LeapFrog Leapster Learning Game Mr. Pencil's Learn to Draw and Write

Reviews of LeapFrog Leapster Learning Game Mr. Pencil's Learn to Draw and Write

1.) Mr Pencil has so much fun to offer!
Reviewed by: Shauna Sheridan Pleasant Grove, UT United States
Rating:
While the other reviewer are right that the pen is a little sensitive, there are so many other great things about this game that I would still gladly give it 5 stars. My 3 year old actually loves mixing the colors and seeing what colors mix to make what, and then painting with the colors. She likes using the stamps and changing their size and rotating them. She like the color drop game where you have to pick the right 2 colors you need to mix a secondary color, and the maze game where you have to make it through the maze without touching the lines. My seven year old loves to paint pictures on it, and she love the learn how to draw animals and objects. She likes how you can save your artwork till later so she can pick up and work more on a picture, or animation. She likes the game what picture is it, where they start to draw a picture and you have to figure out which of the pictures at the bottom is the one they are drawing and see how many you can guess in the time frame. My son who is 10 even likes it. He thinks the maze game is cool, and he likes doing animation/flip books on it. This is a great cartridge and so many kids of so many ages love it. It even has cool things to learn about shading objects, making fun looking alphabet letters, lessons in color mixing and so much more. If you are buying it for just the learning to do letters with your young toddler, then you need to know that the first few times you have to be prepared to sit down with them and draw with them, because they just don't have that steady of hand, but don't ever disqualify this one because of that, it has way too many other things to offer. I even think it has more on that cartridge to do then any of the other cartridges, plus it's fun for all ages.

2.) AMAZING!
Reviewed by: Blake & Drew's Mommy Glasgow, KY
Rating:
Wow! This is one of the best cartridges I have seen for the Leapster! My little boy is getting a Leapster for Christmas and some games. I just purchased this cartridge yesterday and decided to try it out to see what I thought of it. I like to look at all the things before my son gets them this way I know what to do to help him.
This cartridge simply amazed me. It has so many things on one cartridge! I had read reviews of Mr. Pencil being critical- I can't say he won't be with a young child because my little boy has'nt played this yet, but there is so many activities on this cartridge that I am not too worried about that yet.
This cartridge teaches the primary and secondary colors, it has a game called color drop where you have to mix the right two colors together to get the right color they are wanting to you to paint with, it has mazes, you trace over uppercase and lower cases alaphabet, numbers, shapes and pictures. There is a game called Mr. Doodle and whatever you draw then Mr. Pencil will copy- so cute! There is a coloring book mode with lots and lots of pictures to color, a blank page where you can add stamps, doodle, write. There is an anamation game where you draw several pictures and it will put them together quickly and it looks like its moving. That was really neat. You can do a bouncy ball or a man walking or a flower blooming and lots more. It teaches you about depth and how to draw things in 3d. There is EVEN MORE! I was just mind boggled at everything on this Leapster Cartridge and I give it 5 stars!
Your child will learn lots of great things with Mr. Pencil Learn and Draw and even though he may be critical over tracing the letters, numbers and shapes game, there is tons of other things your child can do and learn from.
I suggest this game for anyone!


3.) Finally a fun way to practice her skills!!!
Reviewed by: Elaine Gray Michigan
Rating:
Where was Mr. Pencil when I was a child? I bought this cartridge for my four year old daughter who has been practicing writing her letters for about a year now. I have bought her many different kinds of practice books and writing paper only to find that she quickly tires of them. Mr. Pencil keeps her attention by making writing and drawing a fun interactive experience. She loves tracing her letters and numbers with Mr. Pencil. She finds it very easy to complete each task successfully. I feel the customers who have been having problems tracing the letters and numbers must have defective cartridges. I considered not buying Mr. Pencil because of the negative reviews stating the problems of the letter tracing program. I would just like to say I'm glad I purchased it. Mr. Pencil's Learn to Draw and Write is one of Leapster's best.

4.) #1 Leapster Game
Reviewed by: Mike Beri
Rating:
This is the #1 played game by my five year old son. We also like playing the maze games. However I'm not sure where the problem is coming from but the calibration is off. When I press the pen to the screen the line draws off to the left about 2-3mm. Quite annoying but I'm assuming it's the unit. Mr. Pencil is still a real fun game even with this slight annoyance.

5.) Our favorite cartridge!
Reviewed by: Mommy_to_4 Indianapolis, IN
Rating:
We bought the Leapster for our 4 1/2 year old son for christmas. I have nothing but positive things to say about it. Our son LOVES video games...borderline obsessive! We bought this because he had seen older kids with gameboys and was fascinated. I wanted something that kept his interest like the video games, but was educational. This is perfect! Now, upon saying that, we have Mr. Pencil cartridge, Dora and Spongebob. I asked my son which he liked the best, and he said he loves them all. I have to say that personally, Mr. Pencil is my favorite. It goes right along with what my son is learning at preschool...how to write his letters, both capitol and lowercase. I do agree that the pencil is sensitive, but I think it just forces the kids to go slowly and write the letters correctly. There are times that he has to retrace the letters, but he doesn't become frustrated, because Mr. Pencil is very encouraging. ("almost, try again!") I like that it draws the letter for you, then shows you the starting point for each line, and has an arrow for the direction to trace it. It's just like the preschool worksheets. It waits until they've drawn the first line, and then goes on to the next line of the letter. It's been a great tool. We also have a writing leap pad, and it just doesn't hold his interest like the leapster. We couldn't be happier! My 3 year old also loves to putter around on it as well, but the software is a little above his head still. Soon enough, I'm sure!

