LeapFrog Imagination Desk Learning System

With this LeapFrog Imagination Desk Learning System your child learns while coloring and playing. Color the 26 alphabet pages to bring them to life and learn letter names and sounds, fun facts, numbers and counting. Includes 3 engaging teach modes that use characters, games and music to turn learning into play. Includes interactive learning desk, coloring book, crayons, volume control, storage for templates and supplies, and a carrying handle. Uses four AA batteries (not included). 

Here's another great LeapFrog innovation that lets children play and learn at the same time. The Imagination Desk Learning System teaches kids letters, numbers, phonics, counting, and vocabulary on a lively multimedia desk. As a child colors in the pages, they come to life with characters, games, and music that teach letters, colors, and other preschool skills. Three engaging modes (learn, game, and music) offer tons of variety for kids as they play, extending both the fun and appeal of the desk. The set includes the interactive learning desk, the "Let's Learn Letters" coloring book, and crayons. The unit features volume control, storage for templates and supplies, and a carrying handle. It uses four AA batteries (not included). 

LeapFrog Imagination Desk Learning System Reviews

"My 4 year-old son loves this toy!"

I have been very pleased with this toy. My son is autistic, very bright but easily frustrated and with a fleeting attention span and poor graphomotor (handwriting) skills - even for his age. He can be very hard on his toys,too!

Since he loves music, I thought my son may like this toy and would color longer. And it works! He likes all the different settings so he can focus on the sections that interest him, and he loves to "color" on the page, while listening to the music and information about the pictures. I showed his at-home therapist all the neat functions of this game (we also buy all the coloring booklets as they become available)and she was impressed with its ability to keep our son's attention, too. I also feel it's a great toy to reinforce social skills and kindergarten readiness.

If your child already loves to color and learns easily, I don't think you need to spend this kind of money on a toy--just buy regular coloring books and educational materials. But, if you are looking for a way to get your child interested and practicing his/her coloring skills, I strongly recommend this toy!

(I am only speaking from personal experience with this toy and my child. It may not be right for all children with autism/special needs.)

"One of our favorites!"

We bought this last year for our almost-three year old. It's a year later and she still loves it. Early on it took her a few tries to get the paper in just right, but it has been a favorite for whole year (coming from a child who changes favorites daily!)

It is easily portable, durable and has grown with her. Now that she has her letters and numbers down, we are working on telling time. She has even started spelling words from what she has learned about the sounds that letters make from the repetitive but effective letter song. You also can use blank paper and the music-only setting for free-form coloring and writing practice.

I do wish it held a few more crayons, but we just throw an extra pack in the bag. Another bonus: I haven't even had to replace the batteries yet!

"great way to encourage writing/coloring for young toddler"

I use this with my 2 year old(27 mo), and the level is about right, I think a child who knows their ABCs etc would not appreciate it, but my son who was reluctant to use crayons loves to hear pooh bear or tigger talk to him. So he spends 30-40 min at a time coloring which he would not do previously. The basic ABC sheets are not very interesting, but we color a few of those and then move on to Pooh bear each day and I guess some of the information sticks.

For his age group, I have to play with him, but he is catching on to the go circle, and I am thrilled when he attempts to color within the lines, and matches specific colors with specific objects like yellow bananas... This is also a redesign. It does not have snap on templates with numbers, or the coloring template like the previous design. The blue lid which holds the coloring page in place does come off occasionally, but only if he tries to open and pry it off, not while coloring. I don't notice any problems with sensitivity so far, but if you are not right in the middle of an object, it won't identify it for you. Not a problem so far since he seems just too young for the game mode where this might lead to frustration.

For the future, I'm not sure if this toy will lead to independent play since you have to keep changing coloring sheets etc. All of which can lead to numerous toddler decisions and frustrations. Despite the high price, this is a great great way to encourage coloring / writing skills though for your boy who would much rather be playing with trains or cars.

