Review: VTech MobiGo 2 Touch Learning System

Landon is starting first grade — I can’t believe it. And although we did a lot of work at home this summer and he read with a book buddy once a week and three times to the library dog, I keep looking for ways to make reading fun for my reluctant reader.

Smart phones and tablets prove just as interesting for children as they do adults. If we had an iPad, I know Landon would want to use it all the time. But these delicate tech devices often do not have the durability that a child’s play requires.

But there is an alternative we got to try out. VTech’s MobiGo 2, an educational handheld system for children 3-8 years old with a cool slide-out keyboard, includes a motion sensor and microphone, providing new ways to play games and control movements.

Through MobiGo 2, kids can learn basic skills such as math, vocabulary, spelling, reading, logic, and drawing. The MobiGo 2 is all about motion and great for on-the-go use.

Landon tried out the features that are loaded into the MobiGo 2 and liked the “Hamster Highway” game the best. Figures — it’s a kind of racing game and you have to figure out a small puzzle to keep going, but it wasn’t educational enough for me.

The “Shooting Gallery” game is more educational because it involves knowing your letters, but “Hamster Highway” it still his favorite. And the “Art Master” section where he gets to color pictures. I could do without the music in that section, but it can be turned down.

After a little bit of difficulty to figure out how to downloaded the three free additional games from the website — might have been just me — we now also have two more spelling and one math game on the MobiGo2, which makes for a good selection.

There are over 100 cartridges and downloadable games available and you can customize which ones you download to your kid’s individual needs and even track his or her progress.

Overall, I like the MobiGo 2. It is easy to handle, you can download and edit photos, and use motion to make things happen on the screen (picture L tilting it like a steering wheel).

It fell down a few stairs yesterday and nothing happened to it. And I like that this device can be expanded and will fit L’s needs for years to come, so it is a good investment if he end up really learning something while playing the MobiGo 2 games.

We have yet to use the e-reader because there didn’t seem to be free books available yet (some content not available until December 2012), but that’s a feature I definitely want to take advantage of in the future.

{I participated in this campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for VTech. I received a product sample to facilitate my review. Opinions are my own.}