We use this toy for our almost-five-year-old during our daily commutes. It’s wonderful because a) it grabs her attention and delights her during what is usually a very shaky, depressing, hungry time of day, b) it’s not like a video game in which you have a catatonic child in your backseat who refuses to talk–it’s an interactive learning toy that prompts questions and interesting conversations, and c) it’s not obnoxious–no weird beeping, no shooting noises, no electronic “music.” It’s filled with great music that’s real. (The most obnoxious it gets is when she repeatedly clicks on an interesting phrase. Last week we heard “It was spectacular!” five times, before she informed us what she believes “spectacular” means.)
It’s not often when our child thinks that a toy is as awesome as her parents do. But I can tell this one is definitely on her short list. It’s the only toy that regularly travels from the car to the living room, to the kitchen table, to the bedroom, and then back to the car. That’s right. She *carries* it. She doesn’t ask us to carry it around for her. As far as I’m concerned, that’s the highest praise you can give.
Let’s Play Tag!
With a wide grip that’s perfect for little hands, the Tag reader adds a unique element to story time. The included book, Ozzie and Mack, features the rhyming adventures of Ozzie Otter and his playful animal friends. Text for this book is preloaded onto the Tag reader, so as soon as you load two AAA batteries (not included) into the reader, the story can begin.
A little camera in the tip of the reader identifies words and symbols on the specially printed pages, giving kids lots of options. They can pick between starting a story at the beginning and having it read all the way through, playing a page at a time, or reading themselves and using the Tag reader to hear single, tricky words spoken aloud. This last option inspires kids to try reading books they might otherwise avoid, since the Tag reader is always there to help them out.
Young readers are sure to enjoy the way character voices add drama to their favorite stories, the way touching certain pictures inspires quirky sound effects, and the leveled activities included in LeapFrog books.
Explore the World of Reading
LeapFrog presents a library of books that are compatible with the Tag reader. Classics like The Little Engine That Could come to life, and kids’ favorite characters, such as SpongeBob SquarePants and Kung Fu Panda, help them connect with new stories. LeapFrog has even teamed with National Geographic Kids to present activity cards featuring different animals that the Tag reader brings to life.
To use additional books and games, you’ll need to install the LeapFrog connect application on your computer. Once this is done, it becomes easy to download audio for the books you have and put them on your Tag reader. Use the included USB cable to connect the reader to your computer, and drag-and-drop up to five stories onto it.
- # The amazing touch technology of the Tag Reading System encourages a child’s love of reading as words talk, pictures sing and stories live out loud!
- # The Tag library includes over 20 books and games featuring characters from TV, movies and classic tales.
- # Tag storybooks and learning activities help children build vocabulary and reading skills such as word recognition, reading comprehension and phonics skills.
- # Children learn to read through an exciting and interactive experience in which they can also earn online rewards.
- # Parents can connect the Tag Reader to the online LeapFrog Learning Path to see what their child is learning, and explore ways to expand their child’s learning journey.
