LeapFrog Leapster Learning Game Mr. Pencil's Learn to Draw and Write
by LeapFrog
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Toys and Games Reviews of LeapFrog Leapster Learning Game Mr. Pencil's Learn to Draw and Write
Customer Review: My 5-year-old loves it! Not as picky as some say...
Summary: 5 Stars
Well- I read the reviews and almost skipped on this one, as my son is easily frustrated, but I am glad I didn't. The parents who could not satisfy Mr. Pencil's perfectionism were just doing things in adult-style... writing the letter he asked them to. That is NOT how it works. You must follow each step. For instance... if he shows you how to draw a three and you draw it in one shot... well, that will be considered incorrect. You must make the top curve and stop and then make the bottom curve to complete it as instructed. So if you can already make letters, it will be frustrating. If you are willing to follow the instructions you will find it far more forgiving.
There are also colors to mix and cool pictures to trace. My son simply loves it! Mr. Pencil is kind, but will stop you if you don't get it after about three tries, with a "let's try it again later." Personally, while some people like the idea of trying until they get it right, I think a break may be exactly what's required. He has yet to try all the features of the game-- and I am sure he won't like it so much when Mr. Pencil draws alongside him and the lines go across his newly drawn artwork -- but all he has done so far he is really enjoying. Practicing on the computer screen is more fun for him than doing it on paper.
Customer Review: Good, not Great
Summary: 3 Stars
I got this "game" at the same time I got the leapster 2 and a few other "games". This is the first system we got out 3 yr old girl. I think the Mr. Pencil game is nice, and my kid enjoys it. However with hindsight being twenty I would not have gotten this game.
Leapster 2 comes with a drawing program on it. Both Mr. Pencil and the already loaded program come with coloring pages. Mr. Pencil's are a little more basic, the loaded one is more intrakit. Both have stamps to use, Mr. Pencil's stamps are just the stamped image, the loaded version has a lot more stamps, and they move and make noises once placed on the picture. Mr. Pencil has the option for your child to mix their own colors and learn about making a different color. The loaded version has colors and patterns to choose from. Mr. Pencil has you trace things to learn to draw, the loaded version is just coloring, no tracing.
So I think the loaded version is more user friendly for coloring, and since it comes on the system you can save a few bucks and not buy the Mr. pencil. If you only want to color. Mr. Pencil has a few more activities and games within it. My 3 yr old like to color though and the loaded version really is better for just that.
Customer Review: Very educational, but can be a little frustrating
Summary: 3 Stars
I bought this game along with others for my nearly 5 daughter on Christmas and I would consider this game as more challanging than the others. For one thing this game can be a Task master! On the drawing lessons, it gives you drawings to trace and instructions. It expects you to pretty much stay close to the line and to continue until you reach the red dot or you must start the line over. My daughter asked me for help on some of the more challanging lines and this isn't that easy on some! On the maze games you can't touch the maze lines or you must start over. Having to start over in the middle when you've tried so hard can be very discouraging and frustrating, and my daughter has put down this game to play instead with the Dora the Explorer cartridge!On the plus side this game is extremely educational. My daughter was definitely learning better control with the pencil, and color theory. I think she'll have an easier time with the more challanging drawings when she's older. The one thing I wish the game did though was to be a little more encouraging and to allow the child to finish the drawing, then tell them to try again, instead of interupting when an error is made, which can be discouraging.
Customer Review: Fun, Fun, Fun
Summary: 5 Stars
I just purchased this toy for my 5 year old daughter. When I first brought it home she quickly looked at it and said "I am too old for this." Once she really got started I couldn't get her to quit playing with it for days. She is truly mesmerized and now says there are a few things that "she still needs to learn."
She does not have any problem with Mr. Pencil's so called perfectionism. She seems to strive to do better. She has spent hours with this cartridge. We love this cartridge as it seems to teach abstract and concrete ideas very well. We especially love the flip pages.
Having said that we do have one comment. When using the doodle page the user can stamp canned art such as lady bugs, flowers, bees,and other shapes on their art project. These stamps are not available when making the flip pages (The flip pages are like an animated movie). It would be a nice addition if the Leapfrog designers would have included the stamp function in the flip pages so that users could use canned art to make their animations.
All in all this is a great product.
Customer Review: Really can help learn to write!
Summary: 4 Stars
Having been a fine arts student in my pre-parenting days, I'm wary of anything that says "Learn-To-Draw." And sure enough, this game came with the expected series of templates that kids can trace to "draw" pictures of a dog, a cat, etc. My initial reaction was, "No! Be free of the line! Draw whatever your heart desires, and therein lies the art!!!"
What I didn't realize was that my four year old wasn't acquiring McArt lessons. Well, okay, he might have, to some degree. But what impressed me was that my son was learning *stylus control*. Through the tracing games as well as mazes of decreasing cell size, my son was able to improve his penmanship. Having owned this game for ten months, his handwriting is remarkably legible (though you might want to chalk this comment up to parent-tootin'-their-own-horn).
If your child has the willingness to sit down and play with this game, you might notice improvement over pencil control as well! It's certainly more fun and interactive than tracing all those dotted-line handouts they get in school...