It seems like everyone has a cell phone these days. It can even be difficult to remember how we used to live without them! Our kids don’t want to be left out of the trend, but it can be difficult to think about giving them that freedom at such a young age. Leapfrog’s Tic Talk Phone is a great way to get your kids started with their very own cell phone in a safe way.

Leapfrog is a company that has made a name for themselves as a leader in educational technology. They’ve decided to take what they’ve learned in the educational market and translate that into cell phones for children.

Built to be Tough

The first draw for parents might be that Leapfrog’s TicTalk phone is a great model for children who are rough with their belongings. The phone itself looks like a stopwatch with a knob for scrolling rather than keypad controls. It is made with high quality, durable materials to stand the test of time. You can rest assured that your investment is safe.

One drawback to the sturdy design might be that some children have a little trouble getting the hang of using the knob on Leapfrog’s Tic Talk phone. However, once they become more familiar with the way everything works it will become like second nature. Kids really end up loving this cell phone in no time at all.

Safe Use of Cell Phones for Children

Parents also love Leapfrog’s Tic Talk Phone because it is meant to be a leader in safe use of cell phones for children. It has many parental controls to make sure that your child stays safe.

Leapfrog’s TicTalk Phone uses prepaid minutes to help give you total control as a parent. Your child cannot go over their minutes. Additionally, children can only call numbers that you have programmed into their phone.

Parents go to Leapfrog’s Tic Talk phone website in order to set everything up for their children. For parents who are worried that Leapfrog’s website will be difficult to use. You can rest assured that there are step-by-step instructions provided to make for an easy experience.

Pay as You Go

One of the first things you’ll want to do is get a prepaid phone card. This will ensure that your child has enough minutes to use on Leapfrog’s TicTalk phone. Always make sure they’ll have enough minutes to call you when there is an emergency.

Educational Games

Something that makes Leapfrog stand out in the world of cell phones for kids are their pre-loaded educational games. There is no need to worry that your child will waste their time away playing Tetris all day, these games will truly help them learn.

When your child plays the games in Leapfrog’s TicTalk phone, they have the opportunity to earn extra minutes. As a parent, you can give more minutes as a reward for doing well at playing the games. This can be a huge motivating factor!

Deciding to Buy Leapfrog’s TicTalk Phone

If you are uncomfortable with the idea of cell phones for children, Leapfrog’s TicTalk phone is a great way to ease yourself into the process. Gone are the days were it was safe to let your child visit a friend or have a play date without having a cell phone.

Leapfrog’s TicTalk phone gives you total control over what your child is doing, whom they can call, and how many minutes they are able to use. Not only will this cell phone benefit you as the parent, but your child will also be drawn to its kid-friendly design. Get your child this cell phone today to help keep them safe.

Another entry into the world of cell phones for children is Leapfrog’s Tic Talk phone. The TicTalk phone is probably one of the most unique looking cell phones out there. It looks a bit like a stopwatch and is very durable. This is a good model for parents who are worried that their children will immediately break the phone. Leapfrog’s TicTalk phone should stand up to even the most active of children.

The TicTalk works by scrolling through numbers in a phonebook. There is no dialing involved for the child. This may or may not be easy to get used to, but can actually be quite convenient once they learn the ropes.

Parents set the actual phone up online. This is a great way to add convenience for those who prefer the simplicity of typing online.

Kids will want to scoop Leapfrog’s TicTalk phone up because it has games on it that are pre-installed by Leapfrog. The phone is overall more full featured than some other cell phones for kids that are available today.

[ Included games teach Math, Spelling, Science and Social Studies for Grades 1-6.]

[Digital Lifestyles - 25 May 2006]

All of those children who have been struggling to get their parents to buy them the playground-must-have, an iPod, now have the ultimate excuse – “But it’s for my edukashon!”

Pearson Education are to develop educational content for teachers and students which will play on an iPod. What a perfect strong-arm tactic, one that I’d imagine parents will find hard to refuse.

Pearson will also be buying Apple’s PowerSchool, their student information systems division for an undisclosed amount. PowerSchool is a Web-based system that reports on the performance, grades, homework and attendance of many US school children.

Deja Vu
John Couch, Apple’s vice president of Education, gave forth, “Apple’s commitment to education has never been stronger, which is why we’re excited to broaden our relationship with Pearson. Our customers will love having Pearson’s education content on their iPods, and we’re confident that PowerSchool will continue to flourish and grow with Pearson.”

What to expect on the iPod
Both students and teachers will have great reason to become iPod owners.

Students will be able to download study guides that work with Pearson’s educational texts and listen to review notes to prepare for exams.

They also hook in the teachers by giving access to podcasts on professional development, helping with lesson preparation and guidance in connecting with students struggling with specific content.

Apple has used this approach previously. Many years ago Apple started selling their computers to school children at a discount, with the logic that if they were hooked early, they’d be in the Apple-way for the rest of their lives.

This latest iPod-driven move is genius – but we can’t help feeling it’s eering on the evil-genius side.