"Great for the aritst in the family"

I bought this toy for my 2 year old son that loves to color, although with this imagination Desk he is learning at the same time. He picked up on how to insert the paper immediatly and just keeps on drawing. I've had to print out more sheets from the website, so that he can continue to have fun with this toy. He is so proud of his work, he hangs it on the fridge as soon as he is done, I need more magnets!!! Great toy for the artist in the family.

Cube World Series 2: Handy & Dusty

Play with one or build a world with Cube World Series. They'll play, visit and interact with one another. You can play games and pester them, tilt the cube and an interactive motion sensor will cause the stick men to fall on their side and upside down. Stack them for an interactive block party. Measures approximately 11" x 7" x 2". Requires two CR2032 batteries, included.

Cube World Series 2: Handy & Dusty Reviews

"Great for kids with autism! "

Our son who is autistic is really taken with these cubes. We were able to get him to talk about the stick figures antics which is an accomplishment for a child with autism. He'd narrate what they were doing...and answer lots of "wh" ?'s which impressed his therapists. We never know what will tickle his funny bone and have wasted money on things he doesn't even blink at. We bought these on a whim...(we had a store credit and they were on sale....) not expecting much but we were pleasantly surprised at his positive response. He would just belly laugh at their antics.(Handy and Dusty do lots of boy stuff...fart, go to the potty, fight with each other etc...) He didn't care that they often repeated what they did...in fact I think that aspect added a positive for him. For adults..these cubes would probably get tiresome very quickly...but for kids with autism and other issues..they are a hit. I think even "typical" kids would enjoy them. I also like that this is a small compact toy that doesn't take up much space. Easy to take in the car so if he is antsy he has something to focus on. So...they may not meet other people's needs...but they have sure filled a niche with us. We will be buying lots more slowly and using them as rewards for positive behaviors. Hope this helps someone! :0)

"cube world"

intriguing little game. it is amazing how the stick figures interact. they also do unexpected things and sometimes an extra person will appear. appealing to almost anyone. even the adults were fascinated.

"A new use: great for toddlers/kids at restaurants!"

Although they were purchased for my then 8yr. old girl, last year, they are small enough to fit in any "diaper bag/keep them quiet bag". They keep my 2, 4 and 9 yr. old entertained for a while when at restaurants (ours don't have much sound, we have the small ones, Sparky and Toner). I just purchased these, to keep the fighting down and entertainment up. The little ones just love them...so if you don't, you might give them to someone with small kids, and/or be a life saver if going to dinner with nieces/nephews, etc. The trick is to keep it in the bag, only to be played with at restaurants, appointments, etc. I gave it 3 stars for educational value for the young crowd only..cause and effect, predicting, etc. The adults at the table who have never seen these will be inquisitive, and engage the kids in conversation about them, too!

Tips for Parents 2

Helping a Child with an Autism Spectrum Disorder 2

Reading

Try reading "Daniel isn't Talking" by Marti Leimbach, it is a (99%) true story, her story, just with the names of people changed. There are many more books available about autism than there were in the past. Start to educate yourself. You're going to have to find out what is going to work for you and your child. The more informed you are, the better decisions you can make. Read some good theory based parenting books. (Parenting with Love and Logic & Systematic Training for Effective Parenting (STEP) are a couple.) The strategies may need to be modified for your particular child, but it will be helpful to have a good understanding of some good principles for parenting.

Stimulation

Some kids respond well to vestibular stimulation. (motion) Pulling the child on a scooter board (put a helmet on the child) or swinging in a hammock may help to calm the child down. There are special swings you can buy which can be set up in a door jam. (Great for rainy days when you can't go outside.) Tactile stimulation may help calm a child down. Playing with water or sand are great developmental activities for any child. Clay works well. (As long as your child doesn't eat it.)

Feeding

Make sure you feed your child on a regular schedule. Nothing will make a child with developmental difficulties cranky like not getting lunch or dinner on time.

