LeapFrog LeapStart 3D Interactive Learning System, Green

Why it's worth it

The LeapFrog LeapStart 3D pairs a stylus with a growing library of curriculum-aligned books covering phonics, counting and problem solving. It's rated for ages 2 and up and runs entirely offline once books are loaded.

This is the most school-like option here, and for some families that's the point. Books map to preschool through first grade standards, with more than 50 key skills per grade level and 700-plus activities across a library of 25-plus titles, sold separately. A child taps a word or picture with the stylus and hears it read, with animations reinforcing the concept. Most activities have two difficulty levels, so a book bought at three still works at five.

The stylus is doing quiet developmental work. It's shaped to encourage a proper writing grip, so a child holds it the way they'll eventually hold a pencil. That's a small thing that pays off later, and it's absent from every audio-only option in this guide.

From our review of 8 toddler learning companions and interactive books, by Genevieve Dubois, Home & Living Expert

What we like

• +This is the most school-like option here, and for some families that's the point
• +The stylus is doing quiet developmental work
• +Once books are loaded, everything runs without WiFi or an app — good for cars and planes

What to know

• –Loading books requires plugging the unit into a computer with an internet connection, which is the single most common owner…
• –Onboard memory is limited enough that owners with large libraries have to swap books on and off rather than keep everything loaded
• –At two years old, most kids will need you sitting alongside