"Moms have been waiting a long time for a toy like this...if you can even call it a toy." -- The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine

Moms have been waiting a long time for a toy like this - if you can even call it a toy. The LeapPadby Leapfrog is the best thing I've seen in a long time in the educational toy division. I still can't figure out how they do it. An electronic "book" with a pen, or wand, that can sense what you're touching is almost magical at any age. Every time you turn the page you are reminded to touch the "Green Go Circle" and, POOF, anything on the page that you touch has its own special sound, or phrase. All three of my children use The LeapPad (four if you count my husband). I actually bought it as a gift for our youngest daughter, who was three at the time. She had no issues figuring out how to use the pen. If your child can color, they will have no problem with The LeapPad. All of the books are so bright and fun that your children will be learning and they won't even realize it. It's great for car rides, long trips, and waiting rooms. It has an adjustable volume control, and turns off automatically when not in use.

The LeapPad comes with one book, but boy, it's chock full of stuff! Each story not only has a read aloud function, but also "say it," "sound it," and "spell it" functions. When you touch a word, it will say, spell, or sound out the word you are touching. There is also a geography page in the included book. My kids, even the four-year-old, are learning the names and locations of all 50 states AND the capitals. It even tells about population, capita per square mile, and on and on. And that's only one page of the book! There's also a page on the skeleton, with a "Bone Rap" to help children memorize the major bones of the skeleton. Music is also included in this first book, as well as two stories, and a Fun with Foreign Language page. The included book is a sampling of a few different books available for The LeapPad. They are sold separately and range in age from pre-school on up. They include categories in phonics, math, geography, history, music, language, and stories.

I don't know about you, but it's hard for me to find an educational toy that will really hold a child's interest. Many educational toys seem more like a chore than a good time. The LeapPad gets my vote for a fun educational toy that will not only hold their interest, but mom's and dad's too!

Product Review by: Rory Slaughter, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine