LeapPad3- The Best Kids’ First Tablet (for ages 3-9 years)

Fast, high-performance tablet. Suggested retail price of $99.99

LeapPad3, the newest tablet in the LeapFrog Family of Kid Tables

Discover exciting experiences and thrilled adventures with LeapPad3 from LeapFrog, makers of the #1 kids’ learning tablets. LeapPad3 is a fast, high-performance, fun-packed Wi-Fi tablet that allows kids to learn and play in away that’s just right for them. Compact and kid-tough, the LeapPad3 tablet provides access to a 100% kid-perfect web experience and access to a library of 1,000+ age-appropriate, educator approved games, apps, eBooks, videos and more. LeapPad3 features LeapFrog’s new quad-core chip and a sleek and beautiful design, for fast-action fun kids will love.

Kid-Perfect

The LeapFrog educator-approved library of 1,200+ games, eBooks, videos and more includes titles that draw from a comprehensive curriculum of 2,600 skills across core subjects like reading, math, science and creativity. Plus kids can even play safely with friends in new peer-to-peer games! Check out this You Tube video showcasing how innovative the LeapPad3 is! http://www.leapfrog.com/en-us/store/p/leappad3/_/A-prod31500

* Innovative learning approach: LeapFrog learning games, apps and eBooks are designed by LeapFrog’s full-time in-house learning experts and grounded in the latest research for the richest possible learning experience. The games we received were: Octonauts!, Hello Kitty: Sweet Little Shops, Disney’s Jake and the Neverland Pirates, Disney’s Sofia the First, and Get Ready for Kindergarten game pack. I can see why these five titles are of LeapFrog’s best-selling games. My children were ecstatic to play with them! My 4-year old is so excited about the Get Ready for Kindergarten game since she goes to Kindergarten next year. I was happy to show her the “hint” button on the game to help her get in-game tutorials if she were to come across a challenge while playing the three learning games that teach core math, reading and life skills. Keeping them independent keeps them confident, in my opinion. My 5.5 year old is happy about the Sofia interactive reading adventure because she’s not just learning about phonics, vocabulary skills, word recognition, listening and reading comprehension skills but also is engaged, happy, and motivated while having fun with one of her favorite Disney characters.

* Kid-tested gameplay: Extensive kid-testing throughout game design helps LeapFrog deliver learning experiences that children are sure to love. My 5.5 year old daughter LOVES this tablet and is super thrilled to have graduated from the LeapPad2 to the tablet that has Wi-Fi. And thankfully, LeapFrog has helped us not waste money on the game cartridges since all LeapFrog Explorer and LeapPad cartridges and apps work on the LeapPad3 (with the exception of Story Studio: All About Me, Story Studio: Mermaids, Story Studio: Pirates & Aliens, Camera Expansion and Art Studio). My daughters favorite game that was included in our package is the Hello Kitty game. I am so pleased that her favorite one is a mathematics game with intuitive directions and positive reinforcement! In the five fun games and four activities, she is helping Hello Kitty to manage her Sweet Little Shop.

* Auto-leveling experiences: LeapPad tablets automatically adjusts the learning to each and every child, asking more challenging questions as children’s skills develop. Progress is remembered from game to game and book to book, so the learning keeps moving forward. There’s no parent worry that children are wasting their time playing something too simple. I fully trust that the device is accelerating my daughters games at her appropriate skill level, making this an engaging and appropriate method to learn while playing.

Mom-Approved

I’m so thrilled that my daughter can search the web while having quiet time in her room and I’m not concerned about what sites she may accidentally navigate to like I am on our family tablet. My 4 year old enjoyed playing on her big sisters new device with the touch-screen. I was surprised to see the screen wasn’t bigger, it’s about the size of a cell phone. BUT, the extra frame around that screen is actually very smart and appropriate for little hands to grip the device without touching the screen and messing with their games. I initially forgot that their fine-motor skills are vastly less mature than my own. I did add a few replacement stylus to our Amazon Wish List because I can see how the soft tip could break since she puts everything in her mouth. Minor issue in the grand scheme of things! For less than $100, I think this tablet is a great deal and awesome addition to a child’s holiday or birthday wish list. And just like the LeapPad2’s that we own and love, this device was SO simple to get started! Turn it on, follow on-screen prompts, register it with my LeapFrog account, download the 10 included apps, and then pass the device over for the child to play to their hearts content!

Clearly, I’m one of the millions of parents who trust LeapFrog products because they help my children develop skills through play. My girls have fun while learning and exploring with a device that looks like my tablet (which I’m thrilled to take back now!) but the kids (mine are 2.5, 4, and 5.5) can handle this LeapPad3 with their little fingers and I”m not worried that their roughhousing is going to destroy the product.

Disclosure: In exchange for my honest opinion on the LeapPad3 and some of their best-selling games, LeapFrog has sent me free products.