DISCLOSURE: I RECEIVED THIS COMPLIMENTARY PRODUCT THROUGH THE HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW.

The advancement of technology is a heavy double-edged sword we are having to carry around. It is certainly true that too much dependence on screens and computers can be destructive to our minds, especially those still developing. On the other hand, not only is this the world our children will need to thrive in, but it also has some great blessings woven in as well. Finding the right balance is the eternal key. Today we get to talk about something that I never had when I learned to read, but has been a great delight to my 5 year old. For the past several weeks he has played around with the LeapStart® Learning Success Bundle™ from LeapFrog and, as the box suggests, it has encouraged a lot of positive activity surrounding books.

What We Received:

We received a LeapStart Learning System, 2 books : Adventures in Learning A LeapStart Collection and Go! Go! Cory Carson: Cory Carson Superhero School and a USB Cable for data transfer.

How It Works:

The LeapStart Learning System opens like a large book and is the size of a small laptop. There is a chunky pen attached by a cord that the student uses to navigate the books. This pen reads words on the page, but can also interact with a variety of activities on every page. At the front of both books, the first page contains a collection of symbols that can be found on each page and describes what they stand for. In the Adventures in Learning book, a green star stands for Level 1 Activity, 2 gold stars stands for Level 2 activity, a blue lightbulb stands for Need a Hint, and a red hand stands for Stop Everything. In this book, there are different themes on each page from animals and maps to tools and numbers. In Cory Carson Superhero School there are the same symbols as the other book plus a yellow arrow that Reads the Whole Story, a purple book that Reads the Page, and a purple and yellow play button that features Video Fun. Since this is a story book, the pen will read individual words or the entire page or story, depending on what the child chooses. Many of the activities involve finding the correct image or ‘all the places’ you see something. There are a variety of books that can be purchases that work with the LeapStart Learning System and they come in a variety of levels that stretch over Preschool through Kindergarten and learning to read.

What We Thought:

When we received this item, my children pulled it out of the box and started trying it out before I had the chance to actually look at it or even understood how it worked. My 5 year old was able to explore it on his own and figure it out mostly without help. My 8 and 11 year old likely stood over him ‘helping’ but he is quick to bat them away in an attempt to do it himself. So, from the very beginning it seems quite intuitive and easy to maneuver. My 5 year old has the nickname Racecar for a reason because he likes to do everything fast - especially activities or tasks. The LeapStart held his attention and provided things to do for quite a while. He had a birthday during the review period and he enjoyed it so much that his grandparents got him a set of 5 other books to go with it for his birthday.

While this is not a complete learn to read system, it is a fun supplement to a child on the learning journey. I would recommend this as a fun compliment to any kid, but especially for a child hesitant to engage on their own much. It’s an easy step into technology that doesn’t involve a screen and allows children to move at their own pace and interest. My 5 year old loved it and I had no complaints either. This is definitely a fun investment!

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Wondering if other families had the same experience we did? Read the rest of the Crew reviews through the link below.