6.) Excellent Leapster Mr. Pencil Learn to Draw and Write
Reviewed by: J. Miller Bayonne, NJ United States
Rating:
Mr. Pencil is not strict to me. I watch my son do his lessons and he writes. If it is not neat enough (which he gives your child a decent amount of leeway. It doesn't have to be perfect, but your O can't look like a D. It is a very good learn to write. My son always ask for pencil and paper. I had this set to the side for my other son, I figured they both could use it. So i opened it up for him and loved the concept. My other son could use the same lesson as well. I love this and thankfully we have not had any calibrating problems. He uses it with ease. Anticipating buying my other son a leapster to get him started with this lesson. You won't be dissappointed. It is excellent pre-writing skills and art.

UPDATE: 4/17/2007

I have three leapsters in my home and I must say that 3 out of 4 of my boys use it (because my baby is only 1 :) ) I have an 8 year old a 6 year old and a four year old who use and benefit from using Mr. Pencil. My 6 year old had hand writing that was hard to understand when he was 3 and after one month of Mr. pencil had and big improvement. My 8 year old had to use it last year alot because of the not so neat writing. My 4 year old is just starting I will update later! I still think it is an excellent tool to have for your child. My 8 year old loves the drawing portion of the cartridge, he actually got a book on learn to draw and learned to appreciate it even more.


7.) The greatest thing since sliced bread
Reviewed by: Dean Sabetta
Rating:
First, I think the entire Leapster system is an awesome concept that is well designed. I have not been disappointed yet in any software by the Leap folks.

My five year old loves to use Microsoft Paint amd other such software. She also enjoys mazes, and was curious as to how cartoons are made. This little gem covers all of that and more.

The art component is probably the best part of this software. Think of it as MagnaDoodle, only with color. It keeps my kid happy when waiting anywhere.

Some have said that the package is a little exacting on the tracing of letters. I agree with that - another problem is that your school district may want DeNealean writing, which is a mutation of print into pre-cursive (I can't stand it). That is not covered in this package.

The pluses are far more than the minuses - don't rely on this to teach your kid to write...it's good practice for that, but could be frustrating. It's worth the cost.

8.) Wonderful Fun!
Reviewed by: Randa Rose
Rating:
I bought this for my 5 year old daughter as she loves playing with her Leapster and she also loves to draw. What a combination! She loves the mazes and especially loves the Double Doodle, where she draws a picture and Mr. Pencil mimicks her drawing. I find it very educational and extrememly entertaining to any children who love to draw. Also, I haven't heard her complain once about having to try a little harder and I don't mind Mr. Pencil being a little strict with her either. I highly recommend this game.

9.) Wonderful!
Reviewed by: dkeagle Waukee, IA
Rating:
I bought this for my 5 year old to help him with his letters, since he is starting school this year, and I can already tell a difference. This game has taught him the correct way to make his letters. Mr. Pencil is great at giving postive feedback, and although he may sometimes tell you to try again later, my son is always up to the challenge. What a fun way for you child to practice his writing. Also, my 3 1/2 year old loves playing the doodling and drawing activities. This is a must have for your leapster collection.

10.) Fun, Fun, Fun
Reviewed by: LEANDA Centreville, VA United States
Rating:
I just purchased this toy for my 5 year old daughter. When I first brought it home she quickly looked at it and said "I am too old for this." Once she really got started I couldn't get her to quit playing with it for days. She is truly mesmerized and now says there are a few things that "she still needs to learn."

She does not have any problem with Mr. Pencil's so called perfectionism. She seems to strive to do better. She has spent hours with this cartridge. We love this cartridge as it seems to teach abstract and concrete ideas very well. We especially love the flip pages.

Having said that we do have one comment. When using the doodle page the user can stamp canned art such as lady bugs, flowers, bees,and other shapes on their art project. These stamps are not available when making the flip pages (The flip pages are like an animated movie). It would be a nice addition if the Leapfrog designers would have included the stamp function in the flip pages so that users could use canned art to make their animations.

All in all this is a great product.

11.) Perfect For Preschool to 1st Grade
Reviewed by: Sir Chicago, IL. USA
Rating:
I was having a little trouble keeping my oldest interested in practicing her letters. When I bought this item things turned around quickly. Not only for letters but writing her writing skill, coloring and understanding of primary and secondary colors was acheived. If you don't like your kid playing mind numbing games but want them to have some fun. This is it!

12.) Hooray for Leapster ( and learn to calibrate your unit)
Reviewed by: BoyzMom Tennessee
Rating:
My kindergartner received his Leapster for his 5th birthday and it has been wonderful. Mr.Pencil has been one of his favorites as he loves to color and draw. BUT I love it because, as his class at school adds new letters to their writing skills, he can "play" and practice at the same time.

As to some of the complaints about the lines being "off" from where the stylus traces, it is important to read and follow the instructions for calibrating your unit. Surely my child isn't the only one who is not always delicate with his Leapster, but if it gets off, I just follow in calibration instructions and we're back in the game!

13.) I love Mr.Pencil
Reviewed by:
Rating:
Mr.Pencil's Draw and Write is a great game.My favorite game in Mr.Pencil is the Maze Game.This game gave me tons of handwriting skill and taught me how to draw.This a great game for a seven and a half year old like me.So if you like making colors and drawing.Buy Mr.Pencil"s Draw and Write today!

14.) This game is wonderful, as long as you have the patience...
Reviewed by: rachelseav Pa ,United States
Rating:
This game is wonderful, as long as you have the patience to sit down with your child and explain the different activities. I found Mister Pencil pretty resonable when it came to allowing my daughter to trace off the lines. The only challenge was not lifting the pen off the screen when she was making the B or O. Once she learned how to do that, she was pretty good with it.

I love the leapster and my daughter is addicted to it. She has learned so much in such little time. I try to sit down with her for 10-60 min a day and then I let her do what she wants to do and she has progressed with very little effort on my part. The leapster will guide you and your child through the lesson, you just need to be there to reinforce lessons at times. You will be amazed. Lately the routine has been, we play a game or two before bedtime, we do this on my busy days. You will be surprised at what a little bit of time with your child will do.