Activities

Activity using large muscle groups helps regulate mood. My son was having a very difficult time with behavior issues in school until an occupational therapist suggested a break every two hours to do some pullups or running. (He was about 7 years old.) The outbursts dropped dramatically. When behavior started to improve, the lenght of time between breaks was gradually increased. When behavior was difficult again, the activity breaks were increased. Taking the kids for a walk or to the park may help behavior at home.

Cat in the Hat - I Can Do That!

The Cat in the Hat I Can Do That! Game ia a high-energy game that combines balancing, jumping, sliding, giggling, and more to celebrate your child's I Can Do That attitude. Jump into the fun and discover all the new things you can do! Can you limbo under the trick-a-ma-stick while balancing the fish on your stomach?! There are hundreds of hilarious possibilities. The player who earns the most stars wins. The Cat in the Hat, I Can Do That! Game offers hours of out-of-your-seat fun while encouraging reading development, physical activity, and memory skills.

This is not your traditional board game. I Can Do That! comes with imaginative props inspired by the classic children's book The Cat In the Hat by Dr. Seuss, as well as a deck of color-coded cards that provide funny, challenging activities.

To start, a player picks one of each of the three color cards. Taken together, the cards create a fun and funny activity the player is challenged to do. For example, Card 1 could read "Take Four Giant Steps," Card 2 "With the Cake," and Card 3 "On your head!" Each card also has one, two, or three stars on it for score keeping purposes. If the player wants to take the challenge, he says "I can do that!" and proceeds. If he succeeds, he keeps the cards in his own scoring pile. If he doesn't think he can do the activity, he can re-draw until he gets an activity that he can do. But watch out: if he draws a "Stop!" card, he must give up his cards and end his turn. The player with the most stars in the scoring pile wins the game.

The beauty of this game is in its simplicity. Easy-to-follow instructions and super-easy assembly ensure that your family will be playing in no time, with minimal frustration -- a must for the enthusiastic, shorter attention spans of younger kids.

We also love that this game goes beyond traditional board games to get kids up and moving. This is great both for energetic youngsters who lack the patience to focus quietly and for children who need a bit more motivation to get physical. Kids will have a lot of fun balancing, crawling, leaping, and skipping with the whimsical props. They'll enjoy watching each other, and they'll learn to compete in an entertaining environment.

We also love that the game's structure encourages kids to challenge themselves, while the option of drawing and re-drawing cards still gives them the choice to play at their comfort levels. The simple, generalized game instructions are open it to many variations, and the instructions actually encourage families to customize the rules to their children's abilities and desires.

The only concern we had was with the game's durability. The foam pieces definitely won't last as long as your vintage Monopoly set. But on the plus side, the flexible, soft props guard well against injuries or mishaps.

Cat in the Hat Reviews

"Excellent Teaching Game...and it's fun for everyone!!!"

I bought this for my son and I thought it was too good to be true! My son is 4 and has autism. This game is wonderful for any child (my typical 2 year old can do it and LOVES it!) but it is the perfect game for teaching a child with autism to follow directions. We started out just having him do one thing at a time, quickly moved to using 2 cards, and are now on using 3. It has been such a wonderful addition to our therapies that we do with him and he has so much fun playing it. My only complaint is that my two year old easily ripped the foam thing-a-ma-stick (I think that's what it's called) but the toy is recommend for 4 and up anyway. If you are considering this game for your typical child or your child with special needs I would say go for it. I mentioned the game to both his speech therapist and occupational therapist and they have both gone out and bought it to use with kids they see for therapy with rave reviews. A++++

"Super fun!"

I bought this game for my niece (age 6) and nephew (4) and we had a blast playing it over the weekend. The game is infused with Seuss silliness and lots of fun physical activity. What I loved most was that it gives each child their little moment in the spotlight as they act out the activities on the cards and show everyone what they can do. I also loved the reinforcement of numbers, colors, counting, and puzzle solving. I highly recommend this game!

