Leapster-type Device for 3-Yr Old

We bought the Leap Frog Text & Learn when my daughter was 3. It has some learning games and some other cute stuff like watching the little dog (Scout) dance to different styles of music. Plus, it is only $20 and there are no extra games to buy.

She is now almost 6 and still pulls out the Text & Learn even though she now has a Leapster.

There is a case to be made for buying a Leapster now if you know you'll buy one in a few years anyway, but who knows how the Leapster will have changed by then? It could be like having a cell with a qwerty keypad while everyone else has an iPhone. :)

My 3 year old boy has a DS lite. It's fascinating for him. We let him play about 30 minutes at a time, just a few times a day. Helps with car trips, or just when you need them to be good. The old school Super Mario Bros comes with it, and that game alone is all you need. It is the best game they have for little ones. My son took to it, and figured it all out in days!

We got it for our daughter last Christmas! At the time she was 2, she kept fighting with her older brother,he has a DSI, she love's it! We went to leapster.com and purchased it for a great deal! She plays with it alot and I feel that she also learns alot like color's, numbers, and she can even color pictures on it! I would definately recommend it! You won't lose with this! She can play with it up to the age of 8! My son will even play with it sometimes! Also, I would wait until you are able to find a great deal on one, we purchased it on Black Friday online and I believe we payed $180. but we also got 4 games with it too! At times they even do the buy one get one 50% off sale! Hope I was helpful in your decision! Good Luck! Opp's, forgot to say what she has, it's a Leapster 2!

Go ahead and get the Leapster2. My son is 3 1/2. All of the games are 4+, but I've been amazed at how quick he picks up on stuff I thought was WAY too advanced for him. We don't get him the 6-7 yr old games, but the 4 yr ones are great. I.E. Toy story is all spelling 3 letter words & letter recognition. When we got it, he didn't know ANY letters by sight. By the 3rd day he had the game he could recognize most of his letters. Now he can even do some of the 3 letter words!!
Don't underestimate their level of development.

My 2 year old uses her brothers' Leapster Explorers. We're about to buy her one of her own to stop the fighting. You have to help them at first but they pick it up really fast. They used to make a number of machines for the younger groups, we have all of them, but they stopped making them. My Little Touch was made for the youngest age group. You can usually find them at second hand stores though along with the game books. My oldest is 10 now and we've had some of them since he was a toddler and they've been handed down through our other kids.

If you are buying new, I'd check out the new LeapPad Explorer. It uses the Explorer games and does a whole lot more. If my son was younger we'd get one. http://www.leapfrog.com/leappad

Otherwise check for used Leapsters at consignment/yard sales. All the leapfrog line is great fun. Kids pick up on electronics quite quickly. My 7yo son would rather use my phone or his dad's tablet than his Explorer.

yeah, dont buy a child (that is under the age of ten) anything that you cant afford to replace easily. yeah, they want it because one of their friends have it, but, can you afford to replace it when the child loses it, trades it to another child or simply forgets where they sat it down. lets not even discuss the possibility that another child might decide to take it from your child, in those particular cases, i typically suggest dragging the sticky fingered offender naked and screaming back to their parents whom would then be advised to cough up another toy of equal or higher value, to replace the one that their child took.as i have said before, nothing encourages good behavior like public embarassment , just ask any politician
K. h.

When my kids each turned 2 we bought them Leapsters. They loved them and I truly believe that the Leapster helped them learn quicker and learn to love to learn. My kids are 8 and 6 now and they will still get the Leapster out and play games on it. The games grow with the age of the child. Sure, they have their Nintendo now, but they still enjoy the Leapster. There is nothing like it. And you don't have to worry about the content of the games they play on it. The Leapster 2 is also a good choice and all the games work on it. The Leapster even has a case. We've had these devices for 6 + years and have never, ever had any problems with them or with the games. The devices always work. You can find the Leapster and the Leapster 2 on Amazon. com. Good luck and hope he loves it as much as my kids always have!

We bought the Leapster 2 when my son was 3 and he loved it. They really do pick up things quickly with these games so don't be turned away by the age range.

We are liking the Leap pad toy right now. Its not so much like a lap top, but opens and you put the books in and a cartridge and you use the stylus that is hooked to a cord so you cant drop and lose it. You touch parts of each page and it says stuff, reads the story, tells you what it is, makes sounds. You turn pages and go on. My grand daughter is enjoying it, but its not on the market anylonger. I have found some books at garage sales and kids thrift stores and would love to get more. Anyone got some? Id love to have them. Id go to the 2nd hand stores and buy this type of toy for a lot less. I think they can outgrow them too fast and they are so fast to invent a new one and pull the older ones off the market so you cant get new software.

The Leapster, can be used by your son.

Both my kids, had their Leapster from 2 years old.
They could use it and knew how at that age.
It is intuitive.
My kids loved it and it teaches them a lot.
It grows with them.

Let your son use it, experiment on it, and before you know it he will know how to use it.

My son received the Leapster 2 when he was almost 3 years old. He loves it! I limit his use even though it is a learning toy b/c he thinks he is playing video games. The level one games are easy enough for 3 year olds, you can show him how to play and they catch on very quickly.

My son has a Vreader from Vtech. It is supposed to be for ages 3-8. I am thinking of getting it for my 2.5 year old soon. Right now my 2.5 year old has My Leaptop which is a toy laptop that plays music and teaches letters.

My 2.5 year old has a Leap Pad. It has some fun games but more educational type things like numbers, letters etc... It's for ages 2 or 3 I can't remember but she really likes it and it keeps her occupied.