6.10.2014

This is a brilliant idea and concept and if used well along with the normal parental role/responsibility of teaching your child how important healthy eating and exercise can be I can see this being a fantastic tool to help your little one get up and get active instead of sitting in front of the television or games console especially if they are normally inclined to sit about. This is not a replacement for good parenting and teaching your little one how to stay active and healthy and I highly doubt the Leapfrog team thought that it would be when they invented it so the negative reviews I have read that seem to think this is supposed to be a substitute or brush off of parental responsibility,I think are being a bit unfair to what is a really good toy.The LeapBand advises it is suitable for between the ages of 4-7 years old and I thought that my son who is under 3 would be able to play with it as he does manage to grasp things quite easily but it is still a bit too old for him at this stage. I am therefore helping him with the more 'difficult' roles of the band such as feeding, washing and playing with the pet but he grasps how to do the activity parts well enough on his own. My son doesn't really need encouragement to run, jump, crawl, dance etc as he is a very active little boy anyway and any chance he gets to be active he will do so but he does love wearing his own little watch and seeing the pet on screen and so I am treating it more as a sort of tamagotchi pet for him than a activity booster. If you have a little one who prefers to sit on the couch and watch the television or play on their games console then I could see this giving them a little bit of a boost to be more active and so I think the idea of the activity tracker is a very good one and has been really thought out by Leapfrog.To get the most out of the activity tracker you really need to set up a Leapfrog account (this is free and doesn't cost anything to do) and download their Leapfrog Connect for LeapBand Application onto your computer (again this is free too) as this allows you to also set the parental controls on the LeapBand and monitor your child's activity when you connect the LeapBand. The application asks you to log into your Leapfrog account when you open it and then asks for the child's details who is using the Leapband including their name and date of birth. It then lets you set a school window whereby the tracker will lock and not allow the child to play with it during the hours and days you set and also a bedtime window which again does the same and locks the unit when your little one is supposed to be asleep so no late night under the cover playing with the LeapBand of a night!The Leapfrog Connect then lets you set challenges onto the LeapBand for your little one and you can pick and choose as many or as little as you wish from the four challenge sections so you can set them to your child's ability which helps you personalise the LeapBand to your little ones age. There are up to 36 additional challenges which are under four different challenge types such as Combination Challenges, Animal Challenges, Sports Challenges and Imaginative Challenges along with the pre-set 14 challenges that are already on the LeapBand. I won't list all 36 of them but they include things like; move like a robot and hop in a straight line for combination challenges, walk like a duck and crawl like a bear sniffing for honey over there for animal challenges, row your boat and jog in place until the time runs out for sports challenges, move like a train and wave like you are in a parade for the imaginative challenges. The 14 pre-loaded challenges are as follows:-Pre-loaded Challenges:-1. Jump like a Kangeroo!2. Leap like a frog.3. Wiggle like a worm until you giggle!4. Swim like a fish with a wish.5. Crawl like a turtle!6. Hop like popcorn popping!7. Dance like a chicken.8. Jump like a tiger and make a loud roar!9. Walk like a penguin.10. Jump up high and clap your hands five times.11. Take a few deep breaths.12. Give yourself a big hug.13. Swing your arms back and forth.14. Wiggle your fingers and toes.The Leapfrog Connect also has an activity report section that shows you your child's activity and how many joules (jewels) they have earned with a day by day weekly snapshot so you can see when your little one is most active along with what pets they have managed to unlock.When you first set up the LeapBand you are asked to choose one of the eight pets and this is then your main pet and you have to build up enough points to unlock the other seven. The eight pets are a dragon, a koala, a unicorn, a cat, a penguin, a monkey, a dog and a robot. When you have chosen your pet you can choose what colour it will be and it's name which the LeapBand reads out the names until you pick one you like. You look after your pet by feeding it, bathing it, helping it to dance and playing with it and there are little mini games to do this which are what my son is too young to do on his own yet but likes to watch whilst I help him. The pet chef mini game teaches about food and shows the four main food groups; grains, protein, fruit and vegetables and you have to move the food bowl to catch them but not catch odd items such as a boot or an empty can. The pet parlor lets you shower, scrub, rinse and dry your pet. The pet boogie lets you help your pet dance by selecting the corresponding buttons to the game and the pet play lets you give your pet the toys you have earned for them. These parts are very much like the old tamagotchi toys that were out when I was little and are a nice little extra fun bit for your little one to care for their chosen pet.When the LeapBand is in the time ranges where you have set these as for bed time and school time the LeapBand cleverly locks and all your little one with be able to see is a clock on the screen and so the LeapBand then turns into a watch. The screen shows a little padlock sign on it and won't unlock until it's not bed or school time. The LeapBand comes with a USB lead for connecting to your computer when using the Leapfrog Connect application and this also doubles as a charger for charging the band so there is no need to replace batteries all of the time in the band as they simply re-charge.This is a really good idea and concept and I think could help the more inactive child by giving them a little encouragement to get up and about but it's also fun for the already active child who enjoys running around like a loony anyway (well our son runs around like a loony as much as he can!) as our son loves getting asked by the band to do something active such as leaping like a frog. A good encouragement tool for getting your little one active along with your normal parenting and encouragement and teaching. I like it and so does my son.

