Thursday, October 17, 2013

Interactive Learning for Your Kids with the VTech Innotab3 Tablet

Four years ago, if you’d told me that I would love kids toys that made noise, I would have laughed at you. A lot.

I’ve been known to change my mind and I did just that after The Kids received a VTech phone, talking chair and computer for their first birthday.

I was so impressed with their interactive learning that I added a few more toys to their collection. That’s saying a lot.

So we were thrilled when we had the chance to review three of VTech Canada’s latest Interactive Learning Toys for Kids.

VTech Canada Switch & Go Dinos1

First up was their Switch & Go Dino, Jagger the T-Rex.

Initially, The Kids were cautious. Perhaps it was the lights, sounds, movements or maybe the fact that the dinosaur was quite big and real for a four year old. But once they figured it out (even before I got through the instructions), it was interesting to see how they each interacted.

Max is a doer who loves noise so he found the crane, drill launch and transformation from truck to dinosaur amazing. Artemis is a thinker so she enjoyed the interactive LCD screen and listening to the random dinosaur facts. They sure generated a lot of great questions!

VTech Canada Dino Collage

DINOSAUR POWER rings out 3,548,321 times a day!

I found that the voice recognition function was hit and miss, even for me. However, The Kids didn’t mind too much as their preference was to use the manual buttons. I’ll try some new batteries and see how it goes. Unfortunately, even with instructions, it was difficult for me transform the truck into a dinosaur (although it was easier the other way around!?). However, there were a few steps that Max could help me with (releasing catches, flipping up the tail).

This toy is recommended for ages 3-8 and I can see it working well with kids five and older. Especially those with stronger voices and better pronunciation. Or perhaps one of the other 15 different dinosaurs such as one that transforms into a helicopter would work.

Overall, I give it a 7 out of 10 for four year olds.

Up next was the Go! Go! Smart Wheels Train Station Playset.

VTech Go Go Smart Wheels1

The Kids love for train sets is well documented so I knew that this wouldn’t be a hard sell. They were challenged by all the different track configurations and I appreciated the track suggestion insert. Max loved all the audio functions including the music and Artemis loved to manually help the train get up the bridge. This toy is recommended for ages 1-5, however, I can see older kids enjoying it as well.

Go! Go! Smart Wheels playsets come with different track shapes that let you reconfigure the playset. They also include SmartPoint™ technology that recognizes and responds to SmartPoint vehicles with sound effects that keep little ones engaged by boosting imaginative play, teaching cause and effect and other important learning skills.

It was great watching The Kids interact with each other as well as the toy. Trying to problem solve which pieces would fit where to create the track that they wanted.

VTech Go Go Smart Wheels Collage

Overall, I give it a 10 out of 10 for four year olds.

Last but not least was the Innotab3 Tablet. The Kids have had a VTech Computer for the past three years and they play on it every day. However, it is nothing like the Innotab 3.

VTech Canada Innotab3 Tablet

Even at only 4.3″ wide, this tablet has a touch and swipe screen and can be used horizontally and vertically. Within minutes, Artemis was using the E-reader and Creativity app. Both are her favourite and are included with the free cartridge. Note that additional games can be purchased for as low as $2.99 and cover the following areas; Reading, Science, Creativity, Math, Language Arts, Social Studies and Problem Solving.

The list of things this tablet can do is long; Video recorder and camera with photo effects, E-reader and story dictionary, Games, MP3 Player, Clock, Calendar, Friends List (of which Artemis has added many cats and bears), Calculator and more. It is compatible with an AC adapter, earphone jack and 2GB of on-board memory with the ability to expand further.

VTech Canada Innotab3 Collage

A few things that I didn’t like; the stylist tether was located in a spot that made it difficult for left handed kids like Max, there is a delay in moving from function to function so the kids were needlessly tapping the screen and I didn’t find the downloading of apps from Learning Lodge to be intuitive (however, I think that the Progress Log will be useful).

This tablet is recommended for ages 3-9 and I can see how it would be appropriate for that age group and older. Personally, I found the Notes app very useful.

Overall, I give it a 8 out of 10 for four year olds.

