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Leap Frog products have always been a part of our family, beginning with our first copy of The Letter Factory that we watched over and over with our first son eight years ago. I say first copy because it became so well worn that we actually had to purchase a new copy to replace it! So when I heard about the new SmartyAnts curriculum that’s been developed by the founders of Leap Frog, I was very interested in giving it a try.
The SmartyAnts system consists of an interactive website and a companion SmartyAnts Phonics Reading Pup that reinforces the lessons taught on the website in a fun and engaging way minus the computer, allowing children to practice the reading skills they’re currently working on any time, any place.
We received the white SmartyAnts Phonics Reading Pup to give the system a try, and my four-year-old daughter immediately fell in love with him. He’s very fluffy and cute and surprisingly cuddly and soft for something that has mechanical parts housed inside. He comes ready for fun, preloaded with 10 songs designed to help teach your child the alphabet, letter sounds, phonics, word building, and rhyming.
I decided to let my daughter just get to know the Reading Pup for several days before introducing the online aspect, and he quickly became a constant companion. But when I showed her the SmartyAnts website and how it complements the dog, that was when the real fun began. I’m kind of embarrassed to admit it, but the site showed me just how much I was underestimating what my daughter was capable of. I was under the impression that she was still working on her lower case letters and sounds, but she breezed through those right into the four-letter words level!
The SmartyAnts website is very cute and really draws your child in with activities that seem like play on the surface but are really teaching them valuable skills all the while. My daughter just devoured all of this and asks to play frequently. And the best part is that you can download new files to the Reading Pup that reinforce these skills during free time.
The SmartyAnts Phonics Reading Pup retails for just $29.99, and I fully expect him to be one of the hottest toys this holiday season. Included in the box is one SmartyAnts Phonics Reading Pup (choose husky or white pup), USB cable, parent guide, and one-month membership to SmartyAnts Web site.
One lucky Deal Seeking Mom reader will win a Phonics Reading Pup with a 1-year subscription to SmartyAnts.com!
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If you are reading this in your email or feed reader, please CLICK HERE to visit the original blog post to enter. Email entries will not be counted.
Want to win a one year subscription to Smarty Ants, as well as a Phonics Reading Pup? Just leave me a comment here, before 9pm on November 22nd, telling me about the fun ways you and your little ones have discovered learning how to read.
Prize:
(1) SmartyAnts.com Phonics Reading Pup and 1-year Subscription
This giveaway ends at 9:00 p.m. EDT on Monday, 11/22 and is open to all U.S. residents 18 years or older. I’ll use Comment Contest to select the winning comment. Winner will be notified by email and listed on my Giveaway Winners page. Winners must respond within 48 hours of notification to claim their prize. Good luck!
While you’re in a contest entering mood, don’t forget to check out the Giveaway Gathering for a variety of contests being hosted on Deal Seeking Mom readers’ blogs!
Disclosure: I received a Phonics Reading Pup and a one-year subscription to SmartyAnts.com to review for this post.
Hollynn Kidwell
This looks so cute. I absolutely LOVE all Leap Frog products!!
Angela
My 5 yr old daughter hasn’t learned to read yet but she is starting to recognize some letter so this would be an awesome toy for her to learn with. I hope I win!!!
Jessie
My kids love the leapfrog videos also. We are now on our third go-round of a small person running around singing “the A says ahhhh…”
Jennifer Allen
My boys have both loved the Leap Frog videos. It has really helped us learn our letters. I have a just turned 5 year old that I am teaching to read and this toy would help alot.
Nicole Powers
leapfrog videos hastaught all my kids letters!!!!!!!!
sofia
I’m an e-mail subscriber and your FB fan.
Jessi Doggett
My son would love this dog! I love how interactive it is with the child!
Sara Z.
My daughter and I play a lot of games in the car on the way to and from daycare (a 35 minute drive each way). I also keep a supply of books in a bag next to her seat and she had several read along books on her MP3 player. At home, we read books together. Honestly, I think she gets more out of the car time than time at home (fewer distractions).
Claudia N
My son would love this , thank you
kristen
PLEASE ME ME ME! I have three preschoolers who would LOVE this!!!
Heidi W.
We love to play around with our fridge magnets to make words!
Debbie James
My grandson would love it.
April Kinslow
My 4 year old Kaylee would absolutely love this. She is really into cute animals and would so benefit from the phonics. Thanks for the giveaways :).
Michelle T
My daughter always repeats the book after I read it. She’s only 3.5 so we’re not quite to the learning to read stage, but she sure loves to “read” me the book after I’m done. I’d love to win this!
Julie Campbell
I’ve never seen this before! How COOL! My son just turned 5 & is in Pre-K. He JUST figured out last week that he could put the sounds of the letters together to make words & is sooo excited! I think this toy would be a BIG hit for Christmas!
katherine
My daughter can’t read yet, but she has learned all her letters through the latter factory. Leapfrog is amazing and I would LOVE to win this!!
Christy Rodriguez
My 4 year old loves learning letters and numbers with our current Leapfrog toys. This would be a great addition!
abi
from the beginning i have read to my kids a lot. now that she is older she plays on the pbskids website and learns about reading and writing there.
Beth W.
My almost 5 year old son would really enjoy this new toy! He loves learning so this would be welcomed in our home!!
Mary
My grandchildren would really like this toy. We love reading books together and pointing out the different objects in the books.
Johnny
Great Toy. We like to read books and do the highlights books together as a family.
Krista
This would be great for my little… He’s loved interacting with is “Scout” dog… a reading dog would be a great next step.
We read lots and lots — he’s not even 2 yet but on the way home from the library he “read” me a picture book about a horse :)
Angelina
my son would have fun learning with this
Amanda Dean
My little one loves to sit and looks through her books. She hasn’t yet learned how to read but would love to hear a pup read a book to her! What a great way to start the learning process!
Jessica Robles
Would love to have the pup as a learning toy. We currently use “Teach your child to read in 100 easy lessons”. LOVE it. :)
April
I started out reading to my daughter and I made flashcards to help her recognize letters and phonetics. And we website the sesame street website oftern. We also spell words aloud and then I write them down for her so that she recognize them. She also has a kiddie dictionary and she has learned how to look up words and try to read the definition.
andrea
My kids are too young to read but we read to them to help them learn!
Karen
The most fun way we have is just to be out and about in public. It’s amazing what he picks up from store signs and road signs. His favorite are the stop signs and exits!
Raji
My 4 year old bella loves the leapster explorer and the interactive website too. She loves it.
Michelle
My granddaughter needs extra help with reading so this would be wonderful to win for her.