Review: Leap Frog's Letter Factory video

(***This is an extended review of The Letter Factory, which was posted previously. You are not experiencing a severe case of deja vu!**)

I have said it before, and I will say it again - teaching my children how to read scares me! I have this fear that I will totally mess it up and not know what to do or say that will cause the "light bulb moment" to happen. But, wouldn't you know, in the midst of all this worry, my girls have been learning!

I knew before this week that Jordan (who turned 3 on Thanksgiving) knew all of her letters by sight and most of the sounds, but they didn't exactly just flow off the tongue (she had to think about them and did have mistakes). And I thought that Cali (who is two years old TODAY) knew a few of the letters by sight, but they just AMAZED me today and it is all thanks to Leap Frog's Letter Factory!


I had read on several blogs by fellow homeschool mommies that Letter Factory by Leap Frog was the bomb and after having it recommended to me again this past weekend, we decided to get it. We started watching it on Saturday evening, watched it once the following day, and then watched it again this morning on the way to the grocery store (gotta love built in DVD players! How did people go anywhere with kids before?!?).

When we got home from the store, we went outside to play and they immediately ran for the swings. As I was pushing them, Jordan just started rattling off EVERY SINGLE letter sound, as quickly as if she were singing her ABC's! Cali even started jumping in to say "B says buh" and "D"!!

Letter Factory is geared for children ages 2-5, but I think children younger and older will enjoy this video. It runs 35 minutes long, but it is so full of catchy songs, silly antics and beautiful animation, that the time flies! The story involves a fun journey through the Letter Factory with the popular characters from the Leap Frog family: Leap, Lily and Tad. Professor Quigley, the same zany voice from the Leap Frog Fridge Phonics and Word Wammer toys, takes Tad on a tour of the factory to help him learn his letters and sounds. The way he teaches new letters, Tad, and your children, is so memorable and fun! F's are flying, K's are kicking, and my personal favorite, E, who is an old grandfather rocking saying "Eh?" TOO CUTE!

We also love the fun learning games that are included on the DVD menu. After watching the video, my girls find it a special treat to play along, guessing the letter that makes the sound heard. Of course Professor Quigly cheers your child along for guessing the correct answer, which just adds to the enjoyment.

The only thing I can see missing form this video is the feature for "Repeat Play" like Baby Einstein videos have, as my girls are constantly saying "Let's watch Tad again!" This feature would definitely be a plus!

I completely recommend this video, and the rest in the series, to all parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles who want to help that special child in their life really grasp the foundations of phonics. Sure, they can learn this information by other means, but this was effortless for me as the teacher, and it allowed me to sit and have fun with the girls....and let's face it, I learned right alongside them! Before, when I would try to teach them the sounds, I would always add an "ah" to the end of the sounds. For example, it teaches Z says "Zzzzz" but before Letter Factory, I would always say "Z says 'Zah.' " See the very important difference? Thank goodness for this video!

Letter Factory can be purchased online or in any store. We purchased ours from Target at right under $12. This is such a value for this quality product, and that statement does not come easily from me as finances are a bit tight right now. In fact, after witnessing our children's knowledge, and the excitement they had about that knowledge, my husband asked if we could get anymore of Leap Frog's videos! That is a glowing recommendation if I ever heard one!!