As a whole, I was impressed with the products available from VTech Canada. While they were made mostly of plastic, they stand by their products and provide a warranty (from 90 days to 1 year) and all the necessary batteries to get you started. Even in a short period of time, the kids motor skill development (tablet keypad), imaginative play and ability to keep them engaged was impressive. So much so that I was able to write this post while they played.

With only 10 more weeks until Christmas, get your shopping done early and save with Free shipping on orders over $45 anywhere in Canada.

The Zoo gives VTech Canada products Two Thumbs Up!

Connect with VTech Canada Website | Facebook | Twitter

Journeys of The Zoo received compensation in exchange for sharing about this company.

Besos, The Zoo

247 thoughts on “Interactive Learning for Your Kids with the VTech Innotab3 Tablet

  1. Nena Sinclair

    I would love to have the Disney Planes – Learning Laptop for my 5 year old grandson! He love the movie Planes, he could watch it over and over and over again! Plus I love educational toys, so this would be perfect!

    Reply
  2. Christy Martin

    We still have a home phone line and a DECT 6.0 + Caller ID + BLUETOOTH would be great to have! The current cordless we have only works with a wired headset and would require a belt clip for the phone (total pain).

    Reply
  3. Elizabeth Matthiesen

    Jagger the T-Rex would be another thing I’d like to have. My grandson is a huge dinosaur fan and this would be just up his street, he’d love it.

    Reply
  4. Julie G.

    I’d like to have the Dora Learning Laptop for my granddaughter to use at my house. Then maybe she’d let me have some time to myself on my laptop!

    Reply
  5. Megan Bailey Barnecutt

    I’d love to own the IS7121 2 Handset Answering System with Audio/Video doorbell! I’d love to be able to screen visitors the way I screen my phone calls and apparently this will do that for me!

    Reply
  6. Crystal Englot

    I would love to own the VTech DS Series Bluetooth telephone! The DS6673-6C would make it so much easier for me to assist my customers (I run a home based business)

    Reply
  7. Andrea Amy

    go go smart wheels train station because my 3 year old has already put in a “request” for it for christmas lol

    Reply
  8. jen s.

    I’d love to have the DS6521-1 cordless phone. Mine bit the dust and i really need a new one – plus this model has bluetooth!

    Reply
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  10. Elnaz

    I would love to have a Bluetooth Enabled Phone! I can just imagine the multi-tasking possibilities – I could be so productive!

    Reply
    1. Sabrina T

      I’d like it because anything geared towards education that distracts my little one from my on tech devices is A-OK in my books 🙂

      Reply
  11. Melanie

    This is a great prize. I think it’s time to cave and introduce tech devices to my 4 yr.old, before she’s the only one of her friend’s that doesn’t know anything about them.

    Reply
  12. Michelle armstrong

    Would love to have the cordless phone with the head set. Talking on the phone while cleaning I love….would love it more if everyone didnt have to hear the conversation! Lol

    Reply
  13. Clair P

    The train station playset, my youngest loves the trains, and is always wanting to play with his older brothers wooden set

    Reply
  14. Heather T

    So….this isn’t so much for the kids, but I would really love a vtech phone! Our cordless phones consistently seem to die out on us, so having a fabulous new one from VTech would be ideal!

    Reply
  15. Angela

    My almost 3 year old son would LOVE the “3-in-1 Race & Learn”! Looks awesome! Any of the “Go! Go! Smart Wheels” would be great too. And I’m sure my daughter (5 1/2) would LOVE the Innotab or MobiGo!

    Reply
  16. Virginia Buck

    I would like to have the Lil’ Smart Top – Pink. This would be perfect for my 18 month old grandaughter.

    Reply
  17. Kapwa Mom

    The little one would love the Innotab… he’s always on our iPads playing with the games! But I think it’s a tough call between that and the KidZoom Camera. He loves “borrowing” our cameras and phones to take pictures (and I gotta say, he’s got a good eye!)

    Reply
  18. Brigitte

    Would love to have the blue tooth enabled phone. My phone is still a landline connected to my writing desk. This would bring me into the 21st century.

