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LeapFrog's new Brightling line is super cute, colorful, and provides an educational experience for baby's and toddlers ages 0-2 years old. The Exploration Station has three ways to learn. Baby, toddler, and music.
There are loads of places to visit and lots of things to push, pull, open, close, drop and spin. Add lights, music, talking characters and learning songs to bring this magical world of learning to life!
Madelyn, 18 months, loves the music play mode. She dances and sings along with the tunes. She also likes to drop the balls into the tunnel and hear the noise. There are so many things that babies and toddlers can do with the Exploration Station. It will occupy and educate baby all the way up to two years old.
The Exploration Station is light and easy to pack and take to Grandma's house or to move from room to room as baby feels necessary. |
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Get and keep your 3-6 year old interested in learning with the Whiz-Kid PC Learning System. My kids have always been interested in computers mainly because I am on the computer a lot.. but what child isn't interested in them?
Your child will feel part of the family with his own Whiz-Kid that attaches to the computer and lets your child have an educational experience while feeling 'grown up'.
VTech description: Each Whiz Ware title in the software library system contains 40 multi-curricular activity pages. Slide an activity page into the learning board and the Whiz Kid system magically knows what to play! A touch sensitive screen and stylus make learning easy. With over 120 different activities and games, your child will never be bored. Whiz Kid also gets your child safely on the web with the exclusive Whiz Kid Web World website. Download additional activity sheets and play bonus games online! If you lose a sheet, no need to worry, you can just print out another from the enclosed CD Rom! The Whiz Kid system even prints out a report so you can keep tabs on your child’s learning progress.
Our age appropriate product testers figured out how to use the Whiz-Kid PC Learning System quickly. The touch screen and stylus 'wowed' the kids and the seemingly never ending supply of activity sheets and downloadable sheets kept the kids kids entertained all the while, being educated. |
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I know you've heard of the Leapster and your child may even have one, but.. has your child harnessed the full power of the Leapster? Probably not. I never realized the educational potential the Leapster holds until I talked to several children ages 4-10 years old about it.
To my amazement, the kids didn't even realize that they were playing with an educational product but when telling me about their Leapster games, they would tell me all of the things they learned with such enthusiasm.
The girls get to play princess games and the boys play car and superhero games. I especially enjoyed the baseball game, Math Baseball, in which kids solve math problems while hitting and catching baseballs. The faster kids solve the equations, the faster they hit, pitch, and field the ball!
Girls will learn fractions with their favorite Bratz. Did you ever think your child would learn from Sponge Bob? I hate to say it, but they can. Sponge Bob teaches kids phonics, deductive logic, and more.. all while they are having a blast making crabby patties, and earning prizes. |
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FLY Fusion Pentop Computer
Ages 8-12 years
You can buy it here! |
It's a pen, it's a homework helper.. it's a computer!
Yes, that's right. The Fly Fusion from LeapFrog is a great educational tool for kids ages 8 and up. Here is just a small sampling of what our testers, ranging from 8 to 12 said about the Fly Fusion:
- It's easy to use
- It looks cool
- I can do algebra! (8 year old said that)
- The spanish translator has taught me a lot of useful words.
- I always wanted to be a DJ!
The FLY Fusion pentop computer is great for kids who are learning impaired, or are having trouble with a specific subject.It is an engaging way to get your child to practice subjects they are having difficulty with.
The FLY Fusion takes a bit of getting used to but the coolness factor will motivate your child to do it quickly!
LeapFrog description: Finally, technology designed for your life. School, Music and Fun! This is Pentop Computing, the next generation of high-speed digital processing, developed to deliver high-speed homework help – in the palm of your hand. With the FLY Fusion Pentop Computer, everything you write on FLY™ Paper is automatically scanned and digitized. You can then upload it to your computer and convert to text. With the tap of your FLY Fusion Pentop Computer, you can interact with your notes, get instant feedback and step-by-step help, even play MP3s and games, all on paper! And when you’re ready for new software, simply download custom homework applications directly to your FLY Fusion Pentop Computer. Choose from a complete library of homework tools such as Algebra, French Translator Pro, Spanish Translator Pro, FastComp Math Pro, Writing and more to help you master your homework and make time FLY.
At just $79.99 this is a great homework helper, music maker, mp3 player, and creative outlet! |
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V. Smile TV Learning System
3-7 years
You can buy it here! |
Even the boys were thrilled to test the pink V.Smile TV Learning system.
Complete with a microphone, and a writing pad stylus, the V.Smile TV Learning system is everything a child could want and the educational games give parents the peace of mind they need when their kids are playing video games. Let's get kids away from the violent video games and give them something to have fun playing that educates them at the same time!
Our testers had a blast with the sing-a-longs using the microphone. However, I think the microphone could use a little upgrading. It didn't pick up voices unless the child's lips were actually touching the microphone.
Each Smartridge includes four to five additional learning zone games that focus on specific skills needed in school. Two different game levels let children advance the curriculum and game speeds as they progress. The award-winning system plays Smartridges that are made especially for three to seven year olds, and feature popular characters like Dora, Spiderman, Thomas and Shrek. Your child will love joining familiar friends on exciting adventures that guide them through age-appropriate skill levels and developmental activities. A second joystick can be attached for two player gaming.