13.10.2014

Leapfrog hasn't just produced a simple pedometer. In fact the LeapBand doesn't count steps as such. It sets a series of fun physical challenges - walking, running, jumping and dancing - that the wearer tries to complete to earn "joules" to spend on their virtual pet - feeding, cleaning, grooming and clothing the pet as they earn more points.Players can choose from a number of different pets, including a cat, dog, dragon, monkey, panda, penguin, robot and unicorn.There are 10 pre-loaded games, plus another 40 to be unlocked by going up the levels of gameplay.As they move and earn points, kids unlock each of the additional eight pets and earn virtual toys for each of them as they stay engaged and learning with mini-games including Pet Boogie,Pet Chef and Pet Salon.In Pet Chef players fill the virtual plate with healthy snacks and learn about nutrition and fun facts. In Pet Parlour they can bathe and groom their pet to earn points and unlock new accessories. And in Pet Boogie they can host a dance party with the pet.In the companion Petathlon app - for LeapPad, iPhone, iPad or Android device - kids compete as their virtual pet in six mini-games including archery, surfing and bobsledding to win extras such as medals and new tracksuits for their virtual pet.The LeapBand is not just about getting kids more physically active. It also teaches children about healthy snacks and fun facts about nutrition.It seems pretty tough, has shatter-proof glass and apparently is waterproof enough to take an unexpected dip in the pool. We didn't test this! The small print in the instructions warns against using the LeapBand near a sink or other wet locations, so I'd suggest you ignore the waterproof claim.The LeapBand clearly has the potential to distract a child from other activities so it can be set by parents to work as a plaything at certain times of the day. For example, set it watch-only mode during school hours and at night time. You set up the times it can be used on the Leapfrog Connect app via your computer.The child can wear it to school as a watch (digital or analogue) without it disrupting school work. It also works as a stopwatch, and what kid doesn't like timing things?Parents might like to try letting kids play with it at wake-up time in a bid to cajole their child out of bed in the morning, and it can be set to just watch function after bedtime. The last thing you need your child doing is leaping around 10 minutes before lights out...There are three modes.Move Mode is the default state, which uses the tracker's accelerometer to track motion. Thankfully the sounds are not active during this mode, and neither is the screen, which should save battery life.Player Mode gives access to all the games and challenges. If not used for a while, the LeapBand reverts to Move Mode.Parents will be thankful for the Quiet Time Mode, which banishes audio, animation and gameplay. Only the clock shows if a button is pressed.The LeapBand syncs with Leapfrog's Connect download site and charges via the supplied USB cable. Parents can set up to 36 more challenges in LeapFrog Connect so kids will hear fun activity prompts like "march like an elephant" and "wiggle like a bug".We would have preferred a volume control on the device as it can be quite loud. Maybe Leapfrog can add a volume control within the parental controls in the Connect app.In the meantime the LeapBand's Quiet Time mode can be activated by pressing and holding the Left Scroll button on the tracker for five seconds.

