Supplementing Our Homeschool Curriculum with LeapFrog #LeapFrogMom #Sponsored

***Disclosure:As a LeapFrog Mom Ambassador, I receive products, promotional items, and educational material to use and share as I see fit. However, any opinions expressed by me are honest and reflect my actual experience.***

As a new homeschooling family, we are always looking for ways to incorporate learning into our day. Sure, Sophie has her lesson plans and school work, but the learning doesn't stop there in our home. We also think it's super-important to reinforce learning during play time. After all, learning should be fun, right? Plus, kids seem to learn more effectively when they're entertained and engaged. 

As an official LeapFrog mom, I have been given the opportunity to help my kids learn and thrive, both in and out of the "classroom". (Our classroom is actually a desk in our family room. Whatever works, right?) We incorporate LeapFrog's educational children's toys into our day, every single day. Whether it's by using the Word Whammer to practice phonics and spelling, or playing one of the many games on their LeapPads, Sophie and Xander are always eager to learn with LeapFrog, 

Recently, we received our LeapFrog Mom welcome package. To say my kids were excited would be a complete understatement. There was hooting and hollering, and there may have even been a Happy Dance. Sophie, my 5 year old, said it best: "Mommy! We hit the LeapFrog Jackpot!" 

We received a Word Whammer, 3 sets of Imagicards, and a shiny, new LeapPad Platinum. How cool is that?! Sophie hit the proverbial nail on the head. It was a LeapFrog Jackpot, indeed!


I'd love to tell you a bit more about these products and how we use them to supplement our homeschool activities. 

First, I'd love to tell you about the LeapPad Platinum. This is the most durable LeapPad ever, since it boasts a shatter-resistant screen and wrap around bumper for added protection. (And let's face it: With kids, there are accidents!) 

The LeapPad Platinum is loaded with fun, educational games and activities that kids can enjoy. You can also use your Imagicards with this tablet, but more about that in a moment. 

Here are some quick facts about the LeapPad Platinum:

• Designed for kids ages 3-9

• 7″ hi-res multi-touch screen and super-fast processor.
  
• A generous 8GB Memory to hold up to 40,000 photos or 100+ apps
• Access the learning library of 1,000+ games and more.
• Games remember curriculum progress and automatically adjust learning levels.
• Features Wi-Fi with a kid-safe browser, LeapSearch, that lets kids browse age appropriate content.
• Two Cameras and Video Recorders. Yes, I said TWO. Front AND rear! Let the selfies begin! 

Sophie and Xander have been loving their new LeapPad Platinum! It's definitely a step above the LeapPad Ultra, especially the added camera and speedy processor. The kids can browse the web, watch videos, and play games without tons of buffering or lag time. 

We like to search for content that correlates to our current homeschool curriculum. This has allowed us to further strengthen Sophie's skills, and makes learning much less of a chore because she attends class with confidence each day. It must be working, because our little smarty-pants has tested as gifted or well above average in all of her assessments. She even got to skip a good amount of Kindergarten courses and went straight to an Advanced First Grade Curriculum. 

Xander doesn't start school till next year, but between watching his big sister's example and playing with LeapFrog's learning toys, he's got one heck of a head start! 

But the LeapPad Platinum really comes to life when you use Imagicards with it! Imagicards are sold in decks of 30+ curricular cards that feature favorite characters from TMNT, Paw Patrol, and Letter Factory Adventures. These cards come in adorable little tins that make for easy and convenient storage. 

Here's how Imagicards work:

• Each LeapFrog Imagicard Set includes 30+ Curricular Cards. They are easily identifiable, and little won't won't end up mixing decks together. MAJOR plus there. 
• Snap a picture of the card with the LeapPad Platinum to enhance digital learning games by bringing favorite characters into the games and unlocking magical gameplay.
• Imagicards also have trivia questions and curriculum aspects that include math, shapes, letters, spelling, and more.

Sophie and Xander were very eager to play with their Imagicards. One of their handheld gaming consoles has a similar feature, so they already knew how to take pictures of cards to unlock play or bring characters to life. Since my kids love anything having to do with gaming, Imagicards were a very welcomed addition to our LeapFrog collection. In fact, Sophie and Xander often elect to play with their Platinum and Imagicards over their 3DS or Wii. Now THAT is impressive, in my opinion! And of course they're learning the whole time they're playing, which makes me happy as a mom! 

Last but definitely not least, I'd love to introduce you to the LeapFrog Word Whammer. (Try saying that 5 times, fast!) The Word Whammer is absolutely genius, in my humble opinion. This fun toy allows kids to create words while twisting and thrusting the handles. This creates letter sounds, which helps little ones to build words. This is wonderful for creating skills in reading, spelling, and phonics. 

There are 3 different games and 5 different learning levels that grow with your child. This helps build skills and confidence, too! 

My 4 year old, Xander, has started reading thanks to this toy. He's so proud that he can create and sound out words all by himself. I have the feeling that once he's ready to begin Kindergarten, he will be a super-star just like his big sister!

Here's what Sophie and Xander have to say about their LeapFrog Word Whammer and LeapPad Platinum :

We are absolutely thrilled to be a LeapFrog family. We love these fun, educational products. They keep the kids engaged and they are definitely excited about learning with LeapFrog. These products are a wonderful supplement to our homeschool curriculum, and are helping our kids to reach their full potential. 

Thanks, LeapFrog! It's an honor to be part of the official LeapFrogMom crew!

We look forward to learning about and sharing more great ways to make learning fun from  LeapFrog, so stay tuned! 

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