LeapTV Educates Kids Through Movement

LeapTV, a new active play system from LeapFrog, will get children's minds and bodies moving with a variety of fun educational games.

LeapTV is a new active video gaming system developed by LeapFrog, designed to turn learning into a fun, exciting activity for kids aged 3 to 8. The company is known for its award-winning educational tools that engage children in learning while having fun, and the new educational gaming console takes the learning experience to a whole new level. With Wii-style controls and a simple, intuitive interface, the $150 console aims to revolutionise gaming for kids and to motivate them to reach their full potential through active play.

Out in October, LeapTV is the company's first foray into the console gaming business. It comes with a console, a camera, a controller that can be hooked up to a TV, and nine pre-installed games.

The 640x480 camera detects children's movements, putting kids directly in the game and allowing them to interact directly with elements displayed on the screen. The console has 16 GB of storage and connects to a TV set via an included HDMI cable. It has built-in Wi-Fi for downloading additional content. The controller is designed for kids' small hands and limited dexterity, and has a wrist strap to prevent drops. It also has a help button that kids can press when they encounter problems.

The games available with LeapTV were developed by LeapFrog's in-house team of specialists to help children learn core skills including math, science, reading, and problem solving. By holiday season, at least 100 educator-approved games and videos will be available either as cartridges or via LeapFrog's digital download store.

LeapTV offers children three ways to play. Body Motion lets them dance, hop, jump and karate-chop, and see their movements displayed on a TV screen. Pointer Play lets them use the controller as a tennis racquet or a baseball bat, delivering motion-controlled fun as the kids twist and turn using the controller as a pointer. Classic Control offers fast-paced gameplay, letting kids tilt and shake the controller for some supercharged action.

The game titles available with LeapTV include LeapFrog Sports, Marvel's Ultimate Spider-Man, and Disney's Jake and the Never Land Pirates and Sofia the First. One of the games available with the system uses karate to teach kids to identify shapes, while another asks them to find letters while playing a sled game. The built-in accelerometer allows kids to use the controller to operate vehicles like sleds or carts.