LeapFrog Learning Systems,.. Which One Do You Choose?!

Well, we are crazy and have both. My daughter got the Leapster at 3 and the Tag at 4. I wish we had the new Tag that holds 10 books rather than 5, but oh well. She LOVES her Leapster. She likes the Tag and I truly believe that it helped her learn to read. Now that she is reading, she doesn't play with it as much. I like the Tag better because although the Leapster is educational, it really is just a video game system and the Tag is really reading with phonics games and comprehension questions.
We do reserve the Leapster for things like long car rides, waiting rooms and her little brother's nap time! For those things, it is a life saver!

Hi A. ... I absolutely say get the TAG reader for 5-8 year olds. My Mom got our son that for his 3rd birthday and he LOVES it. I know that technically he is not "reading" yet but he loves paging through the books and using the TAG device to hear the words/story/descriptions of the pictures, etc. and I know he is learning how to sound out words and what the letters and words look like. We saw the Junior TAG reader but are glad that we didn't get that one because it seemed like the stories were really too juvenile. And I know he really enjoys reading the "big boy" stories. It is fairly straightforward and easy to use. Our son picked it up very quickly.

Let your bright little one enjoy it! =0)

We got our daughter the Leapster 2 for her 4th birthday in October and she absolutely loves it! She played with her cousin's while he was visiting this past summer, so we knew that she would like it. She has 5 games for it and we have it connected to the Learning Path so that we can see what she's learning and at what level. I just got an email last week telling me that she had achieved a "shooting star" on her Learning Path. When I logged in to the website, I found out that meant that she had completed some language skills activities that were at the second grade level. I'm considering getting her the Tag system for Christmas because she loves having stories read to her. We've had several LeapFrog brand toys over the years and have always been pleased with the quality and durability of the toys. Our daughter has always enjoyed playing with them and I think that she learns a lot while having fun. Hope that helps!

I reccomend the Leapster. They have games for ages 3-5, Tag would be a waste of money.

I have a few of the Leap Frog systems. I LOVE their products. My brother got my son the 3 lettered magnet alphabet speller. This not only helped my son when he was 3, to say the alphabet, but helped him learn what it was by looking at it and saying it. Within just a few weeks, he knew his alphabet and the letters associated with it. Then a bit later, I purchased him the reading Tag. He learned, with the help of a few of their DVDs, how to read in a matter of just a few short weeks. I was amazed how fast and easy it was. He also has the Leapster TV game set. This enables him to interact and learn as he goes. :D He's now 6 and in 1st grade. His teacher says that he is reading a 5th grade reading level now! I'm not saying it's all cause of Leap Frog, but it definitely helped make it easier to teach him. :D

I also suggest the LEAPSTER. This system carries games in a wide age range. My 9 yr old has one and her little sister plays with it too.

I would go with anyone but Leap Frog. I hate them.
I bought one for my daughter last xmas and we couldn't get it to install. I kept trying to call and couldn't get anyone. When I did they were foreign, I couldn't understand them and we were both so frustrated they hung up on me.
To find their number I had to go round and round.... finally found it through someone else in another place.
They weren't helpful, would not refund my money and couldn't help me get it installed into my dvd so we could play the games. It was the biggest waste of $50 I have ever spent. Go with another brand. PLEASE you will be so totally sorry if you go with leap frog

My almost two year old can play the easy versions of her 4 year old sister's leapster 2 games, and they have games for different age levels, so it will last a long time! And yes there are built in games that are easier than the cartridge ones. You'll probably be surprised at how much he can do on the leapster games, I was with my 3 year old last year!

we love our leapsters. my kids have had them for 2 years and they're still going strong. we started off with no games because there is a built in drawing game that they loved. as they got old enough we got them a new game each birthday and christmas. they still love them at almost 5 and 6. getting them at 3 and 4. great investment. Toysrus has them on black friday at 30$ it's a great deal! saw it on blackfriday2009.com on the toysrus ad.

the kids I nanny for have the Tag reading systems for toddlers. it only holds five books at a time. seems like a waste! it was a hit for two weeks now no on plays with it at all. I tried taking it in the car. no interest. waste of money in my opninon

A.,

I'd go ahead and get him the Leapster. I'm not too familiar with the Leapster 2, but the Leapster that each of my children have (the 2 year old just so she'd quit stealing her brother's) have some games hardwired it. There is the Color corral where he'd be able to color pictures, and then there's rabbit river. He would have to get his rabbit across the river on the logs, collecting carrots along the way, and hopping from log to log. There are different levels for rabbit river and he could chose between letters and numbers.

Hope this helps,
Melissa