The LeapBand is here!

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Here's what happened when my kids took the LeapBand activity tracker for a spin.

By Michelle Owens

USA Track & Field certified youth coach and parent of three

Michelle coaches elementary and middle school Track & Field, encourages family fitness in & after school, and obtains funding to promote fitness at school through grant-writing. With her background as a scientist and as a NCAA Division I student-athlete, she’s on a mission to share with youth the strong association of being physically fit with improved attention, behavior, and learning. Married to an early adopter of all-things-tech, she’s had the opportunity to interact with many fitness devices, apps, services, and social networks. Michelle is a paid contributor to the LeapFrog community and receives free product in exchange for her feedback.

My three kids were SO excited to get the latest awesome toy from LeapFrog: the wearable LeapBand™ activity tracker! What is it? It’s a kid-focused, energy-counting, time-keeping, virtual-pet loving, healthy-video-game-playing device that can be worn on the wrist like a watch. As a youth Track & Field coach, athlete, and lover of wearable technology I, too, had been eagerly anticipating the LeapBand since it was announced. My husband and I have tried out a myriad of wearable tech, including the Garmin Vivofit™ and the Fitbit Flex™ and it’s wonderful to see a child-appropriate version. Thanks, LeapFrog!

As soon as we turned them on my kids were off and running (literally). Two hours later I found my 3-year-old panting happily on the floor: “I do all the things LeapBand told me to do!” Meanwhile my 7-year-old was racing back and forth at full speed, after having discovered the 30-second stopwatch. (With its big bold numbers, I plan to use that feature with my 3-year-old to practice counting.)

Both kids fell into bed that night, totally exhausted, and still wearing their LeapBands!

I look forward to plugging them into my computer with the included USB-to-miniUSB cord and setting modes like Sleep and School on the parent portal, called LeapFrog Connect. Now, the hard part is gonna be getting the kiddos to take them off long enough to do it!