15.) Love this game!
Reviewed by: JCC
Rating:
As the mother of a 5-year old who has difficulty with small motor skills, I absolutely love this game. Yes, sometimes the game doesn't allow for the human factor in tracing a shape or a letter, but overall, I think this game is very beneficial for my son. I would certainly buy it again.

16.) My three year loves this....
Reviewed by: SUNRAI Maryland
Rating:
At first I was apprehensive about purchasing this cartridge. I wasn't sure if my three year old was going to like it or found it be too challenging for her. I was wrong. It is definitely one of her favorites.

This cartridge helps to either teach or reinforce colors, uppercase/lowercase letter recognition and fine motor skills. This game promotes the use of the small muscles of the body, especially in their eye-hand coordination tasks...like navigating the maze without picking up the Leapster pen.

At this moment she has learned to trace most of the letters in the alphabet. She already knew her ABCs by heart, but now she is learning uppercase vs lowercase for letter recognition.

I believe exposure is the key to learning and keeping a child thirsty for more knowledge, and this is just the cartridge to keep a toddler on track. I just let her play with it and figure things out on her own. It's good for problem solving skills.


17.) My almost 4 year old is in love with it.
Reviewed by: M. Tomsik California
Rating:
This amazing game/learning tool is frustrating in the beginning, however, it teaches your child how to be more accurate in his or her writing. my son isn't the brightest crayon in the box nor the quickest, but he has excelled with this game. He volentarily writes his abc's on his magnet drawing toy in the car after this game. his drawing has become more elaborate, and his comprehension of instruction has excelled. He can navigate through the menus easily and the options throughout keep him totally entertained. I highly reccomend this toy.

18.) Love It!
Reviewed by: Jennifer Bianco USA
Rating:
*I* love this cartridge. No, I don't actually play it myself (oh wait, I did have fun in the maze games ;) ), but I LOVE the fact that they have the letter drawing. I homeschool my children and have had the hardest time trying to get my son to recall HOW to write his letters and numbers, like where to begin and in what direction to write. Lots and lots of practice, but this game is fun and he copies Mr. Pencil. His letters and numbers are already improving and he's only had it for less than a week, and most importantly, this makes writing them fun. It's not the drudgery that Mommy has him do. :)

He is 5, BTW, and also loves creating colors. I am very pleased with this purchase.

19.) My 5-year-old loves it! Not as picky as some say...
Reviewed by: Sandy Bryan, TX United States
Rating:
Well- I read the reviews and almost skipped on this one, as my son is easily frustrated, but I am glad I didn't. The parents who could not satisfy Mr. Pencil's perfectionism were just doing things in adult-style... writing the letter he asked them to. That is NOT how it works. You must follow each step. For instance... if he shows you how to draw a three and you draw it in one shot... well, that will be considered incorrect. You must make the top curve and stop and then make the bottom curve to complete it as instructed. So if you can already make letters, it will be frustrating. If you are willing to follow the instructions you will find it far more forgiving.
There are also colors to mix and cool pictures to trace. My son simply loves it! Mr. Pencil is kind, but will stop you if you don't get it after about three tries, with a "let's try it again later." Personally, while some people like the idea of trying until they get it right, I think a break may be exactly what's required. He has yet to try all the features of the game-- and I am sure he won't like it so much when Mr. Pencil draws alongside him and the lines go across his newly drawn artwork -- but all he has done so far he is really enjoying. Practicing on the computer screen is more fun for him than doing it on paper.

20.) Excellent
Reviewed by:
Rating:
My son is was having problems in this area at kindergarten, he is addicted to Leapster and since he started with Mr. Pencil game, his teacher has already commented on his improvements in holding crayons, etc.

21.) Lots of Fun!
Reviewed by: L. Viering USA
Rating:
We love Mr Pencil! This game teaches children all about colors, primary, secondary etc. and actually has them combine the colors themselves. It has a large selection of mazes, puzzles in all skill levels, and teaches the user basic art/drawing skills. This game also works with the child to better write their numbers and letters, similar to the LETTER FACTORY game. My son is 5, I would think a 4yr old would also enjoy the beginning levels of this game. This game offers lots more than the short description by the manufacturer, I would highly recommend this game!



22.) creative and helpful
Reviewed by: M. C. Amaral Lake Bluff, IL USA
Rating:
My twin boys fought over this program. They loved to create with it and it helped strengthen their hand control, important in learning to write.

23.) My kids' favorite game
Reviewed by: mom of three small kids SC
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My boys (ages 3 & 5) love this game. So does my 32 year old husband! It is SO great for learning to write, and is fun to sit with them and watch them play. They are spellbound for hours, and learning! Great!!

24.) Mr. Pencil's Learn to Draw and Write (Leapster Game)
Reviewed by: Running Mother Milesburg, PA
Rating:
Excellent game for your little leapster! My 4 year old daughter loves this game. It is not only fun for her to draw but she is also learning her colors, specifically what two colors make this color. Very educational!

25.) great learning game
Reviewed by: creativesbs perkasie,PA
Rating:
my 4 year old loves this game. I love the fact that he can just doodle or actually practice writing his ABC's both uppercase and lowercase! As a parent I am very impressed with the whole leapster line and my 6 year old and 4 year old love it too!

26.) Great product by Leapster
Reviewed by: S. Hicks
Rating:
This game keeps my 4 year olds entertained! They love to work mazes (which this game has to help teach pen control). They have learned to write their letters better, too!

27.) 4 yr old loves it!
Reviewed by: Nellie Brentwood, Ca United States
Rating:
I got this as a gift for my boy who just turned 4 yrs old in Januray and he loves it. Its his favorite game so far on leapster. He even tries to draw what he learned on paper and tries to teach me too. Its a great game that teaches all about drawing, shading, annimation.

