Children Learn To Read Playing With Teaching Toys


Two dazzling teaching toys from LeapFrog jump-start childrens reading skills and make learning to read exciting and fun. They also answer the call for a back-to- basics approach to improving childrens reading skills. LeapFrog uses high-tech sizzle to help parents introduce the basics of reading to their children in a playful way, while ensuring that learning is effective, says an enthusiastic teacher about LeapFrogs Phonics Learning System which takes the form of a Phonics Desk and a compact, portable version, the Phonics Traveler. These award-winning, sophisticated toys from LeapFrog are complete alphabet and reading educational learning aids (ELA) for children ages 3 to 8. They establish a fun, interactive environment in which an adult can work closely with a child to develop solid reading skills. Following a curriculum developed by Dr. Robert Calfee, a leading educator at Stanford Universitys Graduate School of Education, these breakthrough toys show children how to decode words, a key to reading. Unlike other products that just teach the alphabet or spelling, LeapFrogs illustrated Talking Phonics Cards (20 come with the toy) teach the names of letters and their distinctive sounds within the context of words. By using LeapFrogs toys, children will learn more than 500 words and will develop the tools and confidence to decode new and more challenging words.

Elements of LeapFrogs Phonics Learning System
The colorful Phonics Desk is hinged-topped, measures 17 x 5 x 13", and comes with 26 removable magnetic letters which meet size-safety standards, and one set of 20 illustrated Talking Phonics Cards. The Desk, which is constructed of durable, washable, high-impact ABS plastic, opens to store the letters and cards conveniently inside. Five other sets of Talking Phonics Cards complete the full phonics curriculum. Compact and portabale, the Phonics Traveler allows children to learn on the go. The Traveler is 13 X 7 X 3 and weighs 2.3 pounds. It has a built-in handle with a compartment on the back to store its Talking Cards.

Seeing+Feeling+Hearing = Learning Fun
The Phonics Learning System makes learning to read an interactive, multi- sensory, fun experience.

Step 1:
Youngsters begin learning the shapes and names of letters by placing them, like puzzle pieces, into their indented homes on the top the desk. Each letter says its name when pressed into place on the desktop, thus offering visual, tactile and audible stimuli in the learning process.
Step 2:
Next, the child selects an illustrated Talking Phonics Card and places it in the holder. As the card slides into the play area, the Desk spells the word and then says its name.
Step 3:
As individual letters are inserted into their proper indented homes on the word cards, the Phonics Desk pronounces the phonetic sound made by each letter according to its context within the word - a capability protected by U.S. Patent and found in no other electronic learning aid. When sounding out "B-U-S" for example, the child hears "buh-uh-s-s", the phonetic pronunciation of each letter, rather than its name.
Step 4:
Once the child presses each letter in left-to-right sequence and hears the phonetic sound made by each letter, the Phonics Desk then says the word aloud and rewards the child with one of five audible reward exclamations (i.e. Yes! Awesome! Youre rolling now!, etc.) pre- programmed into the device for maximum play fun and positive learning reinforcement.
The letter-sound associations in the Phonics Learning Systems six lessons are the basic building blocks for learning to use phonics for word recognition and spelling. When children understand the basic phonetic sounds and rules, they will be able to recognize many common words and sound out unfamiliar words with similar patterns, the first steps toward independent reading. The Desk and Traveler toys are powered by four AA-sized batteries (not included). The Phonics Desk is AC adaptable (plugs into any electrical outlet using a common adapter). Both have built-in ports for use with headphones. Both come with a manual illustrating how parents can interact with and teach their children to read. LeapFrogs toys are available at Toys R Us stores and specialty retailers nation-wide. The Phonics Desks suggested retail price is $49.95 with advanced card sets at $12.95 each. The Phonics Traveler has a suggested retail price of $29.95 with card sets at $6.95 each.
For information about LeapFrogs toys, or membership in the fun Learning Club telephone toll free 1-800-701-LEAP (5327).