LeapFrog LeapStart Learning Success Bundle (Green) Review
An interactive learning system for preschoolers, bundled with two activity books. Children touch printed pages with the included stylus and the system responds with audio prompts, questions, games and puzzles covering reading, math, problem solving and creativity. Activities are replayable at two difficulty levels with 50-plus key skills per grade level. The bundle includes a Cory Carson Superhero School book plus an additional activity book. The stylus clips into the cover for storage and the unit has a carrying handle. For ages 2 to 5; requires 2 AA batteries, included. Also sold in pink.
Kylie Harker's review
By Kylie Harker ·
Category scores
- Batteries and running costs 2.5
It takes 2 AA batteries, included, and it gets through them at a rate multiple parents have complained about. There is no rechargeable option built in, which in a product aimed at daily use by a preschooler feels like an oversight rather than a cost saving. Buy a set of rechargeable AAs and a charger at the same time and it becomes a non-issue, but you should not have to.
- Would a child actually use it 4
The test that matters. My four-year-old picks it up on his own and works it without me sitting beside him, which puts it ahead of most learning toys that only get used when an adult is running them. Two difficulty levels per book mean the same pages get replayed as he improves rather than being done once and abandoned. Not marked higher because engagement drops off noticeably once a book has been fully explored, which is what pushes you towards buying more.
- Build quality and durability 4.5
Chunky, solid and clearly designed by people who have watched a toddler throw something. Long-term owners report it survives repeated drops intact, and ours has had several unscheduled tests. The stylus clips into the cover, which is the single best design decision here, and there is a carrying handle. Half a star off because the stylus is noticeably too fat for very small hands, which matters at the younger end of the stated age range.
- Value of this particular bundle 4
The bare LeapStart draws a specific complaint: it arrives with a sample rather than a real book, so you cannot properly use it until you have spent more. This bundle includes two activity books, which directly answers that and makes it a usable purchase on day one. If you are buying LeapStart at all, buy it in this form. It is the difference between a product and a down payment.
- Ongoing cost of activity books 2.5
The printer-and-ink problem. The device is affordable and then you are in an ecosystem. Parents consistently report the book costs mount up, that books for older children are harder to find and can cost nearly as much as the device itself, and that preschool-level variety is thinner than they would like. This bundle softens it by including two books to start with, which is genuinely why you should buy this version, but the long-term spend is real and you should budget for it.
The review
My son is four, which puts him right in the middle of the 2 to 5 range this is sold for, so for once I'm reviewing something squarely aimed at my own child rather than guessing.
The concept is simple and it works. It's a chunky plastic book-shaped thing with a carrying handle. You slot an activity book in, your child touches the printed page with the stylus, and it talks back. Questions, prompts, little games, songs. There's no screen, which I know is the main reason a lot of parents look at it in the first place, and I'd put that near the top of the list of things going for it. It's a book that responds, not a tablet in disguise.
What genuinely surprised me is how much a four-year-old wants to use it independently. That's the whole test for me. Loads of learning toys are only ever played with when an adult is sat next to them running it, which means it's not a toy, it's a job. This one he picks up on his own. There are two difficulty levels on each book so the same pages get replayed as he gets better at them, which is doing real work on the value for money side.
Build quality is a strong point. It's solid and blunt and clearly designed by someone who has watched a small child drop something. Parents who've had one for years report it survives being chucked about, and mine has already had a few tests it didn't ask for. The stylus clips into the cover, which sounds trivial until you consider how many toy accessories are currently under your sofa. That said, several parents note the pen is a bit chunky for very small hands. My four-year-old is fine. A two-year-old will be gripping it in a fist.
Now the two things that actually annoy people, both about running costs rather than the product itself.
The books. This is the real story of LeapStart, and it's the classic printer-and-ink arrangement. The device is affordable, and then you're in the book ecosystem. Parents consistently say the cost adds up, that each activity book is a meaningful spend on its own, and that books for older children get harder to find and can cost close to what the device did. Some parents also want more variety at the preschool level than currently exists. The one genuinely good thing about this particular listing is that it's the bundle, so you get two books included rather than a sample page and an invitation to go shopping. That's a direct answer to the most common complaint, and it's why I'd steer people to this version rather than the bare device.
The batteries. It takes 2 AA batteries, which are included, and it gets through them. More than one parent has said it eats batteries, and there's a consistent wish for a rechargeable option that LeapFrog hasn't delivered. Buy rechargeable AAs at the same time and stop thinking about it. It's not a dealbreaker but it's an ongoing annoyance and you should price it in.
One more practical note. Parents report that book audio is downloaded to the device via a computer, and that it only holds around five books at a time, so with a bigger collection you'll be swapping content in and out. Most say the process is straightforward rather than painful, but if you were expecting to buy a book and have it just work, check that before you commit.
The verdict. This is one of the few learning toys in our house that's earned its shelf space rather than just occupied it. It's durable, it's screen-free, and a four-year-old will use it without being supervised. Buy it as this bundle so you start with books, buy rechargeable batteries, and go in knowing you're joining an ecosystem rather than buying a finished thing.
Who shouldn't buy it: anyone with a two-year-old, who will likely find the stylus awkward and the activities beyond them, anyone unwilling to keep buying books, and anyone hoping for a one-off purchase that stays a one-off purchase.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to keep buying books, and how much does that really add up to?
Yes, and it is the main thing to understand before you buy. LeapStart works on the printer-and-ink model: the device is reasonably priced and the activity books are where the ongoing spend lives. Parents consistently report the costs mount, that books aimed at older children are harder to find and can cost close to what the device did, and that there is less preschool variety than they would like. The upside of this particular listing is that it is the bundle, so two books come with it and you are not stuck with a sample page on day one. Go in expecting to add a few books a year rather than treating it as a single purchase.
Is it right for a two-year-old, or should I wait?
It is sold from age 2, but I would wait. Two practical reasons. The stylus is chunky and several parents have flagged it as too big for very small hands, so a two-year-old ends up gripping it in a fist and jabbing rather than pointing, which is frustrating for everyone. And the activities are pitched at a level where a three or four year old gets far more out of them. My four-year-old uses it independently and gets real value from it. At two, you would mostly be sitting beside them operating it yourself, which rather defeats the point.
Does it need Wi-Fi, and is there any setup involved?
It runs on 2 AA batteries, included, and there is no screen or internet connection needed while your child is playing. But do check this before you buy: parents report that each book's audio content is loaded onto the device via a computer, and that the unit only holds around five books at a time, so once you own more than that you will be swapping content in and out. Most parents describe the process as straightforward rather than a hassle, but it is not quite the buy-a-book-and-go arrangement people sometimes assume. Also budget for rechargeable batteries, because it goes through AAs quickly.
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