LeapFrog® Tag Reading System (16 MB)

Product Details

The tag reader is designed to fit comfortably in small hands. View larger.

LeapFrog books include fun, educational activities. View larger.

What We Think Fun Factor: Durability: (what this means) The Good: Educational tool brings stories to life The Bad: Supply of compatible books and games is not endless In a Nutshell: The Tag reader is a fun way to keep kids interested in learning At a Glance Ages: 4 to 8 Requires: 2 AAA batteries; setup uses a computer and the Internet

Let's Play Tag!
With a wide grip that's perfect for little hands, the Tag reader adds a unique element to story time. The included book, Ozzie and Mack, features the rhyming adventures of Ozzie Otter and his playful animal friends. Text for this book is preloaded onto the Tag reader, so as soon as you load two AAA batteries (not included) into the reader, the story can begin.

A little camera in the tip of the reader identifies words and symbols on the specially printed pages, giving kids lots of options. They can pick between starting a story at the beginning and having it read all the way through, playing a page at a time, or reading themselves and using the Tag reader to hear single, tricky words spoken aloud. This last option inspires kids to try reading books they might otherwise avoid, since the Tag reader is always there to help them out.

Young readers are sure to enjoy the way character voices add drama to their favorite stories, the way touching certain pictures inspires quirky sound effects, and the leveled activities included in LeapFrog books.

Explore the World of Reading
LeapFrog presents a library of books that are compatible with the Tag reader. Classics like The Little Engine That Could come to life, and kids' favorite characters, such as SpongeBob SquarePants and Kung Fu Panda, help them connect with new stories. LeapFrog has even teamed with National Geographic Kids to present activity cards featuring different animals that the Tag reader brings to life.

To use additional books and games, you'll need to install the LeapFrog connect application on your computer. Once this is done, it becomes easy to download audio for the books you have and put them on your Tag reader. Use the included USB cable to connect the reader to your computer, and drag-and-drop up to five stories onto it.

Watch Children Fall in Love With Books
Young readers may be too busy following the escapades of their new friends to realize they are building phonics skills, expanding their vocabulary, and improving their reading comprehension. The Learning Path can help you keep up with their progress. This parent-centered section of the LeapFrog connect computer application allows you to download education information from the reader to your computer and track your child's progress. Use it to help customize your child's unique learning journey and celebrate educational milestones.

Overall, this innovative touch system makes reading an enjoyable experience, and there's plenty of room for the system to grow with your child's skills. Watching as children learn new skills and thinking up new ways to be involved in the learning process keeps adults on their toes. While the reader seemed quite durable, the imaginative world of stories that it opens up is a gift that will long outlast the reader itself.

Although headphones are not included, the Tag reader is compatible with most headphones, so kids can concentrate on reading without being distracted or disrupting others.

What's in the Box
Tag Reader, USB cable, LeapFrog Connect software CD, and the book Ozzie and Mack.

Product Reviews

(2 stars) - Tag Reader Stylus Failed
We purchased the Tag Reader system for our grandchildren last Christmas. We also purchased several books including the now famous "Walter the Farting Dog". The kids and us really enjoyed the books and the way the Stylus "read" the books to them. The memory in the Stylus wasn't very good--only 16Mb--so it would only hold a couple books. The newer version holds 32Mb.

Unfortunately the Stylus failed in less than 8 months. Apparently one of the kids had sucked on the tip of the Stylus and it stopped functioning. This failure is unacceptable. Young children tend to suck on the tips of things. They don't treat objects such as pens and other similar objects with kid gloves. In my opinion the Stylus should have been much more rugged and childproof. Now the kids have a bunch of Tag Reader books and have to read them the old fashioned way.

Apparently one can not simply replace the Stylus. One has to purchase the book and stylus together for $40. If you decide to purchase the Tag Reader system, don't let young children use it without close supervision or without providing detailed operating instructions--heh heh, heh heh.

(5 stars) - GREAT PRODUCT (but get the newer one that has more memory)
Have had this about a year. It is really a great product. My son has never gotten bored with it after all this time. We get a new book once in a while. Only downside is that it holds about 5 books at a time. Now I see they have one that has twice as much memory that I will consider getting if the price is right. If you register on their website it will also email you progress updates... with information including how many questions were right/wrong, how much time spent on each book and so much more.

Another thing is that it is made well and durable. We use rechargeable batteries, which I would recommend.

(5 stars) - Great Product
We got this for my four year old and he and his two year old brother love it. It reads to them and lets them play games on every page. Well worth the money.

(5 stars) - great product
This is a great product. My 4 year old's reading comprehension, phonics, and sight-word recognition have all greatly increased since using this product. I agree with others about the limited storage on the pen...wish we had waited for the new one that holds more books. I also really like being able to track what activities she does the most and how she is progressing in the various aspects of reading. Very highly recommended! Brilliant that you can use headphones, so we can use it on airplanes.

(5 stars) - AWESOME! Get the 32MB though!
Bought the Tag Reader for my daughter on her 4th birthday. She LOVES it! I think it is so awesome, but unfortunately I only got the 16MB as I didn't expect her to like it this much. I wish I had gotten the 32MB which holds 10 books instead of 5. But, switching/downloading the books out on the Tag is SO EASY - it only takes a few seconds - and I have the slowest computer ever! Set up took a little while, but it was worth it. If your child likes to read or you would like to have your child to appreciate reading more, this product is for you. It is pricey but I think it is worth it. I would also recommend getting the "gift pack" instead of buying the Tag individually to save money. They have a variety of Tag gift packs available here and on the Leapfrog site. The Tag case is a MUST.

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