LeapFrog LeapPad 2 Power Learning Tablet Review
by Tablets for Artists
The LeapFrog LeapPad 2 Power Learning Tablet (see it on Amazon) is a popular tablet among children and adults. LeapFrog tablets are award-winning, educational devices that fascinate most kids. This model has many features of a grownup tablet, such as rear- and front-facing cameras and a video camera. Kids can edit their photos in the Photo Studio app. They can draw on photos or in the art apps using their fingers or a stylus. So instead of spending the money on an iPad, this tablet is for toddlers through age 9. It says 3-9, but if your kids are familiar with Nintendo and other tablets, it skews younger, such as 2 to 6.
Several apps are included, but for content, cartridge games and apps must be purchased. You go to Leapfrog.com/connect for more apps. There are often download cards on sale at Amazon and other stores. Kids can be encouraged to create their own art on these creative devices. They can create paintings, draw, write, and make movies and edit them. This particular tablet doesn’t have wifi, so pictures can be transferred to computers via the included USB. One parent wrote in her LeapFrog LeapPad2 Power review that she prefers her young children to not be able to get Internet. The newer LeapPad3 
The company listened to parents who said the biggest problem with the LeapPad1 was the battery life. This LeapPad2 Power Tablet has a rechargeable battery pack, a huge plus, and is faster than the 1. It’s same as the regular LeapPad 2 except for the battery pack and the inclusion of the Utility Suite, which are 4 apps not found with the 2: a Calculator, Calendar, Note Pad, and Clock and Stopwatch. While these apps do not earn it a better LeapFrog LeapPad2 Power review compared to the 1, the rechargeable battery and faster speed certainly rank it higher. The battery pack would cost $40 if sold separately, so the price of this tablet is very reasonable.
FEATURES
Comes in pink, green, and Disney Doc McStuffins design5-inch backlit resistive touchscreen with 480 x 272 resolution
550 MHZ processor
Front and back facing 2 MP cameras
240p video recorderMP3 player
Motion sensor so kids can play games and apps that respond to shaking and moving
4 GB memory
apps including Photo Lab, Cartoon Studio, Pet Pad, and more
personalized learning
No wifi. If you want wifi, get the LeapPad3, which features limited, kid-friendly browsing
Price: under $100; price has dropped to $70.00 as of this writing
WHAT’S IN THE BOX
Rechargeable battery
AC adapter
USB cord
Quickstart and Parent Guides
Stylus that fits into side compartment, attached by a cord
Battery life
9 hours
2 free app codes (from a customer):
The Book of Super Awesome Stuff (e-book): 5813 1140 1518 1413
Alphabet Stew (game): 5813 0790 4610 4973
USING THE LEAPPAD
This tablet has fast, crisp graphics and good sound. The buttons are large and easy for small hands to navigate. It’s a favorite of both parents and kids. Leapfrog’s learning library is educator-approved, and there are over 2,600 skills that go beyond core subjects. Some of the apps will automatically adjust to a child’s learning level as has been charted by Leapfrog.
The cartridge games are more expensive than the downloads. The games go for around $25 and the apps start at $3 with many in the $5 to $10 range.
With this kids’ tablet, children can learn math, writing, the alphabet, art, and photo editing.
It’s a good idea to spend time with your child at first, and of course along the way. But they can learn and play independently with this device.
This is a great kids’ tablet for a long car trip. Kids can watch videos, take pictures, play games, or learn. You will have to convince them to keep the sound down while you’re driving.
Connect to your computer to the LeapFrog site to chart your child’s LeapFrog learning path. You can your child’s work and play progressing and improve any areas that need it. Each child will learn about themselves. You can be fascinated by the different charts for each son and daughter.
Kids are limited to seeing what’s in the LeapFrog library, which is all educator-approved and ties in with school curricula.
Customer Reviews
There are over 800 LeapFrog LeapPad2 Power reviews on Amazon, attesting to its popularity. Positive ones far outweigh the negatives.
PROS
Durable, fun, educational, great battery life, rechargeable batteries. Long battery life. The fact that the stylus is attached by a cord is a plus.
CONS
Screen is a bit small for kids who have been exposed to larger screens, but for small kids it’s fine, and it’s lightweight and portable. Content needs to be purchased, and it’s not cheap. The cartridge games run around $25 and the downloads $3 to $10. Some software bundles range from $80-$100 for 4-6 more apps.
Both cartridges and the stylus compartment can be a little tricky for kids to use.
While it’s reasonably rugged and has been drop tested, and is made of drop-resistant plastic, stepping on it will break the screen, and some parents reported that even normal drops broke the screen. However, this is more rugged than many kids’ tablets out there.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZ03YZJpJJA
end of LeapPad LeapFrog 2 Power Learning Tablet review
Here is the LeapPad3, which features Wi-fi. With this, kids can only access Leapfrog materials, rather than the whole Web.
See reviews of more tablets for children here.