28.) A great addition to the leapster games
Reviewed by: R. Metheny North Carolina
Rating:
My 6 year old son recieved this game to play on his leapster and loves it. It teaches shadows and alot of great things for kids wanting to learn more about how to draw. He plays with this game more than any of the other 11 Leapster games he has. Hope this helps anyone who is looking to buy.

29.) My little girl plays with Mr. pencil all the time
Reviewed by: Jan Norfolk,USA
Rating:
This is a great item helps with letters..numbers and at the same time it's fun...learn to trace and color...there is so much more..I can not say enough about it.

30.) Absolutely wonderful
Reviewed by: grantclan5 Sutton, MA United States
Rating:
I have 5 year old twins who received this leapster toy for Christmas. They have since received many of the cartridges appropriate for their age group. They have learned an awful lot from all the leapster games. My son went from spelling simple words and not really reading very well to now reading 5-6 letter words. Not just this cartridge but the Kindergarten and some of the other game cartridges have helped with my kids' reading level. I felt really good about spending the money on the leapster and have not regretted it in the least. It is well worth the money and new cartrideges are becoming available all the time

31.) FULL OF FUN
Reviewed by: LMER NEW YORK, NY
Rating:
MY 4 YEAR OLD ENJOYS THIS GAME. HE HAS NOT HAD A PROBLEM WITH USING THE PEN. HE ENJOYS EVERYTHING THIS GAME HAS TO OFFER. A MUST TO HAVE.

32.) Fun game
Reviewed by: K. Houlihan OC, Ca
Rating:
My son, age 5, and daughter, age 3, both love to play this game. My son enjoys making cartoons in the flip book and my daughter likes to mix colors to get new ones and color the pre-drawn pictures. It's also great for both of them to practice and learn how to write letters.

33.) Rates Raves
Reviewed by: Carol Cameron Missouri
Rating:
I purchased this product for my six year old granddaughter. She began playing with it immediately. The option to mix colors to create a large variety of new ones was a great unexpected surprise. She's been happily drawing and using the product ever since.

This product certainly helps to develop the fine motor skills necessary to improve handwritng and artistic drawing ability. I would recommend this educational product.

34.) Awesome fun with flip book feature!
Reviewed by: A. Murphy NY
Rating:
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R3QL9MOF14TJ48 This is a flip book my daughter made on the leapster with this game...it is 2 stick figures fighting...she saw a really advanced flip book of stick figures fighting on you tube and I am very impressed with what she was able to accomplish on the leapster.

35.) Leapster Drawing Cartridge
Reviewed by: book worm333 WA
Rating:
This cartridge was worth the money. It is my 4 year old son's favorite leapster game. He loves to draw and create with the paintbrush and pencil, and add stamps that can move across the screen! It's a great tool for learning prewriting skills!

36.) Bobby's Mom
Reviewed by: April2974 Brooklyn, NY United States
Rating:
My son received this for Christmas, he's only 3 years old and loves it. He's getting great at the mazes and loves mixing colors. This is a great addition to his leapster game collection and money well spent.

37.) 3 and 5 year old love it!!
Reviewed by: K. Scanlon
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Both of my girls really enjoy this game and have a ton of fun creating!!

38.) mostly fun
Reviewed by: Deeishere
Rating:
I brought this game for my 6 year old for Christmas. She enjoys tracing the pictures and playing some of the games. She gets a little frustrated with the maze. You have to go through the maze without touching any of the lines and if you take the pen off you get the buzz sound. So she gets really upset with that. I like the game because it helps to teach kids to write neatly. She is just beginning the game but I think it will help her. She has not played all the parts of it yet. She also loves the part where you just change colors and can write and draw what you want.

39.) Love our "Mr. Pencil!"
Reviewed by: Love My Kids USA
Rating:
This is a great learning tool. My daughter loves "Mr. Pencil" and it keeps her attention for a good while. Unlike other educational games, the Leapster has been one that my daughter actually plays with. It is easy to use as well.

40.) my 4 sons
Reviewed by: my 4 sons Maryland
Rating:
My son got this "game" when he was three (he is now 5 1/2). He LOVES it!. He has always enjoyed coloring/creating. It sparks his creative side.

41.) Learn to Write and Draw Leapster Cart.
Reviewed by: picturemommy Marietta, GA
Rating:
SUPER!! Our boy loves this one and still plays with it years later! He was not even interested in letters and his alphabet until we bought this one...in a matter of a few days he had the entire alphabet mastered and was ENJOYING it!

42.) Loves to Draw
Reviewed by: VERA BAUER Wheeling, WV USA
Rating:
My granddaughter who is 5 has the Leapster and she loves it! She loves Mr. Pencil, learn to draw. She uses it quite a bit along with her other Leapster games.

43.) ONE OF THE BEST GAMES!
Reviewed by: Amanda Latrobe, PA USA
Rating:
We bought this for our 4 year old daughter and it was one of the best games we ever bought. She will sit and play with this for long periods of time. She loves to color, draw and play games. The whole Leapster system has been an asset to our family. She has learned so much just from playing games!

44.) One of Leapster's Best Games for Little Artists
Reviewed by: Mom of Four Washington United States
Rating:
This is my children's favorite cartridge for their Leapsters. I bought this one for my oldest son 6 (now 7) whot loves to draw & is constantly doing some sort of art project ... He has yet to loose interest in it. My middle son who is 5, is always borrowing it for his game system too. They both love to use it and get to make some pretty great free style drawings. I would love to see another similar game with some new stamps, colors & color book pages.

45.) worth its price
Reviewed by: An excited mom
Rating:
This is really good. My 3 year old daughter can now write about 11 alphabets just two weeks after buying this. She knows how different colors can be made and enjoying drawing and painting.

46.) 5 year old loves it
Reviewed by: KBR Bay Area, CA
Rating:
My 5 year old is really loving this game. It took her til about now to really like it. She's starting to understand mixing of colors and really keeps her attention. She does not get frustrated as she does with other video games.

