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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.
megan
I am a facebook fan.
Tara
I am dying to get this for my 3 year old – she would be in love. We are big fans of the Leap Frog movies and fridge toys. I think reading lots of books is the best teacher overall.
Tara
I receive your e-mails.
Tara
I like you on FB.
Jenelle Rush-Leavitt
We have a bookshelf full of books and my 2 1/2 year old son continuously bring us books to read to him. We have read to him every night before bedtime since he was 4 months old. I was just talking to my husband and saying that we needed to find a reading system to help him become more independent but there are so many out there now that it is hard to decide which is the best.
Becky Cole
My son has developmental delays and a gfit like this would be great practice for him at home to help him catch up to his peers.
Erica
My 2 1/2 year old is obsessed with letters – he will sound out any word you put in front of him. We just go with it – even if it means that he’s spelling out the words on the cereal box, or pizza menu, etc.
Brigitte
I am thinking if I don’t win this I will buy it for my 3 year old for Christmas. Phonics is a great way to learn.
Claudia
My 5 year old is learning to read and we try making funny faces or signs to make it fun.
Jennifer
Sitting together every day!
Shannon
I have always been a big reader. I find the more you read the more they want you to read to them.
Trisha Kuster
My oldest son (3 years old) and I have been working on his reading. We purchased the “Your Baby Can Read” system, and he loves watching the video. He has picked up a ton of words from the pictures, but still hasn’t read any of the words yet. I know it will come eventually, but he loves to devour knowledge and all books that I buy for him. :) Even when he is at preschool, he loves reading books there. When I picked up my boys tonight from preschool/daycare, one of the helpers actually commented on how my oldest son loves to read books on his own looking at the pictures and identifying what is in them. She was very impressed. :) We told him what she said tonight and gave him BIG compliments on his hard work and reading. I already have picked up several books for him for Christmas (and even printed out some Tag coupons tonight from some Target deals that I saw that are coming up soon!). I know my oldest (and youngest!) son would LOVE having this to help him with his learning to read. He loves “helping mommy and daddy” when we are on our computers. LOL
KAITIE B
I have found that fun interactive books such as Chika CHika Boom Boom and If You Give A Mouse A Cookie are great ways to get children to come to enjoy reading.
M J Knudsen
Reading at bedtime is always loved by children.
Stephanie
I do not have any children yet. However, I volunteer one morning a week in a kindergarden classroom. I think children at that age really need hands on learning. The Phonics reading pup would be a great addition to their classroom.
D
We read every day and go to a few storytimes a week. They love to repeat the stories to me in their own words. This would be wonderful for them.
stacey
Me and my kids gather some stuffed animals and blankets and we either sit on my bed or we lay on the floor and I let them take turns reading to me and each other..When I take them with me out somewhere and if we are like in the doctors office or whatnot my oldest always goes and grabs a book so she can read to my other too while we are waiting..
Sue
My oldest is a great reader, my son and I read every day together….strengthening his reading skills. We take turns reading words, helps them keep up!
Diana B
I read with my kids before naptime and bedtime.
Rebecca
My children and I have been reading since they were really little. Exposure is one of the best tools.
Lori
We read together and my 3 year old uses the Hooked on Phonics computer games and loves them.
Anita A.
My 3-year-old nephew and I read every day. He loves when i read and change my voice to suit the characters and he acts out some of the actions in his favorite books. He just loves his books.
Amber
We’ve read lots of books, watched PBS kids shows (SuperWhy! is great!), played with the Leap Frog fridge phonics with 3 letters…not one particular method, but it seems to have worked with my daughter. I’m afraid the boys will be harder.
Melissa A.
My daughter learned to read from using the leapfrog tag.
Carina
We go to the library a lot so we constantly have new books to pick from.
ACMommy
We’re going through the early stages of learning how to read right now! We have fun doing lots of storytimes, “hunts” for alphabet letters, and artwork and fun activitiy pages.
julia k
Now that its getting cold oldside, we love practicing our reading in a “tent” in the living room, made out of blankets and chairs.
Suzanne
I read to my son every night. He is only 2, but he is already starting to memorize his books and fill in the blanks when we read to him.
Kaylan
I try to keep a variety of things to read–if I am excited to read a book, I find they are too!
ahande
We use the tag reader with the Cat in the Hat, Princess and the Frog and other tag books with our 5-year old.