"Great for getting kids with speech disorders to talk"

We love this game. We play it with our 2.5 yo who has apraxia, a speech disorder. We also play it with our 5.5 yo to help him learn how to read.

Tips for Parents

Helping a Child with an Autism Spectrum Disorder

Don’t wait to seek treatment.

Early intervention is the most important key to autism treatment success. Seek help as soon as you suspect a problem in your child. Don’t wait for a diagnosis. You don’t need one to start treating your child’s symptoms.

Learn about autism

The more you know about autism spectrum disorders, the better equipped you’ll be to make informed decisions for your child. Educate yourself about the treatment options, ask questions, and participate in all treatment decisions.

Become an expert on your child

Figure out what triggers your kid’s “bad” or disruptive behaviors and what elicits a positive response. What does your autistic child find stressful? Calming? Uncomfortable? Enjoyable? If you understand what affects your child, you’ll be better at troubleshooting problems and preventing situations that cause difficulties.

Accept and love your child for who he or she is

Rather than focusing on how your autistic child is different from other children and what he or she is “missing,” focus on what makes your child happy. Enjoy your kid’s special quirks, celebrate small successes, and stop comparing your child to others-developmentally-challenged or not.

Be patient and optimistic

It’s impossible to predict the course of an autism spectrum disorder. Don’t jump to conclusions about what life is going to be like for your child. Like everyone else, people with autism have an entire lifetime to grow and develop their abilities.

Playhut Magic Ball Zone

Magic Ball Zone. All the fun and excitement of a real ball pit... right in your room! Included 100 3"-diameter plastic Magic Balls in bright primary colors. Features a hexagonal base, roll-up flap door, sunroof for ventilation and 2 tunnel ports to hook up to other Play Hut structures.

The Magic World Ball Zone is the perfect play environment for young children providing them with hours of interactive fun alone or with friends. Featuring a roll-up flap door for crawl through fun, mesh panels for ventilation, 50 colorful PVC balls and a ball toss game. Patented Twist N Fold technology also allows for instant set-up and quick fold-down for convenient storage. 

Playhut Magic Ball Zone Reviews

"Great toy!!"

The Playhut Magic Ball Zone is a fantastic toy. I bought this as a birthday gift for my two year old nephew and he absolutely loves it. My nephew has autism and like those who have children that they love with autism, it has been incredibly hard for us to find toys that he cares about much less enjoys playing with. My niece who is four has also enjoyed playing with it very much. We have only owned the product for a week, but so far it is appearing to be very durable and the balls that come with it are great. The only downside is that the balls that come with it are not enough to cover the floor of the Ball Zone, it took another package of 100 balls to do this.

"Appeals to kids of different ages"

Small children will love the tactile experience of crawling in the balls. Older children can use their imagination and enjoy the playhut as a tent, cave, castle or nest!

"Fantastic"

Hours of fun. Durable. Easy to fold and put away. Pit balls sold separately. This is a fantastic product and will keep children busy for hours.

"Tons of fun!!"

Logan loves his ball pit. When it got quiet this morning that is where I found him! Be sure to buy the additional 100ct balls. The only downside is having to pick up all the balls from around the house, but it is totally worth it being how much fun he is having in it.

"Huge Ball Pit"

I was so excited when we opened this up. It's huge! I can easily fit in with my four kids and have fun with them. I wasn't expecting it to be so big. Of course, like everyone says there's never enough balls, but we still have some more coming as another Christmas gift. Great Buy!

Choosing Toys for a Child with Autism

Have you considered a toy for autistic child? Regardless if a child has autism, another disability or not, all children love toys. Of course, no child is alike. Therefore, what may be enjoyed by one child may not hold the interest of another. Thus, the trick is to figure out which toys your autistic child will enjoy playing with, and will help them develop skills.

