LeapFrog TAG Reading System – Green
- The Tag Reading System encourages children to learn to read and to love reading as words talk, pictures sing and stories live out loud!
- The Tag library includes over 40 books and games based on favorite TV, movie and classic tales
- Tag storybooks and learning activities help children build reading skills such as vocabulary, phonics and reading comprehension
- The Tag Reader holds audio for up to 10 books at a time and is sized to fit small hands with a no-slip grip
- Parents can connect the Tag Reader online to collect fun rewards their child has earned and to see their child’s play
Now Holds Up to 10 Books. Learn to read, love to read with Tag – the amazing touch reading system that brings stories to life like never before. Now the #1 best-selling reading system, the Tag Reader is loved around the world with more than 28 awards in 6 countries. As children touch the Tag Reader to the pages of specially printed storybooks, words talk, pictures sing and stories live out loud, engaging children’s senses to make reading a rich, fulfilling experience. And, with more than 40 books and games based on favorite TV, movie and classic tales, the Tag library has something for every reader. The Tag Reader now holds audio for up to 10 books at a time. Simply connect the Tag Reader to your computer with the included USB cable, download the audio for your Tag books and drag-and-drop up to 10 of your child’s favorite stories onto your Tag Reader. While online, you can also discover your children’s favorite books and activities, learn about the skills they are exploring and share in their accomplishments by creating a free LeapFrogandreg, Learning Path at leapfrog official website. Based on a 2010 survey conducted by LeapFrog of teachers participating in its Tag Kindergarten Program who received Tag Reading Systems from LeapFrog for use in their classrooms.
LeapFrog TAG Reading System – Green
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Great product but a lot more parent involvement.,
Short version:
The good: The pen is amazing, a real marvel of teaching technology. The kids like it.
The bad: It’s the most techno-savvy leapfrog product yet. The pen needs to be connected to the computer a lot as your child learns. Not only do you have to “download” the books onto the pen, but there is a feedback loop where the child earns rewards. Most of the “rewards” require printer paper and ink. I wish you could turn off the pen’s requests to be plugged back into the computer, but you can’t.
Should you buy it:
If you are used to performing regular “maintenance” with your ipod, and you don’t mind that, then definitely buy it.
If you don’t like maintainin computers (firmware upgrades, syncing, troubleshooting, etc) then consider very carefully before buying.
Don’t get this as a gift for a person who either doesn’t have a computer, or has a relic of a computer that they never use.
Long version:
I have owned a lot of leapfrog toys. This is the first one I’ve used which is very similar to owning an ipod.
Upon receiving this product, the pen comes with a demo book. The demo book works out of the box, of course. The technology itself is cool, there is a little camera underneath the pen point and it can “see” where you are on the page. Touching the pen to the page makes the pen announce whatever is in that location. You can switch “modes” by touching in the corner of the book. For example, you can switch to “play a game” or you can “read”.
The demo book is fine for maybe a couple hours play, but it doesn’t have enough play value for you to be satisfied with the demo book alone. You’re going to have to buy more books, which you expect if you have some experience with these leapfrog devices.
So I bought several books to test this out with. They included: LeapFrog Tag Activity Storybook I SPY Imagine That!, LeapFrog Tag Learn to Read Phonics Book Series Short Vowels, and LeapFrog Tag Learn to Read Phonics Book Series Long Vowels, Silent E and Y. I waited to post my review until those items arrived.
It was only after I received these books that I realized what it was like to use this product. Here is my journey, in steps:
STEP 1: I had to install Leapfrog software on my computer. And each time you buy a book you have use your computer to “install” that book on the pen. You can’t go to a store and pick up a Leapfrog book and use it right away. You either have to download the audio ahead of time (more on that in a minute) or come home and download it after you buy the book. This IS NOT a cartridge system, like many previous leapfrog products.
STEP 2: I had to set up a leapfrog,com ACCOUNT with a username and password. I didn’t appreciate the need to set up an account. I am receiving occasional rare email solicitations from Leapfrog now, even though I indicated that I didn’t want any emails.