47.) great leaning game
Reviewed by: K. Sauter dallas, texas
Rating:
I purchased a leap frog lmax and this is one of the games i purchased for the system. my daughter is four and this is her favorite game right now. She gets to draw earse paint and stamp. THey let her pick from coloring book pages and have learing games where she can trace the letters and even has drawing lessons. It is a great investment and keeps her busy.

48.) Mr. Pencil
Reviewed by: Katherine Schiselr
Rating:
A must for any kiddo with a Leapster. A fun game that teaches mechanics of drawing and writing numbers and letters.

49.) Absolutely IN LOVE with Draw & Write!!!
Reviewed by: mom4ruby Boston, MA.
Rating:
My 4 year old daughter, who is very creative & draws, colors & paints CONSTANTLY, ABSOLUTELY LOVES THIS GAME! She's been playing it non stop since opening it & can do every aspect of it, the tracing, the coloring pages, the color mixing etc... she's so in love that she hasn't once picked up the other games she received for Christmas! When asked how she liked it, her reply: "Momma I WUV DIS GAME!!!!" Ruby tends to be very patient, very attentive to detail & loves anything creative that challenges her to do specific things, this game has ALL THAT & then some! My girl & I give it every thumb up & all the stars!

50.) save paper get the draw and write
Reviewed by: MAXINE FL
Rating:
Upon opening the box my six year old grabbed it out of my hand. I was feeling sick and went to be early. I woke at 8:30p with the instructions for her to turn it off at 9p. Lapsing in and out of consciousness, I saw that she was still on it at 9:20 but I was too medicated to say anything(don't worry dh was home). I woke again at 10:30 and took it from her with instructions for her to go to bed. This being a holiday weekend things have been pretty lax around the house. It's currently Sunday and she's been playing with the thing off and on all day. I would recommend this game for two reasons. 1. It is educational by teaching primary colors and which primary colors make secondary colors. She says her favorite part of this game is being able to color the pictures. 2. Having a 6 year old daughter who likes to color and write can easily kill a couple of trees, so saving on paperwaste was my ulterior motive.

51.) great educational game
Reviewed by: rosebud
Rating:
bought this game for my 4 yr old grand daughter, who received a Leapster
for Christmas, and she loves it. would recommend this for young children.

52.) The best Leapster Game!
Reviewed by: M. Kasper CO
Rating:
This game as been a favorite of all my children and is currently my four year old daughter's favorite game. There is so much to do with this game. You can make pictures, do mazes, write your letters and numbers, connect the dots, and that is just what I remember off the top of my head. It is a great way to bring coloring with you when you otherwise can't bring the crayons and paint. It is a great introduction or reinforcer for writing your letters and numbers. The mazes teach fine motor control - you have to stay in the lines or start over (which can be a bit frustrating). And the mazes go from really big to really small spaces. This game has had more play time than any other in my house and has stoped more temper tantrums while we were shopping or driving than any other.

53.) GREAT Game! Must Have...
Reviewed by: J Canada
Rating:
What a great game . . . and it's helping my 3 yr old learn to write his letters! I find him pretending to draw letters with his fingers. He stays focussed on the games and the instructions. Maybe not an 'exciting' adventure, but still fun to play (and learn!).

54.) excellent game for a 3-4 year old
Reviewed by: Q. Atif
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I am so glad that I got this game for my son! he loves it and is learning so much! he esp loves the free draw and mixing colors.

55.) My 3 yr old LOVES it!
Reviewed by: Kelly Ketchum
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I got my 3 yr old a leapster for Christmas and a few games. This game being on of them. She LOVES this game. It is not too difficult for her at all. She loves mixing the colors to make new ones. This game has tons of things to do on it for several years of playing!

56.) 3 year old LOVES Mr. Pencil
Reviewed by: J. Evans Exeter, NH
Rating:
My mom bought our just turned 3 year old a Leapster 2 for Christmas. He really enjoyed the Creativity Castle game that came with it and we were looking for something to build on those concepts (coloring, drawing, stamps, etc.). This game is perfect for him right now because he's not coordinated enough to play any of the "video game" type Leapster games, but he's doing really well with the stylus and overall just loves this. Great to have in the car on long trips. Highly recommend.

57.) another great leapster game
Reviewed by: like to grill Florida
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both of my gradchildren love to play with this game which is at the same time educational.

58.) Lots of fun!
Reviewed by: Ziggy East Hampton, NY United States
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My 3 year old loves this, as does his 6½ year old step sister. Highly recommended!!!

59.) Excellent Product
Reviewed by: Lisa Mattingly Greenwood, IN United States
Rating:
Our 4 year old loves this program. It teaches writing as well as letting her draw freestyle, color and use all of the extra art options. I would highly recommend this product!

60.) My Five Year Old Son Loves the Colors and the Characters!...
Reviewed by: Rhiannon Virginia Horse Country!
Rating:
And so do I!.....at 46! Fun and educational....different at first, but once you get the hang of it, it's addictive. Spawns creativity in your child~~~~

Bright Blessings!~~~~~

Mama Mia

61.) Leapster Art: Mr. Pencil Learn To Draw and Write
Reviewed by: Janet A. Wolfe
Rating:
Very good learning tool for a 5 yr. old.

62.) Mr. Pencil is strict!
Reviewed by: Lost Sailor USA
Rating:
My 4 year old son loves his leapster and enjoys playing Mr. Pencil. It can cause considerable frustration however. Mr. Pencil expects alot of accuracy when tracing lines. Perhaps more accuracy than the somewhat crude Leapster touch screen can really provide.

We have found that adults have trouble meeting Mr. Pencil's standards at times. Try the Maze game for example...

