I'm not sure if it's because it has a form factor similar to handheld gaming units like the Nintendo DS family, but he sure does like to hunker down on the couch with it. And I would gladly be proven wrong if someone is able to tell me where to find UK English downloads - thanks! With the LeapPad or LeapPad 2, you turn the tablet to Portrait view and the thumbpad, combined with on-screen buttons for A and B, simulates the look and feel of the LeapsterGS.

The Leappad was delivered quickly and it is a brilliant toy, the range of apps available mean that it will be played with for years to come. Over the years, she has taken several positions, usually within the realm of Hardware, including Associate Editor, Section Editor, PCMag Labs Director, and a brief stint as Reviews Editor for the Consumer Electronics team.When he first turns it on, he sees a picture of himself (and his name) that he's since learned to tap on with the stylus to open up access to his apps. Children with ADHD sometimes find it hard to remain mentally involved in a lecture or classroom discussion, as their hyperactivity makes it difficult for them to maintain focus. Since the Leap Pad has a variety of age and content-specific games and extended activity bundles, the opportunities for exploring academic content areas are vast. I don't allow him to use my iPad by himself, so he's quite impressed with himself when he's allowed to pick it up and walk around with it.

The best thing is that it comes pre-loaded with five or six applications that your child can already do between opening the box and registering online. My daughter's favourite games are jewel train which comes with the device already and is quite a good popular game where the children have to use logic to problem solve, dice ahoy which I purchased and which is a number game where she can either play as a 2 player game with a friend or she can play against the pirate and roly poly 2 treasure hunt which also came with the device and she spends a lot of her time on this game which helps to teach them motor skills and number recognition.With a 500MHz processor, performance is up to running simple 2D games and videos, but even here the motion isn’t always 100% smooth. The only physical controls are the aforementioned D-Pad, volume controls to the right of the screen, a home button at the bottom and a power button to the left. Only thing to be aware of we took it on holiday but when it went through the xray machine it killed it. I don't know how long this will last, but he's hung on to the original LeapPad for some time now, so I'm not anticipating him losing interest in the LeapPad2 anytime soon.

The LeapPad Ultra is a great device, I hope that in a few years, LeapFrog will find a way to improve the speed of app to app transitions. The LeapPad 2 also packs in two cameras; a two megapixel snapper on the back, and a matching one just above the screen. Leap Pad combines, familiar characters and stories with problem solving and critical thinking, to bring out the academic, in even the most unsuspecting children. After receiving samples of these products to review, I wanted to share some information to help make an informed decision for your family. I'm happy to report that now, a year later, that LeapPad is still going strong and in the hands of my 2-year-old.Try out the resources below, and let us know which one works for your child in the comment box at the bottom of the page. The versatile range of content afforded by the device encourages dynamic learning, and while it may seem obvious that your child must exercise a different set of skills based on the nature of each game - practicing and implemented these learning strategies is an important habit for young learners to adopt.

Just nitpicking here but I was a bit disappointed that the accent and language used in most of the apps I have encountered is American, e. The WIRED conversation illuminates how technology is changing every aspect of our lives—from culture to business, science to design. The constant twangy voiceovers may drive you mad in the car or a restaurant, so I would recommend headphones if you value your sanity! For every few academic games and activities, leave room for one entertainment-only game, for when your child just needs a break.There is a small home button at the bottom right of the screen, which gets you back to the main menu, and volume controls located to the right of the screen. The 103 third parties who use cookies on this service do so for their purposes of displaying and measuring personalized ads, generating audience insights, and developing and improving products. I handed the box to my 2 year old – I thought he was going to gnaw through the box once he realized what was inside – and my 5 year old began to fuss.