The nice people at Leapfrog sent us their new Tag Reading System. This is just the kind of thing I would’ve scoffed at at one point in my parenting career. I would have said, “Why would I have an electronic gadget teach my child to read when I could do it?” But now I see.
Like many 4 and 5 year olds I know, Maya is smart and independent. She likes to be in charge. She doesn’t want me teaching her anything because she thinks she’s smarter than I am. She’s probably right about that. Tag is perfect for kids like her because it allows them to feel like they’re teaching themselves. Since using the Tag System, I can’t tell you how many times Maya has gleefully showed me a newly acquired skill (”Look! This word used to be ‘not’ but then it changed to ‘note’!”) Now I’m a believer. She has a sense of pride in her accomplishments because they are truly her own. For kids like Maya, that’s the most important part of learning.
One thing I don’t like about it is that LeapFrog’s recommended age ranges are prominently displayed on the front of the books. I really think this product is great for older, struggling readers who might be tired of the same old routine of the mom/teacher constantly harassing them, but it would be so disheartening for an older child to use a book that is recommended for a 4- to 6-year-old child. Other than that, it’s a great product.
