Guest Author - Jeanette Norman




I am very particular about the activity centers I purchase for my children. I am sure you are the same way. I believe you can never go wrong with any items from the LeapFrog Company. Even though the My First LeapPad is aimed for the preschool age group, beginning readers in kindergarten and first grade can benefit from using this.

The My First LeapPad uses a stylus like their other products. I really like that there aren’t any raised letters with cracks for dirt to get under the keys. This toy is easy to keep clean. The stylus is great for developing fine motor skills because it is shaped like a real pencil. The only downfall I have found about this LeapFrog product is that if the child doesn’t respond in a certain amount of time it resets to the default game that can get frustrating for the younger child.

There are a few built in games for your child to try before you buy more books for it. When you turn the machine on, the first game offered is touching letters with the stylus and the voice tells you what the letter is. Touch the “Play a Song” area and it sings “The Wheels on the Bus.” Touch the “Letter Names” area and it asks you to touch a letter. It will tell you the letter you touch then ask you to find a new letter. This activity is great to get children familiar with what the letters of the alphabet are.

Then there is the “Letter Sounds” button. The system plays a little song and asks you to find a letter that sounds like the sound the voice says. This is a great introduction to phonics. If you touch the correct letter, it will say the sound again and what letter you pick. This is an essential skill for reading skills.

LeapFrog makes a wide variety of books for this system. They can be found relatively cheap on Amazon.com and at Wal-Mart. These are some of my children’s favorites.



This software reads 21 nursery rhymes to children. The 3 characters act out the nursery rhymes. The sound quality of this product is much better then other incarnations.



What child doesn’t love “The Wiggles”? This fun software teaches a variety of skills just like in their TV show. The wonderful thing about this title is that the Wiggles and their friends actually do the voices for it. I think that is what excited my 3 year old at first about this because it was familiar.



This title is more appropriate for an older preschooler closer to kindergarten time. It focuses on pre-reading and pre-math skills.