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Product Description
Amazon.com
The Ultimate Learning Game System (Ages 4-9 years)
*Three apps included. All additional games and apps sold separately
New! LeapsterGS
Experience fast-paced action in a sleek new design that's packed with learning! Only LeapsterGS puts kids in charge of the learning fun with new motion-sensing play, built-in camera, kid-friendly multi-button controls, a touch screen and stylus, a library of 300+ game cartridges, downloadable apps* and more!
Three Apps Included
LeapsterGS comes with 3 apps to get kids into the game!* Nurture your very own pet in Pet Pad and bring photos into the fun with the exclusive new app, Escape of the Sillies, a fast-paced monster-bopping math game that uses the built-in camera, motion sensor and new facial-morphing technology! Children can also choose from one of three engaging educational games from the LeapFrog App Center.
All-New Motion Sensor
Take learning in new directions with the built-in motion sensor! Tilt, turn and shake your LeapsterGS handheld to throw your body into the game - for multisensory learning at its most fun yet.
Mic. Camera. Action!
Bring the real world into play with the new on-board camera and video recorder! Edit your pics on the go and put yourself into the action. You can even add your own audio with the new microphone! Parents can share their child's creations online.
LeapFrog App Center
LeapsterGS works with LeapFrog Explorer games cartridges* and LeapFrog Apps (sold separately). You can download apps through your computer at any time for non-stop learning and fun! With more than 300 experiences to choose from - including games, eBooks, videos, music and more - you will always find something new for your kids to explore at the LeapFrog App Center.
The Highest-Quality Educational Content
LeapFrog learning apps and games are designed by educational experts, who create innovative, immersive experiences that keep kids challenged and inspired! From math and science to creativity and friendship, kids can explore hundreds of skills at just the right pace for them. Parents can even enter their child's math sets and spelling lists into select games, for extra practice as they play!
See and Share Achievements
Connect to our groundbreaking LeapFrog Learning Path to see specific details of your child's play and learning, including areas where your child excels or needs more support. Emails provide tailored learning tips and let you share your child's progress and achievements!
Gear for On-the-Go
Personalize your LeapsterGS with stylish accessories, add a case for safer travels or find more ways to extend the play with the AC Adapter, Car Adapter, Recharger Pack and more. With LeapsterGS, the learning fun continues wherever you go!
Accessories sold separately.
What's in the Box:
- LeapsterGS Explorer Handheld (2GB Memory)
- Built-in Camera/Video Recorder & Photo Lab
- Pet Pad Writing App
- LeapsterGS Exclusive App: Escape of the Sillies†
- Free App Download†
- Stylus
- USB Cable
- Quick Start Guide CD
†Internet connection required. To download these apps, you must install the LeapFrog Connect Application and complete registration.
Innovative Learning Approach
LeapFrog learning games, apps and eBooks are designed by our in-house educational experts and grounded in the latest research for the richest possible learning experience. By promoting learning through play, we tap into children's natural curiosity, inspiring them to explore.
Batteries not included. Rechargeable battery pack sold separately. The NPD Group / Consumer Tracking Service; PS Electronic Learning, Learning Tablet Brands as defined by LeapFrog, Dollars, Annual 2011. *Three apps included (some require an Internet connection to download). All additional games and apps sold separately. Not all games and apps available in all countries; some not available until year-end 2012.
Product Description
Customer Reviews
For the past six months, my son has lovingly played with my husband's old, cracked-glass iPod, building an impressive understanding of what each app can do. I received an email from LeapFrog inviting me to have a look at the Leapster Explorer GS. With my son's 4th birthday approaching and without knowing what to give him, I decided to click on the link to the demo video with my son next to me. He said, "Mom, I want that!" So we bought it for him, hoping it wouldn't be played with for three minutes and discarded for the old iPod.
It wasn't. He wouldn't put it down all day. The next morning, he woke up and went right for it and played it all day again, and for at least an hour every day since. (It's been ten days.) If this were nothing but a video game toy, then I would gently nudge him away from playing it after a while, but it's so much more than that. He loves the built-in camera. He'll sneak up beside me, and I'll hear the recorded voice saying, "5-4-3-2-1-say 'Cheese!'" I have to be quick to whip my head around and grin at him. Creativity is further encouraged in the photo lab which allows the child to convert the picture to black and white, alter the saturation, add stamps, and distort the image.