Don't get me wrong, the Leapster is a great toy, and Mr. Pencil is worth the money. I advise parents to help their kids to avoid the frustration that stops learning in it's tracks. I joke with my son that Mr. Pencil is a bit "cranky" about accuracy and that we need to try and keep him quiet. By making fun of Mr. Pencil a bit we avoid frustration.

Nothing wrong with a challenge huh?

63.) Really can help learn to write!
Reviewed by: fujimoo So. CA, USA
Rating:
Having been a fine arts student in my pre-parenting days, I'm wary of anything that says "Learn-To-Draw." And sure enough, this game came with the expected series of templates that kids can trace to "draw" pictures of a dog, a cat, etc. My initial reaction was, "No! Be free of the line! Draw whatever your heart desires, and therein lies the art!!!"

What I didn't realize was that my four year old wasn't acquiring McArt lessons. Well, okay, he might have, to some degree. But what impressed me was that my son was learning *stylus control*. Through the tracing games as well as mazes of decreasing cell size, my son was able to improve his penmanship. Having owned this game for ten months, his handwriting is remarkably legible (though you might want to chalk this comment up to parent-tootin'-their-own-horn).

If your child has the willingness to sit down and play with this game, you might notice improvement over pencil control as well! It's certainly more fun and interactive than tracing all those dotted-line handouts they get in school...

64.) Frustrating, but still a valuable tool
Reviewed by: MileStones Central Coast, CA
Rating:
I bought this game, despite the negative reviews, because I really wanted a way for my four year old to work on his fine motor without having to argue about "yes, you must TRY to color in the lines" and "son, you need to TRACE the lines, not free color". He is a very independent spirit :-)

The other reviews are true, it is a frustrating game.

The calibration is an issue (this can be remedied. A Mr. Jason Mortara left a comment on another review stating "To access the Calibration Screen, turn on the Leapster and wait for the Sign In Screen to appear. Then press the Home + Hint + B Buttons simultaneously. Use the Pen to touch the five points that appear." and it works). Even after recalibrating the stylus, if you hold the pencil at different angles than when you recalibrated the line appears in different places. For instance, if you hold the pencil straight up and down during the recalibration, but at a slant when you trace, the line is not in the right place.

When my son does the mazes I feel the game is overly sensitive. You are not allowed to pick up your pencil during the maze, you must make one continuous line. Who doesn't stop to get your bearings during a maze? So you have to determine your course before you put your pencil down, and then don't dare get turned around.

He was becoming extremely frustrated, but what amazed me was that he didn't want to take a break, and try another game. Despite the high anxiety, he still wanted to persist until he got it right.

What we ended up doing was taking turns. I would try a maze, and make sure I crashed somewhere close to the end. Then he would try it. This way he got an idea of which way to go, because it isn't fair to expect them to actually do the maze, AND concentrate on not lifting the pencil, their pencil grip, and not going out of the lines. I felt the fine motor was more important than the logic skills of maze solving, for this particular instance.

So, in the end, it IS a FRUSTRATING game, BUT nevertheless does its job. It still teaches the fine motor skills that my son needs to work on. And it is more entertaining (barely) than the usual PAPER tracing pages, mazes, connect the dots, etc.

A more traditional, paper, alternative to this product would be the Kumon Workbooks, excellent products.

Durability: I'm not sure about this game specifically, because we haven't had it long. However, "Number Raiders" accidentally got put throught the WASHER AND DRYER and still works fine!!! Amazing. Tough little cartridges!!!

65.) great teaching tool that is fun
Reviewed by: MoMof6 Fairfax,VA
Rating:
my 6 year has had an aversion to learning how to draw or write. we have tried so many methods to get him interested; so for his birthday we bought a leapster with this write/draw cart and some math carts. he actually likes it and seems to be doing really well. it is self correcting so he knows right away if he is making the correct letters/numbers/shapes. they have some games to help with dexterity also. it is fun, he enjoys using it and his progress shows.

66.) Great game
Reviewed by: M. Minocha KS
Rating:
This game is very good. I almost didn't buy it because of the bad reviews. We have not had any problems at all. My first grader needs some extra help with her printing and it has been excellent. She is easily frustrated and has not given up because of criticism. She also loves Mrs. Brush. My 4 year old daughter loves it too.

67.) Fun!
Reviewed by: just a mom Port Huron, MI
Rating:
My three and five year old enjoy playing this game. It is great for drawing and learning to write letters and numbers. It is one of the favorites from their selection of leapster games.

68.) My child likes this game But...
Reviewed by:
Rating:
I think this game is very hard to do. The maze game is impossible! However my 4 year old never puts it down. She loves it. Her favorite is the doodling. I don't think she is learning anything from it but at least she is having fun. I just wish I didn't spend so much money on it.

69.) For the artiste in your kid.
Reviewed by: Noname
Rating:
My kids like this game more for the picture drawing than the letter writing. Compared to coloring and drawing, there weren't many letter writing activities anyway. In fact, there is only one letter writing activity included. I tried it myself and found it boring to wait for the letter to be drawn and then write the letters. For letter writing, I like the princess Leapster game that has the child trace the footsteps to form letters.

The coloring is fun. There are so many color and draw activities. Many of them teach color mixing. My son learned how to draw a few things like a dog and cat from the drawing exercises. There are also lessons in drawing depth/shading and making flip books. The kids get lots of practice using their fine motor skills on this game. I really think this is best marketed as a pre-writing game or art skills game than a writing game.

70.) Good game
Reviewed by: Mindy Braley Madawaska, ME
Rating:
My 4 year old got this game for christmas along with the learning system and he doesn't paticlarly like this one as much as some of the other games he's gotten...my 7 year old also tried this game and she got frustrated with it because mr. pencil is really picky about you getting off of the lines..he doesn't give the kids much slack for error, but I tried it and I thought it was really educational!!

