The LeapBand, from LeapFrog, is a wearable device that gets kids moving. The LeapBand comes preloaded with games and challenges, and also lets parents set up their child’s tracker and settings, including school time and quiet time—which I think are awesome and will keep kids quietly occupied during car rides or when Mom just needs a break from the noise. Parents can set quiet times via LeapFrog Connect, and during these times, the LeapBand will only display the analog clock display, but will continue to track their motions and earn Joules. Joules are earned as kids complete challenges and tasks, including caring for their virtual pets. Activities kids can do include exercise, spelling practice (use your arm to spell “dog,” for example), silly challenges such as crawling like a turtle, and more—50 in all. The downloadable LeapFrog Connect program also lets parents select which games and activities to load onto their child’s LeapBand.
The virtual pet aspect of the LeapBand reminds me a bit of the classic Tamagotchi game from the ’90s. Kids would be responsible for caring for a virtual pet—a much less colorful and customizable pet back then—on a small digital device. The LeapBand lets kids choose from eight virtual pets and select their color and name (I chose a purple cat named Mr. Rambunctious), and as kids play and move, they can unlock all eight pets. I like that feature, because kids love to collect things anyway, but also switching it up with cute animals, fun colors, and creative names encourages kids to keep up the good work.
Kids can also trade their Joules for power-ups in the companion Petathlon Games app, which is avaliable for download on iOS and Android devices. The app includes six games for kids’ digital pets to play, and they can earn medals and pet accessories by playing the events. Their rewards also sync back to the child’s activity tracker.
I found the physical design of the LeapBand to be sturdy and durable, and the jelly green strap is fun and aesthetically pleasing. LeapFrog keeps it simple by having only four actual buttons on the device, but also keeps it intuitive by providing clear verbal instructions on which ones to press as kids use the device.
The LeapBand is a great way for kids to participate in the newly-emerging wearable-tech phenomenon, and its content is a great way for parents to indulge kids’ wishes for tech gadgets without the guilt of too much screen time. It keeps them moving, tracks their motion, and provides incentives to keep going.