From the LeapFrog site, you can download numerous apps--videos, games, and ebooks. We got one called "Wheel Works" that teaches spatial relations, forces, and motion. His brain is being prepared to understand physics concepts. It also teaches strategic thinking. I happen to be a proponent of education through the medium of video game play. If only we approached the acquisition of all skills the way we do video game skills! Where in life, a child might give up on learning a subject--often, math--when the initial attempt is overwhelmingly challenging, s/he will just start over again with a PLAN when that "Game Over" appears onscreen. This is true in most things that, given time and dogged determination, we could show great improvement--dance, learning a musical instrument, writing well, and so on. Yet, with video games, we set aside self-defeating pre-assessments and just assume that we'll improve incrementally-getting past the cherry board in Pac-Man, then the pretzel board, and so on. I am seeing this in my son because of the Leapster GS. He was so frustrated in his first attempts at playing Wheel Works. Having an education degree, I am well familiar with the practice of "scaffolding" (look up Vygotsky for more on this). I had him watch me complete all the levels a few times; he was raring to go after that, just needing to see that it could be done and seeing me not get frustrated when I had to go back and do something differently, and has been proudly and calmly making more and more progress toward completing all the levels himself! In the future, I will be able to reference this incremental improvement experience when he is frustrated in learning something new.
He has already made some progress in a math game for which we gave him a cartridge. He's learning coin counting, measurement, geometry, and proportions.
After connecting the hand-held to my computer to initialize it, the camera would not open. I reconnected it to my computer, hunted around for troubleshooting info when the LeapFrog Connect software opened, and followed the prompts to "Repair". An update was installed, and the camera has worked just fine ever since. I'm thinking that updates will be rather frequent now (Summer 2012) because this product has JUST hit the market, and software/electronics are often in need of a few updates right after release. We have had to change the batteries twice (takes 4 AAs), and each set of batteries gave about 10 hours of juice. We went ahead and invested in the $39.99 recharging kit.
We're at the beginning of our Leapster Explorer GS journey. I am so thrilled with this product thus far. I love the Little Pim language-learning videos--French, Italian, Spanish, German, and Chinese are available, so far. The ebooks/games/apps feature many levels so that your child will still be able to use them as he or she masters each. I look forward to building a learning collection with each passing birthday, Christmas, and behavioral accomplishment reward opportunities(i.e. a month of top conduct marks from his pre-school teacher). I hope that any of you who have a child in your life who plays with this toy will share your impressions. Thanks for reading!
'get out' is to power the game on and off. We have the Leapster Explorer and the Leapster Leappad and I have never had these types of issues. Either this was not tested thoroughly or they produced some lemons in the manufacturing process.
Update : There was an issue with the software and Leapfrog customer service gave me information on how to repair the software from the Connect application. It is still not clear to me why it was bugged to begin with OR why the repair files were not downloaded from Connect when I intially set up the GS. The customer service rep said that repair files sometimes don't get downloaded due to internet connection issues?? Additionally, it is not clear to me why instructions could not be found online to fix the error. The customer service rep had no answer for me. I find the Connect application to be tedious and slow, by the way. Anyways, I have upgraded my durability and overall ratings to be more favorable since the problem is now fixed.
For those of you who have the problem I did, Leapster recommends doing the following:
1) Open the LeapFrog Connect application, turn on the Leapster GS and connect it on your computer.
3) Click on the Go button on the name of the child.
3) Click on the Settings tab, Leapster GS and then click Repair
Note, when you initially connect the Repair button may be grayed out. It may take a couple minutes for all updates to download and the Leapster GS to fully connect before these buttons are clickable.
However, it should be noted there's about a $30 difference between this GS and the LeapPad. For my money, I'd bump up to the LeapPad. Bigger screen, easier to change batteries, and more possibilities for game use. Otherwise, you won't be disappointed with this game. Be sure to get the AC adaptor...these things eat batteries like crazy.
My only big gripe is the box promises more than it delivers. It clearly states "a library of 300 games". Oh. Sounds good, except that the 'library' isn't included, you'll pay for each and every one. Only 3 "apps" are included, and "apps" are not full games. They are short little practice games and/or Ebooks (snooze). An "app" usually runs $20 for two codes (two games or ebooks). So, it'll come with enough for your kid to play with for about a day before you are online looking for the game cartridges (which range from $17 sale to $30). Also, the "apps" are not as easy to install, you have to enter a code via your LeapWorld connection online (installation takes forever!) and then download the app to your game via syncing cable. Not a problem after the first few times, but not as simple as the cartridge.
One great thing about the syncing though is that the Leap toy reports back a report card to your LeapWorld account and keeps tracks of your child's strengths and weaknesses in math, reading, recognition, and problem solving. They can also earn points from playing educational games, and when you sync they can "buy" additional little perks with those points.
Altogether, I've been seriously impressed with all the Leapfrog products (except Tag...hate it) and while the games seem expensive, we've gotten our moneys worth out of all of them in the long haul. We usually buy a new game before a big trip to occupy him during car time. And for what it's worth, Tangled and Scooby Doo and NFL Rush are the LEAST fun of the games. Star Wars, Wolverine, Ben 10, and Cars 2 have been the favorite games for our 5 year old.
I hope you find this helpful.