71.) If your toddler REALLY wants to play video games like a big kid...
Reviewed by: J. A. Hodges
Rating:
If your kiddo really wants to play big kid video games but is really to young for wii, xbox and playstation this is the best kids gaming system right now. The buttons are easy and responsive. The games that we own are fun and interesting to my 3 year old and our 6 and 8 year old neighbors. They all provide an educational benefit usually math based/problem solving side. We've had it for several months and it is still a lot of fun and is challenging.

The other gaming systems like the v-motion are really lacking in comparison ( my son doesn't play the v-motion b/c the controller is not responsive and it becomes very frustrating...the lack of responsiveness is due to product development. The graphics are awful. )
It is lacking in graphics and is occasionally too rigid in its requests for some games (You can't lift the pencil in Mr. Pencil or in chasing zero when the goal is to write a number or letter for example). The graphics could be better the string attaching the stylus could be longer.

72.) frustrating
Reviewed by: boblucy7 andover, n.j. United States
Rating:
This game can be frustrating and annoying.I purchased this game for my 6 year old,she is often annoyed by Mr. Pencils comments.He is a character who is supposed to help,but he interuptes when slight mistakes are made...not very encouraging.The double doodle activity is double frusration,after every line you draw Mr.Pencil is supposed to duplicate it on another part of the screen ,but he draws the lines all over the screen sometimes on top of the picture your trying to draw,this makes my kid nuts!I thought this game would have more art tools for creative work,the cartridge that comes with the leapster has cooler special effects then this.All that said,this game is educational teaching pencil control,color,helping kids draw through tracing and copying.It's OK.....Could have been better.

73.) Very educational, but can be a little frustrating
Reviewed by:
Rating:
I bought this game along with others for my nearly 5 daughter on Christmas and I would consider this game as more challanging than the others. For one thing this game can be a Task master! On the drawing lessons, it gives you drawings to trace and instructions. It expects you to pretty much stay close to the line and to continue until you reach the red dot or you must start the line over. My daughter asked me for help on some of the more challanging lines and this isn't that easy on some! On the maze games you can't touch the maze lines or you must start over. Having to start over in the middle when you've tried so hard can be very discouraging and frustrating, and my daughter has put down this game to play instead with the Dora the Explorer cartridge!

On the plus side this game is extremely educational. My daughter was definitely learning better control with the pencil, and color theory. I think she'll have an easier time with the more challanging drawings when she's older. The one thing I wish the game did though was to be a little more encouraging and to allow the child to finish the drawing, then tell them to try again, instead of interupting when an error is made, which can be discouraging.

74.) Fun and Educational
Reviewed by: Leigh S. Kobus Bethlehem, Pa United States
Rating:
We bought this game for our 5yr old after she got a Leapster for Christmas. I thought it would be a good choice as she has just started Kindergarten this year and has to learn to write, as she put it "perfect" (very frustrating). She also really enjoyed the drawing program on Leapster's original game, so I figured this would be the best of both worlds. When it came, of course I had to test it out, and was instantly annoyed by the task master "Mr. Pencil". If my daughter thought that parochial school teachers were tough, she had another thing coming. I was a bit concerned that she would be put off by his "perfectionism". Stray but a bit off the chosen path and you are sent back to the beginning, and DON'T DREAM of lifting your pencil on a line that he has deemed should be drawn in one stroke! But much to my surprise, she rose to the challenge. She enjoyed "Mr. Pencil"'s silly interpretations of her drawings on Double Doodle, and has spent countless hours with the Flip Book program. The maze section was moderately frustrating (mostly because her first attempts were made on a long, bumpy car ride), and she hasn't spent as much time practicing her letters and numbers as I had hoped (why do "work" when there are other fun things to do". My only complaint is the same I have with the few other games I have bought. Instead of doing a few things well, the manufaturer settles for doing many things "okay".After playing many of the games you can imaginge how they could have been better if they hadn't wasted memory on games like "Paint Drop" or "Picture Challenge" or the coloring book feature which could have been incorporated into the doodle feature. All told though, my daughter does love it and it does have some eduacational value teaching basic color theory and some perspective (which is a bit beyond her intrest at 5yrs old, and I think it is definitely worth the money.

75.) Fun , but.............
Reviewed by: tinannette , WV United States
Rating:
This program can be very fun, But when you get to the Lessons where your child can practice writing numbers and letters it can be very Tormenting..... I have tried writing the number3 countless times and have yet to please Mr Pencil.

Could be a bit discouraging for a child...

The other areas are pretty fun But I think they could have added a bit more to the whole program......more coloring pages, stamps, ect....

76.) Mr. Pencil won't let you write!
Reviewed by: 3kids-at-home Crescent City, California United States
Rating:
I got this for my five year old, and she loves it. She gets so frustrated with it though. Mr. Pencil won't give you a break, he wants to make you write absolutely perfect. If you don't trace something exactly like it says, even just a hair line away, it makes you start all over. I hear my daughter yelling at her Leapster when she has to start over and over on the mazes. She usually just gives up and puts it away. Too bad they are so particular about being right on their lines. This would be a great cartridge, but it is very frustrating. Even my six year old gets mad using this one.

77.) Draw and write
Reviewed by: happy Mom
Rating:
I wanted my kids to practice their letters which this offers and they enjoy it for the most part, it is not their favorite. I do not like that if they do not write the letter correctly the game tells them to do it later and leaves the session. It would be nice if the game didn't encourage them to stop even trying.

78.) should lable not in stock
Reviewed by: ashbash330 ashbash330
Rating:
I ordered from AmericaRx February 10th and it stated that this product will be shipped to me by the 17th of February. So yesterday February 17th I wrote to the company since Amazon wrote me saying there is no statement about this company shipping this product out. So I wrote to AmericaRx and the next day which is today the 18th they said that this product is not in stock. And if you look even at this moment today it says under the product written in green IN STOCK. So anyways not happy at all with this company! I order from Amazon all the time, and this is the first for me.

