Leapfrog – Leapster Explorer, Games and Camera review

Here at Mums diary of three wonderful children we was sent a  Leapster Explorer console, two game cartridges and Camera to review. The Leapster Exploer has an amazing new learning experience that encourages children to discover something new every day. There are endless ways to play and learn–from games, e-Books, videos, and online play to customisable learning skills and more.
Leaspter Exploer has more than 35+ games and activities including cartridge games and down loadable learning apps, children can learn school skills like reading, maths, science, geography, creativity, music and more!

Your children can also go on exciting adventure with popular film and TV characters such as Ben 10, Woody from Toy Story 3, Dora the Explorer, Disney Princess, Penguins of Madagascar and more!

The Leapster Explorer handheld features the biggest, brightest touch screen, hi-res graphics, a stylus to practise writing, and a powerful processor that allows for action-packed game play. Skill levels continually adjust for the optimum challenge in each subject and the handheld remembers your child’s level form game to game.
Plus you can expand the fun and learning in LeapWorld – a safe, online world of learning games and activities especially designed for children. 

 One thing i found that was really good about the Leapster is that parents can connect to the online LeapFrog Learning Path to see what their child is playing and learning, and explore ways to expand their child’s learning journey, like at your own words your children maybe learning at school this enables them to learn those words while playing the games this is really good for my daughter Michaela aged 5 who has just started reading, spellings and phonics at school  the Leapster is just the right device that will help and encourage her to want to learn more frequently.

Michaela has only just started her reading at school so i was a little worried she was going to constantly keep asking me what options to choose but luckily she didn’t this is because the great thing about the leapster is it told you every thing and every option you needed to select by voice, so for all those children who cant read yet can just just listen and follow instructions which were very clearly spoken and you had arrows to direct you through the game when you first begin to play.

Leapster Explorer comes with a Leaplet learning app download card and pet game. The console is sold at a great price of – £59.99 which is a great value for your money and your children’s learning too. I would highly recommend this to any parent wanting to help their children learn in such a fun way.  
Appropriate for children ages 4 to 9 years
Console requires 3xAA batteries
Which we found don’t last very long but you can also purchase an adapter from Smyths Toy Store at for £9.99

Below are two of the games we were sent to try with the leapster, they are both easy for both Michaela 5 and Callum 8 to play.
SpongeBob

The Spongebob game helps your children Read, Spell and Race to the Finish as you join SpongeBob and friends on a wild reading ride through Bikini Bottom. Choose a character and get ready to race on 12 tracks where you can collect letters, spell words, unlock shortcuts, earn tune-ups, power-ups and more whilst dodging obstacles, taking off on jumps and navigating hairpin turns.

With Leapster Explorer and LeapPad Explorer the game dynamically adjusts the curriculum to the player’s skill level so it’s not too easy and not too hard.
 Parents can connect to the online LeapFrog Learning Path to see what their child is playing and learning as well as exploring ways to expand their child’s learning journey.
Teaches
– Letters
– Spelling
– Phonics skills
– Word Building
– Word recognition
– Matching

Appropriate for children aged 4 – 7

Cars
(Sold separately)

With Cars you are ready to be part of an international spy adventure? Play as Mater as he travels through Radiator Springs swapping stories with friends and visitors and reliving his recent escapades in the world of global espionage.

Enjoy 8 high-action mini-games that test your mathematics and logic skills. Measure the distance to make a fantastic jump, find the correct coordinates, decode ciphers or complete patterns to find clues or escape traps!

Race as lightning McQueen and see who’s the fastest car. Use patterns skills to safely guide Mater through big Bentleys gears and collect car parts and meet friends as you tour radiator springs.

With Leapster Explorer and LeapPad Explorer the game dynamically adjusts the curriculum to the player’s skill level so it’s not too easy and not too hard.
 Parents can connect to the online LeapFrog Learning Path to see what their child is playing and learning as well as exploring ways to expand their child’s learning journey.

Teaches
– Measurement
– Problem solving
– Number patterns
– Charts and graphs

Appropriate for children ages 4 to 7 years

Turn your Leapster Explorer handheld into a digital camera! Take pictures or capture video that you can personalise your way and play activities that explore creativity, reading, mathematics and science.

Become a photojournalist as you find pictures to match each challenge. Add fun effects to your pictures and use them in games. Then create your very own music videos.

We found the Camera really fun you can make all sorts of funny pictures, take pictures and add them into a story, make cards and add your own photo to it and many more. I think this is a really good feature for children to have fun and learn to take wonderful pictures, its really easy to use and you also get clear instructions on how to use it.

Appropriate for children ages 4 to 9 years.

We love the Leap frog Leapster Explorer it has so many games and apps to choose from on line or in the shops, we cant wait to purchase more to have a whole new experience.

One thing i will say is that you will need is to have access to the Internet to be able to connect your Leapster and download your apps and free app too, you will also have to do the same with the Camera it will need to be added to your leapster console through your computer for you to be able to use it.

 We already downloaded Leapster connect to our computer from other Leapfrog products we have so this was time saving for us.

I think the Leapster is a great alternative to a Dsi for those children who may be to young.

The Leapster has so many games and learning for children who are learning at a very young.
I think learning is very important for my children and do my very best to help and encourage them to learn in so many ways and Leapfrog have so many products that not only help my children to learn the help to have fun whilst learing.