After the Leapfrog giveaway last month, the team at Leapfrog offered to send Dexter a little pressie. As Dexter was lucky enough to get the award-winning My Own LapPup - Scout from his Aunty Louise at Christmas, we already knew that the vibrant colours and big push buttons were a hit with Dex. In fact, his LapPup has saved us from many a pre-school meltdown this past month.
Okay - it’s true my little guy doesn’t have a clue what Scout is saying to him. But he bashes the keys all the same and bops his little head to the tunes. It’s enough for me to see him exploring the buttons and giggling. It’s definitely made him more inquisitive as he realises that every button he touches will have a different consequence; whether Scout is counting to three, teaching him about shapes and colours, or singing to him.
As Dexter has no musical instruments at all, I thought it might be fun for him to try a xylophone to bash. So the fabulous guys at Leapfrog sent him this seriously cool toy: The Leapfrog Learn & Groove: Xylophone Zoo!
I don’t know who was more excited, Dexter or I. I can just about remember to how to play Silent Night so couldn’t wait to rip open the packaging and re-live my childhood. Dexter did look a little miffed when I took it out of the packaging and cradled it away…
In fact, I got so engrossed with it that when Craig came home from work and said “So what does Dexie make of it?”, I realised I’d hogged it for an entire hour and poor Dexter hadn’t even had a chance to play with it. You see, there’s this cool little game you can play where you have to follow the lights and hit the correct key… takes me right back to days at the arcades when we used to play Whac a Mole.
Needless to say Craig grabbed my new toy away and gave Dexter a mini tutorial on how to play with it.
Once Dexter has gotten over his fascination with the little plastic hammer (it took him a good 20 minutes trying to eat it before his realised there’s was more fun to be had) - he was gripped.
There are six adorable animals above each of the keys and each make a different sound when pressed. They also light up to hold your own monkey’s attention. On yet another option, upon being pressed they’ll tell you which animal they are and which they are colour also. There’s just so much going on that Dexie became transfixed by it.
Finally, there’s the option to switch the entire toy to French mode - which allows baby to discover a new language. Okay - this is well beyond the comprehension of most pre-school / toddlers - but well done Leapfrog for trying!
Leapfrog toys are available just about everywhere - you’d be hard-pressed to find anywhere that doesn’t sell them. But go ahead and like them on Facebook, and follow them on Twitter for the latest news (and giveaways). Finally, you can visit the website to find out more about the selection of educational toys available for your little masters and madams.
