LeapFrog Discovery Ball
by LeapFrog
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List Price: Our Price: $13.88 You Save: $1.11 (7%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: Toy See more product details |
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Toys and Games Reviews of LeapFrog Discovery Ball
Customer Review: Great toy for children of all skill levels
Summary: 5 Stars
I am a pediatric physical therapist and use a variety of toys with the children I work with. I also have a one-year-old daughter. I first used this toy at work and every child I used it with LOVED it! I work with kids aged birth to 3years, and it seems to hold all of their interest. I bought it for my daughter when she was about 6 months old. She loved it- seh would smile at the sound of the music and was so proud when she could do it. Now that she's a year old, she still finds it if I put it away and dances to the music.
For any parents of kids with special needs, this is a really nice toy beacuse it does not require the hand strength or fine motor abilities that most toys do. This greatly increases the child's chances of being successful and decreasing frustration. This toy also can be used to encourage turn-taking and social play when taken off the base (and its more interesting to roll back and forth for most kids due to the lights and music). SOme children will be more motivated to crawl after the ball also when it is rolled. I have recommended this to many of the families I have worked with and many have bought it after seeing how much their kids love it.
One last thing- the sound quality is wonderful for a toy, the singing voice is very pleasant, lots of variety of songs, and its soft texture is pleasing to little hands, and it is very durable.
WONDERFUL TOY! JUST CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT IT!Customer Review: My granddaughter's favorite toy!
Summary: 5 Stars
Hello, I bought this toy for my 4.5 month old granddaughter and this is her favorite toy. Everyone that comes over is amazed at how much she loves to play with the Discovery Ball. She first learned to roll it with her hands and then with her feet. It is so adorable to watch. Then my [...] year old grandson started joining in and we had to keep him from taking the ball away from his little sister. Not because he is mean, he just loves this toy so much. We finally got him to push and play the letters for his little sissy so he and she could enjoy the toy together. Now he runs and gets the toy for her and him to play with.
Abigail is now 7 months and she and her brother still love to play with this delightful toy.
Of all the things I have bought my grandchildren, this was the all time hit. My grandson is learning his alphabet and my granddaughter is entertained the longest with this toy than any other she has.
The tone and songs are not irritating at all as most sound toys are. The sound can be turned on low or high, but even on high, the noise is not annoying but pleasant. The whole family, grandma, pap pap, mom, dad, uncles an all love playing with the little ones with this toy.
It was well worth the price for our household.
Customer Review: I'm torn with this toy ...
Summary: 3 Stars
I love LeapFrog toys. In theory, this toy seems great. But, a baby that's 6 months old obviously isn't going to learn her ABC's. Even a 1-year old isn't going to learn her ABC's, especially from a toy. So, I'm torn about how to review this toy ... I really like the idea. And, as a toy, my daughter loved spinning it around to hear the music. She still rolls it on the base at 19 months. So that aspect is great.
I CAN'T take it off the base because, as another reviewer suggested, it gets thrown around. And the ball by itself is HEAVY, and has the potential to damage hardwood floors (it did mine!) or worse, another person! I would never leave the ball off the base unattended with kids - it's a disaster waiting to happen. So, all it's really good for in my house is rolling it on the base. And that sure is fun for a baby or toddler ... but I wouldn't call it educational. I do agree that obviously this toy is meant for parent-child interaction, but I'm still not sure it's the best way to teach ABC's.
So ... I have to agree with another reviewer ... Is this a cute, fun toy meant for babies and toddlers, or an educational toy meant for preschoolers? I LOVE the idea, but I think it needs to be thought out a bit more.
Customer Review: A Sad Excuse for a Toy
Summary: 1 Stars
I just received this toy as a gift for my 12 month old. The giver is a dear friend and I know that she had good intentions. I just have to set things straight. This is a terrible excuse for a toy. It is completely based on the erroneous idea that very young children can learn to read better if they are taught letters and phonics. A growing body of research shows that this is completely untrue. "It is a serious mistake to push reading skills at children before they have completed certain developmental tasks that will give them something to read about-and the ability to understand it when they do!...Misguided efforts to train preschoolers in skills more appropriate for kindergarten or first grade diverts valuable time and attention from their real learning needs"
"During the early years these are best learned through active, hands-on experiences (e.g., playing, building, exploring, talking), imaginative social play, and listening with enjoyment to good children's literature..." (Quoted from Jane Healy)
So please don't waste your money and your childs brain on "toys" like this one. If you were considering this toy, or you are the type of person that only buys "educational" toys, please consider the developmental needs of your child.
Customer Review: Great For 6mo up to 4yrs OLD!! Must have!!!
Summary: 5 Stars
I have 21mo old twin girls who have absolutely LOVED this toy since they were 6 mo old. The list of developmental advantages goes on and on (not sure how any reviewer found this toy disappointing). This toy sings ABCs, or plays tunes in a pleasant tone as the child rolls the ball. It also has settings for loud, soft, letter sounds, letter names, or music which plays a different nursery rhyme for each letter.
We first used it on the little stand to encourage them to sit up...worked great for that.
We took it off the stand for them to push around on the ground to encourage them to crawl....worked great for that.
We are now teaching them letters and sounds (in conjunction w/ an art easel w/ magnetic letters)...and they both know the whole alphabet at 21months!!! Is it just the ball??? Probably not, but it has been a huge contributing factor.
This toy (and I have tons !!) has been my all time favorite. Both of my girls love music, so it's possible that's why they have taken to this toy more than others might. And, yes they did try to throw it like a bouncy ball but soon learned that it doesn't work that way. Nonetheless, it's a smart toy.
HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!!!