Ages 3-7

Paints and/or coloring pencils with large paper

This is a great way for an autistic child to express him/herself in color. Knowing what colors your child responds to may be helpful when it comes to learning.

Building blocks

Any toy for autistic child that can be stacked helps them improve their motor skills. Great toys to consider include “Lego”, alphabet blocks, colored shapes, etc.

Stories with Repetition and/or Rhyme

These books help in the development of speech skills. Good book examples you can consider include “Dr. Seuss” and “Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes”.

Mix and Match toys

Toys that involve sorting and grouping together matching numbers, colors, shapes, etc. help improve cognitive skills. One interesting toy for autistic child is “Match & Spell 3 – Letter Word”. This game teaches a child how to spell basic words by putting together matching colored cards that create a picture.

Toys that light up

Toys such as the “flashing ball” are good for visual stimulation. When the ball is bounced, the colorful balls light up and flash.

Ages 8 – 12

Calculator Cash Register

Calculator Cash Register, this is a perfect pretend toy for autistic child. This particular toy comes with a working calculator, pretend money (bills, coins and credit cards). This toy encourages creativity and math skills.

Musical toy instrument

If your child has an interest in music, consider getting a toy instrument such as drums, guitar, recorder or piano with sheet music. These toys teach cognitive, motor, creative and sensory skills.

Picture books

Picture books such as “I Spy” are great ways to engage your child’s imagination. “I Spy” has a collection of picture riddle books based on different themes.

Classic board games

There are many classic board games to choose from including “KerPlunk”, “Scrabble Jr.”, “Monopoly Jr.”, “Trouble”, “Yahtzee”, etc. Board games can be a toy for autistic child that helps to improve social skills, and depending on the game, may help to develop cognitive and motor skills.

Stretch-Eze

This is a unique sensory toy that is ideal for stretching, exercise, and making creative movements. The “Stretch-Eze” is a stretchy circular band that comes in different sizes and colors.

Keep in mind that the toys listed above are only toy for autistic child suggestions. You don’t need to base the toys you give your child on their age. In fact, many parents of autistic children find that any toy is acceptable if their child responds to it regardless of the age specifications on the box. Note: The only exception is choking hazard age warning.

Crocodile Dentist

Poor old croc has a tooth that's bothering him; pretend to be a dentist to help him out. Press the wrong tooth and he'll surprise you. With no loose parts and exciting snapping jaws, this is one game that will thrill toddlers and primary schoolers alike. No batteries required. Which tooth is bothering the poor old croc? Press the sore tooth and he'll surprise you. 

Crocodile Dentist Reviews

"Great for playdates, but a bit fragile"

We are on our third crocodile dentist! It is a wonderful wonderful toy that my developmentally delayed preschooler and his typical friend all LOVE. But I carry it to the park in a large toy bag and the past two copies have broken...when you press a tooth it won't stay down anymore. A good way around this might be to keep it in a box of it's own. This is also a wonderful toy for parents following the RDI Steve Gutstein social therapy for children with Autism. Because this toy has an element of surprise, as you press each tooth you never know if this is the tooth that will cause the jaw to snap shut! Note: the snapping shut is fairly gentle and safe for preschoolers!

"I love this toy!"

I am a Speech Therapist and this is a toy that the children with whom I work (3,4, and 5 year olds) ask for over and over again. They just love it! I have the small travel one which is perfect since I travel all around for my job. If the child is too afraid to push the teeth down I give him/her a tongue depressor or my pencil so the crocodile bites that instead of the child.

"Comedy!!!"

This thing bites pretty hard!!! I love to play it as does my wife. My 4 year old daughter likes to carry it around, but is afraid to play it. She gets scared when it bites.

