LeapPad Explorer Review and Giveaway

The holidays are coming up -- and I'm giving away a LeapPad! Keep reading to find out how to enter....


It's funny how just as I think my kids are going to outgrow LeapFrog products, they come up with another cool gadget that has my kids fighting to be the first one to play with it. We've been LeapFrog fans ever since The Pea received her first LeapPad Learning System for Christmas in 2002. Each of my 3 kids had one of those LeapPads; since then we've owned at least half a dozen LeapFrog products!

LeapFrog stopped making the original LeapPads a couple of years back, but now they've come up with a totally new LeapPad: the LeapPad Explorer. As a LeapFrog blogger mom, we were one of the first to get our hands on the product, and we've been playing around with it since mid-August. The buzz over the LeapPad Explorer has been strong since early 2011, and let me tell you, all the hype is NOT misplaced. Keep reading to find out why (and enter to win one of your own!)....


The Basics
LeapPad, a personalized learning tablet designed for kids ages four and up, mirrors popular adult tablets, and includes an on-board camera and video recorder. With a library of cartridge games that is cross-compatible with Leapster Explorer and innovative apps, this new tablet is revolutionizing the way children learn by offering the next generation in learning fun, digital reading and personal creativity. By the end of the year, LeapPad will have a library of more than 100 cartridge games and apps that include best-in-class educational curriculum.



The Bongga
This is definitely Leapfrog's best so far. They've gotten rid of the chunky console look and gone all sleek and stylish -- but it's still very sturdy and kid-friendly, with a magnetic clip-on stylus (plus an extra one in the box in case your little one does manage to lose or break it a bigger screen, audio instructions and graphical clues so kids who don't know how to read can still find their way around.

Here are some other things I love about the LeapPad:

* The ability to have up to 3 accounts plus a guest account. I have 3 kids so each can have an account and play at their level, and even their friends can play without messing up anyone's scores.

* The tons of apps and games! There are sooo many more to choose from -- over 100+ games and apps by year's end. So far, my kids' favorites are the built-in Camera, where they can take photos and add fun effects like stretching and swirling (included with LeapPad), Art Studio, where you can create drawings and embellish photos (included with the LeapPad), Roly Poly, a cute motion-based app (separate purchase). They also love Pixar Pals, where kids can play games and explore the world with Nemo, Woody and Buzz lightyear, as well as Pet Pals 2, where kids can adopt and care for cute dogs while learning about reading graphs, counting, spending and saving money.



* The backward compatibility with Leapster Explorer game cartridges. At $25 per cartridge (they do sometimes go on sale for $15-$20), it adds up, and it's nice to know that all the money you spent on Leapster games won't go to waste!

* The educational focus. I'm a big proponent of educational videogames and I love how Leapfrog incorporates spelling, reading and math exercises into their games.

* The cool design. Kids will be happy to leave your phone or tablet alone if they can play games on the LeapPad!

* The built-in camera, mike and video recorder is way better than having a separate camera/video accessory, because there are less parts to break and lose.


The Blah
Here's what's on my wishlist for the LeapPad:

* Make more aps available for the upper and lower age ranges. For parents sick of lending their phones or tablets to their kids, it would be nice to have simpler games that toddlers can play, similar to Doodle Jump or Fruit Ninja.

* Make more eBooks for older kids (7-9 years?). I love the way Leapfrog helps younger kids learn to read, maybe they can also help older kids with more advanced reading skills by offering reading comprehension exercises, reference books, etc..

* Screen response time and app loading time seems slow, hopefully future versions of the LeapPad will be able to improve on this.

* Add the ability to hook up to a printer, so kids can print the artwork they create.

* Add an internal battery (I realize this will increase the price, so maybe they could have a basic and upgrade version?).


The Bottom Line
LeapFrog has outdone itself with the LeapPad -- and I'm not alone in thinking so. LeapPad recently won the 2011 Platinum "Best Toy Award" from the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio, making LeapFrog the company with the most Oppenheim Toy Portfolio awards ever! It's a gadget that will actually make your child leave your iPad/Kindle/Nook alone -- which means it's sure to be the hottest kids' electronic toy this holiday season.





Win a LeapPad Explorer Gift Pack
One lucky Bonggamom Finds reader will win a LeapPad Explorer from LeapFrog, plus two LeapPad Cartridge Games -- just in time for the holidays!


Required Entry
Leave a comment on this post and tell me which LeapPad cartridge game your child would most like to receive for the holidays (along with the LeapPad, of course!). This entry must be completed before any extra entries will count.

Extra Entries
For extra entries, you can do any or all of the following. Please leave a separate comment for each extra entry with a way to verify the entry (i.e. tweet link, blog post link, Facebook id, Twitter id, etc.).

1) Blog about this giveaway, making sure you include a link to the giveaway in your blog post (1 entry).

2) Write this on the Bonggamom Finds Facebook page (1 entry):
I entered the LeapPad giveaway! http://ow.ly/747E9

3) Post a photo of your child enjoying any LeapFrog product on the Bonggamom Finds Facebook page, or on your own Facebook wall, and tag me (1 entry).

4) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Blogger/Google Friend Connect (1 entry).

5) Follow @bonggafinds on Twitter and tweet this, up to once per day (1 entry per day):
RT @bonggamom Win a @LeapFrog LeapPad and 2 games on @bonggafinds! Enter by 11/20 at http://ow.ly/747E9 #giveaways

6) Enter my Leapfrog Tag giveaway (1 entry).

7) Enter my Leapfrog Story Time Pad giveaway (coming soon! -- 1 entry).

8) Enter my Leapfrog Peek-a-Shoe Octopus giveaway (coming soon! -- 1 entry).




The Rules
This giveaway ends at 11:59PM PST on November 20, 2011; I will draw 1 winner at random on November 21 and post the winner's name after he/she confirms acceptance. Continental US residents only. For additional giveaway rules, click here. Good luck!

Disclosure: I received a product sample to facilitate my review, but have not been paid to review the product or give my opinions. Product information is provided by the featured company/product and is indicated in italics. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.