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When Bean was a baby I bought him the caterpillar version of the Alphabet Pal. Unfortunately, LeapFrog does not make this version anymore, but I think their other alphabet toys are just as cute.
In this article, I have included a review of the caterpillar alphabet pal, in case you can find it second-hand. If you prefer a brand-new toy with similar features I’ve made some suggestions.
As the actual caterpillar toy has been discontinued, there are 3 other options I would get for my son if I was to buy another one:
Which toddler boy does not love a dump truck? This one has 110+ sounds and phrases which are activated by using the interactive 10 cubes. This toy is intended for ages 2-5 and will work with the other LeapBuilders sets. The additional sets (sold separately) include a train, smart house, fix-it-truck and jumbo blocks. Hours of fun!
This colorful school bus has letter buttons on the side for your curious baby and toddler to explore. Using different modes the toy plays letter sounds, music and animal sounds. It is aimed at 1 to 3-year-olds.
A dinosaur that talks – it doesn’t get any better than that! This is the closest replacement for the discontinued caterpillar alphabet pal and is aimed at ages 1-3 years. It contains letter buttons and sounds, as well as a counting song. And in case you are worried about the noise, users say it is not very loud so it doesn’t get annoying for the grown-ups.
Why Your Alphabet Pal Will Keep Your Kid Entertained for Longer Than You Think
Bean loved playing with this toy when he was nine to eighteen months old, but then he lost interest in it. However, a full 12 months later we accidentally came across this toy in one of his toy boxes. He reached for it and started playing with it right away. I guess the fact that he now knew the letters, colors, and various songs, made the toy desirable again.
This time, however, he was not just letting the toy entertain him, as he did when he was one year old.
As a bigger toddler, he was manipulating and exploring what the toy can do for him. He tested his old Pal to make sure all the buttons responded to the correct colors and letters.
Therefore, even if your little one stops playing with the Leapfrog Alphabet Pal at one point, I would not get rid of it yet. There might be a time when he or she will become interested in this cute toy again, just like our son did.
Review of the original caterpillar alphabet pal
If you can get the cute caterpillar alphabet pal second-hand, here is my review of it.
The toy is made out of a solid piece of plastic, which can take a decent level of abuse. It features 26 colorful buttons, representing all letters of the alphabet. A letter is positioned on each leg of the caterpillar, with 13 letters on each side of the insect. The toy can be set in one of four sound modes: letter names, letter sounds, colors and songs.
Importantly for parents, there is an off-mode, too.! Just like with any other toy, the off button is definitely needed sometimes. There is a volume control lever, which has two settings.
The toy can be pulled by a string and will slide across the floor due to a pair of small wheels on the bottom of it. There is a small rotational ball up front underneath the toy’s body, which helps with directional navigation.
The caterpillar head is fully rotatable, which is a cute little touch to the overall experience. The speaker is located on the caterpillar’s back, which enables even and continuous distribution of sound around the alphabet toy.
If you would like to learn more about Leapfrog toys, you can do so by visiting their website: www.LeapFrog.com