"kids love it"

I am a sub teacher assistant and this was a big hit with the kids. i thought i wanted the full size but this size was great and easy to play on the bus, car, playground. and best of all no batteries required

"Delightful Dentist"

So far I have purchased 5 of these cute little snappers. I have 7 grandchildren from the ages of 7 months to four years. All of them like to take a chance against this snapping dentist, (okay, the youngest just tries to grab it). I have put 2 away for gifts for my other grandmother friends. It's always a laugh and the best part is no batteries. I couldn't find this toy locally but Amazon has such prompt delivery that I was able to get them quickly. My 2 daughters work with special needs children and they have used this toy with such success during their therapy sessions that is another reason I ordered more of them.

"Ridiculously funny"

You just can't help but laugh. It is just really funny how tense people get as more teeth get pushed... After only a little while we had to institute a "You touch it, you push it" rule, because the kids would start to try to feel that tiny little bit of extra resistance when they get to the trigger tooth. About the durability, yeah, it won't last forever, and eventually the hinge starts to wear out. The top jaw might come off, but most of the time you can pop it back on. If it does break, though, you can take it apart and try to figure out how a mechanical (read, nondigital) device can randomly choose a tooth to be the next trigger. A clever little bit of engineering inside.

"Smaller than the original but fun"

I ordered this product because my daughter loved her cousins. Strangely, when I received it I was surprised that it was a MUCH smaller version than the one her cousin has! I bumped down the durability because of this. It is more of a travel version but it is still a fun game with a nice element of surprise. My daughter enjoyed this at the age of 2-3.

Design and Drill Activity Center

Children love using the Design & Drill Activity Center to create their own designs, or following the set's activity cards to make pictures and patterns, from trains and boats to flowers and fish. Just snap any one of the drill bits into the power drill or the screwdriver handle, grab a handful of big bolts, and turn on the learning fun. Twenty activity cards (10 make-a-picture cards, 9 follow-the-pattern cards, and one make-your-own card) provide young learners with tasks from simple to challenging. Requires 3 "AA" batteries (not included).

Children love using the Design and Drill Activity Center to create their own designs, or following the set's activity cards to make pictures and patterns, from trains and boats to flowers and fish. Just snap any one of the drill bits into the power drill or the screwdriver handle, grab a handful of big bolts, and turn on the learning fun. Twenty activity cards (10 make-a-picture cards, 9 follow-the-pattern cards, and 1 make-your-own card) provide young learners with tasks from simple to challenging. Requires 3 AA batteries (not included). 

Design and Drill Activity Center Reviews

"Great toy for many ages!"

I bought this toy for my 5-year-old. He has autism and loves tool type of toys. As soon as we opened this he got a HUGE grin on his face. Totally a hit with him! My 3-year-old daughter was DYING for a turn, and she loves to use it as well. Surprisingly, even my 19-month-old daughter can join in with her older siblings...she puts the pegs into the holes for them. It's great for their fine motor skills...getting the drill bit in the right spot is a little tricky for small hands. There are also hand tools which are good practice for the little ones, too. I also use it to practice turn-taking with the 3 and 5 year olds...each gets to drill a certain number of pegs and then has to trade the drill with their sibling.

And it is FUN! My kids like just filling up the whole board, but I think after we've had it for awhile (it's only been 2 weeks) we can start using some of the patterns. Great idea to extend the life of the toy. This toy seems really durable, has lots of play options (pattern or freestyle, different drill bits, power tool or hand tool), is educational AND fun. And rarely do I find a toy that all three of my kids can sit around at the same time and play with...but they do with this one! Highly recommended!

"Keeps the kids engaged"

Gave it as a gift to a 3yr old and have heard nothing but raves about it. Keeps the child busy and is no longer asking his dad for the real power drill!!! I need to buy one for my kid now!

"Mom of 3"

Love this toy, probably the best of the year. It is well made and sturdy. The drill fascinates my 4 year old, and even the 8 yr old and 11 yr old enjoy matching the pattern cards (and they are all girls...). A toy my children will play with for at least 30 mins straight(quite a feat in the video age!!!) If you are considering it, try it...I would bet that you will be impressed.