STEP 3: I had to set up each CHILD in the account. You do this to track their progress. I actually don’t care about that very much, and I would have appreciated an opt-out on that feature. So each child has a little account of their own.
STEP 4: After I installed the software I plugged the pen into my computer with a USB cable.
STEP 5: Then I had to update the software on the pen. (Thats “firmware” to us geeks). Thats right, Leapfrog felt the need to change the software that makes the pen work between the time the pen was made and the time you bought it. So bringing the pen “up to date” is your responsibility.
STEP 6: Then I had to find the books I bought (one at a time, even though they aren’t sold separately) for download from leapfrog’s website. You can download every book they have, even if you don’t own the paper version of the book. You could download the audio for a book, and then go to the store and buy the paper version, and then use the paper book immediately. This was kind of nice if you are planning ahead.
I hope you see what i’m saying – to use any book you need to have (1) a paper book and (2) a digital download for that same paper book which you got on your computer. If you only have one or the other, you can’t use that book.
STEP 7: Next I had to use the computer program to move the books I wanted to use onto the pen. This is called “synchronizing”. Fortunately, all 12 fit on the pen at one…
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|A winner,
I acquired the LeapFrog TAG reading system for my 7 year-old granddaughter in an effort to help improve her lagging reading skills. I gave the Leapfrog TAG device to her father (my son)for a test drive. He has used the Leapster 2 gaming system with his little girl for several years, so positive brand awareness influenced his interest in the LeapFrog TAG system. I asked him for some comments about the device. Here is what he said:
“On the parental side, software installation was quite simple. The device was in use less than ten minutes after opening the box. Managing the LeapFrog TAG’s media library at the desktop is also quite easy. The UI can be personalized to and utilized by the child with minimal instruction.
While my overall opinion of the system is positive, I found the materials included with the device to be decidedly minimalist. Unlike the Leapster 2, no protective case was included. Considering the TAG’s size, this increases the likelihood of misplacement. Batteries were not included, a rarity these days. Finally, the ‘sample’ book included was comprised of snippets from multiple available titles. The Leapster 2 had come with a complete game included. No additional purchase was required for the child to enjoy full immediate use of the device.
After purchasing a copy of ‘Walter the Far—g Dog Goes on a Cruise’ on sale for $10 at a local big box retailer, LeapFrog TAG’s potential was realized. It’s entertaining, versatile, and certainly more than just a talking book. The child can have the entire story read to him/her or point to specific words for assistance with pronunciation. Illustrations feature puzzles and quizzes to elicit interest beyond the story itself.
In addition, sound effects are employed to entertain which was of particular interest with the above noted title. Upon first receiving the TAG device and additional book, my child spent roughly a half hour with it (uninterrupted), then revisited frequently throughout the rest of the day. The device was used multiple times every day since receiving it, but my child is already requesting more titles after fully exploring the one(s) we have.
In just a short time, I have witnessed my girl’s ability to learn and speak more complex words. Long term viability of the LeapFrog TAG will likely be a function of available titles. I have noticed more of the newer ones to involve mostly games and puzzles. We will be sampling one of those soon.
Even if the LeapFrog TAG turns out to be only a transitional learning tool that doesn’t provide years of use like the Leapster 2, I’ve already found it to be a valuable help improving my child’s reading skills.”
I hope my son’s remarks were helpful. I can tell you that he was very satisfied with the TAG system and even more important so was my granddaughter.
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|Great improvement on an already amazing toy,
My nephew got the Tag reader several years ago, so I’ve been eyeing it for my daughter for a while. She just turned 4 so I got it for her for her birthday. I love the updated look – it feels more sleek and cool. My nephew’s earlier version came with a paperback book, but this one comes with a sampler book that lets you try out lots of different pages from other Tag books. It’s really helpful to see what else is out there and for her to figure out which ones she would play with most. And I have to say I am amazed by the amount of games and activities embedded in each page. Great product – I highly recommend it!
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