thinking of getting one. Now I am disappointed that there are so many reviews.

Sheila

[vikivoly]

While DD doesn't have this, she did get to play with it. A relative who has 1 1/2 year old twin girls has it. They love it and their mom encouraged me to buy it for DD. The pages are tear resistant. The twins tear all of their regular books to shreds. DD liked it, but mostly because she liked flipping through the thin pages. All of her books are either cloth or cardboard.

It has 3 different levels. The first level is just music and sounds. The second level describes the object you select with a short phrase. The third level has sentences and rhymes.

Another nice thing is that no matter what part of the page the baby presses it says something. Her finger doesn't have to be on specific items on the page.

I didn't have a lot of time with this toy, but I think I'll put it on DD's Christmas list.

Hope this helps.

[vpalmer]

I recently bought the Little Touch Leap Pad and plan to give it to my DD for Christmas. My DH and I have "experimented" (okay, played) with it, although our daughter has not played with it yet since it is a Christmas present.

When I bought the Leap Pad about a month ago from Amazon, most of the negative reviews were from people who bought the Leap Pad expecting to give it to a baby for independent play. After playing with it IRL I can attest that this is not the purpose of this toy. A parent has to press the "Go" button on every page, although an older child may be able to figure out this concept. We will give this to DD when she is 6 months old, and I doubt she will be able to activate the activities on her own at first. This being said, I think this will be a great toy for DD and I or DH and DD to play with together. At first we will have to push the objects for or with her, but I think she will grow into it and eventually be able to work it herself. I personally like the idea of owning a toy that my daughter can grow into rather than being able to master it all on the first day.
There are three different levels of difficulty on the Little Touch Leap Pad. The first is music, the second is a short phrase and the third is a rhyme. For example, if you press a bird on level one, the bird will make a sound; on level two the pad will say something like "red bird"; on level three the pad will deliver a cute little rhyme about the bird. I thought this was another great way the Pad will grow with my daughter.

Regarding the pages, they are made out a cloth like material rather than paper. I do not think they will be all that easy to rip, although I recall reading on Amazon that they may wrinkle. Since DD has not played with the toy yet I am not sure how easily they will wrinkle, although I am not terribly worried about it.

Overall I think this will be a great toy for DD and I to use together. We love to read to her and while I don’t think this will replace that time, I do think that this toy will be a great way to incorporate playing and reading.
Sorry about the long winded post. Please let me know if I left anything out anything.


Veronica
Mom to Eva 6-12-03

[slecompte]

Veronica,

Thanks for the great detailed response. I guess all I can do is try it and see! :)

Sheila

[vikivoly]

"most of the negative reviews were from people who bought the Leap Pad expecting to give it to a baby for independent play...I think this will be a great toy for DD and I or DH and DD to play with together."

The mother of the twins I referred to in my previous post said the same thing.

[August Mom]

My mom wanted to get this for DS and we bought it during the TRU Buy 2 Leapfrog Products Get One Free Sale and I'm not sure whether we'll keep it. I did post a question about it here and I believe I got 1 response from someone who had purchased it as a Christmas gift.

I have mixed feelings about it because it's a bit complicated to operate and I think the chance of DS being able to do it anytime soon is slim. There are 3 modes. One plays background music, one is for short phrases/sentences (e.g. "I'm 1 Cow") and the third is for rhymes and such (e.g. "These yellow pants just love to dance"). You can either have the book narrated for you or you can read it yourself. When you push on different objects on the page, the pad responds with music or words depending on the mode that you've selected. When you get started, you have to make the mode and narration selections. Then, you have to press the go button on each page. If you (or your child) turns to the next page and you forget to press the go button then the sounds/phrases that you'll hear will be related to the last page on which you pressed go. This is a definite negative about the set-up because the chances of your child pressing the go button consistently is slim.

I have mixed feelings about it because I don't think it's the most user-friendly design, yet it is appealing to kids with the various words/sounds/music and pages to turn. Also, I wonder if we wouldn't have as much fun just reading regular books, having DS point to things and having me identify them. I guess if I was really creative, I'd identify them with a little rhyme. LOL

Anyway, I think it's a decent product that a child might like. I don't think it's a must-have. It's more of a luxury item. And, you need to intend to sit with your child throughout the experience to press the go button and make the book and sounds make sense.

There's my mixed review. Do with it what you will.

[votre_ami03]

I was thinking about getting this too, Nolan will be about 5 1/2 mos at Christmas. I read a few mom's liked the table (Nolan's Nana is buying that).

FYI, I any of you do buy it, I just saw an ad that K-Mart will have it for $29.99, I have a preview of next weeks (11/2 - 11/8) ad.

Christy & baby Nolan 7/22/03

[KUvsOU]

The table is great!!! I think we bought it when my son was 10 months. He plays with it all the time and we have only had to change the batteries once.

Shawna
Mom of Cade 6/16/02

[August Mom]

Definitely, the Leapstart Learning Table is awesome!

[redgus]

hi,
my two and a half dd loves "my first leap pad." so far she has not torn any pages. it did not take long for her to learn to touch go after she turned the page.
diana