Common Sense Note
The story in Animal Dance is a little complicated for babies and toddlers, but the "dances" it introduces are great fun for parents and babies to explore together. The Little Touch LeapPad may be difficult for a toddler to use alone, so purchase this item as a learning aid for a parent to use with their child.
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Jinny Gudmundsen
Animal Dance is an add-on book/software set for the Little Touch LeapPad Learning System. It comes with the "Animal Dance" book, a software cartridge, and one double-sided activity card.
"Animal Dance" is a story about a group of animals who are putting on a dance concert. Each two-page spread is divided to show what is happening backstage while watching what is happening on the performance stage. On stage, a series of animals "dance" displaying how to stomp your feet, clap your hands, shake your bottom, swing your trunk (like an elephant), flap your arms, blow a kiss, and play peek-a-boo. Back stage, Scaredy Mouse prepares for her entrance on the stage by dressing up.
Each of the dance pages has a cute musical interlude to accompany the dance and many represent different musical styles. There is also a photo depicting a baby doing the same dance as the animal. When the parent pushes down on characters or objects in the book, the pressure-sensitive surface of the Little Touch LeapPad and the software work together to create an interactive interlude. Usually, the sounds produced encourage the baby or toddler to do what the animal is doing.
The 17 pages contain many other objects and characters to interact with by pressing on them. The parent can choose to have the book be read aloud each time a page is turned. Also, the book and software have 3 settings, so the level of interaction can be set according to the child's age.
Setting 1, for babies 6-12 months, offers sounds and music when items on the book are pushed. Setting 2, for babies 12-24 months, adds word play; and Setting 3, for toddlers ages 2-3, provides rhymes and more complicated interactions. For example, on Setting 3, when a parent touches the photo of the baby blowing a kiss, it will say: "I blow you a kiss; now you blow a kiss."
Animal Dance provides parents with a forum in which to interact with their child. By using this book/software set, parents can introduce many motor skills and musical rhythms to their child. It encourages silly play, and may be just what a new parent needs to learn how to have fun with their baby.
The story, with its split stage concept, is a little complicated for young children to follow. However, the animals are cute, and the motor skills they introduce are fun to imitate. The Little Touch LeapPad may be difficult for a toddler to use alone, so purchase this item as a learning aid for a parent to use with their child.
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