We are a family of geeks. With geekdom comes the burden of too many game systems, a pile of peripherals, and of course, calls of “When is it my turn?” from the little guy. Despite the sexy lure of the PS3, DS and Wii, I prefer he logs in hours with his Leapster.
LeapFrog has released the Leapster2 since I got the Leapster a few years ago, but the original is still a solid system. Ours is about two years old and remarkably, despite hundreds of drops, it works. Both of the Leapsters play the same game cartridges, which feature educational games rated by grades (pre-K, kindergarten, etc). Kids advance by counting, identifying letters, or as they get older, doing math problems or reading. This alleviates the guilt some parents may feel for letting their kids play. I don’t have that guilt, but at least I don’t have to share my DS.
Part of the reason I’m recommending the original Leapster is that it’s pretty cheap now that the new one’s out. (The difference, besides the sleeker appearance is that the Leapster2 connects to additional games online.) You can snag them for $49.99 on LeapFrog’s site. Don't forget to get some rechargeable batteries.
