My three-year-old daughter received a Leapster Explorer for Christmas, and has since then been absolutely absorbed in her new gaming system. Overall, I am essentially happy with the Leapster Explorer and the games that came with it, but it’s certainly far from perfect. While I don’t entirely regret my daughter’s Christmas present, there are some points that parents should consider before getting one.
Age-Appropriate Play
Leapster Explorer advertises that it is appropriate for children 4-8 years of age. Most of the games made for the system are also made to apply to this broad group. However, there is a vast developmental difference between four-year-olds and eight-year-olds, so it is very difficult to find games that will truly last through the years. I’ve found that some games– especially those that use the D-pad and coordinated jumping– are far too difficult for my preschooler. Others, such as the built-in Pet Pad game, would be irritatingly simple for most eight-year-olds.
Advertising and Parental Involvement
I was a bit irritated to find that the Leapster Explorer came with built-in advertisements for other games, including flashy trailers designed to get kids to beg and plead for new games. Fortunately, I did quickly find the option to turn the trailer icon off. The Pet Pad game also requires that parents get connect the machine to a computer to “download” new food and shampoo for virtual pets, which is mildly annoying (although the “food” and “shampoo” are free).
Educational Value
This is where I am most disappointed in the Leapster Explorer. Other than games like “Kindergarten,” which my daughter isn’t even interested in playing, most of the games and apps for Leapster Explorer are not very educational. The Ped Pad game offers essentially no educational value. The Cars 2 game, which claims to teach mathematics and problem-solving, taught none of these. The game Penguins of Madagascar has educational mini-games, which my daughter did enjoy, but she quickly advanced beyond the preschool level– and simply couldn’t grasp those targeted at older children.
Parental Concerns
I never wanted to be “that parent” who puts a kid in front of a video game system for hours to keep her happy and entertained. And, while I can blame no one but myself for the choices I make as a mom, it can be very difficult to limit my daughter’s screen time– especially in the middle of winter, when I need to work, and when she’s begging for another few minutes of play. I also felt morally frustrated by the fact that the game system uses disposable batteries– and burns through as many as four double-A batteries a week when used for one to two hours a day.
Gender Stereotyping
I felt frustrated by Leapster’s ongoing perpetuation of gender stereotypes. The systems come in either boy-colors or girl-colors, and, while the “boys’ bundle” primarily teaches math, science, and geography, the “girls’ bundle” teaches mostly social skills, pet care, and language. This is 2012, and I’m ready to see a world in which my daughter isn’t constantly told (albeit in subtle ways) that girls don’t do math and that boys don’t like fairies.
Overall, despite my complaints, I am satisfied with my daughter’s Leapster Explorer. She has gotten some good play out of it, and the whole reason behind playing video games is, in the end, to have fun. While I may have my reservations about the game system overall, I have to admit: my daughter likes playing it. In the end, that’s what really matters.