Leapsters...are they worth getting

[Anne]

Hey everyone. I guess this fits under shopping...

I am considering buying a Leapster for my 6yo daughter. Are they worth having? I have heard good and bad things, yet I would love any insight from any of you.

My girls do have an old computer they use just for games and stuff, so I could just keep going in that direction. But she's 6 and starting to notice what other friends have. I'll get it if she gets something good out of it and it doesn't fall apart in a week.

TIA!!! :love:

[Mom2aPrincess]

I bought my daughter a Leapster when she was 5 for her birthday and was so impressed with it that I bought my nephew one that Christmas and have since gotten one for my niece. They are great! The games have characters the kids recognize so they want to play them and don't even realize how much they are learning while they play. The leapster's games also go up to a higher age than the alternative I considered (and thanks to grandparents my daughter ended up with too) - a VSmile Pocket. Point being I would give it two thumbs up any day.

[Blessing and Miracle]

I second the two thumbs up! My three year old daughters love theirs! They are pretty strudy as well, speaking from experience. LOL. They are great learning tools as well as entertainment. They kept the girls quite busy on our road trip to Disney last July. I suggest that you buy the rechargable battery pack or just a regular recharger for the batteries, however even the regular batteries last a very long time. I don't think you'll go wrong with this purchase.

[DisneyMa]

DD7 has had her Leapster L-Max for a couple years. She loves it! I find DD11 and DD12 playing some of the games too!!

BTW- Target has all the Leapster games on sale for $15.00!!!

[Blessing and Miracle]

DD7 has had her Leapster L-Max for a couple years. She loves it! I find DD11 and DD12 playing some of the games too!!

BTW- Target has all the Leapster games on sale for $15.00!!!\


Wow 15.00, I didn't know that. That's a great buy! I need to check that out before they are all gone.

[Anne]

Thanks for your input. They would be nice for the car and we do have a decent amount of traveling with all our family living a couple of hours away. I guess I will be shopping for one soon! And apparently buying games at Target.

Anne

[wilsonfamily4]

my kids love our. Truthfully I have never heard anything negative about the leapster. I have about other leapfrog systems but not the leapsters. They are so GOOD.

[DisneyMa]

Glad it will work for you. I know my kiddo plays with it in the car of when we are out doing "something boring!" She keeps her leapster and games (with extra batteries) in a small backpack. That way it's ready to go at a moments notice.

[StitchandPooh'smom]

DD4 loves her Leapster, and DD8 loved it when she was younger. The games are great and educational.

I will throw out one negative, though. We have not found the Leapsters to be as durable as Gameboys. DD8 went through two Leapsters because the screen stopped working in places, even after trying to recalibrate. She was gentle with it, didn't drop it, etc. DD4 has had hers a year and it is doing great, so I am hoping they have fixed whatever problem they had. (She has dropped hers a few times, and it still works, so I am hopeful.) In contrast, the first Gameboy that DD8 got (which DD4 uses now) is over three years old and still works as well as it did new.

At six years old, she might prefer a Nintendo DS. I know that was the big thing in kindergarten when DD8 was five, and she still uses it now. While the Leapster has more educational stuff, you will probably get more years out of the DS.

All that being said, the Leapster is a great car toy and learning tool!

[faithhope]

We don't own a leapster... I have gotten many of the same games for our home pc for under $10 a piece.

Faith

[Hedy]

My nephew got one when he was 6 and loved it. FWIW, his older brother received the Quest (?) by Leapfrog that same Xmas (he was 9), but I've only seen him playing with the Leapster.