LeapFrog unveils LeapStart interactive activity books for young learners

LeapFrog Enterprises has unveiled its interactive activity book, dubbed LeapFrog LeapStart.

Targeting kids from preschool to first grade, the interactive system and library of activity books can prepare kids ages two to seven. The products are among the first that LeapFrog has launched since it was acquired by VTech last year for $72 million.

The system works with a library of replayable activity books that get kids excited about concepts such as science, technology education and math (STEM) and social skills, reading comprehension and communication, phonics, and problem solving.

The LeapStart Preschool and Pre-Kindergarten system comes with an ergonomically designed stylus for smaller hands and activities for Preschool and Pre-Kindergarten children ages 2-4. The LeapStart Kindergarten and 1st Grade system has a sleeker design and helps children ages 5-7 practice finer pen control.

Using the stylus in both systems, kids can tap any page to activate audio responses and play activities. Each book in the library is packed with over 30 activities. Games, jokes and songs come to life, enticing kids to trace numbers, hunt for letters, compose their own music, and more.

A library of 16 activity books across four learning levels has been designed to work with the LeapStart interactive systems (each sold separately). The LeapStart library supports core skills integrated with life skills, such as problem solving and critical thinking to help children prepare for the future. Both LeapStart platforms work with all four levels of activity books for complete interchangeability and ability to find just the right level for each set of skills.

“Today’s parents realize that ‘learning’ is more than just ABCs and 123s — it is also about life skills. That’s why LeapFrog’s focus is on 21st Century learning, a framework that includes the foundational classroom skills kids have always and will always need, as well as life skills they’ll need in the future, such as the ability to adapt to changing technology, collaboration skills, and perseverance,” said Jody Sherman LeVos, director of learning at LeapFrog, in a statement. “Through fun-filled activities and engaging adventures that progress one step at a time, the LeapStart interactive activity book system brings learning to life to provide children with the tools they’ll need to thrive in tomorrow’s world.”

LeapStart Preschool and Pre-Kindergarten system sells for $40 LeapStart Kindergarten and 1st Grade system also sells for $40. The 16 LeapStart Activity books sell for $13 each. They will be at major retail locations and online in the U.S. in early August.

LeapFrog's newest activity books.
LeapFrog’s newest activity books.

Dean Takahashi

Dean Takahashi is editorial director for GamesBeat at VentureBeat. He has been a tech journalist since 1988, and he has covered games as a beat since 1996. He was lead writer for GamesBeat at VentureBeat from 2008 to April 2025. Prior to that, he wrote for the San Jose Mercury News, the Red Herring, the Wall Street Journal, the Los Angeles Times, and the Dallas Times-Herald. He is the author of two books, "Opening the Xbox" and "The Xbox 360 Uncloaked." He organizes the annual GamesBeat Next, GamesBeat Summit and GamesBeat Insider Series: Hollywood and Games conferences and is a frequent speaker at gaming and tech events. He lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.