I wanted to share LeapFrog Touch and Learn eReader I received, because you can bet your bottom dollar that when I’m helping Santa load the sleigh this year, I will make sure there are plenty of these on there for every good little boy and girl 3 and up who is just beginning to learn how to read.
I was blessed when LeapFrog sent me the Touch and Learn eReader in exchange for my honest review, and you can bet your bottom dollar I already know exactly who’s going to receive this one. When Charlie and Suzanne were little, I never had the opportunity to purchase tablets or e-readers for them. But if I had, you can bet your bottom dollar that LeapFrog’s Touch and Learn eReader would have been one of the gifts under our Christmas tree.
What I really like about this little eReader is that it brings together reading, phonics, games, music, and stories all in one place. And I like that you can try it before you purchase it, so you can see what it’s all about and decide if it would be a good fit for your child.
The Touch and Learn eReader is made for children ages 3 and up and works on important early learning skills, including story comprehension, letter names and sounds, and early phonics. I know I’ve said before that I don’t recommend electronics when homeschooling our children. But that doesn’t mean I don’t believe there are times when the right technology can be a blessing.
When Charlie was little, his ADHD made learning to read a struggle. I remember his counselor telling us that audiobooks might make learning easier for him because he could listen to the words while following along. Looking back, I can absolutely see something like this being a Godsend for him.
There are ten stories built right into the Touch and Learn eReader, along with games and music. There are five classic fairy tales, including Jack and the Beanstalk, Goldilocks, Stone Soup, Anansi and the Melon, and The Magic Paintbrush. There are also five phonics stories that focus on the vowels A, E, I, O, and U.
I already know which ones my kids would have picked. Charlie would have loved Jack and the Beanstalk. As for Suzanne, I believe The Magic Paintbrush would have been her favorite. And I like that children aren’t simply sitting there listening to a story. They can follow along, explore letter sounds, build words by putting word parts together, and answer questions about what happened in the stories.
There is even a Story Quiz that helps children think about what they just heard or read. To me, that’s a great way to take something that feels like play and turn it into a learning opportunity without making it feel like another lesson. And then there is the music which I was surprised to find.
I love the music aspect because sometimes children learn best when they can hear something and sing along with it. The Touch and Learn eReader has original songs about reading and different kinds of stories, giving children another way to interact with what they’re learning.
It also comes in this pretty teal color, which I think boys and girls would both enjoy. It gives them that feeling of having their own little eReader, just like the grown-ups. There are stories like Sam the Cat Wants a Snack that children can listen to and follow along with, and I can easily picture a little one curled up with this in their lap while learning new words.
And honestly, I’m not only thinking about children when I look at this. Charlie is 19 now, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t still struggle with reading. Growing up doesn’t magically make those struggles disappear. If there is something that can help him learn, I’m going to try it.
I could even see David using something like this because he struggles with some words, too. And while this is designed for young children, I can see how listening to stories, hearing words spoken aloud, and working on sounds could potentially help someone who is still working on their reading skills.
That’s what I like about this. To me, it’s more than an electronic toy. It’s a little library of stories, phonics activities, games, and music that a child can have right at their fingertips. And even though Charlie is grown now and Suzanne will forever be my little girl in my heart, I can still look at something like this and think about what might have helped them when they were little.
So yes, I was blessed when LeapFrog sent me this Touch and Learn eReader in exchange for my review. And yes, I already know exactly who’s going to receive the one sitting in my house. But when I’m helping Santa load up that sleigh this Christmas, you can bet your bottom dollar I’m going to remind him to put plenty of LeapFrog Touch and Learn eReaders in there for every good little boy and girl who is beginning their reading journey. Because sometimes the best gift under the Christmas tree isn’t just something that keeps a child busy. Sometimes it’s something that helps them discover that they really can read.
Gracias,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
