It is the last week of the holidays which seems like a good time to get some exercise in. In an effort to increase our physical activity we are taking part in a Leapband challenge. The Leapband is a new product from Leapfrog, released this week. It is a cool wristband computer which has games and targets designed to get kids active. It sounds like a brilliant idea so this week we are going to be putting it to the test and live blogging the results so come back every day and see how we do.
Molly loved the idea of the Leapband and particularly liked being able to choose her own animal friend to help her reach her targets. The leapband tracker has 50 different activities and challenges and the more they move, the more points they earn for their pet. It also has a colourful fit-band style with high-res colour screen.
The Leapband is available in green, blue and pink and costs just under £30. This seems a good price for a product which is both fun and motivating for children. The questions I want to find out are:
1. Does this have a lasting appeal?
2. Will it encourage Molly to be more active?
3. Will it be good value for money?
4. How often will it need recharging?
5. Will the sounds be annoying?
Monday
The first day of our trial started well. When I showed Molly the Leapband she was so excited she jumped around the room. She had seen it on an advert apparently and already knew what it did. She couldn’t wait to get started. It was easy to set up and just needed to be plugged into the computer. Molly was very impatient waiting for it to charge but really it didn’t take long – about ten minutes.
Molly chose her pet and then she was off. It rained all day but actually that made it perfect for testing the Leapband as normally we would have been more sedentary. The games definitely encourage you to be more active and the girls all joined in pretending to be a penguin. The band is suitable for 4-7 year olds so perfect for all of the girls. We also went to the supermarket and the Leapband was a great distraction in the very long queue at the tills. Bonus points from me.
Molly was very keen to show me how she was doing. During the day you collect Joules which transform into gems. This is really motivating.
Day One:
2470 joules
2 Pets unlocked
Molly’s verdict: “I’ve already got loads of joules and I’ve only been wearing it for one whole day!”
Day Tw0
3300 joules
2 pets unlocked
Molly went to the soft play area and was very active. She really enjoyed playing withe the game in the car and although it does have sounds you can turn it right down.
Day Three
4569 joules
3 pets unlocks
We went to the park and round the shops and then she played in the garden with her cousins. A very active day.
Day Four
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Molly forgot to wear her LeapBand today. She was really disappointed when we realised she had forgotten it. We had a walk around town and then she helped me prepare my classroom so I’m guessing it was about 1000 joules.
Disclaimer: We were sent the Leapband for the purposes of this challenge
