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The LeapFrog Phonics Writing Desk is an activity centre, incorporating a magic writing screen and pen, that is specifically designed to make learning fun by encouraging children from three to seven years old to take part in various games. The games include "Learn the Letters in the Alphabet", "Find the Letter", "Learn the Sound that Letters Make", "Find a Letter by Hearing its sound", "Spell a three-letter word" and "Create a word". These games have been well thought out to develop the necessary motor, perceptual and reasoning skills, as well as language development, exploration and creativity which children of this age group need to encourage their learning and development. A parents' guide and instruction pamphlet accompanies the desk, which is very clear and easily understood. In "Letters" a child can press a letter and the Desk will name it and demonstrate how it’s written on an electronic screen, in order that the child can copy on the magic erasable writing screen. In the "Letters Quiz", youngsters will be asked to find a letter, and the method of writing it will then be demonstrated to them. As well as aiding writing and letter recognition, the Writing Desk is great for teaching phonics. In "Phonics" mode the letter is identified and then the sound it makes is given, for example, "Let's learn the sound that the letter makes" "M, says mmm, this is how you write the letter M, now it’s your turn to write the letter M." In the "Phonics Quiz" mode the Desk says "Can you find the
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letter U that makes the sound ooh", once the letter is found, "this is how you write the letter U, now it’s your turn to write." In Spelling mode, the Desk prompts, "Let’s spell, make the word bus by pressing the letters b –u--s, this is how you write the word bus." The appropriate letters are all demonstrated on the LCD screen and children are invited to copy. In yet another mode, children can construct their own three-letter word, write the word, press the letters and hear the word you’ve made. The Desk can be used in both upper and lower case modes, in order to teach the recognition and writing of both sets of letters. A hugely adaptable toy with plenty of educational play value. At this recommended age range in Britain, more emphasis is given in identifying lower-case letters by their sound, rather than their name. Having said that, this desk is a super learning aid--its basic focus on showing children the correct way to form a letter, how to build a word up from letters and sounds and recognition of the alphabet has a lot to offer British as well as US youngsters. All children who used this test sample were mesmerised by the brightly coloured alphabet and the "magic" drawing screen. The desk is chunky and durable, the games are innovative and they do really help to make learning fun. Supplied with demonstration batteries only, requires 3 AA batteries. Browse our full range of batteries for this and other toys. (Suitable for children aged 3 to 7 years).--Susan Naylor
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