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Kids’ tech firm LeapFrog has announced a new educational games console, the LeapTV.
Designed for children aged three to eight years old, LeapTV includes a transforming controller that switches between a traditional configuration and a motion controller with LED pointer.
The system also features a motion-sensing camera that kids can use to control titles.
LeapTV’s Learning Library for 2014 will includes over 100 games and videos developed or selected by LeapFrog’s in-house learning team, which it hopes will offer an alternative to a lack of mass-market games suitable for kids.
It is shocking that less than one per cent of the tens of thousands of video game titles are rated appropriate for children under the age of six years,” said Dr Jody Sherman LeVos, director of LeapFrog’s learning team. We know that young children want to experience new ways to play through technology earlier than ever, but parents quickly discover that there are very few solutions that are developmentally appropriate or educational for young children.
At LeapFrog, we built LeapTV from the ground up to make it the best first video gaming experience for children. From the simple user interface to the innovative controller with a built-in hint button and a world-class Learning Library all designed or approved by our learning team, LeapTV gets children’s minds and bodies moving while engaging in learning fun.”
All of LeapFrog’s games are said to be developed with 2,600 skills in mind that address the whole child”, including reading, maths, science and creativity.
Games in the LeapFrog Learning Library are designed to adapt to each child’s age or level of education, automatically adjusting to offer a suitable challenge.
At LeapFrog, we strive to offer the best first experiences for children whether through our top-selling family of tablets, the recently unveiled LeapBand activity tracker that encourages and rewards children for getting up and active, and now our incredible new educational, active video gaming system, LeapTV,” said John Barbour, LeapFrog CEO.
Our experiences engage, entertain and educate in a unique way where children are having fun while they learn. LeapTV is the perfect example of how we infuse learning through an innovative gaming experience, from exploring maths while playing sports to learning how to read while dancing to fun music. In every way, LeapTV has been designed from the ground up, just for children.”
The LeapTV system will include the console, motion-sensing camera, camera mount, transforming controller with wrist strap, a HDMI cable, 16GB of internal memory and integrated Wi-Fi.
The system will be released in October 2014 and retail at 119.99. Game cartridges will cost 24.99, while downloadable games and apps from the LeapFrog App Centre will start at 3.50.
