LeapFrog Learn & Groove Alphabet Drum Reviews

• Great idea but poorly designed

  
  By A3PLDSCJ7OWEV9 on 2007-11-11
  This toy seemed like a great idea and I bought it for my 1 year son with great expectations. It is a small drum, that lights up and plays music and sounds when tapped. My son loves to tap on the table, so it seemed like the perfect gift for him. Unfortunately, I was disapointed due to some serious design flaws.
  
  The drum has 3 different playing modes: Alphabet mode, music mode and dancing mode. On alphabet mode, every time it is tapped upon, it displays a letter of the alphabet while speaking it loud, in order. On music mode, it plays music and rhythmic lights, inviting the kid to tap on the drum and in dancing mode, it tries to suggest movement to the kid with voice commands and pictures (clap your hands, hit the drum, etc).
  
  The drum has 2 language settings (English or Spanish) and also a volume control (low and high settings). The high setting is not very loud.
  
  Unlike some other reviewers say, this drum does not teach counting. They probably refer to an older drum model from leapfrog (look for leapfrog learning drum here on amazon). This one only teaches the alphabet.
  
  In all, this seemed a great idea to me. The drums' reaction to the child movements would encourage tapping on it, teaching cause/effect relationship. I did not care much about the alphabet as my son is too young for that, but didn't mind if he got some introduction to it anyway.
  
  So, what are the design flaws?
  
  Well, to start, the sound made by the drum when hit is very low. On music and dancing mode, you can barely hear it as it is completely shaded by the background music, which is played independently of hitting the drum. Still on the music and dancing modes, the drum lights follow some random patterns, that is, they keep drawing figures on the drum whether it is being hit or not. When a child taps the drum, the figures change, but as they would have changed anyway, it is not easy to realize that the change was caused by hitting.
  
  So much for cause/effect relationship on these 2 modes.
  
  Only on the alphabet mode, it is easier to realize that tapping the drum has an effect on it, as it speaks loudly and displays a letter in reaction. For my one year baby though, this effect is not very interesting, as he will tap very quickly on the drum causing the alphabet to be interrupted and he will not even look at the letter because his little hand is tapping on it. I believe that with time, he may do it more patiently.
  
  Another terrible flaw is the sound made by hitting the drum, if you manage to hear it. There are several different possible sounds (as if they were the sounds of a multiple drum table), some of them quite nice, others quite boring. And it doesn't seem to be a way of choosing the sound, so sometimes your hit is rewarded with a clear sound, other times with a barely noticeable thugh.
  
  In all, these flaws completely remove one of the things I expected my kid to learn from this toy, which is cause/effect relationship. So far, he has not been enthusiastic of the toy, though he will play with it for a few minutes if I show it to him and tap on it first.
  
  
  

• Learn & Groove Drum

  
  By A1Z0B5X3NIF9QK on 2007-01-09
  My recently one year old twin grandsons love this toy. It far exceeded my expectaions. The graphics are great both for the alphabet and the numbers and they enjoy the dancing figure with the music. They love music and really do learn and groove with this interactive toy. The age guidelines on this toy are appropriate and I look forward to them combining the drum with their maracas as they grow and become increasingly creative with these toys.
  
  

• Fun toy, but with limits

  
  By AB37ICDJTS5CD on 2006-12-04
  I bought this drum for my 7 month old and he enjoys it quite a bit. It seems to have a very repetetive program in the drum and music modes (a 7 month old can't tell the difference, but I would expect that an older child would). Overall it's pretty nice and the volume control is especially appreciated.
  
  

• Fun but a bit annoying.

  
  By ABTXVIP8EBHCT on 2007-08-23
  My niece got this toy for her 1st birthday a few weeks ago. Although I thought it was a neat idea, I groaned over having to add yet another electronic toy to Sofia's toy box. Regardless of what I and her mother think, Sofia loves this toy nonetheless mainly because of the singing and the ability to do her favorite thing-banging/hitting things.
  
