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We had a Leapfrog reading device at one point. A clunky plastic thing that you’d place a paperback-ish book inside and press down on with a special chubby pen. This was years ago, when the Bear was a wee lass. We didn’t care much for it then, and unlike a great vino, the memory of this, our first ever Leapfrog product, hasn’t improved with age.
**********When this new Leapfrog Tag Reader system came down the pike, the Mrs. was more than skeptical. The scar still raw, it seemed. I was willing to forgive and forget. This, it should be noted, is diametrically opposed to the way it usually goes down around here. Lesson: don’t cross me, unless you’re a green and white pen manufactured with unicorn-magic.
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The Mouse started Kindergarten this week. She is giddy to have joined her uniform-clad sis in big kid school. Gone is the daycare-cum-early-learning-center and that incessant soiled-Huggies smell. That our Leapfrog Tag Reader package included the Get Ready for Kindergarten book was, well, too perfect. My little blonde monster couldn’t wait to tear the book open and discover what technological wonder awaited her. And a techie wonder this is — don’t think for a minute this Tag Reader system is anything short of that. No, it doesn’t have a lowercase ‘i’ in front of its name, nor does it double as a GPS or feature a glassy touchscreen, but — NEWSFLASH — not all modern marvels must!
The Tag Reader pen has officially blown my and my daughters’ minds. And we’re no Luddites.
If it had to hang its cute lil’ froggy hat on novelty alone, the Leapfrog Tag Reader would flop like your first attempt at souffle. This simple-looking pen and book series is a joy to use — it’s smart, funny, and with a crystal-clear voice that while not an exact replica of a human educator standing in front of a classroom, is good enough for a 5 & 8-year-old to distinguish a ‘sn’ from a ‘st’. That’s right, my 3rd grader was into the Get Ready for Kindergarten book just as much as the child for whom the product is intended. A beautiful thing, that.
While I’m breaking news here: Learning isn’t always fun, despite the aggressive promotional campaign from parents and teachers! That said, Leapfrog’s Tag Get Ready for Kindergarten delivers letters, vowels, math, and social studies in a thoroughly modern way while still kinda feeling old school; you know, books and pencils and other tangible stuff of yesteryear. The result is a book that will be poured over repeatedly by kids in and around 5 years of age…and possibly their older, still curious siblings. And one that will teach all those children innocuously. And that IS fun, for them and for you.
As the Mouse worked in her Get Ready for Kindergarten book, she was hyper focused but playful-as-always whilst playing games, sounding out letters, spelling words, and, well, learning on her own terms. She was in control at every step, and she loved Loved LOVED that.
About that old Leapfrog system? All is forgiven. This version of the pen-n-book reader has advanced the idea and the execution of it by gigantic, frog-sized leaps and bounds. Do not hesitate to introduce the Leapfrog Tag Get Ready for Kindergarten book into your home.
*I was selected for this opportunity as a compensated member of Clever Girls Collective and received free product from LeapFrog to review. The content and opinions expressed here are all my own. #LeapFrogTag #spon
