LeapFrog - worth it? recommendations?

Hughesy1503

Looking into different educational things for my 18 month son for Christmas .. 

- anyone have any pros/cons on the leapfrog

- which leapfrog item is best? 

- anything better educationally 

ashiscute

The cons to a leap frog are that the games are expensive to buy.  My kids do not have one but my nephew does and they can get really pricey.

Right now DD and DS both use my kindle to play games.  We are also planning to buy DD the kindle jr for her birthday.  DS just turned 2 and honestly doesn't use it enough to warrant his own electronic toy.  DH and I both have one and he is happy to use that for 15 minutes a couple times per week.  

BabyHope2013

I used to have plans to buy DS a Innotab or Leapfrog--but now the more that I put thought into it I don't think that I will. He uses my Ipad with some apps that I downloaded for him on that just fine for now. I think that we will keep doing that until he is older and then I might just upgrade my ipad in a few years and give him our old one or something. I have heard that kids grow out of those kinds of devices and it is expensive to keep buying the games for them. 

GillianB32

We tried different educational apps occasionally since our LO is 12 months old but I always had a feeling they are repetative and do not really teach a lot. I ended up just using iPad and my smartphone to let them watch nursery rhymes because my 16-months DD seems to really have fun watching them!

JENandJEH

DS1 was given a LeapPad when it first came out and then my parents got him the LeapPad Ultra last year for Christmas...he has enjoyed it but the games are expensive and recently he's just gotten tired of it.  DS2 doesn't really grasp some of the easier games DS1 has so I don't think it's something he would enjoy at this point.  He likes the iPad and we have a bunch of apps on there that he plays.  We're considering getting the kids Kindle for the boys for Christmas so we can just load apps on there and DS1 can use it for reading.  

jani7

We got one before we were going to be traveling.  I was pretty disappointed with it and really just wish I would have bought a kindle. 

helendalton

I was lucky and a friend of mine was selling her sons unwanted game. My little one does play with it, she's only 18 months old tho so doesn't understand much of it. If are considering it look for a second hand one. That way you aren't paying full price.

lana22

we've mainly stayed away from electronic toys like leapfrogs. this may be flame-worthy, but i can't imagine anything more educational than books and reading. why not get him some train tracks, blocks, pretend food, etc. that he can use to learn with and play more creatively? 

that said, we do have an old v-tech hand me down that the kids sometimes play with that plays music and has letters, etc. but it's not used very much and mostly my older son likes to say he's "working on his computer like daddy." 

queenhillary

My H loves her Leap Pad.  I have downloaded videos and  books for her on there.