  Let's talk about the positives first. As I mentioned above, my niece loves to bang things so getting her a drum was a no brainer. There are a few different options that you can play with. You have an ABC option where each time you hit the drum, a new letter is shown on the drum as well as spoken. You also have a music option where a child sings a song and you can hit the drum while the song plays. The last option gives you the ability to simply hit the drum and the sound produced by each hit is different. Another great bonus is the ability to choose a sound level. There are two levels of sound to choose from.
  
  The Spanish option has the same "games" as the English option except they are, obviously, in Spanish. We don't usually use this side because we're trying to teach her our own language and we don't want to confuse her but I can see why others love the idea that this drum speaks both languages.
  
  And now for the negatives. There are really only two negatives that I can think of. First, as with most electronic toys, it requires batteries to run (3 AAs to be exact). It's uncanny the amount of money that we have to spend on batteries. Obviously if you're considering this toy, you know that this is going to require batteries so this first point may not be important to you. The second flaw is the singing. Talk about irritating. It may appeal to some babies but it annoys the heck out of us adults. Just two things to think about.
  
  Bottom line, this is a good toy but it isn't anything special. You can achieve the same effect using pots and pans and you'd be saving a few bucks as well.
  
  

• LeapFrog Learn & Groove Alphabet Drum

  
  By A40QWDGMSY234 on 2007-01-18
  This is a cute and wonderful tool for babies and toddlers. The age specifies 6 mo. and older; however, I believe it is a little too advance for 6 month-year olds. The item should probably change that to 1-yr and older instead. I also love that batteries are included- in so many cases, you have to purchase the batteries first.
  
  
  
• Durable, Not Annoying, and Fun (even for daddy)
  By A2GRKAU1V274LE on 2007-06-21
  I got this for my daughter and she loves it. She likes to roll it around on the floor and hit/kick it. She was a little under 6 months old when I got it and was having a little hard time sitting up (no problem crawling though), and after having this toy, she got sitting up down pat within a couple of days. It allowed her to lean on it for support while she played it. Plus, it encouraged her to sit up.
  
  
  
  She loves pounding on it with her hands for quite some time. Like one other reviewer said, I do wish that you could hear the drumming that the child actually makes a little better. I wish that there was a mode where it only made a sound when you "drummed" on it, but oh well... can't have everything.
  
  
  
  Her daddy loves it too. They spend a lot of time after he gets off work playing with the drum and dancing to the music. They have gotten quite a bit of quality "Daddy-Baby" time in.
  
  
  
  It is also nice that it shuts off when it hasn't been moved for quite some time. I am sure this really has saved on some batteries. It has some type of sensor in it that can tell if the drum is on its side or if it is upright. If it is on its side and it rolls a little bit, it kicks on, but that isn't a problem. It helps keep the baby interested in it when she bumps it. Also, if it is on its side, it functions differently in the modes. For example, if it is in the "A-B-C" mode, then when it is on its side, it works more like a normal drum. I guess the thinking is if it is on its side, then the child can't see the lights to learn the ABC and is using it more like a drum tucked underneath their arm. I don't know, but just a guess.
  
  
  
  I also love the volume. The soft is pretty soft where you can easily talk over it and it is more like background noise. The loud isn't too loud so I was able to take it to the doctor's office and have her play with it in the exam room without other patients being able to hear it outside of the room.
  
  
  
  Overall, I would highly recommend this toy. My daughter (and husband) like playing with it. She loves the sounds, rolling it around, chewing on it, and the lights. Very good buy!
  
  
• 9 month and mommy love it!
  By A2EXKV9LBPCIB9 on 2006-12-18
  We bought this drum for our baby. She is now nine months old and loves to beat on the walls/doors at home, therefore, we thought she needed a drum. This drum teaches alphabets while you hit it (in English and Spanish). It is not very loud and won't drive you crazy. Christmas has not come yet, but we have already been playing with it, and she absolutely loves it! If you want a toy that your child will play with instead of only playing with the box it came in - this is the one (especially if your child likes to hit things like mine does).
  
