Tag Junior Reading System

The Tag Junior Reading System is LeapFrog's electronic reader for toddlers and smaller children (ages 1-4). The $29.99 price tag seemed reasonable, especially given that it included a sample book. This book is the same size as the regular ones, but each page is a preview of other available books; this includes Dora the Explorer, Winnie the Pooh, Sesame Street, Cars, and more.

Not only does Tag Junior read the words, but it’s also highly interactive. You can pass the reader over anything on the page, even if it’s just a barn and the reader will describe it. The Animals Around The World book is absolutely adorable and informative. Example: If you click on the pig; “Pig! Oink, Oink! A baby pig is called a piglet.”

There are also several points in the books in which the reader will play an educational song. This is my daughter’s favorite part and she will put the Tag Junior down and dance around it while it plays.

Like other LeapFrog products, the Tag Junior is customizable to some level. Because Tag Junior is a simpler instrument, you can only program it to say your child’s name and download the audio for the books.

The latter is my one issue with the Tag Junior. It only has a storage capacity of about 5 MB. Each book is over 1 MB, and the small book sets are over 3 MB. This means you can only hold a few books at a time, no matter how many you own. The idea of unscrewing the back, plugging in the USB port, waiting for LeapFrog Connect to load, and then downloading and adding the book each time my daughter wants to switch is a pain in my “bottom” (to use kid-friendly terms).

But, here’s the thing, she LOVES the Tag Connect. It transports her little toddler self to a world she couldn’t otherwise have on her own. So this mama will put up with the minor annoyance in exchange for that payout.

Trunki Kids Luggage:

It’s a toy. It’s luggage. It’s Trunki.

Trunki was designed with the worries parents go through at the airport in mind. How do I keep my child from wandering off? How can I carry both her and her luggage? What will we do when she gets bored?

The answer to all of those questions is a piece of luggage that a child can ride-on. Parents can pull Trunki along by a strap, or the child can scoot it with their feet. It’s practical for those infinite stretches from gate to gate, as it keeps little legs up and rolling rather than plodding along. And Trunki is useful for delays and long waits, because your child can entertain themselves with it (Trunki’s website suggests setting up a small obstacle course!) And let’s not forget that it carries their clothes, toys, books, and other travel necessities.

Trunki is offered in so many colors that I had a hard time choosing just one. We finally settled on the Trunki Ruby (ladybug style), but they have tie-dye, pink, orange, blue, yellow, purple, and more.

When reading reviews before I purchased Trunki for my own daughter, I saw that many parents of older kids had commented that the 75 lb. weight limit seemed way off, as their 60 lb. children were splitting the sides. My daughter is less than 30 lbs., so this isn’t even remotely an issue for us. However, I think a 50 lb. weight limit seems more reasonable. I can’t imagine our Trunki holding anywhere near 75 lbs.

Author's Bio: 

Sephora is a working mom of two. She has a career in internet marketing.