Leap Pad Explorer Learning Tablet

My daughter does not have the tablet, but she has the leapster explorer. The tablet is just the newer model...obviously a larger screen, but it now has a camera/video camera built in too. But it can still use all the explorer games as well as a few for just it. This is the first time that Leapfrog has done this...all it's other systems, including the Leapster and Leapster 2, used their own proprietary games. So, that says something to me about the integrity of the games and system.

That being said, my 4-year-old enjoys her explorer. I would assume that the tablet has either the same options (since it uses the same games) or more advanced options. She like the learning games. This is her first experience with a gaming system of any kind, so there is a learning curve on using it for her. But, she picked it up quite well...especially the games that primarily use the stylus. The system itself is nice. The games are fun and creative at their way of infusing learning with activity. It automatically saves (when you finish a task, for example) so the progress is saved. There is a sign-in screen for up to 3 different children as well as a 'guest', so that is nice for siblings and friends to keep their game statuses. It responds well to the stylus touch and buttons. I like that it has a physical help button that can be used just about anywhere in any game to restate directions or provide additional help. Another small thing is that the stylus can be teethered on either side, which is a plus for my left-hander.

I just tried to hit on some of the points that maybe other reviews might not. It's so new that there might not be a ton of tried-and-true reviews, but I wouldn't hesitate to check reviews for the regular explorer. If I were buying it now for my daughter, I would buy the tablet, though, with it's new camera options and just bigger screen.

Go to Amazon, and read the reviews of it.
There are hundreds of reviews of it.

Nope, But I want to get our 4 year old one for Christmas also. I saw one online last week and wish I would have bought it then but wanted to research it a little more. Now its out of stock every where I look. Hoping to find it before Christmas.

Seems like it would be great because our son loves to play on our Android phones and I dont like him too because hes a little too rough.

I think we have decided to go a different way. I want to be able to download crazy birds and other Android market games and I don't know if they will do that on this pad or not. The kids love to go and try new games all the time.

Our service provider has the same phone I use, a Samsung Mesmerize on sale for $80 with a mail in rebate of $80, or a similar deal, free after a couple of months. They wait until you have had your phone the full 30 days and if you exchange it the 30 days starts over. They want to make sure you like the phone and are happy with it. The we get the card in the mail in just a few days. It is like a pre-paid credit card, Visa maybe. Anyway, he is familiar with my phone workings, the phone part can be turned off so no calls will be made. It sounds like we might do that but it's totally crazy!!! A cell phone to play games on for an 8yr. old and a 5 yr. old.

I hear they are fantastic. I don't know about in WI, but here in SoCal, they are all sold out everywhere.