My son got this toy when he was a few months old. We got it used, so maybe that's why we never had the volume problems other reviewers mention, even though we have changed the battery a couple times and the volume doesn't get any louder. It can play either the alphabet, letter sounds, colors, or music. We've gotten some benefit from the letter names--as my son has been learning his alphabet, he's used this toy sometimes to listen and repeat.
By far, though, what we've used this toy for the most is its music! It plays 26 different songs and my son loves to dance to all of them and urge his parents to sing the words to them. It additionally plays the alphabet song either with or without the singing, and he learned that song from this toy.
Not so much fun as a pull toy and it's not that cute, but we've gotten so much use from this toy, it's one of his mainstays that we always bring with us when traveling.
Durability is pretty good; the antennae don't light up anymore but the toy has taken much abuse and still works great.
"Alphabet Pal from Leap Frog"
2009-07-20
- Reviewed By User: A2Q496645SY2SY
My son received this for his 1st birthday and loves it in the song mode. I know he will love it more and more as he gets older. When he starts to learn the alphabet it will become even more educational. I like its versatality.
"Great way to learn"
2009-05-17
- Reviewed By User: A1TPK19TE5H2JH
We have had this toy for several years and did not experience any problem with it "falling apart" like the other reviewers. My son is very rough with toys and this one has outlasted the test. This is a great fun toy. He has never tired of it and loves to sing his ABC's with it. It also does letter sounds, which my son is now starting to mimick. If you run your fingers down both sides of his legs, he laughs. We discovered this by accident, I don't think the instructions mention it. I highly recommend this toy as fun and educational.
I LOVE THE LEAPFROG ALPHABET PAL CATERPILLAR SO DOES MY GRANDSON. IT IS VERY DURABLE HE CAN PLAY WITH IT IN HIS PLAY PEN OR ON THE FLOOR. VERY PLEASED LUCILLE
"LeapFrog Caterpillar"
2008-12-22
- Reviewed By User: A1V8270AWAAXEQ
I have been told by other mothers that this caterpillar is the best teacher of phonics. My son has started pronouncing his words more clearly.
"Loud and irritating"
2008-12-17
- Reviewed By User: A3NOW3TXM77DK8
My son recieved this as a gift for his first birthday. My first reaction to seeing it was along the lines of "oh crap, his first annoying, loud, electronic toy", which proved to be true. But my son likes it okay, mostly because he loves hearing the ABC tune.
It's cute, and with all the abuse it's taken even in just a couple of months it's held up - it's been dropped, stepped on, and generally banged around. I have mixed feelings about its phonics value, since it has only one pronunciation per vowel. I also have an issue with some of the censoring. While I certainly don't want my kid's toys saying something inappropriate, I think they went too far. So far I have found that you cannot make any words that end in "as", "az", "ax", "uk", or "uc". My biggest complaint is the volume. This toy is way too loud, even on its lower setting. If my husband or I accidentally trigger this toy at night, it can wake my son up down the hall, through a closed door. But this toy is meant to be played with at close range. I don't know why it even has a louder setting. This is one of my pet peeves about many of the toys out there.
If we hadn't recieved this as a birthday gift, I would not buy it.
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Expedited Available
"Fantastic toy and educational too!"
"Loud and irritating"