Review: LeapFrog Zippity

Written on Oct 26, 2009 by RuthJS and filed under LeapFrog, Reviews

The Zippity Learning System was developed out of a partnership between LeapFrog and Disney.  Considering the fact that LeapFrog is one of the best companies at producing educational technology for young children, and that Disney is such a popular content brand, it’s no surprise that this system is a hit with kids.

Overview

With an MSRP of $79.99, the Zippity Learning System was designed as a full-body gaming system for preschoolers, incorporating the familiar characters from Disney.  Children stand on an interactive mat and are instructed to dance, jump and march by friends from Mickey Mouse Cluhouse, My Friends Tigger and Pooh, Handy Manny, and Little Einsteins.  Some of the games also incorporate the “bopper,” a tummy-high joystick that users can move left, right, forward and back as they play.

The designers of the system incorporated several forward-thinking features into the Zippity.  First, they used wireless technology, so while there is a small console that plugs into a television, there is no wire connecting to the mat which could trip up an excited small child.  Second, there are eight games pre-loaded on the unit, and, while they are very basic, each game has two levels of difficulty so there is enough variety to please most preschoolers.  Third, there are additional games that can be purchased and even stored in slots on the console.  Fourth the system ties into LeapFrog’s Learning Path, an online tool that parents can use to track a child’s learning on a variety of LeapFrog toys.

Testing

I sat with several children in the targeted age range (3 to 5) while they played with the Zippity, and this is what I saw:

• The testers were very excited to see the colorful mat, familiar characters, and were intrigued by the bopper.
• The children needed assistance in getting through the start-up and beginning the games.
• The games themselves were fun and easy to follow.
• Some of the testers got bored with the simplicity of the included games after about 15 minutes, though we didn’t see that with the additional game packs.
• Kids loved the Disney characters and the fact that additional games packs feature the their favorites like Disney Princesses or Lightning McQueen for instance.

Upside

There are several positive features of the Zippity Learning System including:

• The system is very easy to set up and incorporates wireless technology.
• The mat is foldable, and the bopper can be detached for easy storage.
• The bopper is padded to reduce the risk of injury.
• There is storage for additional games built into the console.
• The characters featured are fun and familiar to children.
• The games encourage big muscle movement and cover memory skills, numbers, mathematics, shapes, letters, language skills, colors, music, art, culture, problem-solving skills, Spanish, and vocabulary.
• The Zippity links into the LeapFrog Learning Path.

Downside

Some things to consider before purchasing the Zippity are:

• The price — at $79.99 (plus additional software packs), this seems a high price to pay for a piece of technology that is designed to last for only a 3 years window for my child.
• Startup — there were a fair number of screens through which users needed to navigate before they could start playing.   I didn’t mind doing that during the initial setup, but it would take a while for a small child to learn to work through all of the screens unless they could read. As a result, the system requires a high level of parental interaction, which may or may not be an issue.

Of Note

It’s worth pointing out that the bopper on the first system I received from LeapFrog was extremely sensitive.  Children could not control the bopper and were quickly frustrated.  However, after contacting LeapFrog, they said this was not an issue that had been reported before, and they quickly sent me a new system to review.  The new bopper was MUCH better and proved to be a big hit with the testers.

In a Nutshell

The Zippity is a nice starter system for preschool children.  The cost gives me pause considering how long a child would use it, but all of the testers had fun with it and in the end the Zippity gets the kids moving while they learn. There’s a lot to like about that. Further the depth of content makes this fun for both boys and girls.

Editor’s Rating – 4.5 out of 5 stars – Editor’s Choice

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