Leapfrog TAG Reading System - Kansas City,KS

I got my daughter the tag reading system for her 4th bday and she enjoyed using it but mostly for sounds and games ... she didn't really start using the reading part until she started Kindergarten this year. Since we read a lot as a family she did enjoy having her own books to read. In summary I think 4 was probably too young but I would've bought it eventually ...

From the above experience I bought a used junior tag reading system for my 2 year old on her bday and she absolutely loves it and is learning a lot. They both spend a lot of time reading their books together now.

Another option may be getting her the leapster. I did get that last year for my oldest daughter (she was 4 at the time) for xmas and thought she learned more from that than her books and I think she enjoyed it more.

Good Luck!

We have the leapfrog TAG system and my son really didn't care for it until after he learned to read. To us it was a waste of money.

One of those things that seems better than it really is. My son hardly EVER used his after the novelty wore off after 2 or 3 uses. However, I could maybe see a little girl liking it more. They have more patience and seem to enjoy quieter activities.

We have it, and while it seemed interesting, it was really a waste of money. My son didn't use it much at all, and we got some of the books, and the flash card type things... he liked those a little better because they contained animal facts, which he loves, but in general, he just didn't really use it. And he likes books, being read to, looking at them on his own, etc. Based on our experience with it, I don't recommend it. My son's 4 1/2, btw.

Well a different view point - it depends on your daughter! Does she like books? I just bought one for my daughter who is almost 3 - while she is still a little young she considers it her "book toy" and it lets her hear a story on her own which she is proud she can do. She still does not have it read the individual words, but she likes to have the pictures make the sounds and really enjoys it overall. I fully aniticpate that she will continue to use it for a long time. To my daughter the best new toy is a book - and this is just an added fun feature to a book.

Whoop- I guess we are talking about 2 different things- I have a series of 5 videos- starts with letters, letters & math, words, sentences, reading, My son is 2 and knows all of his phonics after watching these videos for only 2-3 months! I'd say its a good system. Not sure how much they cost- ours was given to us by a friend.

I thought it was a great idea, but my daughter rarely uses it (she's 5.5 now, got it at age 4). She uses her Leapster more than her TAG.

We don't have this system and so, my answer may not be responsive. However, my six-year-old reads at a 3rd grade level because (I assume) we have read to her since birth, have provided her with over 100 books and take her to the library regularly. I don't think any system can take the place of time reading to your child or instill the same love of reading. A reading system doesn't have the same inflection, cadence and expression as mommy or daddy. It doesn't stop to answer questions in mid-sentence, it isn't good to snuggle up to, etc. I guess I'm pretty old-fashioned in the respect. My suggestion? Buy books instead - ones that aren't based solely on cartoon characters.

I think there are some other Leapfrog toys your child would like better. There is a handheld game device which allows your child to play games with their favorite characters and learn at the same time. Their DVDs are wonderful in that they focus on Math or Reading or both. If your daughter enjoys reading, books are better for learning because the selection is infinite. I think she may end up memorizing the TAG books rather than really learning the words.

We got it for our daughter around 4 and it wasn't worth the $. The books are very expensive and there isn't that big of a selection. She liked it for a while, and we still have it, but it wasn't a hit. I wanted to get her a leapster2 and ended up getting it for her for her 5th bday. At first, I was sorry I got it because it was ALL she wanted to do, but again, about a month later, it's by the way side. If there's a computer your child can use, I'd sign up on Zoodles.com or NickJr.com and let her work on her skills there. Zoodles sends you updates via email on what your child has been working (and it has a free level) and NickJr has a progress chart when you log on. If you want reading skills specifically, I'd get books on tape (free at the library) and let her "follow along" as the tape plays. My daughter's favorite are the SkippyJonJones series--very clever and funny. The author does an awesome job telling the stories. Good luck!

This is not really addressing the system you are asking about but I bought my daughter the Leapfrog Tag Junior system for her birthday (well my parents bought it for her but I recommended it!). She really likes it and so does her 1 year old brother (even though he doesn't really know how to use it). My daughter is 3 years old and I like the Junior because the books are hard (not paper) which I figured with a 1 year old brother would be better. I think if she likes to read, if you go out to eat or travel a lot and you need something different for her to do, it's a good idea. I also think at age four, there are probably some other good electronics ideas too!