79.) Draw & Write
Reviewed by: Kelly Thomas
Rating:
In theory, this is a great game. However, my 5 and 4 year old girls seldomly pick it when they have their choice of leapster games. It's cute, but the options are limited.

80.) Forget about it!
Reviewed by: MadtownMom Madison, WI
Rating:
I gotta echo the review by "frustrating" -- my daughter LOVES her Leapster but dumped this cartridge early on after several frustrating attempts. She was excited to practice her letters, but the game requires the child to draw precise lines that match the on-screen template and also to use prescribed line strokes following little arrows on each letter -- e.g., when drawing the two "humps" on a letter "B" if the child picks up the pen between the "humps" it won't accept the letter. Come on. Pretty discouraging when the game rejects every letter your 5-year old tries to draw along with little annoying comments for each try. If your child has mastered drawing upper and lower case letters why would they want to play this game and if they are still learning they don't draw precise even lines. The rest of the game didn't go much better. And echo the problems others had with the drawing functions. Other Leapster cartridges like Dora and Kindergarten were big hits and are played endlessly, but don't expect much from this one.

81.) Very fustrating
Reviewed by:
Rating:
We got this game for our 4 yr old and thought it would be great to help learn to write his letters. Wrong! It was very fustrating for him. Mr penicl expects prefection, even myself, my husband and my teen daughter had trouble pleasing Mr pencil.
the lessons expect to much from kids especially when adults have trouble with it.
The only part of the game that was nice was the doodling part. Was a waste of my [money]. I won't let my son play it anymore cause he ends up getting to upset.

82.) Not for young children
Reviewed by: Rowyntree Chesterton, IN United States
Rating:
I love LeapFrog, I love Leapster. I love the game that the Leapster comes with, as well as the Dora and Finding Nemo games. This one just isn't as good. For one, it's for pre-K and K ages but there is reading involved. To me, that just doesn't make sense. One of the games involves catching the colors in a bucket to make the color shown in the upper corner (for example, the color orange is shown, so you would catch the red and yellow drips). The game is timed. The correct color drips don't show up though, so the timer goes off before you can catch the correct colors. What happened, LeapFrog? They completely bombed on this one.

83.) change age on this game.
Reviewed by: Tina Hennessey
Rating:
I felt you need to change the age for the drawing game. My son is eight and it was way to easy., very young for him. It is better more for a pre schooler. I wasted my money on this one. Leapster itself is a great game.

84.) Way TOO frustrating!!
Reviewed by: mom Columbus, OH
Rating:
The concept of this game is great! And there is great potential on the specific tasks to explore. However, I (an adult) got frustrated trying to use it. It's way too sensitive on exactly where your lines need to be to have your item considered correctly drawn, or too sensitive to be able to keep your line within the line to do the mazes. I really wish this was easier to use. What a great concept - it's unfortunate it's too frustrating to use!

85.) Returned it to the store it was so bad
Reviewed by: mommyimp Bayside, NY United States
Rating:
I bought this title because I wanted my two children to practice writing their letters correctly. However we could never get the lines to correspond to where the pencil was. In order to trace a letter you had to actually draw the line an inch inside the line you were supposed to trace. Two calls to the company couldn't solve this problem and since we didn't have any problems with any other leapster software we were sure the calibration was right. This was very frustrating for my children especially because Mr. pencil cuts you off and makes you do it over if you go out of the line at all. There is no margin for error, very bad for kids just learning.

We have 5 other Leapfrog cartridges and we love using the leapster but Mr. Pencil is a DUD.

86.) Very Frustrating!!
Reviewed by:
Rating:
This cartridge is recommended for ages 4 and up but I found it extremely frustrating. My 4 year old is learning how to write his letters so I thought this would be a great learning tool. The problem is that the pen is so sensitive that if he does not put the correct amount of pressure on it while drawing, it doesn't allow him to finish. The idea is to "trace" the letters but if he is not absolutely exact, it tells him it's wrong. He was very discouraged. I would not recommend purchasing this cartridge unless your child already has a very steady hand and his writing is flawless.

87.) Mr. Pencil - very problamatic
Reviewed by: James Smart Nome, AK
Rating:
I have a 5,3,2 year old. We bought leapster for the oldest and realized the others would benefit too. So we bought each one their own module. We purchased all the cartridges. I highly recommend the leapster and its games. Very educational and fun. However, Mr.Pencil is very frustrating. I thought it was due to lack of skill for the kids, but even I and my wife could not make MrPencil happy. I took my time and tried my hardest and could not do well. Very disappointing for the kids that are learning, because when they are actually doing it right, they recieve no credit from Mr. Pencil. Anyways. we love Leapster and want new games.

88.) wrong teaching
Reviewed by: Tharuna san francisco, CA
Rating:
My 4 year old loves playing this game, but i found out that they are teaching the wrong stuff to kids. This game teaches kids that the primary colors are Red, Blue and Yellow - which is plain wrong. We all know that Red, Blue, Green are the primary colors. How can a learning game get it all wrong, and that too from Leapfrog which claims emphasis on learning. I cant believe they are getting away with teaching wrong concepts. very disappointed.

Features of LeapFrog Leapster Learning Game Mr. Pencil's Learn to Draw and Write

Mr. Pencil's Learn to Draw and Write is a fun new game for your child's Leapster. This game cartridge holds a series of games that teach drawing and reading, the fun and easy way. Its recommended for ages 4 and above

1.) Part of the Leapster Multimedia Learning System (sold separately).;
2.) More than 100 interactive lessons;
3.) Combines engaging lessons, tools and games with LeapFrog's proven approach to learning;
4.) Built-in lessons designed to teach drawing and writing the fun and easy way;

Package Height x Length x Width: 7.48 in. x 7.48 in. x 5.35 in.
Package Weight: 0.26 lbs.

Accessories for LeapFrog Leapster Learning Game Mr. Pencil's Learn to Draw and Write