    Reply
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  20. Debbie Kennedy

    I’d love to get the MobiGo 2 Fairies Gift Set for my daughter. She would feel so grown up using a ‘computer’ as she would say

    Reply
  21. Anna W

    I would love to own the safe and sound baby monitor, I would love to see my children sleep to have peace of mind.

    Reply
  22. Suzanne G

    I would like the Construction Site Playset because my grandson would love to play with this and pretend he was driving a dump truck and filling it up with the crane

    Reply
  23. Susie Bee

    I would like to own Jagger the T-rex as well. My little one loves Dinosaurs and toys that you transform into something else.

    Reply
  24. Amy Stack

    My little guys LOVE music so the Preschool Musical Gift Set would be something they would love. Can you imagine two little cuties singing karaoke- SO cute! We are thinking about the InnoTab for our three year for Christmas. He is a sponge for learning.

    Reply
  25. Joan Lund

    MobiGo 2 touch learning system would be great fun for my grandchildren ages 3 and 5. I think they would enjoy the built in and downloadable apps like the coloring books and art studio. It’s a fun way to learn.

    Reply
  26. Darwin

    I want to get my son Jagger the T Rex because he loves dinosaurs and I think I would be interested in playing with it too.

    Reply
  27. Erin W

    I’d love the Spin & Learn Color Flashlight for my daughter because we camp a lot and she would love her own flashlight

    Reply
  28. Viv Sluys

    I’d love to own a V-Reader for my oldest daughter. She is getting really good at reading and I think she would really benefit from this

    Reply
  29. Amanda

    The innotab for sure! Maybe then I would get my phone back from my two year old twins to make calls instead of doing puzzles!!!

    Reply
  30. Monique L. S.

    I would like to own the VM321 Safe & Sound Video Monitor so I can have a video feed of my daughter at night. sometimes she makes noises, but is still sleeping, so it would be beneficial to be able to watch her, and avoid going in the room, which potential might wake up.

    Reply
  31. andrea

    I would love the bluetooth phone! We desperately need a new phone, and our current one is already VTech, so I would absolutely buy the same one also.

    Reply
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  33. Amirah

    I would love the Learn and Discover Driver for my youngest because it would keep him entertained and looks fun 🙂

    Reply
  34. Dianne G.

    I would like to get Blister the Velociraptor for my grandson. He like dinosaurs and this also turns into a helicopter so I think he would think it was extra fun.

    Reply
  35. Chantel McCutcheon

    I would love the corded phone with caller ID on the hand set. My daughter is 14 & has a boyfriend. We are currently exchanging all of our cordless phones to cords. She can sit in the kitchen-like we did-& talk all night if she wants!

    Reply
  36. Donna Redmond

    My son would love the switch and go Dinos! I would especially love to get him the one that turns into an airplane, his 2 favorite things to play with!

    Reply
  37. Debbie S.

    We need the bluetooth enabled home phone with headset, man that would make my life easier, especially when I’m on a call when you got to wait 20 minutes for service! Model DS6633-6C looks amazing!

    Reply
  38. Wanda Tracey

    I would love to have the Blue Tooth enabled phones (DS6673) so that I could make and receive landline and cellular calls.I would love them for this reason and also because V-Tech makes amazing products.

    Reply
  39. Pauline Milner

    I really like the MobiGo 2 Cars 2 Gift Set. Thanks for the super giveaway opportunity. Keep up the terrific blogging.

    Reply
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  41. katy emanuel

    would love to have the kidzoom camera as my 2 year old now has an interest in taking pictures, but we don’t want our good camera broken

    Reply
  42. SweetPanda

    My daughter likes the Disney Princess Fantasy Learning Tablet because it plays eight learning activities and teaches vocabulary, spelling, patterns and more

    Reply
  43. Rhonda C

    I would love the v reader. I have a child with Autism. She has trouble reading and this might help her get a grasp of the language.

    Reply
  44. Natalie

    Jagger the T_rex! We are currently doing a homeschool unit on dinos and my 4 year old is hooked! Thanks for the chance!

    Reply
  45. tanya macpherson

    I would like to own the ABC learning classroom and the The Go! Go! Smart Wheels Learning Garage! because they would be beneficial for my slow learner nephew.

    Reply

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