Background and Identification
LeapFrog is a company that manufactures and sells learning devices for young children. These devices, which includes tablets, game consoles, and toys, are made to help children to develop skills in areas like reading and math. Using education disguised as entertainment is not a new idea. Children’s television shows and books have been doing the same thing for many years. However, developmental games and phone apps became an increasingly popular way to help teach children from infancy to grade school age as phone and game console technology developed. LeapFrog has won several awards for their devices, including the Tillywig Toy Award and the National Parenting Product Award.
LeapFrog’s most well-known product is the LeapPad, a tablet computer and reading assistant. The user could insert a book and matching cartridge into the device casing. They would then use a stylus to touch words or pictures in the book, and the device would recognize the word or picture and read it out loud. This product was fully discontinued by 2008, and was replaced by the more advanced Tag Reading System.
LeapFrog’s gaming consoles include the LeapFrog LeapTV, the Leapster GS, and the Leapster L-Max. The LeapTV is a motion-based video game system, while the Leapster GS and the Leapster L-Max are handheld gaming systems.