VTech InnoTab

Generally, I think of toys as clutter. They take up valuable real estate in my house but rarely get played with. However, I have to admit that I feel a little giddy when I get my hands on a good educational toy. After hearing some recent buzz about the VTech InnoTab, I was left a bit curious. When I was given the opportunity to check out this product and share my experiences with this handy little gadget, I jumped at it. The InnoTab is a multimedia educational tablet for children aged 4 – 9. It just so happens that four out of my six kids fall within that age category, making them the perfect panel to give the InnoTab a test drive.

The InnoTab caused quite a stir on the evening it arrived. You see, six kids and only one sought-after toy does not make for a peaceful home life. All the chaos and excitement around the InnoTab resulted in some quite strategic turn-taking …that may have involved timers and alarms. As the night progressed, the InnoTab kept several children occupied – five children, to be exact. Not only were the four-, six-, nine- and ten-year-olds completely engaged – the toddler was captivated by all that was going on with the tablet and sat next to each child during his or her turn. It was remarkable to see my maniacal toddler quiet, still and engaged for more than 30 seconds. I immediately thought that the InnoTab might be the perfect companion for our next long car ride.

When I asked the kids for some feedback on the InnoTab, the older kids shot out words like “cool”, “sick” and “awesome-azing”. For those of you who don’t speak “tween”, I can assure you that this is all very positive. My nerdy 10-year-old product reviewer wannabe expanded, commenting on the educational features and noting that they were both fun and interesting.

After the kids were in bed, I hit the InnoTab myself for some mama-time. Let’s just say that 40-years-old should be included in the age range. The number of activities and games was unbelievable – interactive reading, animated e-books, games, creative activities and loads of apps. It’s no wonder one single toy turned my kids into the “Bickersons”, all fighting over having a turn. I’m not surprised that this product recently received PTPA approval.

If you’re looking for something cool to put under the tree this holiday season, you can find more information about InnoTab and more at VTech Canada.