LeapFrog LeapTV - Better Than Ever!

Last year LeapFrog sent me their new LeapTV  for me to check out in exchange for my review, and since they have upgraded a number of features on LeapTV, they sent me another one to try in exchange for my review again this year.

Since my grandsons were going to be at my house Friday night and Saturday, I knew we would have the opportunity to do exactly this - check it out. And check it out we did! Saying the boys loved the new LeapTV would most certainly be an understatement!

What is a LeapTV, you might be asking? Well, last year I said; "LeapTV is what it says it is . . . 'A video game system which gets kids into the action while teaching core skills across reading, mathematics, science and problem solving. Gaming just got smarter with the LeapTV educational, active video gaming system. Kids can learn through motion as they jump, dance and more. With a library of 100+ LeapFrog educator-approved game cartridges, game downloads and videos, kids will never run out of fun! Designed from the ground up for children ages three to eight years old, the LeapTV video game system changes the way children learn by combining activity and movement with best-in-class educational curriculum.' With LeapTV, you do not just sit on the sofa and play a game; you stand, move, dance and are actually moving along with the games! Plus, the motion-sensing camera adds to the fun by putting children on the TV and into the games as they play! The boys were very surprised and happy to see themselves on the TV, in the games as they played!"

Yes, LeapTV is a gaming system, but, like all LeapFrog products, it is far more than just a gaming system. Children do play games; fun games. Games with characters they like - such as Spiderman, Frozen, Jake and the Neverland Pirates

LeapTV provides three ways to play - depending on the game they are playing.

• Body motion - where children become the "star" of their own game. There is a motion-sensing camera which captures children's moves and puts them into the game. (This delighted my grandsons - they loved seeing themselves on the TV in the game as they played!)
• Pointer Play happens as the remote "transforms" with a simple twist and allows children to slice through coconuts, swing from building to building and more active fun! (I appreciated how the game pauses to let children know if they need to "transform" their controller or not - so they did not have to try to figure out which way to use the controllers!)
• Classic Control gives children the option of pressing buttons or tilting and shaking the controller so they can drive, run, or move as they need to for each game.

There are a couple new features in the new LeapTV which my grandsons really enjoyed -

• The boys are able to set up their own settings where their age/grade level is kept in mind and scores, levels, etc are saved - Josiah especially liked this!
• Wi-fi - this has the potential to be a feature the boys especially like.

I know my grandsons very much enjoyed playing with the LeapTV and I'm glad to see not only are they able to enjoy some of their favorite characters and games, but they are learning and moving while they do so! LeapTV is a huge "hit" with my grandchildren . . . and with this grandma!

Which feature sounds the most interesting to you?