School-Aged Children
Leapster Explorer appropriate for 7 year old?
We have started Christmas shoping, and my daughter will be 7 in January. I had originally thought of getting her a Nintendo DS, although we have a Wii and she never plays it. She is not really video game savvy.
She did previoulsy have the original Leapster she got when she was 3-4. Last year she got Tag and used it very little and at this point she can read the books without the pen.
Df thought the leapster Explorer would be good for her this year. Anyone have it and what age is it really appropriate? I want to get her something she will get use out of.
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Re: Leapster Explorer appropriate for 7 year old?
I think a good guideline for whether or not she'll get use out of it is whether or not she's really used the previous systems you've bought her. It seems from your post like she hasn't really used them all that much.
I love the LeapFrog company, and I think their games are some of the most respectable, genuinely educational games out there. BUT... I feel like once a kid can already read pretty well, the value of phonics/reading educational games really decreases.
Maybe your DD would enjoy some of the other computer games my DD has loved once she outgrew the "reading skills" type of games. Some of my daughter's faves are:
--I Spy computer games. These are primarily hidden picture and picture-riddle puzzles, but they have some other types of puzzles in them as well. Good replay value, as kids can play again and the game will ask for different hidden objects in each picture the next time through.
--Zoombini Island. This is a math/logic game that's REALLY cute and also has great replay. The easy levels are do-able for a 2nd grader and the harder levels might stump a middle schooler.
--Zoo Vet/SimCity/Sim Theme Park/Other "sim" games -- Although not labeled "educational" these games do require a lot of problem-solving skills, etc. Better than shooting bad guys or having Mario jump down another green pipe.
Your DD might like Animal Crossing for the Wii. It's a "sim" type of game. There's absolutely no competition and no goal to the game. It's completely open-ended. Both my kids really love this game. It's not particularly educational, but it does allow for creativity!
HTH!