  
• 1 dimensional product, possibily sending mixed messages.
  By A2RF2LWH2OR8JE on 2007-03-12
  Love the idea of spanish and english alphabet. My baby doesn't seem that interested in the product though. I keep on thinking perhaps I could have bought a more multi-functional item for him to learn his ABCs. Also not sure it is a great idea to encourage him to hit/bang on things.... He gets mixed messages when it is OK to bang on drum or hit drum.. but not the dog/glass tables etcs..
  
  
• Excellent!!
  By A3BY6FKTO6FM0L on 2007-05-20
  When my 6-month old son saw this drum in the store he only wanted to play with it. When we got home and he heard the music he danced for the first time. Believe me, this was one of the happiest moments in my life. Since that day he sees the drum and dances even when it is off!!
  
  Does he really use it as a drum??? Rarely, only when we do and he imitates us. So what does he do with it?? Dance, roll it around and chase it. My son is 8 months now and he loves it still.
  
  As for the English and Spanish in this drum: I have to say that the Spanish part of it is excellent! The voices are of native speakers and the words and alphabet do not sound as when a non-native record them.
  
  This is a good toy that will last him a while, or at least I hope that!
  
  
• A Little Too Interactive
  By A3PB28O50JABFG on 2007-06-16
  This alphabet drum is definitely good quality and the sounds and functions are very stimulating. I rated it a 4, however, because I think it's a little too high tech. There is no ability for the child to simply hit the drum to learn how to "create" music on their own. It is a bit overstimulating with colors and the alphabet. I wish that it at least was a little bit more drum and a little less glitz.
  
  
• spends more time with this toy, than others combined
  By A3B4VRJTG4PL7L on 2007-07-05
  I bought this for my grandson who has been receiving physical therapy. They were using this toy in therapy to help him keep his hand straight and not curl it up. I bought this so he could practice at home and have his own little drum. He loves the music and the beats, and very quickly achieved his goal with the assistance of this toy. He will be 12 months old this month, has two huge toy chests, but this is the most loved and valuable toy of them all. Anytime I have to buy a toy for a baby gift, it will be this little drum. It is well built, very sturdy and not only helps with dexterity but is educational.
  
  
• Drum
  By A3HS7C5XZ9APLG on 2007-08-03
  I bought this toy for my grandson, who is 8 months old. He loves the music and light. It's still too early to learn the alphabet, but I'm sure he will be enjoying this toy for several years.
  
  
• 8 Month Old Daughter
  By A1TQWY3U6Q1AUL on 2006-12-17
  My 8 month old daughter loves this toy. She just pounds on it like a real drum. I think it gets old--but then again I am 30 years old. Great buy!!!
  
  
• It wont be quiet long enough to hear the drums.
  By A1VTM16JXJQGFN on 2007-01-18
  I got this for my son for Christmas. It was a nice price and is built good but it wont be quiet long enough for you to hear the drums. Also when you hit the drums you can barely hear them. The good thing is that it is in spanish as well.
  
  
• Great toy and fun to play with
  By A1SR2ZD1JYMJ26 on 2007-05-01
  Son (9 months) loves this toy - he likes to hit things and this one rewards him for doing it. And it's durable and smooth - so when he tries to take a bite out of it (very frequent - he's a fussy teether) it doesn't hurt him or the toy. A 5 year old friend of ours also likes this toy (for shorter periods of time at a time) - he shows me how he knows his a-b-c's on it. And we can all get silly and dance with it while it plays music in dance mode.
  
  
• My 9 month old LOVES this toy
  By A1SO7HIB3QU2VA on 2007-07-03
  I recently bought this for my 9 month old son. He loves it. It is one of his favorite toys. He loves to drum on it while watching the sounds/lights.
  I purchased him the leapfrog piano as well. He likes that also - but would choose the drum over it.
  
  
• Good educational toy
  By A1LR47V8APGPR9 on 2007-12-28
  This toy was bought for my recent turned two year old daughter and she loves it. I was a little concerned that with the age rec. on it that she might get board with it but that was not the case. She loved to see all the letters appear and then repeat them afterwards. I believe it will help her to learn her alphabet.
  