11.9.2014

This is rather a novel idea. It takes the appeal of the Tamagotchi, brings it up-to-date and rebrands it as a health activity, where the old Tamagotchi-style toys were exactly the opposite. And it's actually rather neat. It's a fair step forward from a pedometer, that's for sure.I agree with the other reviewers that the age range given seems a bit high- three to six years old does seem a bit more appropriate. As a toy, our daughter found it very engaging. She already has a LeapPad and this is the same principle, but in a way that she can carry around on her wrist. It took her a little while to get used to the idea that, unlike the LeapPad, this isn't a touchscreen device.Once she'd got the hang of the rudimentary menu it was all plain sailing. It was even a chance to try to teach our daughter about analogue clocks (big hands and little hands, displayed as monkey's arms on one of the menu screens). It was quite a big hit in that regard. Personally I thought the interactivity was all a bit of a stream of random noises and colours, that lacked any real sense of narrative, but maybe I'm expecting too much. I don't know how entertained our daughter will be by the novelty aspects of it in the long run, but then if Tamagotchis were hugely popular for years on end, who can tell.As a way of encouraging physical activity, it wasn't quite so straightforward. Once our daughter had it, her natural inclination was to sit on the sofa and play with it, which was the opposite of what was supposed to happen- and when she did want to get up and run around, she found the wristwatch just a little bit chunky and uncomfortable, and also irrelevant, so she kept wanting to take it off while she wasn't using it, which is fair enough as she doesn't understand it's an activity monitor. So there were a few problems there. As far as I could tell the responsiveness seemed good and the way in which it tracks the movement seems adequate, though like most pedometer devices it will be subject to more variation and inaccuracy for some people than for others. In the long run though I'm hoping that our daughter will show a bit more interest in the physical challenges side of it.The screen is good, and it's a chunky, sturdy little device that is going to take most- but maybe not all- the bashing that tiny hands might be able to dish out.One thing to point out is that the device has to be plugged into your PC before it really be used. That's important to note when your watch gets delivered, or when you collect it from the shop, or when it's unwrapped for a birthday- children expecting to be able to get it straight out of the box and play with it immediately are liable to be disappointed. In fact, the LeapFrog Connect web page that you download the supporting software from was unavailable for 2 days when I needed it- quite frustrating.The feature that allows you to time-lock the toy so that your child can't play with it when they're meant to be in bed is a great idea, full marks for that one.Overall we found this to be more of a toy than a fitness regime, but quite an engrossing and well-designed toy.

12.9.2014

This new LeapFrog toy is an interesting addition to their range, it's a watch that helps children exercise by using a range of colourful creatures who react to your activity.The watch itself comes in several colours but we got the pink one as it's my daughter's favourite colour. The watch face looks pretty hard wearing and the screen is deeper into the face, which should prevent it getting scratched or broken. The strap is plastic and looks quite small, though it fitted my 8 year old with a few holes left, so should be fine for the age range.A button on the top left turns the device on and two directional buttons on the bottom help navigate the screens, with a star button between them to choose options.These are all pretty small for an adult finger but my daughter managed to use them easily.The device also has a USB port on the side and together with the included USB lead, can be plugged into a computer to register the device to the child. If you have any other Leapfrog items that are already registered, you'll be able to log in and use that same child's account to register this. Once registered, the device can be plugged in at any time to download software updates or check on the child's activity, which I found very useful. Times for resting and school can be set to avoid the watch setting off events at these times. You can even choose which activities to display and which to avoid, which could be useful for children who have disabilities or even just if they don't enjoy certain tasks.The time, which can be set manually or synced with the computer, can be displayed and even spoken out loud, teaching the kids time as well as providing activity. This is a useful feature for my daughter, who is learning more about time at school, and increases the potential age range to a slightly older audience than other Leapfrog toys.The battery is rechargable, rather than a short lived watch battery, so this avoids the issue of finding replacement batteries. However, it does need to be plugged into a computer or a relevant 5watt power supply that takes USB leads (most phone chargers will be fine). In my experience, this runs for a full day of activity, but can run out if left for a couple of days.Once set up, the child can turn on the watch for the first time and choose their 'pet'. There are loads to choose from, suiting both boys and girls, and even colours can be changed on each animal. Once this is done they can get straight into activities, with a clear voice telling them what the pet needs 'do some jumps' or 'press to give the pet a bath' being common requests.My daughter found the pet's activites motivational enough to start exercising with the watch and loved the resulting effect it had on the pet. However, they do get repeated quite often, so it remains to be seen how long her interest will be held. Connecting to an Android or iOS tablet will provide more games (we tried an iPad Mini and it allowed us to download a game app to use wirelessly with the device), so there are some added features to provide a bit of longevity.

12.9.2014

The LeapBand we received was orange so straight away I was fond of it! However, the actual premise of the product does interest me. I think many of us are aware that child obesity is an issue and where technology can help - it has to be worth checking out at the least. I am lucky as my children are not overweight but exercise is an important thing regardless and this toy/gadget does give an added incentive to physical activity.The actual band is quite chunky but the screen is a pretty good size and quite clear and vivid to look at. It is no retina display - but let's not get silly - it is certainly more than acceptable. You are able to select various 'pets' who by completing physical activities allows the child to accrue,

9.9.2014

We are pretty impressed with this Leappad watch although would definitely shove the age range down a year, 3-6 instead of 4 - 7. The band of the watch is actually pretty small. It fitted my 7 year old but only just and although she said it was comfy enough when it was on, it had left marks when I took it off and I'm not sure she will wear it for long periods. I don't understand why they didn't use Velcro for the strap which would make it easier for kids to get on and off by themselves,It comes with over half the battery charged out of the box and can be played with straight away but the QuickStart guide encourages you to plug it in to your computer and hook up with the leapfrog connect software.

