Both of my children have LeapPad Ultras and I’m a really big fan of them!  At first, I was a bit skeptical of the whole notion of my kids having any sort of tablet.  I didn’t want them to become overly dependant on an electrical device for entertainment.  However, I knew that with moderation and proper management, this problem could easily be avoided.

I must say, I was surprised to see how much my kids actually learned from this tablet!  Of course I do my best to enjoy daily educational activities when them – coloring, counting blocks, homework with my son, etc – however the lessons learned through the games they play are really amazing!  Just today, my two-year old correctly identified the number 13 on a bingo card!  My Mother and I were floored!!  She can count to 10 on her own and recognize some of those numbers, but since playing with the LeapPad Ultra her understanding of numbers has increased dramatically.

The neat thing about the apps is that one game/ebook can grow with a child.  Games start off very basic for Pre-K children and become more challenging as the child ages.  The same can be said for ebooks.  A Pre-K story will have short sentences and easy-to-read words while the same story in Grade 4 mode will have larger words with much more details.  It’s nice to know that the money I spend on apps can actually go a long way.  If you have more than one LeapPad Ultra in the house, an app purchased online can be added to a maximum of three devices.

I don’t just consider the LeapPad Ultra a toy, I consider it a tool.  Typically, the limit is between half an hour to an hour a day.  The more ways you introduce an educational concept to a child, the faster the concept will be retained.  Playing with this device helps to reinforce the lessons which my kids are learning daily.

I really like how you can add personal touches such as your child’s name and their picture.  The LeapPad Ultra comes with a built-in camera and video camera, so selecting a picture will be no trouble at all!

The only thing I can think of for a “heads up” on the device is that, to an adult, it will seem to run a little slow.  It does not have the reaction time of an iPad or even a laptop, but you have to keep in mind that it’s meant for children.  Neither of my kids have complained that their LeapPads are slow.  I’m the only one that notices that.  For example, after clicking on an app, it will take 4-6 seconds before the game actually loads.  Not a big deal but, for some reason, this seems to matter to some people.

Overall, I think that the LeapPad Ultra is a wonderful device!  For a detailed overview of the LeapPad Ultra, including product description, features and more, please click HERE.