  
• A Winner With Both Mom & Daughter
  By A3EDXEOM8Z3CMY on 2008-01-01
  I highly recommend this toy. My daughter is having a blast beating the drums. I was amazed at how good her rhythm is. I started playing with it myself and can't seem to put it down sometimes. My 10 month old don't use the alphabet function that much though, since it is not loud enough. That's the only thing I would change about it - make that function with a higher volume. Otherwise than that, it's a great toy.
  
  
• "Drum" is a loose term
  By A23Y3VXI0GAQBR on 2008-05-07
  My son received this toy for his first birthday. We thought it would be a fantastic learning device for cause and effect (banging = sounds). Instead, we discovered what another reviewer did, and that's how inaudible the actual drum sounds are. There is constant background music on each setting that completely drowns out the drum sounds. If I show him how to hit the drum with his hand, he'll do it for a few seconds. But soon, he walks away because he can't distinguish between the soft drum noise and the rest of the music that is playing and doesn't realize he's doing anything at all. It's a little frustrating, but maybe it'll be of more value to us when he's more familiar with the alphabet. Light show, maybe, but definitely not a "drum."
  
  
• Stands the test of time
  By A2W5STPHOBOJWG on 2008-06-21
  I got this for my baby as a Christmas present. She loves it (and so does my 4 year old). It has been thrown, dropped, rolled downn stairs, and probably other things I'm not thinking of and it still works wonderfully. It is so fun for my girls to play with. Honestly, this is one of my daughters favorite toys (she'll be 1 next month).
  
  
• Not a Drum
  By A1C0H03JLCIK6A on 2008-07-29
  The biggest problem with this toy is that it's not a drum. A drum would make drum sounds. This toy is so full of electronics that there's no room left for it to make drum noises. A toddler would probably enjoy the lights and sounds, but if you want a drum, I recommend getting something else. Additionally, the alphabet feature is age-inappropriate for babies.
  
  
• the beat of the drum!
  By A25JG8TJVBOKW0 on 2006-12-23
  We bought this toy for our darling son for the holidays and he just loves it. I like the fact that it teaches him the alphabets & songs in spanish & english. Besides the fact that he loves to play with it. So glad we bought it for him.
  
  
• Little one loves this
  By A195Y4D62PIB7C on 2007-04-10
  My little girl is 11 months old and loves this drum. She'll give it a whack to get the music going then go on to play something else then when the music stops she whacks it again. Very cute. We also like to sit and go through the alphabet on the drum. It's quite cute.
  
  
• Drum Roll Please
  By A1RI676ZCGXUWF on 2007-05-01
  My 13-mth.-old loves this toy - we got it for him for Christmas. He loves the music and is learning cause and effect by hitting the drum. The learning tools are a great foundation for the future.
  
  
• Our daughter loves this toy
  By A2IDZI39UDLBDY on 2007-09-04
  Purchased this when she was about 4 months old. Eventually she learned to use it and really loves it. Helped her form a begining understanding of numbers and begin hand/eye coordination. She also like the music. We recomend this toy for infants and beyond.
  
  
• Nice intro to musical instruments
  By A16PJ179KVVOF on 2007-09-18
  My son loves making music on this drum and he is learning his alphabet and numbers at the same time. He even seems to be learning rhythm at his young age. Very impressive!
  
  
• Unseen
  By A2O8J5DI4QX9IV on 2007-09-18
  Sorry I have never seen any of the items you mention, so I can't really write a review. I am sure that my grandson in San Francisco is very pleased with them and, I know that my daughter must be or she wouldn't have put them on her Wish List.
  
  
• Packaging
  By A6PXNFWL8I60E on 2007-11-22
  This toy is great for learning and moving around as it rolls when you turn it on its side. The only problem I had was that it was placed in a very big box which costed me a lot to ship to Trinidad.
  
  
• He loved it!
  By A1YCGTSJBIY4FK on 2007-12-18
  Of course he played with it for 2 seconds and played with the wrapping for a day. :)
  
  
• Fun
  By A2GHSYU246K3BN on 2007-12-19
  My son loves playing with this drum...not only does he see and hear the ABC he also can just make music and watch the lights on the top. He is turning 2 and really enjoys playing with it.
  
  

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