26.2.2015

As the bairns have iPads I was surprised to see two of them wanted one of these and they kept on playing with it after the initial newness had written off. Mostly they played with the stopwatch function but the other games got a look in too. The iPad hasn't been abandoned, but there is now another tech toy in use and this one encourages them to move around and play, not just sit there watching videos and tapping on screens.It works, has survived well thus far and is fun. Set up takes a few minutes and you must register with leappad and download the application (around 51Mb) before you can control the device.

22.9.2014

A combined Virtual pet and activity monitor. This is a novel idea. It is a watch with a bright TFT screen with a virtual pet on it that does more things the more active the child is. Once the box is opened, the sticker is peeled off the screen and then the watch is turned on for the first time. A UK English voice asks the child to choose which pet (monkey, dinosaur, cat etc) they want and a basic colour. This is done not with a touchscreen but with the three buttons on the bottom.My 5 year old has a Leappad and got the hang of this quite quickly. By being active (say, jumping up and down for 10 seconds) the pet earns Jewels (I suppose that is joules like in Kilo-joules)

23.10.2014

A decent cross between Tamagochi, fitness tracker, and fun-filled toy, the LeapFrog LeapBand Activity Tracker has been a big hit so far in my house. My daughter loves poking with this and jumping around to the various games, although she's still too young to appreciate the daily tasks and understand some of the instructions and what happens if you follow them.The customisable options are impressive and fun, the games are interesting, and the tasks are a good mix of vigorous exercise and entertaining commands. The reward system is a valuable addition, as mentioned you may need to be a little order to get full use out of it, and, once connected to LeapFrog connect,

22.9.2014

This is a great little gadget and my 3 year old absolutely loves this - he calls it his 'magic watch'!I first of all love that it goes around their wrist - this means they can have it on them without losing it and putting it down somewhere and forgetting about it.My little boy has just got to the age where this is perfect for him so having to 'hop like a frog' etc is fun for him and he laughs and finds it funny having things constantly to do - he doesn't however really understand the buttons so occasionally I have to help him if he wants something in particular.I think children over 6 might get a little bored eventually with this - it can be repetitive although using the app you can download

17.9.2014

Excellent kid gadget. This has certainly provided a lot of amusement for my young nephew. He was delighted with this and has just got to the point where he can tell the time so he's having a lot of fun choosing his pet, running about and seeing how it keeps track of his activity levels and he has a cool watch.The only thing I would add that I have noticed and it may effect some people's reviews on here is that when I charge this direct from a USB 3.0 port or off an Apple iPHONE plug, the charge is completed very quickly and last for several days without a problem. However charge it off a traditional USB 2.0 port and I notice the charge drops within a couple of days.

5.9.2018

I’m really impressed with this toy! We don’t have any other kid’s devices or consoles, because we are worried about screen time. But this device has been brilliant at motivating our daughter to stop begging for my work iPad, get off the sofa and run about. She is now getting a great balance. She’s older than the target market at nine years old, but this device still keeps her really well entertained. The noises are slightly annoying, but the online USB feature that allows you to control the times when gaming is available has been brilliant. I love that you can make it function simply as a watch during the times that you choose like school time night time etc. The USB setup is super easy: if you can use eBay,

10.9.2014

This is a clever item, and it is from LeapFrog which gives reassurance that they have thought through the educational value.In short it is a virtual pet wristwatch, which a whole range of activities and mini-games. The clever bit is that your child needs to do physical activities to earn rewards for your pet.Both aspects - the pet owning and the activity-for-rewards - have been well thought through, and most fall into the 'funducational' category of subliminal learning. My son takes his physical challenges very seriously.My favourite feature is the parental control, which lets you set the times when he can use it - for this you need to hook up to a PC.Overall this is very impressive.

1.10.2014

Birthday present for our 7 year old daughter. I found set-up on the leapfrog connect website to be not too stressful, and it's a nice touch that you can choose times to 'lock it down' into just a watch with no access to the games.I have to say I'm quite surprised how well she has taken to it. With so many electronic distractions nowadays it's good to have one that properly motivates her to get moving. Hopefully, the early lessons around the value of exercise that are implicit in all the games will stick with her long after she has grown out of it.She's at the older end of the target audience for this device our three year old is eyeing it but wouldn't be able to follow so I think they've got their target 4-7 years spot on.

1.11.2015

We love this little activity watch. It keeps my daughter entertained for hours jumping around and playing with the pets. Very easy-to-use and charging is easy by usb which is supplied or a charger which we got with a leappad also works. I live the fact this links to our leappad and my daughter can play with the pets on her leappad when she does not have the band on. It really gets your children moving and getting exercise in a very small space you have available. None of the activities are so hard that they can't be done and everyone in the room can join in. For parents you get to set lockable times on the watch when you connect it to the leap app on your computer.

LeapFrog LeapBand - Reviews

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