V-Tech vs. Leapster

[josephsmom]

Hi, all. I'm starting to think about b'day and Hanukkah gifts for DS, who will be turning 5. Does anyone have opinions about the Leapster and V-Tech systems? Which do you prefer and why? TIA!

Helene
Mommy to Joseph 12/29/01

[Elilly]

Another interested mama. Bump!

[thumpaone]

I am trying to make the decision for a game to keep at my house for my nieces and nephews. I read a review on eopinions that said the child like the V-tech but the mother felt the games for Leapster were more educational. I think I'm going to go with the Leapster because they seem to have more games as the child gets older. I think the children will grow out of Vtech sooner.

[mommyto2]

I personally didn't like the V-tech. We received it as a gift. It was more about learning how to use a joystick. Leapfrog products tend to be better.

[redhookmom]

We have both the Leapster and the V-Smile. My kids (4 and 7) play with the Leapster more then they should. The V-Smile hardly gets played with. I think the games on the Leapster are more interesting. They are more entertainment then education BUT my son has learned to count by 2s and 5s thanks to the leapster. And it has reinforced his addition and subtraction facts. My dd who is obcessed with letters anyway loves all of the phonics and letter recognition games.

[raynjen]

I can't speak to the V-Tech games, but my daughter has and loves the Leapster. It is one of the few things that she has had for a LONG time that she still loves. We limit how much she plays it, but she will play with it every week. I keep thinking she will "outgrow" the earlier games as we get her new ones, but she still rotates throught them frequently. They ARE very educational (you should hear her go on and on about the different ecosystems of the world and the different animals that you find there - Animal Genius cartridge) yet they are still fun. Don't overlook the "movie" catridges that play "videos". She has at least three of these including two of the Schoolhouse Rock cartridges - Grammer Rock and America Rock (yes, the same ones we saw on TV when we were kids). Nothing like having your child going around singing a jingle you learned as a kid! We originally bought this as entertainment for our mutiplve cross-Pacific flights. We used to live overseas and regularly went on 8 and 9 hour flights. It paid for itself on the first flight as far as I'm concerned and is still going strong. We bought the charger when we got the Leapster and it has never run out of juice. We've had it for over two years now.

Jen in Wichita
Mom to my beautiful little daughter, Noelle!

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