leap frog TAG system

ajtjirsnow

My DD1 is turning three later this month, and I want to get her the leap frog.. They have two different kinds, the one for little kids, and one for older kids. I was just looking for some recommendations of which is best, and if your kids like it or not. She loves to look at books, and is doing well with her letter recognition so I"m just hoping this will put her on the fast track to learning to read! TIA!!

HarrietNJMommy

We have the Tag and the Tag Jr. My kids were interested in them for "maybe" 1 week?

I don't think they put any kid on the fast track to learning to read though unless you are the one that is sitting next to them every single time they open the book.

I think it's "okay", but it's not a necessary item, and we could have done without both systems. 

ajtjirsnow

Thank you! They are so expensive too!

shopgirl78

My 5 year old got the TAG last year for Christmas. She got the Princess pack.  We read to her "real" books at least nightly.  She started to read when she was 5 years and 1 month (a month after starting KG).   She mostly learned from sight words and some phonics from both PreK and KG.  

I like the TAG reader.   It's great when she is trying to go to sleep or when we are on a trip (or time when we are unavailable to read to her).   It also helped her learn that adding s (when writing) to the end of words make a word plural.  

We bought our son a TAG for Christmas.   We are going on a long trip and wanted him to have one like DD (actually his is the Toy Story 3 pack).   I bought the regular TAG so that they can share books and occupy themselves on the trip and know DS can "read" at night.  

Our TAG gets used but not all the time.  I bought DS's for 24.99 (black Friday) and the books were buy one get one at Target plus you can often find coupons).   During the BOGO, I know quite a few people who got books (with a 5 dollar of coupon) for as little as 2.50 each.  

 

JillAly

My son got a Tag for his 3rd birthday.  He liked it for about an hour.  Then he moved on to other toys.  Actually, I'm not even sure where it is now! 

Having said that, the woman who gave it to us said it was her son's favorite 3rd birthday gift and he uses it all the time.  He's a smart kid but I really think a 3 year old is too young for it. 

My son knows all the letters of the alphabet but the Tag reader really needs the kid to know how to spell a little more and how to put a word together- rather just being able to identify what a certain letter is.  I hope that makes sense.

Nancy_Drew

We bought DD the regular Tag reader for Xmas. She is OBSESSED with searching out letters so i'm curious how she will do with this.I chose the regular since she will be just a month shy of 3.5 at Xmas and I wanted it to last longer than the req'd age 2-4 for the Jr.

even if it's a flop, I feel ok about the price. I got the reader at Target on Black Friday for $24.99 and the week prior they had the BOGO sale on the books so I got 8 books for $12 total with all my coupons!So the system and 8 books for $37!

ajtjirsnow

Thank you all for the great responses! I actually went to a friends house yesterday for a play date and she had one from her son. It was an older version but my daughter did seem pretty interested. I agree it maybe a little 'old' for her now, but I think she might use it on trips and such. Now if only I had planned better and scored some of the deals you ladies did!!

elk571

I know I'm a little late on this...

We got the TagJr for DD last yr for her Bday (right after Xmas).  It lasted abt a day, but not b/c we didn't like it, but b/c she was turning 3 and was already WAY past it.  So I took it back and got her the regular Tag.  She plays w/ hers constantly, and it's great for road trips.  Maybe my experience was positive b/c my daughter is so far ahead (she is not yet 4 and has already been tapped for the Kindergarten Gifted & Talented and is still in 3 yr PreK), but everyone else I know who has one thinks it's great too, so I'm surprised that everyone else here didn't like it all that much.  We still read regular books every night before bed, but it's great when she's on her own while I'm washing dishes or whatever, and I think her doing it herself probably helps her learn it (b/c if I'm doing it she doesn't have to think abt it herself).  As a side note, 1) I believe the Jr will read both Jr and regular Tag bks, but Tag won't read Jr's (correct me if I have it backwards ladies) and 2) it rcv'd several awards from teachers as a "must have" item for the classroom...