We think it's really important for kids to get hands-on with electronics and learn how to make circuits and write code to control hardware. Learn to Write with Mr Pencil is recommended for children aged 3-6 who are learning to form their letters correctly. I have two young kids and I think this is something it's well worth spending time on. If kids get into the habit of forming letters incorrectly it can be really difficult to fix. It's much better if they form them correctly from the start. And as a parent, I appreciate not having my kids use up lots of paper practicing their letters. Working on a tablet is much more convenient. Subscription fee will be charged on the first day following the 30-day free trial and will be charged to your Google Play account Sound-out feature available in select books. For a list of Tag titles that are compatible with LeapReader, visit here.

Enjoy all the benefits of the best education app for kids without an internet connection by adding up to 24 lessons and activities to your Favorites. Younger kids can start with conductive playdough. For kids who like to combine craft and tech, littleBits are fab. And we love SAM Labs wireless electronics components for making it easy for kids to make Internet of Things inventions. If LeapReader is connected to LeapFrog Connect, disconnect LeapReader from LeapFrog Connect by pushing the “Eject” button and disconnecting it from your USB cable. Reading & Writing: Become confident readers with lessons in the ABCs, syllables, letters, and rhymes.LeapPad also have other tools for helping kids learn their letters. The LeapReader pen does use paper - it's special paper that makes the experience interactive. And the LeapReader also helps kids learn to read with special books. The LeapReader is the better choice if you want your child to get used to writing on real paper. My younger son learned to form his letter correctly on his LeapPad. The Mr Pencil stylus offers a similar experience for kids who have access to an iPad. The Parent Dashboard lets you choose and change your kid’s Learning Adventure and see what activities are offered in My Learning Lab. It also lets you see how your child is progressing, view your account, manage each profile, and more. There's also the LeapPad range of tablets which use a stylus and touchscreen and have apps and games that teach letter formation and lots of other educational skills.

The Maker Community uses the term 'making' as a broad term to include all sorts of artisan skills or craft activities. Being able to make things can lead to life-long hobbies or even careers. It's a great feeling to be able to take a project from an idea in your head to a real object that does something. Help your child build core developmental and cognitive learning skills through interactive modules and games. Our subscription platform is one of the best learning apps for kids to learn traditional school subjects like reading, writing, and math, blended with life skills like problem solving and critical thinking. Help your child build a strong educational foundation with this well-rounded curriculum. Your subscription also includes access to the LeapFrog Streaming Video Library. Your child can enjoy hours of entertainment while learning about the alphabet, letter sounds, word-building, numbers, shapes and much more.The LeapFrog Mr Pencil Stylus is a chunky stylus for little kids who are learning their letters. There's an iOS app that goes with it which works on recent iPads and iPhones, though I think kids will do better with more space on an iPad. Our programmable robots for kids buying guide is a good place to start if you're not sure what's available. Subscription is automatically renewed at the end of each billing period unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current billing period There's lots of cool stuff available, but is it the right choice for the child or teenager that you are buying for? LeapFrog Academy is an educational app designed by educators and built by the leading brand in kids learning to assist 3, 4, 5, and 6-year-olds in their development and independent education.

We're advocates of the creative use of technology, but this needs to be balanced with developing physical skills such as papercraft, woodwork, clay modelling, technical drawing and soldering. If children don't develop these skills as they grow up then physical making projects can become frustrating rather than fun. You might wonder whether kids should be writing on paper, rather than on a tablet. Well, I volunteer at my local school with the younger classes and they use whiteboards a lot these days. They have less friction and make it easier to form letters. Using a stylus on a tablet has a quite similar feel to it. The Mr Pencil stylus is much chunkier than the one that comes with a LeapPad though - it's designed to make it easy for little hands to grip.