V.Smile pocket games work with the V.Smile console which is great for when you are at home and your kids want a better view of the game. |
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Gorilla Blocks
Ages 9 - 36 months
You can buy it here!
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These quickly became a favorite of our younger product testers. Gorilla Blocks are huge blocks that work like LEGO's. The different block sizes and themes make for endless building possibilities, all the while being an educational tool. How are Gorilla Blocks educational you ask? I can tell you first hand. Madelyn, 18 months, enjoys sorting the blocks by size and color. I was so excited the first time I saw her sorting them, I tried to catch it on video but of course she quit as soon as the camera was rolling. The blocks can also be used to teach basic math. Take a block that has two dots on it, add a block with three dots.. what do you get? Yes, your kids can learn from Gorilla Blocks! And, the nifty weatherproof factor means that kids can even play in the bathtub! |
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Jakks EyeClops Bionic Eye
Ages 6 & up
You can buy it here! |
A handhelp bionic eye that attaches to your TV, the EyeClops will magnify anything it is pointed at up to 200x on your TV. There isn't any software to download and the EyeClops comes with an observation dish and tube to observe liquids, bugs adn more.
The process is simple. Find an object such as a bug. Put the bug in the viewing tube and attach the tube to the EyeClops. Bring the bug into focus by turning the tube or the EyeClops. That's it.. now it is 200x larger and on your TV!
What a great way to learn what a bugs, clothing fibers, and cat hair really look like.
Mom and Dad can collect items around the house and have your child guess what each item is when it is magnified! |
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Color Blast Notebook
Ages 6 - 9
You can buy it here!
or here. |
You will love the look on your child's face when he/she see's the Color Blast Notebook. The Color Blast Notebook comes with four activity cartridges that teach language arts, math, foreign language, space exploration and more. Plus, it comes with a QWERTY keyboard, real mouse and mouse pad.
We would love to see a larger screen on a children's computer but for now, we are happy with Color Blast's high quality color screen.
The selection hot keys above the keyboard made it easy for our testers to go to the activity of their choice quickly. To my surprise, one of the most used 'applications' was the word processor. The kids enjoyed writing and saving notes, letters, and stories. While some kids especially liked the quizzes, others thought the Facts were 'really cool'. I loved hearing Sebastian tell me things that I didn't even know that he learned on the Color Blast Notebook! |
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Digital Arts & Crafts Studio
Ages 4 - 9
You can buy it here! |
This is one of my favorite educational products featured here.
The Digital Arts & Crafts Studio provides endless fun and possibilities. With 85 built-in projects, including connect-the-dot games, coloring pages, jumping frogs, flying airplanes, greeting cards, and party hats, Crafts Studio will keep your child entertained in creative play for hours. Included is a stylus that can be used as a pencil tool, a crayon, a stamper, and more.
Because kids love making their own decisions, the Digital Arts & Crafts Studio offers 256 colors, 75 scene starters, and 300 stampers, giving your child the tools to design, create, print, and assemble his or her own art projects. You can easily import your own digital pictures as well, allowing your child to create personalized backgrounds, stampers, and coloring pages with them. And when their projects are complete, children can save and print them out to share with friends and to make paper crafts.
Don't worry, when plugged in to your computer, your child will not have access to your desktop without using a password which most likely they won't know.. hint, hint.
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Easy Link™ Internet Launch Pad
Ages 3 & up
You can buy it here! |
This is such a neat idea. With the Easy Link™ Internet Launch Pad, your child can connect to their favorite character websites, all by themselves, for online fun and games! It’s easy, safe and secure—for kids, and for your computer!
To play, kids just plug an Easy Link character smart key into the launch pad to automatically access their favorite, kid-friendly websites. The smart key links them directly, securely and only to the character’s official website, blocking access to any other internet site, link or pop up. And once they’re there, it keeps them there. The only way to visit a different site is to plug in a different Easy Link smart key. Kids can navigate and play the online games using the launch pad’s arrow keys, or your computer’s mouse and keyboard.
The launch pad also blocks access to your desktop and hard drive, so you don’t have to worry about the security of your computer, either. Parental controls let you limit online time and turn the print option on or off. |
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Laugh, Smile & Learn™ Computer Learning System
Ages 9 - 36 months
You can buy it here! |
Fits over your computer keyboard, with interactive software that responds to your baby!
Place the keytopper right over your computer keyboard and let the learning fun begin! Specially developed, infant-appropriate computer software offers three levels of interactive learning play to grow with your child, from baby to toddler. Just tap on the keyboard—the computer screen comes to life with exciting animation, music, sing-along songs, sounds and lots of learning activities for baby. What a great way for you and baby to play and learn—together! A comprehensive parent guide is included with the computer learning system.
The Laugh, Smile & Learn™ Computer Learning System teaches baby Teaches ABC's, Numbers & counting, Colors, Shapes, Animals, Opposites, Greetings, Following directions, Memory skills & more.
The simplicity of the Laugh, Smile & Learn™ Computer Learning System is a major plus as baby's can't handle too much stimuli. There are three grow-with-me levels: The first level teaches colors, shapes, greetings, cause & effect, level two teaches letters, words, numbers, and counting, and level three teaches following directions, Q&A, matching,and word association. |
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